What Fans Think Are The Worst Things About Each Big Bang Theory Character
Bazinga! It's the colorful word Sheldon Cooper uses to express that he's just told a killer joke... at least in his mind. In reality, the lives of Sheldon and his friends are one big joke for our viewing pleasure. There's something spectacular about watching a group of the smartest people around fail socially time and time again, and that's what made "The Big Bang Theory" such a hit. Whether it's Sheldon's overwhelming urge to control everything, Leonard's desperate need for attention, Howard's man-child behavior, or Raj being unlucky in love, it's clear how oddly broken these seemingly brilliant men are. To make matters worse, the women in their lives, who are quirky in their own right, often seem to exacerbate their worst traits.
"The Big Bang Theory" ran for an impressive 12 seasons and would have gone on even longer had Jim Parsons, the man behind the awkward physicist Sheldon Cooper, not decided to move on. The show gained a large audience and will likely stand the test of time, but fans still have plenty of negative things to say about the characters. Let's take a look at the main cast of the show and discuss their worst faults as far as the fandom is concerned.
Bernadette is a bully
When Bernadette entered the picture in Season 3, she wasn't quite the same character we knew by the end of the show's run. She was quiet and awkward as she embarked on her first date with Howard, who couldn't appreciate Bernadette for who she was at first. Or maybe he just had a bad feeling about her — beneath that tiny exterior and small voice is a vindictive ball of rage waiting to be unleashed on the first person brave enough to tempt fate.
Fans have voiced their dislike for Bernadette's harsh rhetoric towards her friends. Her barbs are often played for laughs, but many viewers think she takes it too far and is a bit of a bully at times. Even when interacting with her closest friends, she never hesitates to cut someone off at the knees if they offend her.
Bernadette is also not above issuing threats to get what she wants and has even been known to take credit for other people's work without batting an eye. Once she marries Howard, she's in a constant state of grumbling over all of his perceived faults. It's easy to see why some fans believe that Bernadette comes off as a bully.
Leonard is too fidgety
In Hollywood, nerds are typically seen as socially awkward types. As such, they often appear to have strange mannerisms and behaviors. That is absolutely the case with this motley crew of brainy scientist friends. Leonard has often been singled out as the one who communicates the most awkwardness with his body language.
Leonard often over-emotes in situations that cause him discomfort. For instance, his face has the look of a child ready to have a meltdown when he's stressed. It's often humorous and underscores the pressure that has mounted internally during his years spent living with one of the haughtiest and most controlling roommates imaginable.
When Leonard is under pressure, it's never a secret. He's fidgety and often displays focus or irritation by leaning his head back and talking "down his nose" as Redditor debsterUK puts it. It's a physical quirk that you can't unsee once you've noticed it. While it certainly adds to Leonard's character as a whole, some viewers seem to find it highly irritating.
Howard is a man-child even after marriage
It's no secret that in the early days of "The Big Bang Theory," Howard was a bit of a pig. The only thing he could apparently think about was women. The issue was that he didn't care about developing relationships and would lay his pick-up dialogue on very thick, coming off as a total sleaze at times. After the inevitable blow off, he would go home to his mother's house and lock himself in his bedroom, complete with toys, action figures, and lightsabers. The whole man-child thing was funny to begin with, but it became a bit overplayed when Howard married Bernadette.
You'd think that at this stage, Howard would finally grow up and learn to be an adult. However, despite his fancy MIT degree and having "astronaut" on his resume, he still lacks wisdom and focus. Household chores are a struggle for him, and Bernadette often finds herself pulling him up on his lazy attitude toward home life. As a character, Howard definitely lacked a certain amount of growth. Sure, the show needed hilarious hooks to keep viewers engaged, but some fans felt Howard's refusal to mature was receiving diminishing returns in the laughter department by the end.
