The Big Bang Theory: 5 Times Howard Was An Overrated Character
While Howard Wolowitz is a polarizing character on The Big Bang Theory, the engineer has achieved great things often overshadowed by his friends.
Howard Wolowitz is one Big Bang Theory character who saw a lot of positive development over the course of 12 seasons. He was once a “horny engineer” and has since grown into a respectful friend, husband, and father. Alongside his BFFs, fans have seen Howard in plenty of situations that showed the kind of man he is, and that has its upsides and downsides.
As charming and hilarious as Howard can be, he’s been praised for some overrated moments throughout the series. But on the flip side, he has achieved some incredible accomplishments that have been diminished because of his friends or the fact that he doesn’t have his doctorate. To see Howard’s biggest overrated and underrated moments, keep reading.
Overrated: He’s Married But He’s Not The Best Partner
Howard’s personality (and flirting techniques) aren’t for everybody. It’s astounding they actually worked on someone like Bernadette.
Although he was the first one in the group to get engaged and married, his accomplishment is overrated because he’s not always the best partner. He gets upset that Bernadette makes more money than him, he hates doing chores around the house, and he acts afraid of his kids instead of stepping up and taking control of the situation. Getting married was a big deal for Howard, but he didn’t necessarily step up to the plate.
Underrated: He Took In His Friends When They Needed Him
As odd as Howard Wolowitz can be, he’s a good friend when it counts. He may be harsh and insult the people he loves, but deep down he’d do anything for them.
He’s taken Raj in a handful of times, and he let Stuart stay in his home even after his mother passed away. It’s actually a win-win for Howard because his friends and houseguests do chores for him as their payment of rent, but even if they weren’t helpful, Howard would still be there for his friends.
Overrated: He Went To Space But He Was Totally Smug Afterward
Nobody would ever take away Howard’s achievement of going to outer space. It was a big deal for the country and as a person. He fought his fears and followed his dreams.
Sadly, when Howard got back to Earth, he was annoyed that his friends and family weren’t more excited. It seemed like Howard was looking forward to a month-long parade but he got a day of boasting instead. But his amazing accomplishment became overrated once he started bringing up space into every conversation. Talking about it non-stop made him seem selfish.
Underrated: His Intelligence Is Completely Overshadowed
Howard may not be a genius like Sheldon but he’s still incredibly intelligent. He’s an MIT-trained engineer, works at Caltech, has been to outer space, knows multiple languages (including American Sign Language), and is knowledgeable in his friends’ respective fields.
Whether it’s his sense of humor or brashness that takes away from his smarts, Howard’s intellect is completely underrated.
Overrated: Howard’s Band Wasn’t That Good
Howard isn’t just book smart, he’s also a great musician. Viewers have seen him sing and play the piano multiple times, mainly with Raj. But when Stuart wanted live music for the comic book store a couple nights a week, Howard and Raj took the leap and created a two-man band called Footprints on the Moon. They were so excited about their possible road to fame, but they weren’t as great as Howard led on. Their songs were catchy, but Footprints on the Moon didn’t go anywhere. They had one fan on Facebook and that was it.
Underrated: His Impressions Are Unmatched
Howard’s impressions of his friends, wife, and celebrity icons are unparalleled. The reason why no one else does impressions on the show is because Howard’s are so spot-on. In fact, they’re completely underrated. It’s obvious The Big Bang Theory couldn’t have Howard impersonating everyone in every episode but his talent deserves more credit — even Sheldon cackled whenever Howard impersonated someone.
Overrated: Cracks About Leonard And Penny’s Relationship
As close as Howard is to Leonard, Raj, and Sheldon, it was hard to be happy for his friends when they had romantic relationships and he didn’t. He was rather sour in that way. When Leonard met Penny for the first time and tried winning her over — without her knowing he had a crush on her — Howard was always incredibly dismissive of Leonard’s feelings.
At the time, his remarks that Leonard could never land a girl like Penny got some laughs. But now that the series is over, it’s clear that Howard was pretty insensitive to his friend who needed support. And let’s not forget that when the tables are turned, Howard hates when others downgrade his relationships, so it wasn’t really fair of him to do the same.
Underrated: He Worked With Stephen Hawking
Not only is Howard’s intellect and work experience undermined and underappreciated, but he got to work with giants in his field. He even got to work with the one and only Stephen Hawking. At that point, not even Sheldon had the opportunity to meet or work with him. Howard’s time with Hawking was an instrumental moment in his life that wasn’t talked about enough.
Overrated: He Uses His Father’s Absence As A Crutch
Howard has major daddy issues because his father abandoned him and his mom years ago. Now that Howard is an adult, however, his dad-less life comes up quite often in his relationship with Bernadette. While it’s incredibly heartbreaking that Howard had a hard childhood, he overuses the daddy issue card far too often throughout the series. The storyline became overdone. He used his pain to get out of things he didn’t want to do or to make Bernadette sleep with him out of pity.
Underrated: His Dedication To His Mom Was Heartwarming
Seeing Howard bicker and yell at his mom when she was alive was hilarious. Even though the two still bathed each other as adults, Howard’s dedication and love for his mom is totally underrated. He was all she had. Likewise, before Bernadette came into the picture, Howard’s mom was all he had. Her passing left a gaping hole in Howard’s heart and it was hard to see him grieve.
