Amy Farrah Fowler was a key player in Big Bang Theory’s latest seasons, so it’s hard to imagine that she did not appear at all until the third season of the popular series, which has now wrapped up its final season after a 12-season run. Introduced as a possible mate for the awkward and socially-challenged Sheldon, she eventually won his heart, and the hearts of all his friends. She became Penny’s best friend, found people she could finally relate to. And while they helped her come out of her shell, she also helped Sheldon become an overall better person.
Now that the series has ended and she has officially accomplished her plan of becoming Mrs. Cooper, do we really know everything about Amy? Here are 10 things you might not know about this key character from the series.
What Exactly Did She Study?
As a Ph.D, Amy is a neurobiologist, also known as a neuroscientist, who studied the nervous system. Typically considered a branch of biology, it includes the study of other elements as well, including psychology, computer science, mathematics, physics, philosophy, and medicine.
Additionally, she has a doctorate degree in neurobiology. So it’s no surprise that Amy was considered a perfect match for the equally brainy Sheldon, and the only person that could keep him on his toes academically.
Where Did She Go to School?
She studied at the prestigious Harvard University, as revealed in season three. But she also spent a semester studying abroad in Norway.
After graduating from Harvard, Amy attended graduate school, and later received her Ph.D, as noted above. She worked at Caltech, along with the others, in Pasadena, CA. And as we know from the final season, Amy worked together with Sheldon to win a Nobel Prize, showing off her incredible intellect, using her years of research, and inspiring young women everywhere in her acceptance speech.
Why Did She Join a Dating Website?
Amy and Sheldon met when Raj and Howard discovered her profile on an online dating service and decided to set them up. But why was she even on a dating site in the first place, given that she really didn’t pursue romantic relationships prior to pairing up with Sheldon?
It was apparently just to satisfy her mother’s desire for Amy to go on at least one date per year. If she didn’t, her mother wouldn’t continue to allow her access to her George Foreman grill. And a girl has to eat!
Does She Have Siblings?
The series alluded to Amy’s parents, Larry and Mrs. Fowler, who were also introduced towards the end of the series. Mrs. Fowler is quite overbearing, and Larry is quiet, reserved, and clearly unhappy in his marriage, often bending to the mother’s wishes and remaining in the background.
It is presumed that Amy is an online child, with no known siblings. This could be why her parents took such an interest in her life and tried to shelter her from everything as a child, resulting in her overly strict upbringing.
Did She Have Friends in School?
Amy apparently did not have many, if any, friends in school. She was known to spend time with the school janitor, who she frequently had lunch with. He could be considered her only friend. However, when his wife found out about their friendship, she called Amy a disparaging name, and that was the end of that.
In the end, Amy ended up going to her prom but on her own as part of the clean-up crew. She did get to dance, but only with a mop. How sad! She was supposed to attend prom with her cousin, who her mom paid to take her. But he used the money to buy drugs instead, and Amy was sadly left dateless.
How Did She Become Part of Penny’s Posse?
As is typical with Amy, she invited herself to a girls’ night sleepover that Penny and Bernadette had been planning. There, they bonded over wine and began a long-lasting friendship that helped break Amy out of her shell and show more of her fun side. Thus, the three women become known as Penny’s Posse, each of whom was in a relationship with one of the men from the group.
Raj, the lone single member of the group and Howard’s best friend, often inserted himself as part of Penny’s Posse as well. While Penny was often reluctant to consider Amy her “best friend,” she realized it was the truth when it came time for Amy to pick a maid of honor.
How Did She and Sheldon Officially Become a Couple?
Amy and Sheldon went on their first date, arranged by Penny. And while Sheldon was clearly impressed with her, he refused to call her his girlfriend. But later into their “friendship” when Amy decided to go on a date with Stuart, Sheldon got jealous. He interrupted the date and decided to make their courtship official.
Once Amy and Sheldon started officially dating, Amy devised a five-year plan, as someone of her mentality would typically do, to become Mrs. Cooper. And though they broke up a few times in between, moving in together after one time and Sheldon proposing after the last, they eventually got married and presumably had their happily ever after.
What Were Her Hobbies?
Much to Sheldon’s disappointment, Amy showed no interest in things like Star Trek, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, comic books, science-fiction, or video games, though she did warm up to some things when she realizes she could learn about them and use analogies to get through to Sheldon, or win favor with him by showing interest.
But in terms of her own hobbies, Amy apparently had an affinity for medieval poetry and old French movies. And in her spare time, though there wasn’t much, she loved to write Little House on the Prairie fan fiction.
Did She Get Along With Sheldon’s Mom?
While things didn’t go well during Amy’s first visit with Sheldon’s beloved Meemaw, which occurred soon after Amy broke up with him (though they reconciled), she did seem to get along much better with his mother, Mary Cooper.
When Amy thought Sheldon was going to propose when he got up to say something during Leonard and Penny’s wedding, Mary consoled her and urged her son to apologize. And Mary even cleverly attempted to get them back together, seemingly just pleased that her awkward son had found someone to love him at all.
How Was Her Relationship With Leonard?
There’s so much focus on Amy’s relationship with Sheldon and her friends Penny and Bernadette. But how well did she get along with Leonard, Sheldon’s best friend? It was awkward at first, with Leonard viewing Amy as judgemental and sanctimonious. But the turning point in their friendship was when Amy asked Leonard to accompany her to a wedding, where they ended up enjoying one another’s company more than they thought they would.
It seemed somewhat awkward when they were hanging out with one another without other members of the group there, though Leonard did express at one point that they should hang out together more often. This is despite them having a lot in common, such as strained relationships with their mothers and an understanding of Sheldon that no one else had.