The Big Bang Theory: 10 Best Secondary Characters

The main characters of The Big Bang Theory are what made the show the success that it was. Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, Howard, Penny, Amy, and Bernadette were a unit that couldn’t be broken. However, they weren’t alone. Over time, secondary characters gave the show substance and were a breath of fresh air.

Eventually, the characters’ parents became a part of the series, as did many of Raj’s exes. Coworkers were also a huge part of the show because most scenes took place at Caltech where the guys worked. But which secondary character was the biggest fan-favorite? After all, every character had their own unique traits that made them stand out among the main cast.

Anu

Raj has had plenty of ex-girlfriends in the past but Anu stands out among them all. She was the closest Raj got to marriage and she actually got along with his group of friends. It would have been more exciting to see Anu at some girls’ nights but that friendship wasn’t quite developed within the timeframe viewers had with her.

Sadly, Raj and Anu realized that while they had the same values, they were rushing into a marriage that he wasn’t ready for. There was clearly a lot of love between the two but Raj chose a life in Pasadena over London with Anu.

Denise

Denise wasn’t introduced until the 11th season but fans wished they had more time with her. She was the perfect addition to the group.

After Stuart’s comic book store started doing incredibly well, he hired Denise to manage the store and help out with customers. A romantic relationship developed between the two, which really rounded Stuart out. What’s better is that Denise got along with the gang (including Sheldon) and had the same interests as them. She even taught Bernadette how to play video games, and gave Amy a lesson in comics!

Bert Kibbler

Bert was the monotone geologist at Caltech. He was introduced in the sixth season and popped up every now and then when it came to work-related matters. Like many of the characters, Bert was shy when it came to the ladies and had a hard time flirting. He would have made an excellent part of the group but Sheldon had a problem with geologists and didn’t respect Bert enough.

Amy was one of the first people to give Bert a helping hand, which was the start of a fun friendship. Thanks to his dry sense of humor and large stature, Bert made an exciting secondary character.

Professor Proton

Arthur Jeffries (aka Professor Proton) is another character that popped up in season 6 and continued to make appearances until the final season. Professor Proton was a hero to Sheldon and Leonard while they were growing up, so they were excited to create a relationship with him in their adult years.

In season 7, Arthur reached out to Leonard for help on a paper that he was working on. This made Sheldon jealous of course and he slowly weaseled his way into Arthur’s heart. When Arthur passed away, he came back on the show as Sheldon’s spirit guide. Moments between Sheldon and Arthur were some of the best.

Leslie Winkle

Leslie Winkle was one of the best secondary characters in the series, and fans wished there were more scenes with her in it. She was essentially the female version of Leonard. They worked in the same field and had a similar reaction to everything Sheldon did. Leslie and Sheldon were enemies but their rivalries only made them stronger in their fields.

Leslie went on to date both Leonard and Howard but eventually stopped making appearances after season 9.

Barry Kripke

Every scene with Barry Kripke was gold. He was Leonard and Sheldon’s colleague and often went head to head with them at work. Thanks to his aggressive nature and honest opinions, Barry was exactly what the show needed He was different from every other character, a breath of fresh air.

Wil Wheaton

Wil Wheaton was a character who played himself, which was a fun dynamic. He started out as Sheldon’s nemesis and loved getting under Sheldon’s skin because it was easy to do. But as time went on and Wil became friends with the gang, he softened up to Sheldon and understood him better. He went on to help Penny with acting, he created a podcast and had Penny and Leonard on as guests, he did secret game nights with friends — Wil was the perfect person to have as an outside friend. Due to his relationship with Star Trek and gaming, Wil was a welcomed secondary character.

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter

Dr. Beverly Hofstadter was Leonard’s mom and Sheldon’s dear friend. Leonard had a toxic relationship with his mother. Whenever she came to visit, Leonard was in agony but Sheldon was happy as a clam. He had a lot in common with Beverly. The two learned a lot from each other and communicated well.

When Penny started dating Leonard, her relationship with Beverly was rocky but they eventually came to a mutual understanding and fondness of each other. Shockingly, Sheldon and Penny had a better relationship with Beverly than Leonard did. Based on this odd dynamic, she was a fun character to have on the show.

Mary Cooper

Mary Cooper made such a fantastic secondary character because of how different she was from her son, Sheldon. As a diehard Christian living in Texas, Mary didn’t understand anything her son and his “sciency” friends did but she loved her “Shelly” and wanted to see him happy. When she came to visit, her scenes were always electric. She loved finding out what was going on in everyone’s lives and said some of the most outlandish things on the show. This is a character who should have had a spinoff.

Stuart Bloom

Stuart Bloom went from being a background character to a main character to a secondary character. Nevertheless, he was someone who made The Big Bang Theory all the better. Without his comic book store, the guys wouldn’t have a place to go to after work. And without Stuart’s hilarious input, the group would be stale. Things only got better when Stuart moved into Howard and Bernadette’s house. Seeing him take care of Howard’s mother and later, Howard’s kids, rounded Stuart out and proved he was a good guy at heart.