Howard wasn't the kind of guy that fans expected to find true love when they first met him in the first season of The Big Bang Theory. He was a total creep, using pick up artist methods to try and get women to sleep with him, faking different styles, objectifying women, and lacking any real social skills to back any of it up. In season one, fans would probably have assumed that he would be the one most likely to end the series alone.
Instead, Howard became the first character to marry, falling in love with Bernadette early on. He changed his ways, becoming a loving husband, an astronaut, and a great father in the end. It was an amazing transition, but how did his story with Bernadette play out, season by season? (Season one and two are not listed, as Bernadette first appears in season 3).
Season 3 - The Set-Up & The First Break-Up
Howard and Bernadette meet in season 3 when Howard invokes a pact he made with Leonard, requiring Penny to set him up with a female friend. She chooses Bernadette, who turns out to be a great match - not only is she also a scientist (working at the Cheesecake Factory to support herself), but like Howard, she also has an overbearing mother, and the two instantly bond over it. They date for a few episodes this season, but by Ep 21, they have broken up, and Howard isn't telling anyone why.
Season 4 - Back Together Again, Moving In, Getting Engaged
Early in the season, Bernadette comes back into the picture, and the gang learns that they broke up because Howard cheated on Bernadette online in World of Warcraft. However, they manage to get past this, and start dating again. Things move quickly, too, as this is a big season for the couple. They move in together, and they even get engaged (which Howard's mother is particularly shocked about!).
Season 5 - A Wedding For The Finale
It's full steam ahead for Howard and Bernadette this season, as the two are planning their wedding and getting to know each other's families. That doesn't mean that there are no bumps in the road, of course. They have one issue when Bernadette's father expects Howard to sign a pre-nup, which he doesn't like the sound of.
Then, after Bernadette sees a video from the bachelor party, she learns what a creep Howard used to be, and nearly calls off the wedding. Finally, Howard's mission to space gets pushed forward, and they end up with a last-minute ceremony on the building rooftop, so that they can be married before he leaves the planet.
Season 6 - Married And Moving In
Now that Howard and Bernadette are married, Howard is left figuring out where he is going to live. Bernadette wants him to move in with her (because they are married), but he struggles to leave his mother's house. In the end, though, he chooses his wife, and the two move in together and start to figure out what their new lives look like now that Howard is back from the International Space Station.
Season 7 - Married Life
After so many major milestones in the past two seasons, it's not a huge surprise that Howard and Bernadette don't have particularly huge milestones in this season. Instead, they are working their way through the usual ups and downs of married life. They deal with issues like Howard saying he wouldn't want to work with Bernadette, or taking care of his mother when she breaks her leg. In the end, though, there are hints that they may be starting to think about having babies...
Season 8 - Happily Married
This season, there isn't a whole lot going on for Howard and Bernadette as a couple, although fans do get to see what they are doing on their own.
Bernadette gets Penny a job at her pharmaceutical company, and fans get to see her at work, while Howard has a far tougher season when his mother passes away. This does lead to Howard and Bernadette being able to move into his childhood home, though.
Season 9 - Bernadette Is Pregnant!
Back to big milestones this season, as Bernadette reveals that she is pregnant! Beyond that big news, it's another fairly simple season for the couple, though, as they spend their time making improvements to the house (like a new hot tub!), dealing with Raj, Stuart, and the interesting dynamic that they all have, and worrying about what it will be like to be new parents.
Season 10 - Halley Wolowitz
This season is focused on Howard and Bernadette's pregnancy, at least as far as their relationship is concerned. Throughout the season, they support each other, whether it is dealing with Bernadette's fears over not being maternal enough, or Howard's own concerns about being a father. In Episode 11, they welcome baby Halley into the world - and the rest of the season sees them struggle (and find ways to cope) as new parents.
Season 11 - Pregnant Again
By season 11, Howard and Bernadette are parents, with a big house, a lot of responsibility, and a newfound closeness - and things change even more when Bernadette announces that she is pregnant again! At first, they are far from thrilled at the news, as they often find parenthood exhausting, but in the end, they are happy about their second arrival. By this point, Stuart has become a huge help and part of their lives, and they are figuring out how to balance it all.
Season 12 - Married, Parents, And Living Happily Ever After
In the final season, Bernadette and Howard seem to have found their perfect balance. They have come a long, long way from the waitress and the womanizer who met nearly a decade prior, and are happily married with two beautiful children. Most of the season, therefore, doesn't really deal with their relationship, because there's nothing to deal with - they've found their happily ever after.