TBBT: Howard's Ba-Sing-A Performance Had Fans In Awe Of Simon Helberg
Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) might have a weirdly close bond with his mother (Carol Ann Susi) and sport mysterious alien pins on a daily basis, but he knows how to woo a lady. In "The Big Bang Theory" Season 7 episode "The Romance Resonance," his wife Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) must quarantine on the anniversary of their first date after being exposed to a raccoon virus at work.
In a sweet gesture, Howard brings his keyboard to the lab and, with backing vocals from his friends, sings "If I Didn't Have You (Bernadette's Song)." It's a heartfelt and funny tune, with lyrics including, "If I didn't have you, life would be blue, I'd be Doctor Who without the TARDIS."
A number of fans love how this scene spotlights the talents of Helberg, which they feel can sometimes fly under the radar. In response to a YouTube clip of his sweet song, user @mrbraa6111 said, "Still can't believe Howard didn't win an Emmy nor a Grammy for his acting skills, impersonations and every other thing with his character."
As @TheJoCity stated, "Simon Helberg is the most talented of the whole cast." Another fan, @paulamiles9559, added, "Simon Helberg is just incredible. I read somewhere that he got this whole song on the 1st take!"
Howard's song to Bernadette is proof of his character development
Not only does Howard's serenade showcase his musical abilities, it also highlights the massive emotional growth of the aerospace engineer. The difference between the Howard seen in the pilot episode, when he sleazily hits on a towel-clad Penny, and his Season 7 performance to Bernadette is astounding. Some things (like his colorful wardrobe) remain the same, but overall, Howard drastically matures over the course of the series.
A number of fans credit this positive change to his relationship with Bernadette, who embraces all of his quirks. As YouTube user @koushikibhattacharya7305 said, "No one usually talks about Howard's development in the show. It is beautiful and very realistic. He is one of the most developed characters along with Sheldon and Penny. It has been a treat to the eyes."
It helps that, behind the scenes, Simon Helberg genuinely enjoyed working alongside Melissa Rauch. In fact, he described the musical scene to Newsweek as a "very special thing." In an interview with TV Line, he shared fans' sentiment that Howard's creepiness had been off-putting before he started dating Bernadette. "I didn't necessarily think that meant the character should be removed," the actor said, "but it certainly was more fun to play him as his heart got bigger and he shed his layer of sleaze."