Fans adored The Big Bang Theory since it first aired in 2007. Viewers watched as the hilarious characters tackled love and science with quirky jokes spewed in between. Not only did the show have a memorable cast, but it also had memorable quotes that fans still repeat to this day.
Even though the show ended in 2019, fans still reminisce about their favorite scenes. There were heartwarming relationships and funny scenes, but fans still get choked up over certain quotes from their favorite characters. Whether it's an upsetting moment between friends or a hilarious mistake done at work, TBBT had some underrated quotes as much as famous ones.
Updated on May 16th, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: The Big Bang Theory Quotes like Sheldon's "Bazinga!" or Leonard's "Our kids will be both smart and beautiful" are well-known and repeated often by fans. But with over 200 episodes, countless quotes are seen as underrated as well. From silly responses to failed science experiments to comebacks against close friends, there are subtle The Big Bang Theory lines that are underappreciated and underemphasized by fans.
Howard Wolowitz
"I Ate A Butterfly."
Howard had a slow transformation in TBBT, but he eventually became an upstanding husband, father, and astronaut. The group was shocked when Howard had the chance to go to space. And when he was in space, he did his best to video call Bernadette to stay present in their relationship.
However, as time went on, Howard became delirious in space and started acting out. When Bernadette asked how Howard was doing, he dryly said "I ate a butterfly." The quote was hilarious because of how random it was and his straight-faced delivery.
Sheldon Cooper
"But, If We Had Access To Higher Dimensions, We Could Remove Our Pants Through Our Bodies, And Our Days Of Dropping Trousers Will Be Over!"
It's not often Sheldon was seen under the influence, but when he drank too much to face his fear of stage fright, he said some things he would go on to regret the next morning.
When watching the video of his drunken speech, Sheldon couldn't believe that he tried taking his pants off while talking about higher dimensions. Leonard proved what kind of friend he was to Sheldon when he relished Sheldon's embarrassment and posted the underrated moment on YouTube.
Penny
Penny: "Tweety Bird Tawt He Taw A What?" Sheldon: "Romulan."
After Sheldon lost the Physics Bowl to Leonard, Howard, and Raj, Penny knew they were going to bicker about who the smartest was until something happened. Penny decided to find out who the smartest person was by creating her own game.
With Sheldon and Leonard on the couch, Penny asked Sheldon a question about Tweety Bird from Looney Tunes. While the answer was "a pussy cat," Sheldon went the science route and said "Romulan." The question, response, and the way Penny responded to Sheldon made it one of the best quotes.
Penny
"Not Knowing Is Part Of The Fun!"
In 'The Prestidigitation Approximation,' Sheldon was annoyed that he couldn't figure out Howard's card trick. No matter how hard he tried to solve the trick, he fell short.
One night at dinner, Sheldon complained about the trick and Penny said "Oh big deal, not knowing is part of the fun!" As relatable and adorable as Penny's statement was, it was Sheldon's response that made the entire scene underrated: "Not knowing is part of the fun. Was that the motto of your community college?" It's banter like this that made Penny and Sheldon's friendship one of the best in the series.
Leonard Hofstadter
“Instead Of Leaving Santa Milk And Cookies, We Had To Leave Him A Research Paper. And In The Morning, You Could Tell He’d Been There Because The Paper Would Be Graded.”
In season 6 of The Big Bang Theory, fans got a glimpse at what life was like for Leonard growing up with his cold-hearted mother Beverly. Leonard and Beverly didn't have the greatest mother-son moments and this quote proved it.
Instead of waking up to presents on Christmas morning, Leonard woke up to a graded holiday paper. The quote is underrated because it shed a brighter light on Leonard's upbringing while also being humorous. The idea of writing a paper on Christmas eve was both funny and disheartening.
Howard Wolowitz
“That Is A Good Point. But I Didn’t Marry You For Good Points. I Married You To Blindly Support Me No Matter How Ridiculous I’m Being.”
After beginning a relationship with Bernadette, Howard became even more dependent on his overbearing mother so he could keep both women happy. And while Howard matured throughout the series, the one thing that never changed was his need for validation from Bernadette.
This humorous quote toward his wife explained their relationship to a tee. Howard respected his wife's opinions but he hated when she was logical because it made his ideas seem so foolish.
