The 5 Most Underrated Relationships in The Big Bang Theory

What is the biggest part of The Big Bang Theory? Science, pop culture, or maybe the jokes? We say it's love and friendship! These two components are essential to the story of the four nerdy scientists and their friends, as all the characters on TBBT have grown personally and professionally throughout the series' 12 seasons — all thanks to their love and support for each other.

But of all the great relationships on the show, a few were sort of overlooked by the writers, and viewers also did not pay enough attention to them. Check out these five relationships, both friendly and romantic, that you may have missed on TBBT.

5. Stuart, Howard, and Bernadette

The owner of the comic book store and a good friend of the gang, Stuart Bloom became an important character in the middle of the series. Stuart proved to be a supportive friend when he moved in to live with Howard and Bernadette, helping the couple with their household chores and trying not to be a nuisance to them.

4. Stuart and Denise

One of the most underrated storylines is the relationship between Stuart and Denise, the assistant manager at his store. Fans were incredibly happy when the depressed Stuart found such a smart and interesting partner to finally move in with, but unfortunately, the couple's romantic arc was never properly developed.

3. Penny and Leonard's mother

Leonard's mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, was initially presented as a calculating scientist who approached her relationships with other people with cold rationalism. Of course, when she first met Penny, Dr. Hofstadter couldn't help but question if she and her son were right partners for each other.

But eventually, she and Penny became good friends and enjoyed their time together sharing gossip.

2. Howard and Amy

Yes, Howard and Amy are great friends, and it's a shame that their relationship was not in the spotlight on TBBT. At first, Howard and Amy seemed to have nothing in common until they discovered they both loved Neil Diamond's music in the episode 'The Scavenger Vortex' and even went to karaoke together. In 'The Collaboration Contamination,' the two worked on a robotic device and clearly enjoyed their time.

1. Sheldon and Penny

While the series' focus was always on the Sheldon/Amy and Leonard/Penny romances, the friendship storyline between Sheldon and Penny was somewhat neglected. And yet, it's one of the most interesting relationships on the show, as these two are very different people who couldn't stand each other at first but learned to love and appreciate each other's good qualities by the show's finale in Season 12.