Although not part of the original trio of Penny, Leonard, and Sheldon, an integral member of the cast of The Big Bang Theory throughout the years was Simon Helberg's Howard Wolowitz. Without Howard and other characters like Raj, the show would never have been as successful as it was.
From his ventures into space to his long-term relationship with Bernadette, or even his constant mick-taking of best friend Raj, Howard had plenty of exciting and entertaining storylines in the 12 seasons. But, like all great characters, he still had some bad storylines as well that, perhaps, fans would have preferred not having.
Worst: The Mars Rover Incident
During the early seasons of The Big Bang Theory, before he eventually settled down with Bernadette, Howard was known for being a little creepy and weird around ladies. As the series went on, Howard somehow managed to become even creepier; he lied to Bernadette about his past relationships and even cheated on her, albeit using his World of Warcraft avatar.
But, one particular incident back in season two annoyed fans the most where, in an attempt to impress a girl, Howard accidentally crashes the Mars Rover Curiosity. Howard putting his love life above an incredibly expensive and valuable piece of technology proves the kind of guy he used to be.
Best: Sheldon Prank Wars
Throughout the show, both Howard and Sheldon continuously pulled pranks on each other. Where Howard excels at sarcastic comments, Sheldon's personality makes him socially awkward in many situations, and so many sarcastic lines tend to fly straight over his head, and, as a result, the two constantly ended up clashing with each other.
With both never stepping up to be the bigger person, fans were treated to a hilarious rivalry with many practical jokes. From dres as Sheldon for Halloween or Sheldon pranking Howard and Raj in return for them spying on him, viewers were treated to many laugh-out-loud moments between the two.
Worst: His Relationship With Stuart
The Big Bang Theory cast wasn't expanded much further than the main seven, but one recurring character who had a fairly large part to play in the show was comic book store owner turned manny, Stuart. Stuart Bloom was introduced to fans as the owner of the comic book store and even managed to briefly go out with Penny before she realized her true feelings for Leonard. But, from there on, he went a downhill slope of failed opportunities and bad luck.
Despite his hard life, Stuart was a great babysitter for the Wolowitz family and even moved in for a while. But, this didn't stop Howard from constantly taking the mick out of his sad life, which most would agree was plain horrible.
Best: Scavenger Hunt Sing-A-Long
In what was one of the most entertaining episodes of the show, Raj decided to treat the gang to a special treasure hunt made by himself. The hunt included puzzles, a trip to their labs, and a race from the laundry room to the finish line. But, one of the best parts of the episode was the unlikely and surprising friendship formed between Howard and Amy.
What started off as an awkward and predominantly quiet car journey ended as an epic karaoke session between the pair thanks to their shared love for Neil Diamond. Listening to Howard and Amy screaming the lyrics to Sweet Caroline and America was a moment to never forget from the series.
Worst: Howard's Non-Doctor Status
A recurring gag amongst the guys from the show is taking the mick out of Howard for only being an aerospace engineer, unlike the rest of them who all have their Ph.D.'s—which is often led by Sheldon, of course. Even after Howard went into space with NASA, the boys didn't stop dishing out the insults about his education.
After a while, however, the humor of the joke burnt out, and it became quite repetitive, especially after Howard became more and more insecure about the topic. Like many TV shows, The Big Bang Theory may have overused this particular joke against Howard.
Best: Raj's Friendship
One of the best parts of the show, and one of the best friendships, is Howard and Raj. Both science and comic book nerds, the two proved to fans on many occasions that they do truly care about each other. Despite their small arguments and Howard's constant mockery of his pal, they still always managed to make up and carry on as they were.
In typical Hollywood style, and in one of the best and most heart-warming moments of the show, Howard ran through the airport and stopped Raj from moving to London with Anu. It was here he told him how much he really cared about Raj despite the jokes.
Worst: His Voyage To Space
In what could have been a great storyline for the show, Howard was offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel into space and stay at the International Space Station. However, Howard was completely unprepared for the trip to space in of physicality and fitness, and it led to a somewhat miserable time on the orbiting satellite.
To make the arc even worse, once Howard returned from space, he was constantly boasting about his achievement and drove everyone around him crazy with his inflated ego. The storyline had potential, but, thanks to Howard's childish behavior, the character didn't live up to it.
Best: Bernadette
Of course, we have to mention his long-term relationship with Bernadette. Despite a rocky start and a potentially rocky end, the pair were the most consistent couple in the show. Bonding over their excessive mothers, Howard and Bernie became extremely close very quickly and married in the season five finale.
The couple even decided to start a family during the show, which, with the help of Raj and Stuart, became another great story and new aspect for the show. Despite Howard seeming to be closer to Raj and some minor bickering, it was clear to the fans that they were a good match and deserved to be together.
Worst: His Mother
Having a close mother and son relationship is always a good thing, but, in The Big Bang Theory, Howard's relationship with his mother may have taken a step too far. What started as yet another recurring gag of them both screaming at each other across the house and Howard's extreme disliking of his overprotective and overbearing mother turned into an annoyingly strained relationship.
To make matters even worse, after started their new family and getting married, Bernadette became more and more like his mother. With her constant yelling in an almost identical voice, she filled Howard's mother's boots like a glove, which annoyed plenty of viewers.
Best: Hanging Out With The Guys
Despite some minor disagreements and their slow distancing as they all seemed to settle down with someone, the guys had great group chemistry from the very first episode, and this led to some very funny moments and adventures. As scientists and comic geeks, the guys routinely found themselves battling it out in board games like Dungeons and Dragons, or facing off in videogames together.
That's not to mention their road trips throughout the series. Be it the annual comic con trip led to some unforgettable scenes, the partially successful bachelor parties, or their movie nights, the guys gave us some great moments and Howard was an integral part of that group.