A meet-cute is a moment in a movie or show where two people meet for the first time prior to a future romantic relationship. Most of the time, meet-cutes are humorous or unusual, but they can also be matter-of-fact. And while The Big Bang Theory started as a show about four best friends and their dedication to science, it ended with most of them married and starting a new future.
The meet-cutes in TBBT weren't always spontaneous but they did have their quirky moments that shaped the episode and their relationship. But which ones were the best?
Raj & Anu's Meet-Cute Was More Serious Than The Rest
Raj and Anu's meet-cute was more structured than the rest because they were meeting as potential spouses — not just blind dates. In the 12th and final season, Raj decided that he was ready to finally be matched for marriage. He believed in finding his true love but it was taking too long. With his dad's help, he was set up in an arranged marriage with a woman in the same predicament named Anu. And while Raj and Anu were sweet, their introduction was far more planned and composed than the other meet-cutes.
Raj & Lucy Were Lonely Hearts No More
In the sixth season, Raj and Stuart put together a singles party at the comic book store on Valentine's Day. Instead of loathing the romantic day, Raj and others in his same situation were celebrating.
After Raj gave a nice speech, a woman named Lucy approached him and ired him for his courage. After talking for a short while, the two left the singles party to get to know each other over coffee. It was a meet-cute that ended in Raj's favor for a short while.
Sheldon & Amy's Dry Meet-Cute At The Cafe
While Sheldon and Amy's first dinner date included Penny, their meet-cute was in the cafe. To distract Sheldon from bothering them, Howard and Raj put Sheldon on a dating website. His perfect match was a woman named Amy Farrah Fowler. Now, Sheldon was not interested in dating in the slightest but after meeting Amy in the cafe, he realized she was as dry and serious as he was. An unspoken bond was formed between the two that day.
Raj Needed Amy's Help To Meet Emily
Like Sheldon and Amy, Raj and Emily also met on a dating website. Emily showed interest in Raj but he was too nervous to respond. Instead, he had Amy talk to her on his behalf. Emily, however, was disinterested. She wasn't attracted to a man who needed his friend to talk for him. Emily and Amy, however, hit it off.
The two women met for coffee but Raj crashed. Once again, Emily was turned off by Raj bombarding their coffee chat. But it all worked out in the end. After a few weeks, Raj saw Emily in the same cafe and introduced himself without Amy. It was another humorous attempt at love that (temporarily) paid off.
Raj & Claire Had A Lot In Common From The Start
It's not often that viewers saw women browsing Stuart's comic book store but in season 9, Claire popped up. She overheard Raj and Howard bickering about the Disney movie Frozen and put in her two cents. From there, the three began talking about comics and science. As it turned out, Claire was writing a science-fiction screenplay and could use Raj's help. The two hit it off and Raj was surprisingly himself without fear. The two tried dating casually but hit a few bumps in the road. They didn't work out but their meet-cute was one of Raj's best.
Leonard & Priya Picked Up Where They Left Off
Leonard met Raj's sister Priya back in 2005, which prompted a pact between him and Howard that no one would flirt with her. However, when she came back to California for work and ran into Leonard at Caltech, she kissed him without warning. This meet-cute was one of the best because it proved how much tension was between them. Priya acted on her feelings knowing that Leonard would reciprocate. The two began a relationship shortly after, much to Raj's chagrin, but they broke up when long-distance got the best of them.
Bernadette & Howard's Meet-Cute Was Set Up
When Leonard and Penny got serious, he asked her if she would set Howard up with one of her friends. Penny reluctantly set Howard up with a co-worker at The Cheesecake Factory, Bernadette.
Bernadette was adorable and had a science background. Howard was interested in Bernadette right away but their date was incredibly awkward at first. They didn't pick up on the other's sense of humor and took each other too literally. But after Howard brought up his overbearing mother, the walls were dropped and they opened up. The date ended extremely well.
Leonard Sees Penny Unpacking Boxes From Afar
There's no meet-cute greater than when Leonard met Penny. Most of the other couples were set up or met on a dating site, but not these two. Penny was unpacking her boxes as she moved in across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon. The guys were walking up the stairs when they saw her from afar. The two men began whispering about her but Leonard's tunnel vision proved that there was something deeper going on. Their meet-cute was authentic and natural.