The Big Bang Theory was an unexpected success of the early 2000s with a unique premise. Not only was it one of the last few remnants of hit sitcoms that made a place in viewer’s hearts, but it also connected with a section of the population that is often overlooked – the nerds.
From comic book and sci-fi lore to actual science, the show tried to keep it as close to the original as the showrunners could. But some laughing gags seemed too unrealistic when compared to real life.
Simon Helberg’s Howard getting a low salary is unreal
The show might have gotten a lot of things accurate, even the real science, but one of the running gags might not have been to the point. Simon Helberg‘s Howard Wolowitz not having a PhD made his scientist friends look down upon him, even his mom wished he had one!
However, there’s one flaw with this criticism, as a Redditor Abject-Evening-2412 nicely explained. They argue that the most unrealistic aspect of the show was Howard, who holds a master’s degree in engineering from MIT, earning the least within the group.
Howard could have easily secured a lucrative corporate job, which would offer a higher salary than a research role at a university. The notion that he earned “peanuts” simply because he lacked a Ph.D. was quite far-fetched. Indeed, a master’s degree in engineering from MIT is often considered extremely valuable.
And not just Howard, his wife Bernie was also portrayed similarly until she landed her gig at the big pharma company.
Bernadette was shown in a similar light initially
Howard’s embarrassment was also written into his wife Bernadette’s storyline. After completing her PhD, Bernie landed a high-paying job at a renowned pharmaceutical company, that paid even more than Howard’s salary at CalTech.
Though it doesn’t affect their marriage, one Reddit user noted that the portrayal of Bernadette working at the Cheesecake Factory while pursuing her PhD program was unrealistic.
Typically, such a program would be all-encompassing, often including an assistantship within her department. Additionally, the manner in which she announced “I got my PhD” to the group in one episode was peculiar. The process involves months of dissertation work and a formal defense.
Both of these theories also have some missing points, like Howard being an engineer on loan from NASA that would’ve severely impacted his salary, to Bernadette working as a waitress just to get an extra source of income. But the power couple proved love can transcend all matters of money, time, and space.
Watch all episodes of The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max.
