Top 10 Big Bang Theory Moments - Best of WatchMojo

Turns out trinkets and knick-knacks have a lot more power than expected. At least, that’s what we gathered when Sheldon brings his girlfriend Amy a tiara, as penance for his lack of interest in her achievements. Amy’s prepared to tear him a new one, calling him out for being manipulative... until she sees the tiara and all the ill will disappears. What seals the scene, though, is Sheldon’s visible displeasure with the whole situation – plus, it’s wonderful to see Amy so happy.

Everyone needs advice on romance at some point – but it’s not usually as odd as this. In “The Hot Troll Deviation”, Howard is coping with the end of his relationship with Bernadette, which means a lot of imaginary flirting with Katee Sackoff from Battlestar Galactica. However, Howard’s fantasies reach a whole new level of weird when he also imagines George Takei as a romantic advisor. Sackoff and Takei’s back-and-forth is fleeting fun, especially when the question of Howard’s sexuality comes up.

The things people do for validation. Leonard, in the middle of giving a presentation on a paper he and Sheldon co-wrote, is disrupted by a question... from a livid Sheldon himself. The resulting argument quickly escalates as they both accuse each other of being egotistical, leading Sheldon to try and blow up Leonard’s head with his mind. And thus the dispute gets physical, with both scientists eventually fighting on the floor mid-presentation, in hilariously pathetic fashion— which later goes viral on YouTube.

We sense that Doctor Cooper may have misjudged the situation. Sheldon plots to get back at his university coworker Barry Kripke for an amusing helium-based prank that embarrassed him during a live radio interview. The plan Sheldon concocts involves dumping foam onto Kripke via a false ceiling in Kripke’s lab. All well and good, except for one detail: the university president and board of directors are also caught in the prank. The video of Sheldon gloating and naming his friends as co-conspirators certainly doesn’t help matters.

There’s unwinding, and then there’s just letting go of any form of inhibition. While on a camping trip to watch a meteor shower, Leonard, Howard and Raj partake in some homemade cookies – courtesy of some very odd-sounding older women. What follows is a drug trip of incredible proportions as each of the three scientists descends into a spiral of nervous hunger, hysterical laughter, and unnecessary confessions. From Leonard disliking his own name to Howard admitting he lost his virginity to his cousin, everyone brings an embarrassing secret to the table.

Though the circumstance is questionable, this one might be a long time coming. In this episode, the guys come across one of the actual rings used as a prop in “The Lord of the Rings” movies. Leonard claims the ring for the time being, though Sheldon isn’t happy about it, and will do just about anything to keep it for himself. As Leonard and Penny sleep, Sheldon attempts to steal the ring off of Penny’s neck, which leads Penny to punch Sheldon in the face. While violence might be a bit extreme, it’s hard not to call this scene gratifying.

Sheldon’s mental stability is rarely as questionable as it is in this scene. Under great stress and deprived of sleep, Sheldon manages to break into a ball pit in a bid to solve a scientific conundrum. When Leonard comes to retrieve his roommate, Sheldon refuses to leave – and then dives into the balls. Seeing Leonard desperately dig through the ball pit is amusing enough, but Sheldon’s child-like resistance while repeating “Bazinga!” absolutely makes the sequence worth a watch.

Anyone else want to ask how Howard thought this was a good idea? In the first episode of season four, things kick off in proper fashion with Howard’s use of a robot arm – initially for unpacking takeout, then a massage, then... well, a different kind of massage. Unfortunately for Wolowitz, the robot arm’s hand gets stuck on his genitals, forcing him to call in Raj and Leonard for help. It’s already a ridiculously funny scene, with his friends suggesting terrible methods for freeing Howard adding to the absurdity.

And this is where an enduring rivalry was born. Picture this: you’re in the middle of a heated card game, and your mortal nemesis Wil Wheaton claims that he missed a convention appearance because his grandmother passed away. Sheldon, faced with this information, chooses to forfeit the game and end his grudge against Wheaton... only surprise, Wheaton made it all up just to win the game. As Sheldon shouts his foe’s name to the sky, we too feel anguish at being deceived – and maybe we’re chuckling a bit at Sheldon having a “nemesis”.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Robo-Sheldon
“The Cruciferous Vegetable Amplification”

- Penny Loves Leonard
“The 43 Peculiarity”

- The Wolowitz-Rostenkowski Wedding
“The Countdown Reflection”

- Sheldon and Amy Kiss
“The Locomotive Manipulation”

- Raj Strips Down
“The Wildebeest Implementation”

- Soft Kitty
“The Pancake Batter Anomaly”

If there’s one thing this show never fails to do, it’s provide us with hilarious bonding moments that remind us why these mismatched neighbors are friends in the first place. Faced with uncertainty about what Christmas gift to give Penny, Sheldon decides to accept her gift first, to ensure whatever he gives her in return will be of the same value. Both he and the audience are surprised to learn it’s a napkin – signed and used by Leonard Nemoy. A shaking, overwhelmed Sheldon not only gives Penny all the gift baskets he can carry, but he takes it a step further with a heartfelt hug. A true Christmas miracle.