The characters of The Big Bang Theory entertained the audience with nerdy science jokes, their unique quirks, and humorous antics for years. Among their many antics, which made fans either laugh out loud or scream at the television in frustration, were the characters' relationship dramas and dating choices.
While some of these were fun to watch and became favorites of fans of the show, some fans feel that there were also a bit out of place. Either the couple was not compatible or the relationships were just lacking a little chemistry. Needless to say, the relationship drama made for some epic, unforgettable TV moments for fans of The Big Bang Theory.
Penny And Zack
In the earlier seasons, Penny's social life was separate from the other members of the group. Mostly because she was different from Leonard and the crew, who were all socially awkward and not well-versed in the language of love and relationships. Although most of her relationships weren't shown on-screen, out of the few that were, her relationship with Zack was one of the most questionable ones.
At first, Penny seemed to like Zack mostly for his looks. However, after a while, they broke up after Penny realized that they were just two different people. Surprisingly, she got back together with him even after this realization and pursued an on-off relationship with him for many years. This was something that fans couldn't really grasp.
Amy And Dave
When Amy and Sheldon broke up, she tried to move on. That's when the show introduced Dave, who—unfortunately for Amy—turned out to be a huge fan of Sheldon and his work. Once he found out that Amy dated Sheldon, all he did was ask questions about him and gush over him, even though it was the last thing Amy needed.
In spite of that, Amy called him and invited him over to her place for a date after Sheldon declined her request for them to try their relationship again. It didn't last long, though, which was just as well, because the last thing anyone needs while they try to recover and move on from a relationship is a constant reminder of the person they left behind.
Leonard and Leslie
As a fellow scientist, Leslie had a lot in common with Leonard, which made their relationship seem like a good idea. However, neither of them was with the other for the right reasons. Leslie kept changing her mind about him, first shunning Leonard after a one-night stand then insisting she wanted a serious relationship later on.
Leonard only wanted to make Penny jealous, as evidenced by a scene in season 2 when he kissed Leslie outside their apartment while checking Penny's reaction to it. Following this pattern, it seemed that Leonard was only using Leslie to make Penny jealous. Their relationship blew up before it even began.
Howard and Leslie
The relationship dynamic between Leslie and Howard was almost similar to what she had with Leonard, except for the friends with benefits part. Although it was an exciting prospect at first, it soon became clear that they didn't really have much in common, apart from their scientific background and their issues with Sheldon.
It became even more apparent that they weren't right for each other when she pressured him into accompanying her to a relative's wedding, threatening to take the coveted spot on a trip to see the Large Hadron Collider if he didn't. When fans discovered this manipulative side to Leslie, she lost a lot of support with the fanbase.
Raj and Emily
Although Raj initially blew his first meeting with Emily, when he got a second chance, he made it count. As a dermatologist, she had a science background that Raj could relate to and they seemed perfect together at first. However, as the show went on, it was clear that they just weren't compatible.
Where Emily loved gory movies and had a dark sense of humor, Raj had a sweet and loving nature. Raj also admitted there were many moments in their relationship where Emily made him feel a little uncomfortable. Still, it was a little strange that he continued to date her for a few more weeks afterward considering he preferred total honesty.
Penny And Stuart
This was a relationship that no fan saw coming as Penny and Stuart were seen as complete opposites. The former was social and outgoing, while the latter mostly kept to himself (although he was a tad bit more confident in the earlier seasons).
Penny met Stuart at the comic book store and they immediately hit it off. However, considering that Penny had issues with Leonard's love of comic books and superheroes when they dated, it was odd that she dated Stuart, who literally owned a place filled with those. As it turned out, their relationship didn't go very far as Penny wasn't over Leonard at the time.
Amy And Stuart
In hindsight, every other "relationship" Amy had only served to move her relationship with Sheldon further along (even when they weren't together). Like Penny, Amy met Stuart at the comic book store and he took a liking to her. He asked her on a date once Leonard confirmed with Sheldon that Amy was just his friend.
Given Amy's scientific background and lack of enthusiasm over comic books and superheroes, she had nothing in common with Stuart. In fact, if she wasn't buying Sheldon a gift, she didn't even have any reason to talk to him. Fans still aren't sure why Amy agreed to date him in the first place.
Penny and Kurt
When Kurt was first introduced to the show in the pilot episode, he was Penny's ex. He showed up again a couple of episodes later at a Halloween costume party, hosted by Penny. In both appearances, he was shown to be mean and a bully, with Leonard bearing the full brunt of his cruelty both times.
Penny, on the other hand, was a headstrong woman who stood up to bullies. So, why she even dated Kurt or put up with his terrible antics is surprising.
Leonard And Priya
Apart from Penny, Priya was the only other serious, long-term relationship Leonard had. Leonard and Priya dated, in spite of the promise he made to her brother, Raj, not to. Their relationship seemed great on the surface, but there were a lot of little things that pointed to it being, quite frankly, toxic.
Because of her jealousy over Penny and Leonard's friendship, Priya asked him to cut ties with her. She also tried to change Leonard by encouraging him to give up his glasses in favor of contact lenses and bought him new clothes to completely change his signature look. Not to mention how she hated his love for comic books and video games. It was quite clear that they just weren't compatible.