The Big Bang Theory may turn out to be one of the last blockbuster sitcoms of its kind, and it left behind one of the most unlikely pop culture icons as well — Sheldon Cooper. The antisocial genius played by Jim Parsons captured fans’ hearts over the course of 12 seasons and nearly 300 episodes on CBS, even spawning a spinoff called Young Sheldon that just wrapped up last year. With fans entering Sheldon withdrawal and both shows fading into the rearview, it’s a great time to take a look back at Sheldon’s best moments, and perhaps figure out how he became such a sensation. Read on for the best episodes of The Big Bang Theory about Sheldon.
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The Big Bang Theory aired from 2007 to 2019 on CBS, telling the story of four successful yet geeky young men and how they face adulthood and grow socially without giving up on their passions. The ensemble is rounded out by their neighbor, a waitress and aspiring actress who quickly becomes a part of the group while undercutting all of their awkward behavior. However, in hindsight its clear that the cartoonish physicist Sheldon Cooper was the real star all along.
Sheldon is a literal genius with a comical lack of social graces and even empathy. He cannot understand sarcasm or irony, and he makes high-maintenance demands for accommodation from his friends at all times. Contrary to popular belief, Sheldon was never formally diagnosed with any neurodivergence such as autism spectrum disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder.
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Something about Sheldon has resonated with fans for nearly two decades now, despite his status as a social pariah. Read on for the best episodes to showcase Sheldon, and to sum up his strange appeal.
“The Agreement Dissection”
The Big Bang Theory Season 4, Episode 21, “The Agreement Dissection” seems to show Sheldon finally meeting his match when his infamous “roommate agreement” is challenged by Leonard’s girlfriend Priya, a lawyer. Leonard, Howard, and Raj are delighted by Priya’s ability to out-argue Sheldon, but Sheldon finds he’s not the only one annoyed when he goes to spend time with Penny instead. It turns out that Penny, Amy, and Bernadette all have grievances with Priya, and the four of them go out dancing.
This is the beginning of Sheldon and Amy’s romance, as a drunken Amy kisses Sheldon just before she passes out. She doesn’t seem to remember this later, and Sheldon doesn’t remind her. However, he does blackmail Leonard into signing a revised roommate agreement by threatening to inform Priya’s conservative parents about their relationship. This episode offers some good insight into how Sheldon’s most ruthless moments can actually be rooted in real humanity.
“The Proposal Proposal”
Sheldon’s marriage proposal to Amy is a great summation of his character, though it works best with context. Throughout the show, Sheldon was generally opposed to marriage and romance in general, and it took a long time for Amy to break down his walls. Here, he finally pops the question and agrees to commit to the relationship, but in such a disastrous way that you might wish he hadn’t. Amy accepts, and Sheldon is immediately faced with the reality of partnership and compromise. This kicks off the penultimate season with a clear sign of what’s ahead.
“The Stockholm Syndrome”
The series finale really tries to put a bow on Sheldon’s growth and evolution throughout this series, so this is essential viewing for Sheldon fans out there. The episode reminds us of all of Sheldon’s flaws on a microcosmic scale as he makes the trip to Sweden a nightmare for all of them, prompting them to nearly fly home in frustration. However, Sheldon proves he has truly changed when he uses his Nobel Prize acceptance speech to thank his friends and highlight how much they have done for him over the years. It’s the perfect sendoff to a show about unconventional social dynamics and maturing at your own pace.
“The Adhesive Duck Deficiency”
Another episode where Sheldon shows surprising empathy for his friends comes in Season 3’s “The Adhesive Duck Deficiency.” Leonard, Howard, and Raj are out of town, leaving Sheldon and Penny to carry the A-story by themselves. Penny slips in the shower and dislocates her shoulder, and needs to rely on Sheldon to help her. Naturally, there is some awkwardness around her nudity, along with other logistical issues like Sheldon needing to drive her to the hospital.
The real substance of this story, however, is in Sheldon’s bedside manner. Penny complains that he is doing a poor job of comforting her while she is in pain, and is perhaps making things worse. Sheldon doesn’t give into the stress and actually makes a renewed effort to help his friend. In the end, he may not exactly be the most comforting presence, but Penny acknowledges what he’s done for her.
“The Mommy Observation”
So far we’ve covered big moments in Sheldon’s relationships with Amy, Leonard, and Penny, but perhaps his most contentious friendship is the one with Howard Wolowitz. They get surprisingly heartfelt consideration in Season 7, Episode 18, when the two are in the middle of their trip to Texas together. They drive out to surprise Sheldon’s mother Mary at her home, but panic when Sheldon sees her through the window having sex with someone who is not his father.
Sheldon and Howard find a surprising amount of common ground when it comes to maternal issues and sexual hang-ups. With Howard’s coaxing, Sheldon makes peace with Mary before the two set off, now more amicable than ever.
“The Cooper Extraction”
Earlier in that same season, Sheldon is actually back in Texas once again — this time to be with his sister while she gives birth. Although he isn’t in this episode much, the rest of the gang consider what their lives might be like without him in a reversal of It’s a Wonderful Life. It’s a sweet reminder that Sheldon has generally made their lives better, even if he didn’t always mean to.
“The Einstein Approximation”
Finally, if there’s one episode that sums up the cultural phenomenon that is Sheldon Cooper, it’s Season 3, Episode 14, “The Einstein Approximation.” Even if you’ve never seen the show before, you’ve likely seen a clip or GIF of Sheldon jumping in and out of a ball pit saying “Bazinga” as Leonard tries to wrangle him. That happens here in one of Sheldon’s most manic moments.
Sheldon becomes obsessed with a particular physics problem that he can’t solve, and it keeps him up at night as he tries to visualize molecules with marbles and other props. In the middle of the night, Leonard is called by security at a shopping mall, where Sheldon has broken in to use the plastic balls from a ball pit for his experiment, leading to the infamous chase scene.
After that, Sheldon is inspired to solve it the same way Albert Einstein supposedly reached some of his greatest theories — by taking a menial job and allowing his mind to wander. He takes a job with Penny and Bernadette as a busboy, but he is only there for a short time before he has a breakthrough and runs off, leaving a huge mess in his wake.
The Big Bang Theory certainly has its fans and detractors, but it’s undeniably a cultural sensation with ripple effects still changing the TV industry to this day. Those interested can stream all 12 seasons now on Max, or find the complete series on DVD or Blu-ray. Young Sheldon is streaming on both Max and Netflix, and the new spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is airing now on Thursday nights on CBS.