Sheldon is seemingly oblivious to social cues
To call Sheldon Cooper intelligent would be a huge understatement. Sheldon has an undeniably brilliant mind, but he's sorely lacking when it comes to social skills. While Leonard might be physically awkward, Sheldon's social awkwardness is off the charts. These character traits led many to believe that Sheldon may have been on the autism spectrum, but producer Chuck Lorre has stated that Sheldon wasn't written as an autistic character, and co-creator Bill Prady has said that he thinks of his quirky actions as simply "Sheldony," per Slate.
Going by what Lorre and Prady have said, Sheldon is apparently just wilfully ignorant at times. He often comes across as self-absorbed and rarely seems to think of others. Of course, he does experience growth in this area as the show progresses, but many fans feel that he's simply uninterested in being nice to people. He may speak Klingon, but body language is entirely foreign to Sheldon. After a while, his seeming indifference to the wellbeing of others can become a tad frustrating.
Amy is way too intrusive
Have you ever had someone in your life that you wish would just take a few steps back? Amy Farrah Fowler is that person on "The Big Bang Theory." The one who suffers the most from Amy's intrusive behavior is Penny, a friend that Amy admires. Eager to have girlfriends, Amy inserts herself into the most private aspects of Penny's life. She sometimes even manages to do the same with the rest of the cast. At one point, she commissions a massive goofy painting of Penny and herself expecting Penny to hang it on her wall with pride. If you haven't seen the episode, you can imagine how that goes.
Amy often blurts out the most random and inappropriate things, and she never seems to care that she's embarrassing people. Once she develops a lasting relationship with Sheldon, she pines for him and constantly references her sexual frustration with the rest of the group, even if that's the last thing they want to hear. Sheldon is extremely slow to engage in the act, but he has his reasons, and there's a time and place to vent those sorts of feelings. Of course, Amy's lack of boundaries is part of her character, but some fans find her to be way too intrusive.
Penny tries to change Leonard
Penny is a bit of a free spirit. She often does what she wants despite naysaying from her brainy friends. She's also the black sheep of the crew, being the only one without a degree and a "book smart" intellect. Leonard's nerdy fandom is one thing Penny never quite understood, even though sometimes she'd roll with the punches.
Leonard and Penny shared an off and on-again relationship since the show's inception. But, when Penny wasn't dating Leonard, she was often seen with jock types. Some of them had IQs at the opposite end of the spectrum from Leonard, like the air-headed Zack, who believed that if he had enough cash he could afford a "real" Elvis instead of just an impersonator. Aside from Leonard, it was clear Penny had a type. Yet, against all odds, Leonard and Penny still connected and eventually married.
It sounds like a happily-ever-after scenario, though Penny never fully embraced Leonard's nerdy lifestyle. She still constantly disparaged his interests and would often make suggestions that would ultimately change him. This part of her rubbed some fans up the wrong way. After all, if you truly love someone, doesn't that include everything that makes them who they are? The users of Reddit may have a point.
Raj sucks up to his parents too much
Howard might be a huge mama's boy, but Raj isn't far behind him. Despite being a great distance from his folks in India, Raj still lives under the almighty thumb of his parents. Of course, he comes from a wealthy family and he often relies on that wealth to sustain his life in America. He's frequently seen chatting with his mom and dad through video calls and they're always digging into his various lifestyle choices as if he isn't an adult. The problem is they often dangle the possibility of "cutting him off" from the family funds to sway him. This especially comes into play when it involves Raj's love life.
Raj frequently expresses irritation over his parents' demands, but fans can't help but wonder why Raj doesn't just put a stop to it. After all, he does work full-time and can easily support himself without the extra frills and extravagance he gains from his family fortune. Instead, Raj allows his parents to dominate his life decisions as if he were a child. Like Howard's situation, this is often played for laughs as the show demonstrates how awkward and immature these intelligent boys can be. But it's also a running gag throughout the series, one that eventually became tiresome in the minds of fans.