Rajesh Koothrappali
“Nothing Rhymes With Orange. It’s Probably Lonely.”
Raj had multiple relationships in TBBT but never found his match. Among his friends, Raj had some of the more emotional quotes because of how badly he wanted a relationship.
In one scene, he showed up at Sheldon's door upset about being single. Sheldon explained that Raj couldn't have been "blue" because being blue meant being depressed. Wanting to assign the emotion "lonely" with a color, Raj suggested orange. Sheldon loved the idea of saying someone looked "orange with loneliness" and welcomed Raj inside. The quote is underrated because it showed how analytical the two can be even when feeling "orange."
Sheldon Cooper
“You Haven’t Given Me A Gift, You’ve Given Me An Obligation.”
Sheldon Cooper is one of the quirkiest characters. Everything he did was done with intention and he had no issues telling people when they were doing things that were, in his eyes, wrong. One thing Sheldon made clear was that he hated getting gifts because it meant he had to get some kind of gift in return.
This quote is underrated as it speaks to Sheldon's true self with a touch of humor. Sheldon's distaste for gifts doesn't change, but he does make growth and eventually accepts gifts that were given to him without too much of a hassle.
Howard Wolowitz
“Good Food. Good Friends. And, Sometime Around Midnight, Heartburn That Makes You Pray For Death.”
This group of friends loved getting together for meals multiple times a week. Even though the four men worked together and the women had girls nights, group dinners were special. Throughout 12 seasons, the gang maintained their routine of sharing meals in the apartment that had so many of The Big Bang Theory's most iconic scenes.
Howard said this quote in an emotional moment after his dear mother had passed. After the power in his mother's house went out, he invited everyone over to eat the remaining food she had frozen. As always, Howard's speech at the dinner table was humorous but sweet, making this an underrated quote.
Sheldon Cooper
“A Neutron Walks Into A Bar And Asks How Much For A Drink. The Bartender Replies, ‘For You, No Charge.’”
Sheldon was one of the more serious characters on the show, so it was surprising when he had too much to drink and said some outlandish things on stage for an award he received.
Before going on stage, Seldon shared his fear of public speaking with his friends and they work hard to help him overcome it, which is when Penny gave him some wine. After one too many glasses, Sheldon said this underrated quote before stripping off his pants and making a fool of himself.
Penny
"Amy Is Right. I Do Want To Fling My Poop At Her."
Penny was happy for Leonard when he started dating Priya, but that quickly changed when she realized how serious they were. Considering Penny and Leonard's relationship timeline was tricky, the idea of losing him to Priya scared her.
Amy told Penny that primates throw their feces at people that they don't like, and Penny may have the same urge. Penny denied that emotion but later in the episode, she said this hilarious quote that only proved Amy's point.
Sheldon Cooper
"People Say You Can't Live Without Love ... I Think Oxygen Is More Important."
This is another classic quote that showed exactly how Sheldon's line of thinking worked. He was more analytical than the rest of his friends and cared more about work than about relationships.
Sheldon matured throughout the series, and his feelings about love eventually changed for the better. Sheldon went from a scientific and calculated man to an understanding husband. However, fans can't deny how underrated this quote is.
Sheldon Cooper
“What Exactly Does That Expression Mean, ‘Friends With Benefits?’ Does He Provide Her With Health Insurance?”
Sheldon had a difficult time understanding cultural references and slang. He also had a hard time understanding the way relationships worked and all the various degrees that a relationship could have.
Because Sheldon had a difficult time understanding how love or relationships worked, he was confused by the notion of friends with benefits. After hearing about Howard's relaxed relationship with Leslie Winkle, Sheldon asked everyone what the term meant and if Howard had to offer Leslie health insurance... Sheldon asked in such a sincere way that it left his friends speechless.
Sheldon Cooper
“I’m Quite Aware Of The Way Humans Usually Reproduce, Which Is Messy, Unsanitary ..."
This quote summed up how Sheldon had a difficult time understanding relationship dynamics. He made it clear that he found relationships ridiculous and didn't take the time for one until he met Amy.
Sheldon's confusion about the physical side of relationships was hilarious and also explained why Sheldon felt that having a relationship was unnecessary. As fans know, there came a time in Sheldon and Amy's relationship where they did eventually sleep together and talked about reproducing in the future.