The Big Bang Theory Was Only a Step Away from Losing Its Most Interesting Character
The show would never be as good without him.
While it would be unfair to underestimate the importance of the brilliant writing of The Big Bang Theory 's creators to the show's success, it's also hard to believe that the show could have been just as great with a different cast. The Big Bang Theory was an ensemble show from the beginning, and it's the character dynamics that made it so compelling.
Without one of the five main characters, Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, Raj or Penny, the sitcom was likely to flop, as evidenced by the audience's poor reaction to the show's unaired pilot. However, the risk of that happening was much closer than you might think, as Simon Helberg almost passed on the show.
Why Is Howard the Best The Big Bang Theory Character?
Although many consider Sheldon to be the main character of the show with the best character development arc, fans of Howard Wolowitz would disagree. Of course, he may have been the center of attention all the time now, but Simon Helberg's hilarious portrayal of the character made him the most prominent character in many episodes.
Starting out as a momma's boy whose interests included nothing but comic books and being horrible to women, Howard learned to be respectful, had a wonderful marriage, and even fulfilled his dream of becoming a real astronaut. To think that none of this could have happened because of Helberg's involvement in another project is truly frightening.
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During a 2016 visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the actor admitted that he wanted to pass on The Big Bang Theory, and he had some very valid reasons for doing so:
“I was doing a show called Studio 60 that was a great group of people, but it was people weren’t watching it, and I hear that’s part of the equation. So I said, ‘I don’t wanna play nerds anymore,” Helberg explained.
Since being typecast is one of the biggest fears of many talented actors in TV and film, Helberg's motivations are understandable. However, allowing himself to be talked into giving this one role a try was one of the best compromises he ever made, as it resulted in 12 years of one of the best sitcoms of the 2000s.
Long-time fans of The Big Bang Theory would have been just as excited to see Howard back, along with other familiar faces, for HBO's spinoff of the show. However, as of yet, there is no official word on Simon Helberg's return to his role. Make sure to keep an eye out so you don't miss any updates!