Cringeworthy Moments in Big Bang Theory
Despite its numerous successes, "The Big Bang Theory" had its share of missteps
Cringe is a part of our life! Who doesn’t do cringe stuff right? But when it comes to TV shows that are quite popular among the youth, cringe is rather “unspeakable” thing. Fans of Big Bang Theory, the famous TV show have took to social media and stated that the particular episode made them cringe hard! So which episode is it? Let’s get a closer look.
“The Big Bang Theory” is still one of the most adored sitcoms, years after it originally finished. With quirky, nerdy humor and very likable characters, no wonder everybody loves it, but it wasn’t all sweetness within those 12 seasons. One moment, in particular, reached high levels of the cringe factor, and members of the audience could barely move on from that feeling of just how horrible it was that something so bad had happened to a beloved character.
The Most Cringe-worthy Episode
It’s Season 8, Episode 3, officially “The First Pitch Insufficiency.” The episode was primarily about Howard Wolowitz: an aerospace engineer working in the field of quantum excitation, an ex-NASA astronaut, offered the chance to throw the first pitch at an Angels game tonight. The situation was funny because he’s this nerd character who has no ounce of being sporty in his bones. But in no time, things started getting awkward.
Woos of a Howard
Howard, played by Simon Helberg, is eccentric and overconfident, especially in the areas where he isn’t supposed to be. He has practiced a lot for this, but he is utterly hopeless at throwing a decent pitch. His wife, Bernadette, makes sure that she shows him up even further.
The Plan to Save Face
Not wanting to be embarrassed in front of everyone, Howard finds a way to save himself by using his engineering skills to his advantage. In this case, he uses the Mars Rover as a means to actually throw out the first pitch. On paper, this is a brilliant idea: his professional expertise and what needs to be done.
On the big day, Howard’s strategy goes south. The Mars Rover inches agonizingly across the field, taking an eternity to get to the pitcher’s mound. The crowd, once excited at what was going to happen, found their interest melting into frustrated laughter. Howard is thoroughly booed, and his moment of glory on live TV becomes a source of public ridicule.
Fan Reactions
This moment had fans feeling second-hand embarrassment to the point that they had to skip the scene. On Reddit, many threads of cringe-worthy moments from the show continuously include referencing this episode. Many fans felt this uncomfortable and, in fact, some couldn’t finish watching Howard being humiliated.
Over the series, Howard has evolved as a character, from being a womanizing engineer to being a husband and father. But more often than not, moments like these just turned him into the butt of a joke. One would almost think that if anything, this episode seriously worked back against that development and reinforced the stereotype of the bumbling nerd that a character was both fighting and supporting.
Media and Critical Reception
The scene also invited comment from news media and critics. After all, with every praise for “The Big Bang Theory,” there had been criticism over the way it handled some of these characters and storylines. In this regard, Howard’s Mars Rover incident is the perfect example of when such cheap laughs serve as stumbling blocks for any meaningful character development in the show.
The Broader Context of Cringe Humor
Cringe humor is a common device showing up on most sitcoms, thus employing the humor found in the characters’ awkward or uncomfortable situations. But it truly is a fine line: when it works, it feels brilliantly funny and realistic; when it doesn’t, it can make the viewer feel tense and distant from the characters that otherwise feel like old friends.
The Mars Rover scene shows the thin line that exists between humor and humiliation. Howard’s situation should be funny, but the long and drawn-out painfulness of the scene makes it fall decidedly into the cringe territory. We feel for Howard at the same time that we are to be automatons of humor, giving this juxtaposition.
Legacy of “The Big Bang Theory”
As fans rewatch and reminisce over “The Big Bang Theory,” moments like this arise as points for discussion and argument that bring to the fore how difficult it is to make a favorite series for such a broad audience. For all its flaws, the show remains a landmark in television, its contribution being both laughter and lessons in the art of sitcom storytelling.
Although it has been overwhelmingly successful, “The Big Bang Theory” has certainly had to deal with some bumps in the road, the Mars Rover incident exemplifying those woes. This scene, intended to be funny, turned out to be one of the most cringeworthy in the show’s history. It is a reminder of the difficulties faced when attempting to strike a balance between humor and character integrity in long-standing series.
Do you find this episode cringe too? Let us know in the comments your thoughts on cringe TV show episodes!
