Top 10 Cringiest The Big Bang Theory Moments

“The Egg Salad Equivalency”
This episode had some cringey moments not just for Sheldon, but for his roommate as well. After learning that Sheldon’s assistant, Alex, and Leonard have been flirting, Leonard finds himself in some hot water with Penny. Sheldon talks to Alex about the situation but, in classic Sheldon fashion, he ends up with his foot in his mouth thanks to an egg salad metaphor that we can’t get out of our heads. It lands him in the HR office, and in an uncomfortable twist, he’s also inappropriate towards the Human Resources worker. And then all of the guys find themselves talking to HR. What a mess.

“The Boyfriend Complexity”
Penny and Leonard have always had a relationship full of ups and downs, and there have been plenty of moments in which they’ve found themselves in less than comfortable situations. This is exactly the case in season four when Penny’s dad visits her and she pretends to date Leonard to make her father happy. He and Leonard bond over his fake relationship with his daughter, Leonard and Penny are way more affectionate than usual, and the whole thing is a bit tough to watch. While it’s not cool that Penny’s dad put pressure on her to be with someone like Leonard, we can’t help but feel bad that they try to dupe him.

“The Habitation Configuration”
It’s no secret that Sheldon needs a bit of assistance getting through everyday social situations, and his love life is definitely no exception. In this episode, he fails to stick up for Amy after his nemesis-turned-friend, Wil Wheaton, is rude to her while she’s directing them on Sheldon’s show ‘Fun With Flags.’ Was it Amy’s fault for being too demanding or Wil’s fault for being a diva? Either way, Sheldon should’ve stuck up for Amy, and watching him feel conflicted is cringe. Thank goodness he hilariously confronts Wil later on, and truly gets him back by vomiting off his front porch.

“The Infestation Hypothesis”
Raj and Howard have a special friendship — one that could be characterized as being a little too close. Remember when Howard was accidentally getting extra doses of estrogen and he and Raj compared breast sizes? Well, we’ve got a moment that’s even more awkward than that. Howard engineers a long distance kissing machine for Leonard to use with Priya, and he demonstrates its use with his best pal, Raj. We can barely watch as they test out the machine, as they seem to be enjoying it just a little too much.


Sources: https://bigbangtheory.fandom.com/wiki/The_Pulled_Groin_Extrapolation

CBS
S05E02 - “The Infestation Hypothesis”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xyg9ZY-DTw - Howard and Raj kiss using a machine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHu3V6CLwzo - Howard is on estrogen and compares chests with Raj. (xref)

“The Thespian Catalyst”
We never would’ve guessed that of the four main nerds in the show, Howard would be the first one to settle down, get married, and have kids. But in this episode we see that Bernadette may also be Raj’s dream girl. He fantasizes about being with her in several dream sequences that give us the ick. The main theme is that Howard is leaving, or dying, and asks Raj to take care of Bernadette’s … needs. This all culminates in an imaginary Bollywood song-and-dance sequence. Bro, that’s your best friend's girl. Not cool!

Various
We learn a lot about Amy throughout her time on the show, and we discover that she’s never really had any close girl friends. So, when Penny shows interest in being her friend, not only is she ecstatic, she’s unable to control her enthusiasm. She ends up taking it a bit too far. When the girls go dress shopping for Bernadette’s wedding, Amy makes a vlog about it. While filming, she catches Penny in her underwear in the dressing room and lingers a little too long. We all love Penny, but this scene proved that Amy’s obsession has crossed over into the uncomfortable.

“The Launch Acceleration”
Amy is a brain expert, and in her relationship with Sheldon, she uses her knowledge to try to improve their relationship. In this episode near the end of season five, Amy tries to transfer Sheldon’s love for things like his mom and video games to her. She plays the Super Mario Brothers theme music and feeds him his moms cooking so that he associates those things with her. It’s a bit manipulative and gross to watch, not unlike the time that she used her sickness to fulfill some fantasies with Sheldon in season six. We think Amy needs to work on boundaries.

Various
In the early seasons of the show, Howard hilariously tries and fails to be a pick-up artist. But, some of the things he does to get women come off a bit cringey. One example that springs to mind is when he and Raj dressed like goths to try to connect with women, which was definitely not a good look for either of them. As much as we love Howard, he’s had some sexual mishaps that are too icky to overlook. Remember when he got stuck in his robot hand and needed to go to the hospital? Or when he admitted to his friends that he slept with his own cousin? Yikes.

“The 21-Second Excitation”
If you haven’t already noticed by this point in the list, Amy has her fair share of cringe inducing moments, and this one is her most noteworthy. Amy’s never been a part of a sleepover before, so Amy and Bernadette turn their girls night into one. It’s clear that all Amy knows about slumber parties is what she’s seen in movies, and watching her partake in the stereotypical activities is definitely awkward. From trying to start a pillow fight, to an odd game of truth or dare, all the way to trying to get intimate with Penny, it’s all a bit much. We somehow can hardly watch but don’t want to look away.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

To Fit in With Penny’s Friends, Leonard Fakes a Love for Football & Fools No One

Howard Attempts an Indian Accent when Setting Up a Date for Raj

Amy, Penny, & Bernadette Get a Lot of Attention at the Comic Book Store

The Duo Have an Awkward Morning After

Did We Mention She’s Married?

“The Misinterpretation Agitation”
Usually “The Big Bang Theory” handles tough topics very well, but the way they make light of this one is uncomfortable. One of Penny’s clients becomes infatuated with her and shows up at her apartment, where he meets her neighbours. The guys end up going to his place to check out his admittedly cool nerd cave, but things take a turn for the extra creepy when he locks them down there. In an even weirder twist, Penny somehow gets the blame for all of this. This entire episode is beyond cringe, and we think we’ll skip it on our next rewatch.

Which Big Bang moment left you with the ick? Let us know in the comments!