For a decade, The Big Bang Theory introduced audiences to a plethora of memorable and lovable characters. Not only did the show explore the lives of the four main nerds, but the array of supporting characters that were intimately intertwined in their lives as well.
Though the characters were lively and quirky, some of these characters' portrayals were not as great as others. Certain actors filled their role with ease, making the character even more likable and iconic. Other actors simply didn't understand the type of character that they were playing, thereby making their characters less likeable and, to an extent, not as great.
10 Fell Short: Laurie Metcalf overexaggerated her portrayal of an overly religious Mary Cooper
Laurie Metcalf played Mary Cooper, Sheldon Cooper's devout Christian mother. The character itself is brilliant as she provides a nice contrast to Sheldon, who was a science-minded atheist. The problem with Metcalf's portrayal of Mary Cooper was that she overexaggerated Mary Cooper's religious nature.
Her portrayal aligns more with what Sheldon thinks her to be, and not what she actually is. It was almost like Metcalf was trying to make the Mary Cooper character a huge joke rather than an integral supporting character. Because of this, Mary Cooper seems very one dimensional and not as important as what she should be.
9 Nailed it: Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle played a fantastic bully nerd
Sara Gilbert did an excellent job of reinforcing the environment and premise of the show with her portrayal of Dr. Leslie Winkle. Within the nerd world, there is yet another hierarchy among the nerds. Although she is still a nerd like the rest of the crew, it is clear that she is a bit above them. Gilbert does a brilliant job of capturing this aspect about the character.
With the way she talks, her attire, and her attitude, this is exactly the type of character that audiences expect to see from Leslie Winkle. She is smart and geeky, like the rest of the crew, but is somewhat of a bully. She teases them just enough to make sure they know their place. A fantastic character that Sara Gilbert portrays brilliantly.
8 Fell Short: Kevin Sussman made Stuart Bloom more creepy than he should have been
Stuart is supposed to be the gang's extra nerdy side friend. He isn't as smart as they are but his comic book interest and knowledge should match that of Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj. Stuart runs the comic book shop, so it makes sense as to why he should be this way.
Kevin Sussman does a good job of making him funny, connectable, and a bit stereotypical, but not necessarily nerdy. Instead, he comes across as a creepy guy who's stuck in a low-wage job, especially in the earlier seasons. The character shouldn't be this creepy and Sussman's portrayal doesn't really help. It's a bit of a shame as the character was quite enjoyable and funny.
7 Nailed it: Carol Ann Susi perfectly captured the essence of Mrs. Wolowitz with her voice
Although audiences have never seen Mrs. Wolowitz's face on-screen, her character is one of the most beloved in the show. This is thanks to voice actress Carol Ann Susi. Susi does a superb job of capturing what a stereotypically overbearing and overly protective mother should sound like. She's loud, obnoxious, and her voice is distinct and dynamic.
Her strong Jersey accent is also a nice touch as it helps distinguish her from the other notable characters on the show. Susi's performance perfectly captured what the writers were trying to do to the character, making Mrs. Wolowitz that much more enjoyable to hear.
6 Fell Short: Kunal Nayyar didn't add much to the already well-written Rajesh Koothrappali character
Raj is a great character who's well written and hilarious. He is still able to provide comic relief in an already light-hearted environment. Kunal Nayyar is also a great actor but the problem with his portrayal of Raj was that he didn't add much to the character, besides the accent. There was nothing quirky about his portrayal and everything great about the character was already imprinted into the script.
Though Raj has become a memorable character to the show, any person could have played his role, and nothing was truly distinct about Nayyar as Koothrappali.
5 Nailed it: Mayim Bialik's background in neuroscience helped her to better connect with her role as Amy Farrah Fowler
Mayim Bialik shares many similarities with her fictional counterpart Amy Farrah Fowler. The most definite similarity is that both have PhDs in neuroscience. Bialik earned her PhD in neuroscience from UCLA back in 2007. Because of this, Amy Farrah Fowler represents a small part of Bialik. In other words, she understands the character so well because she is basically a real life version of Amy Farrah Fowler.
She's worked in academia before and she was a nerd once upon a time ago. Bialik channels her background into this role and connects to her character in a way no other cast member can.
4 Fell Short: Johnny Galecki deviated Leonard Hofstadter from his roots
Leonard could have arguably been the main character in the series. And especially in the early seasons, it seemed so. He was reasonable, intelligent, and somewhat normal compared to his friends. Galecki started off by portraying Leonard as a guy who wanted the best of both worlds, a girlfriend and a nerdy life. However, as the seasons progressed, Galecki began to portray Leonard as less of a nerd and more of an average guy who wanted to desperately get a girlfriend to start a life with.
Some might argue that this is character development, but this isn't that. Leonard turned into a bit of a man child, whining throughout the later episodes and becoming especially stubborn. By the end of the series, Galecki was portraying Leonard as a completely different version of the character, deviating from what fans might have originally fallen in love with.
3 Nailed it: Kaley Cuoco brought life to an otherwise one-dimentional character, Penny Teller
Penny could have been a very boring and stereotypical character. She was the typical pretty girl neighbor who one of the more outstanding nerds falls in love with. At first, she didn't offer much. Fortunately, Cuoco brought life to the character and made audiences care about Sheldon and Leonard's next-door neighbor.
Cuoco made Penny a relatable character. Penny didn't really care for the nerd culture and comic books but she deals with it because she enjoys being around the gang. Cuoco portrayed Penny as a woman who's trying to break out of stereotypes, shattering assumptions that other people have about her, something that is universal to all audiences.
2 Fell Short: Melissa Rauch made the Bernadette character feel unnecessary
Bernadette Rostenkowski is a bit of a boring character and Rauch doesn't do much to help this. She is very inconsistent with her portrayal of Bernadette. Relating to this, what exactly is Bernadette's schtick? Is she a tiny girl with a huge temper or a sweet girl who can deal with all of Howard's unattractive and possibly creepy traits?
Rauch has portrayed both versions of the character and can't seem to commit to one solid portrayal. Also, her voice at first was quirky but soon became annoying; it was also unnecessary and added nothing to the humor of the character.
1 Nailed it: Jim Parsons truly understood & embodied Sheldon Cooper
Jim Parsons embodies the essence of Sheldon Cooper and no other actor could have brought so much life and excitement to the character the way he did. Some actors are just born for certain roles. Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, and Jim Parsons as Sheldon Cooper.
Everything about Parsons' performance as Sheldon was perfect. He delivered the lines in a way that fit with the character; his body movements and facial expressions were spot-on. It was all the small things about Parsons' performance that made Sheldon Cooper such a beloved, humorous, and remarkable character.
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