The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom consisting of five characters. The show is about two Caltech geniuses, one an experimental physicist, Leonard Hofstadter, and the other a theoretical physicist, Sheldon Cooper. They live across the hall from an attractive blonde waitress and aspiring actress, Penny. An aerospace engineer, Howard Wolowitz, and a particle astrophysicist, Rajesh Koothrappali, are their equally geeky and socially awkward coworkers and friends. They are the smartest kind who understand how the universe works, but none of that helps them interact with people, especially women.
Now let’s have a look at the characters and their quirky personalities which make the series so entertaining.
- Leonard Hofstadter
- Sheldon Cooper
- Penny
- Howard Wolowitz
- Rajesh Koothrappali
1. Leonard Hofstadter- The Friend We All Need
A Genius
Leonard is an experimental physicist with an IQ of 173 who received his Ph.D. when he was 24 years old. He is extremely talented and accomplished, just lacks a little bit of self confidence.
Socially Awkward
He also lacks social skills but proves us wrong after winning over Penny. He’s dedicated to his work, his friends and his relationships.
Selfless Best Friend
He is selfless and willing to make great sacrifices for the people he cares about. Whether he was trying to keep Penny happy or putting Sheldon’s many, unreasonable needs ahead of his own, he was always ready.
2. Sheldon Cooper- The Unreasonably Smart Human
The Arrogant Genius
Sheldon is a theoretical physicist with an I.Q. of 187. He is usually cold, calculating, arrogant, selfish, immature, condescending and cynical, but also has a softer, loving and caring side as he does care about his friends and loves his mom, grandma and girlfriend Amy even though he can sometimes insult them with either about their intellect levels or different opinions.
OCD 2.0
Sheldon bears a strict adherence to routine and does not change for anyone or anything. He is a person with aggressive intellect, and a cuttingly analytical mind. We see his OCD during many occasions. For example: When he knocks on Penny’s door, he does it three times. If Penny dares to open the door before that, he finishes the third knock and only then gets to the point. He has a strict food schedule for each day with a fixed restaurant, you mess that up, he’ll give you a good talk.
3. Penny- The Pretty Girl Across The Hall
The Aspiring Actress
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, she is a waitress at the local Cheesecake Factory and also an aspiring actress. Penny is very outgoing, kind, and assertive, her personality contrasting with those of the guys. However, the amount of patience Penny exhibited wasn’t talked about enough.
The Mum Of The Group
She is one of the few people who could tolerate and understand Sheldon. On several occasions, she talked him down from a tantrum and catered to his wildly unreasonable needs when he was sick.
4. Howard Wolowitz- The Perv
The One Without A Doctorate
Howard is a Jewish engineer at Caltech’s Department of Applied Physics who often hangs out at Leonard and Sheldon’s apartment. Unlike Sheldon, Leonard, and Raj, Howard lacks a doctorate. He defends this by pointing out that he has a master’s degree in Engineering from MIT.
Hopeless Perv
He still lives with his mother, who is overly oblivious to his accomplishments as an engineer. Up until the point that he got married, his pursuits with women were unsuccessful. Howard was not a “hopeless romantic” as much as hopeless, using creepy pick-up lines and tactics that he thought were charming. He fancies himself a ladies’ man.
5. Rajesh Koothrapalli- The One Who Cannot Talk To Women
The Indian Of The Group
Yet another genius of the group, his name is usually shortened to “Raj”. He is originally from New Delhi, India, and he works in the Physics department at Caltech, where his area of expertise is particle astrophysics.
Women-Phobia
Raj is extremely shy when it comes to dealing with women. He is unable to speak to them unless he is under the influence of alcohol or is on medication. He is patient and level-headed because he is the only one who is able to tolerate Sheldon’s antics longer than anyone else. His friends make fun of him for being effeminate in his fashion sense and enjoyment of cooking but he doesn’t really care.
Read about F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters and their personalities?