Leonard can't let go of his insecurities
After meeting Leonard's scientist mother, it's easy to understand why he is the way he is. Somewhere deep down she loved her child, but she treated him like a test subject at times, a way to prove her theories on the human psyche. She analyzed and studied his behaviors his entire life and even made him the topic of her research papers. The pressure that came from trying to be the perfect subject led to numerous insecurities that would plague Leonard during his early relationship with Penny. He'd never feel good enough despite moments when she chose to be with him and he'd often sabotage their relationship out of jealousy.
This narrative also plays out in Leonard's professional life at times. He often comes across like he's living in someone's shadow — probably Sheldon's, because heaven knows his head is big enough to block out the sun. For a 12-season show, fans would expect some character development in specific areas of Leonard's life, namely his insecurities. Marrying Penny would have been a great way to move forward and gain a bit more confidence in himself. Unfortunately, even after marriage, he'd still display moments of distrust, jealousy, and sabotage. Fans have recognized that his insecurities are his worst trait.
Penny tattles on her friends
In the early days, Penny was the sole woman in the lives of the four nerdy scientist friends. She quickly learns each of their quirks and how to manipulate them — Penny isn't above using her charms to get what she wants from her friends. What's worse is that she often uses other characters' parents against them, a pretty dirty move according to some fans. On numerous occasions, Penny tattled on her friends to their parents so they would step in and mediate a situation or hold sway over the individual. She reached out to Raj's parents and even called in Mary Cooper, Sheldon's mom, in an effort to control the wily physicist. Deep down, Sheldon — or Shelly, as dear mama calls him — is a sucker for his mother.
Penny has used this tactic of manipulating her friends on multiple occasions, and some viewers have found it to be rather intrusive and immature. "One thing I've always hated about Penny (whose character I find likable otherwise) is that she has no qualms about ratting out her friends to their parents," Redditor MixMasterMadge wrote. All the characters seem to have childish quirks, and Penny is clearly no different.
Raj isn't the fashionista he claims to be
As the series takes root and picks up steam in the early seasons, Raj begins to open up more. Eventually, he manages to talk to girls without experiencing crippling anxiety, a big moment for him. We also learn that Raj is a bit more cultured than his friends. Of course, he has the background of a wealthy family. But he's also more eccentric and open to a world beyond comic books, movies, and video games. He enjoys musical theater and fashion. At least, he says that he does.
Raj becomes a bit of a snob when it comes to his commentary on other people's style choices. However, this doesn't line up with what viewers are actually seeing. Raj is regularly seen wearing knitted sweaters over dress shirts, usually accompanied by a jacket that just doesn't match. Nothing about his staple attire screams "fashionista." Some fans don't like the way that Raj presents himself as above the others when it comes to his wardrobe. While his style isn't horrid or anywhere near as nerdy as those around him, it's rather dull and stuffy. Maybe he should take a look in the mirror before dishing out fashion advice.
All the major players are stereotypes
Some fans seem to believe that none of the characters resemble real people and are simply exaggerated stereotypes. Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard clearly fit the mold of geniuses who lack social decorum and often have nerdy interests such as comic books and tabletop games. Does every genius enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons? Sure, D&D is the kind of game that allows those with a high intellect and an active imagination to thrive, but it would have been nice to see a little variety among the boys.
Penny, meanwhile, seems to fit the "girl next door" mold from the get-go as the nerdy neighbors pine over her (except for Sheldon). She sometimes seems to lack common sense and often displays a practically non-existent understanding of basic academics. The show also highlights her penchant for drinking. To drive the caricature home, she moved to California in hopes of becoming an actor — a dream she ultimately fails to realize, despite some B-movie appearances.
When Amy enters the mix, the combination of her high aptitude, social awkwardness, and frumpy attire once again echo the stereotype of a bonafide nerd. Perhaps the show does lean too hard on stereotypical traits. Sometimes, however, these stereotypes are something we can all recognize and find humor in.