The Big Bang Theory had a variety of good ideas and themes that weren’t explored to their full potential, which could have made the show stronger.
The Big Bang Theory ran for a full 12 seasons as a mega-popular sitcom, and in that time, it explored plenty of engaging, hilarious and often heartfelt ideas. The show gave the main characters a chance to grow up while still retaining their brilliant and geeky side, and plenty of side characters had compelling arcs, too. The Big Bang Theory also left some intriguing ideas on the table, however, or didn’t explore some of its beset ideas deeply enough.
Some subplots or character arcs were abandoned halfway through or were developed too late, giving them too little time to contribute much to the show. Other ideas would have made this sitcom more realistic and even more engaging, but were never included and thus were never capitalized on for humor’s sake. If The Big Bang Theory could start all over again, it would benefit hugely from either including or expanding upon these ideas to make it that much more enjoyable.
9. A Well-Paced Love Life For Raj
In earlier seasons of The Big Bang Theory, Rajesh Koothrappali had zero luck with women, even compared to his friends Howard and Leonard. Raj had more appeal as a potential boyfriend than either of them, but it seemed the universe wanted to punish him for that instead and denied him any real girlfriends.
Raj eventually started to turn that around, but looking back, the pacing felt off. The Big Bang Theory could have capitalized on a smoother and earlier love story for Raj, making him more than a hopeless romantic with zero luck. That would have deepened his character far more than any one-night stand ever could.
8. Balancing Howard’s Ladies Man Side With His Vulnerable Side
The self-styled ladies’ man Howard Wolowitz made a terrible early impression with his downright creepy and excessive attempts to seduce women. Deep down, he was always a good person who just needed love, but he expressed it the wrong way and was understandably unsuccessful. He often annoyed or harassed the women he met, Penny included.
In the long run, The Big Bang Theory tried to balance Howard’s ladies’ man side with his vulnerable side, but it didn’t work out quite right, especially not early on. Blending those two things more evenly from the start would have made Howard obnoxious and silly, but also far more bearable and sympathetic, making his character stronger overall.
7. Clarifying Sheldon Cooper’s Apparent Autism Spectrum Disorder Traits
As the star of The Big Bang Theory, the brilliant Dr. Sheldon Cooper has attracted some criticism for what appears to be his warped presentation of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. The show’s creators didn’t have ASD in mind when developing Sheldon and writing his material, but if there was a clear answer to this controversy, The Big Bang Theory would be better for it.
If the show clarified that Sheldon really did have ASD, then the show could have capitalized on that and make him a more tasteful and meaningful representation of this developmental disorder in adults. Other shows such as Atypical already did so, and doing the same in The Big Bang Theory could’ve helped normalize autism in sitcoms of all kinds.
6. Better & More Relatable Parental Figures
It’s common for sitcoms to depict dysfunctional families, such as cliché doofus fathers, rebellious teenagers, or a troublemaker young boy, but even so, The Big Bang Theory didn’t have to lean so hard into that. The show’s parents were nearly all problematic, such as Leonard’s ice-cold mother Beverly, or Raj’s parents trying to micromanage their son’s love life from a continent away.
The Big Bang Theory would have felt more emotionally resonant and a little more inspiring if these iffy parents were more 50/50 between wholesome and weird, rather than being comically dysfunctional. That could have given the heroes more emotional depth, and give viewers hope for these otherwise twisted families.
5. Moving Sheldon & Amy’s Love Life at a Brisk Pace
In the long run, The Big Bang Theory delivered the goods with Sheldon and Amy Fowler’s love life, culimatting in their marriage near the series’ end. However, the show took too long with that romantic payoff, and some fans may have quit the show before they ever saw it. Even some characters — most of all Amy herself — commented on the sluggish pacing.
Ideally, The Big Bang Theory would have been shorter overall, and that would’ve meant pacing Sheldon and Amy’s relationship better. That could have enriched both characters before either of them became stale caricatures of themselves, and it would have motivated the other characters — most of all Raj and Howard — to try harder with their love lives, too.
4. Ending the Show Earlier & With a Bigger Bang
The Big Bang Theory’s actual ending was a solid one that helped end Sheldon Cooper’s arc well, but it took 12 seasons to get there, and some fans say the show suffered a decline in quality long before it got there. Ideally, this sitcom would be roughly half the length, which would mean better pacing and a more impactful ending.
Ending the show earlier would have made it feel more like lightning in a bottle, concluding each main characters’ arcs before the show started to drag. That way, The Big Bang Theory would have retained far more fans and kept everyone on board to watch the explosive finale, building on nonstop momentum to feel like a true sitcom ride.
3. Giving Howard Better Closure About His Father
Howard Wolowitz had some serious drama with his parents, including his off-screen mother but also his absent father Sam, albeit indirectly. One of Howard’s biggest emotional wounds involved Sam Wolowitz abandoning the family when Howard was 11 years old, but the show was too slow to heal that wound.
The show needed a more clearly-defined before and after for Howard where this was concerned. Resolving Howard’s abandonment issue around season 3 or 4 would have made him more confident and emotionally healthier, paving the way for him to be a worthy romantic partner and spouse for Bernadette.
2. More & Better Flashbacks For Sheldon
The Big Bang Theory used very few flashbacks, instead using humorous dialogue to explain what the characters have been through in their childhoods or semi-recent years. Such throwbacks might have made a character more sympathetic, but for the likes of Sheldon Cooper, direct flashbacks may have been best.
Sheldon still felt insufferable even after describing his family drama and his constant experiences with bullying. Instead, The Big Bang Theory could have used flashbacks, like snippets of Young Sheldon, to clearly show what his early life was like and make him more sympathetic and compelling as a result. It could have also satisfied everyone’s curiosity about exactly how these life events played out for him.
1. Giving Penny a Roommate
From the very start in The Big Bang Theory, Penny lived alone in her apartment, and it wasn’t clear how she could afford rent. The show did make jokes about that to acknowledge that weirdness, but perhaps the show could have instead given Penny a much-needed roommate.
A roommate would have also given Penny another like-minded friend and not just have her be a foil for the four main guys. Penny’s roommate could have brought out the best in her and vice versa, and make Penny feel less lonely in the show’s earlier seasons. That would have also given fans insight about what Penny looks for in a friend or roommate.
Source: cbr.com