There've been plenty of deaths in The Big Bang Theory universe, and not all of them have been especially heartbreaking. But a few exits have impacted the shows' characters — and their fans — more than expected.
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00:00There have been plenty of deaths in the Big Bang Theory universe, and not all of them
00:03have been especially heartbreaking. But a few exits have impacted the show's characters
00:08and their fans more than expected.
00:11The Big Bang Theory viewers first meet Beverly Hofstadter in season two's The Maternal Capacitance
00:16when she comes to visit her son Leonard in Pasadena. She instantly clicks with Sheldon,
00:20but it's clear her relationship with her own son is strained. In an effort to connect,
00:24Leonard asks his mom what's new with her.
00:26Well, I've been having some fascinating menopausal symptoms recently.
00:30Leonard redirects the conversation to something less personal, and hears something unexpected.
00:34Oh. Your Uncle Floyd died.
00:37A shocked Leonard asks for more details, but all his mother offers is an unfeeling statement
00:41about how Floyd's heart stopped beating before going to use the restroom. Unsurprisingly,
00:45Sheldon is oblivious to Leonard's emotional state and confesses that he envies Leonard's
00:50childhood. However, Leonard sets him straight.
00:52I hate to tell you, but the only warm memories I have of my childhood are of my Uncle Floyd.
00:58Viewers didn't know Floyd Hofstadter, so it's not the most emotional death in the
01:02Big Bang Theory universe. However, Leonard is genuinely upset by the death of his uncle,
01:06and the scene shows how unintentionally callous Beverly can be, giving some insight into what
01:11Leonard's childhood was really like.
01:14In season two, episode 15 of Young Sheldon, titled A Math Emergency in Perky Palms, One
01:18Tree Hill alum Barry Corbin plays James Guilford, an elderly shut-in and parishioner at Mary's
01:23church. With Pastor Jeff out sick, Mary takes over some of his duties, including delivering
01:27a hot meal to Mr. Guilford, but the pair don't exactly hit it off.
01:31I don't want to hear that.
01:33You don't want to hear the Bible?
01:34Not from some woman.
01:36However, when she learns that he's a war veteran and has had struggles in life, she
01:39wishes she'd shown him more compassion. Mary returns to make amends, but it's too late.
01:44Mr. Guilford is dead. This is the first death in Young Sheldon, and it's emotional, even
01:49though Mr. Guilford isn't kind during his interaction with Mary. In the wake of his
01:53death, though, she realizes she judged him too harshly, and does her best to honor him
01:57by organizing his funeral.
01:59Bob Newhart's Professor Proton may be one of the most notable recurring characters in
02:03the Big Bang Theory universe, although some fans found him a bit boring.
02:14He's had an undeniable impact on Sheldon's life, and in Season 7, Episode 22, titled
02:20The Proton Transmorgification, viewers learn just how much Sheldon looked up to the Professor
02:24after Professor Proton dies.
02:31Leonard and Penny go to the funeral, but Sheldon forgoes the memorial to celebrate Star Wars
02:35Day instead. However, the two collide in his dreams as he envisions Professor Proton dressed
02:40as a Jedi, and Sheldon expresses his grief. He tells the Professor about his father's
02:45and grandfather's early deaths.
02:53That's when Professor Proton offers Sheldon some solid advice, to appreciate the people
02:57he cares about who are still around. This leads to a very touching moment between Sheldon
03:04and Leonard. It's a bittersweet conclusion, as Sheldon works through his emotions and
03:09takes stock of the friends he has in his life.
03:12Though Howard and his mom, Debbie Wolowitz, have a complex and occasionally unhealthy
03:16relationship, they love each other dearly, sometimes to Bernadette's annoyance. But
03:20when Mrs. Wolowitz dies unexpectedly in The Big Bang Theory, Season 8, Episode 15, The
03:25Comic Book Store Regeneration, viewers see just how much the whole gang truly loved her.
03:35Howard gets the news during a phone call with his aunt, while he and his friends are hanging
03:39out in Stewart's freshly reopened comic book store. Howard is utterly devastated by
03:43the news, but as his friends gather around him, it's Sheldon who offers him some comforting
03:47words.
03:56They come together again later in the episode without Howard and Bernadette, and continue
04:00to pay tribute to Mrs. Wolowitz by sharing a story about her. Leonard sums up their feelings
04:04in a toast. Sadly, this storyline wasn't part of the original plan, but was born out
04:17of the real-life death of actor Carolyn Suse from cancer-related complications in 2014.
04:22The episode pays tribute to her and, as a result, is one of the most emotional Big Bang
04:26Theory episodes. Although Suse's character is never fully seen on screen, this episode
04:31proves what an impact both the character and actor had on the show.
04:35The saddest death in the Big Bang Theory universe is undoubtedly that of Sheldon's father,
04:40George Cooper Sr., in Young Sheldon. It's established in the Big Bang Theory that Sheldon's
04:48dad dies when he's 14, although Young Sheldon bosses did their best to keep George around
04:53for as long as possible. The Coopers receive the tragic news of his death at the end of
04:56season seven, episode 12, but most of the aftermath plays out in the following episode
05:00titled Funeral. George's death from a heart attack is made worse by the build-up.
05:09In the Big Bang Theory, George is described as nothing short of a redneck Homer Simpson.
05:13But in Young Sheldon, viewers learn Sheldon is an unreliable narrator, and that George
05:17is actually a kind, caring father and husband. Viewers soon came to love the character. The
05:22tragic twist in the funeral scene really emphasizes the emotional weight of George's
05:26death. Sheldon delivers a touching eulogy, telling everyone in the church how much he
05:30loved his dad, before Jim Parsons' older Sheldon admits in a voiceover that he never
05:35really said anything. But what he says next brings the episode and the relationship full-circle.
05:40Then we realize this moment, the eulogy, is just Sheldon's wish.
05:52And see what really happened.
05:59As the camera zooms into a photo of George at the front of the church, we hear Sheldon,
06:04now his father's age, looking back.