10 Times The Big Bang Theory Gave Us a Major Ick (It’s Not Just Howard)

While The Big Bang Theory remains one of the most popular sitcoms to date, it was released in 2007 and has not aged particularly well. With some moments more obvious than others, the show had its fair share of jokes that wouldn't make the cut in 2024, and rightfully so.

If you want to take a trip down memory lane and recall The Big Bang Theory's most devastating moments, here are the top-10 hand-picked by redditors, that no one can watch today without cringing.

Amy Ruining Bernadette’s Photoshoot

Even though Amy tried to excuse her behavior with a lack of respect for other women in science, she robbed Bernadette of her opportunity simply because she was jealous. She's always been obsessed with being popular and seeking attention in every situation, so if she got the cover, she wouldn't bat an eye.

Bernadette and Penny Children Conversation

One of the worst things The Big Bang Theory ever did to a character was to take away all of Penny's principles and make her and Leonard have a child. Her character had several moments on the show where she expressed her lack of enthusiasm for the idea of having children, but everyone dismissed it, including one of her closest friends, Bernadette.

Teddy Bear With a Camera

When the show started, pretty much every character felt like a caricature of themselves, and Howard was no exception. He was completely obsessed with sex, couldn't stay away from a woman, and made offensive jokes left, right, and center. However, giving Penny a teddy bear with a camera was bad even for him.

Penny Apologising to Howard

One of the show's most exciting moments was when Penny lashed out at Howard and made it known that she would no longer put up with being objectified. However, The Big Bang Theory had her retract her words, accept that he was a creep, and ask for his forgiveness when she was the one receiving the apology.

Bugs in Leonard’s Food

There are all kinds of horrible things that Sheldon has done to everyone on the show, but Leonard, his best friend and roommate, has suffered the most at his hands. Messing with someone's food is one of the worst things you can do in general, but to do it to your best friend of many years is on another level of cruelty. Not funny at all.

Amy Being a Creep

There were several moments to support this claim, but Amy's initial obsession with Penny was not funny at all, but disturbing, to say the least. Craving the company of another girl is one thing, but giving several very obvious hints of a suggestive nature put Amy on the same level as Howard in his early days. It's a good thing they both grew out of it.

Leonard Reading Penny’s Diary

No matter how many years you've been in a relationship, there's no excuse for reading someone's diary. People tend to write down the most sacred things in confidence, and having those secrets come up in conversation is truly heartbreaking. Penny's revenge was fun, but it doesn't excuse the way he acted.

Howard and Bernadette Ruining Sheldon’s Bed

Howard and Bernadette are one of the show's most beloved couples, and rightfully so, but there are some things viewers can't forgive them for. Getting intimate in Sheldon's bed was bad enough, considering how disrespectful it is to go to your friends' houses and do it, but knowing how he reacts to germs made it even worse.

Howard and His Cousin

We all know that The Big Bang Theory is not real, but the way it provoked a very real backlash cannot be forgotten. To this day, the story of Howard losing his virginity to his second cousin remains one of the show's most uncomfortable moments. And even though 2024 has entire shows with normalized incest, this story still gives viewers an ick.

Cameras in the Comic Book Store

Another rather disturbing joke came from Stuart, who owned a comic book store. He mentioned that his store had a camera in the breastfeeding area so he could check that no creepy guys were around. Considering how many women still suffer from prejudice against breastfeeding and all the creeps around them, the joke was highly insensitive.

Source: Reddit