After the recent announcement that The Big Bang Theory is getting a tell-all book written by Jessica Radloff, diehard Reddit fans have been rewatching the series in preparation for what's to come. There are quite a few heartwarming moments to relive, whether it's the guys' nerdy pursuits or the development of popular relationships like Leonard and Penny's or Sheldon and Amy's. But whether it's a science experiment gone wrong or romantic mishaps, everyone in the gang has found themselves red in the face at some point.
On Reddit, fans love the series but agree some of the characters' embarrassing moments were too cringeworthy or awkward to watch.
Raj Daydreamed Of His Best Friend Dying
Raj being the third wheel in the group was a normal occurrence because his relationships never lasted as long as his friends'. After spending so much time with Howard and Bernadette at the start of their relationship, Raj realized he also had feelings for Bernadette.
In one episode, Raj daydreamed about his best friend dying and pleaded with Raj to take care of Bernadette while on his deathbed. This scene didn't sit well with audiences and many found it cringey and embarrassing. KingBlackthorn1 wrote, "The scene I skip always though is the entire Raj and Bernie arc. It was horrid and cringe." Another Redditor found the scene "cringey" because Raj shouldn't have fallen in love with his best friend's girlfriend.
Leonard & Penny's Deal To Deceive Her Dad
It took a long time for Penny and Leonard to get married because they didn't know what they wanted. Penny always loved Leonard but their differences made the possibility of a long-lasting relationship too scary for her. Likewise, Leonard had always been infatuated with Penny, but was that all?
When they broke up (again), the two remained cordial. However, Penny couldn't tell her dad that they were no longer together because he adored him. Instead, she pretended to date Leonard during her dad's visit. The fake union was embarrassing because Leonard relished pretending to date Penny again. Madz1812 wrote "Leonard was super creepy" in those scenes with Penny, which is the main reason why they skip the episode when rewatching.
Howard & His Awkward Fate With The Robot
Sheldon may say otherwise, but Howard's quotes proved he was the smartest in the group — though he didn't always make the smartest decisions. In 'The Robotic Manipulation,' he thought it was a great idea to use a robot's hand for some self-satisfaction. But when the hand got stuck on Howard's genital, he had to be escorted to the hospital for help.
Reddit u/TVaddict1973 noted how embarrassing this situation was and that it's one episode they fond found hard to rewatch. "Howard just skeeves me out too much in this episode," they wrote. They continued saying the entire situation weirded them out and it was too embarrassing to watch.
Being Around Howard's Mom Was Embarrassing Enough
With Howard's mother Debbie constantly cleaning up after him and helping him with everyday life, he didn't fully mature throughout The Big Bang Theory until she ed away. With his mother gone, Howard was finally able to focus solely on his career and family.
Before Debbie died, however, Reddit u/MyriVerse found Debbie and Howard's scenes to be embarrassing because of Debbie's parenting skills. When comparing the mothers in the show, the Redditor wrote "I think it would be more embarrassing for me to deal with a mom like Debbie." They continued explaining, "Having to play nursemaid to a mom who guilted me constantly to the point it stunted my emotional growth would be horrible to me."
Teaching Women In Science As Men In Science
Reddit u/Skribsbb explained that "any episode that's built around the awkwardness, for example, the episode where they try to introduce middle schoolers to science, is just hard to watch."
In the scene, Howard invited Sheldon and Leonard to him at his former middle school to talk about his new life as an astronaut and to encourage young girls to dabble in science. But it would have made much more sense for female scientists to be the speakers as opposed to a bunch of men. The scene was so uncomfortable because Sheldon and co. didn't do a good job of pitching their areas of focus to young girls.
"It's Hot In Here, It Must Be Summer."
In 'The Terminator Decoupling,' Howard, Sheldon, Raj, and Leonard were on a train traveling to San Francisco when they saw actress Summer Glau, known for her work in Firefly and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
With Summer on the train, both Howard and Raj talked to each other incessantly about how they were going to approach her since they were big fans. Raj ended up pulling the trigger first before embarrassing himself, allowing Howard to swoop in. All the while, Sumer was annoyed and wanted to be left alone. One Reddit said this scene was embarrassing to watch because it was an "Utterly cringeworthy level of creepy."
Howard Acted Poorly To Bernadette's Pregnancy News
Howard and Bernadette were the most relatable couple in the series, especially after they found out they were pregnant. In the episode, Bernadette planned on telling Howard she was pregnant after an evening in the hot tub, but when the couple found a drowning rabbit, their plans changed. The two rescued the rabbit and tended to Howard's injury after the rabbit bit him.
Firepanda11, however, found this episode (and the one that followed) hard to watch because "Howard was terrible acting." His fear of becoming a father was incredibly dramatic after begging Bernadette for kids years prior, making it embarrassing to watch.
Sheldon Wanted To Learn How To Make Friends
Sheldon can be socially awkward but that never mattered to him because he didn't care what others thought. He did, however, eventually want to learn how to be more socially acceptable and make more friends.
Although Sheldon is arguably the smartest character on TBBT, he needed some help on how to make friends. He went to the children's section in a book store to research how, which is when he met a little girl reading alone. Sheldon's intentions were innocent in talking to the little girl but Leonard knew that Sheldon could also be seen as creepy. The SecretExit felt similarly and wrote, "That scene was painful to watch, to be honest." Luckily, Leonard rushed Sheldon out.
An Intimate Game Of Dungeons & Dragons With Amy
Amy and Sheldon fell on hard times during their relationship. As much as they loved and respected one another, they weren't always on the same page, which led to some uncomfortable conversations.
In one episode, everyone was playing a game of Dungeons & Dragons, and Amy didn't appreciate that their friends were bringing up their lack of intimacy through the game. She and Sheldon went to his room and played their own version of D&D but not everyone found it entertaining. One Reddit said the scene was "So cringeworthy" that they had to "change the channel."
Sheldon's Caffeine Addiction Was A Distraction
In 'The Dependence Transcendence,' Howard and co. were under a strict deadline to finish their project for the US Air Force. They would have been done it sooner but Sheldon swore he had the math to make their guidance system smaller. Because of Sheldon's new math, everyone was stressed to make it work.
Sheldon quickly realized he wasn't smart enough to fulfill what needed to be done. Instead of voicing his concerns, he tried staying up later and working harder by drinking energy drinks. Redditor Amy_Michelle6 said they "skipped half the episode" because they were embarrassed by how Sheldon was acting instead of saying the truth. They continued by saying, "They make him way too selfish sometimes, he becomes unwatchable."