TBBT's Most Annoying Character is, Surprisingly, Not Sheldon, According to Reddit
Fans of The Big Bang Theory gave out the title of Most Annoying Character on a Reddit thread, and they shockingly gave it to Leonard, not his roommate Sheldon. Users said that they found Leonard insufferable during a rewatch, calling him whiney and needy with several examples.
They pointed to the time Stuart went on a date with Penny, who Leonard thought he deserved to be with. Leonard did all he could so sabotage the date. When Penny and Leonard finally become an item, his constant insecurity becomes a thorn in the side of Penny, as well as the audience. He forbade her from letting a male friend stay on her couch, even though she's never shown any sign of being a cheater while he clearly has.
One user said that he felt Leonard had put Penny on a pedestal, treating her as a goddess. When she failed to live up to his high expectations and didn't treat him perfectly, he was shocked and caused fights.
While many fans did find him annoying, several Redditors were sympathetic toward his behavior. He had a rough relationship with his psychoanalyst mother, who released a book named Needy Baby, Greedy Baby. He was also bullied a lot in school, forcing him into a self-deprecating, insecure shell. They argue that he may seem annoying on the first watch, but after getting to know the character more, his personality is at least understandable, even if it's still annoying.
Dissenters from the original poster argued that several other characters were far more annoying than Leonard, who they believed to be a sweet, genuine person and a great partner for Penny. They offered up several other characters who they found far more annoying during the show's twelve-year run.
Some argued for Amy, who had several cringey moments throughout her time in the show. Others said it was clearly Bernadette, whose screeching yells were less funny than obnoxious. Some said Raj, who had lofty expectations from a girlfriend while not being much of a catch himself.
Still, others argued that the obvious choice was the correct choice: Sheldon Cooper. He whined just as much as Leonard about far more trivial things. He argued consistently with his friends, often resorting to insults.
But the Redditors who were convinced the correct choice was Leonard argued that Sheldon's annoying tendencies were a part of a character, something that made him a funny and beloved character. Leonard's annoying habits, however, distracted fans from the humor of the show.
Leonard might have been a lovable character, but fans believed that his constant whining and insecurities made him an annoying lead for The Big Bang Theory.