It's not uncommon to throw a sad episode into a sitcom here and there, as shown in Friends, when it revealed that Monica and Chandler were unable to conceive, or in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air when Will's dad left. Sitcoms have proven that they're not above making you cry.
However, the word emotional isn't necessarily one you might associate with The Big Bang Theory. Still, throughout its 279 episodes, some have brought the tears along with the laughs. From Howard's (Simon Helberg) mother's death to Stuart's (Kevin Sussman) comic book store burning down, TBBT was never afraid to throw a little sadness into the mix.
Season 12, Episode 22 - "The Maternal Conclusion"
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Leonard's (Johnny Galecki) mother, Beverley (Christine Baranski), visited many times throughout the show's run, mostly ending on a sour note for the mother and son. However, during the third to last episode, Leonard admitted how much she'd hurt him over the years, resulting in a sweet final onscreen moment between the two.
Due to Beverley's previous visits typically ending with Leonard hurt, seeing the two characters finally make amends before the series ended was very emotional. From seeing Leonard forgive her for how she had treated him to their genuine heartfelt hug at the end, this one touched the hearts of many people.
Season 7, Episode 24 - "The Status Quo Combustion"
Throughout the show, Stuart's comic book store had always been a haven for the characters, so when Sheldon (Jim Parsons) walked into the shop trying to de-stress and found Stuart in the middle of the charred building, it came as a massive shock to both him and the fans.
Seeing Stuart throwing away damaged comic books and then almost being crushed by falling debris and saying "That could've killed me. Can't catch a break," is nothing short of heartbreaking. Stuart was very depressed about losing the one thing he cared most about, and between this and Sheldon's lack of empathy, this is one episode of TBBT where fans found it difficult to laugh.
Season 6, Episode 2 - "The Decoupling Fluctuation"
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Sheldon isn't known for his compassion. Still, when Amy (Mayim Bialik) tells him that Penny (Kaley Cuoco) is unsure whether she wants to continue a relationship with Leonard, Sheldon isn't keen on keeping this from his best friend. During the episode, he attempts a few times to tell Leonard what Amy told him but cannot bring himself to do it.
Because he can't tell Leonard what Amy said, he makes an uninvited late-night visit to Penny in what starts as a funny scene. However, before leaving her apartment, he stops and says, "Penny, please don't hurt my friend." The sincerity and compassion he shows towards Leonard came as an emotional surprise and gave fans a look into his caring side, tugging on the heartstrings of us all.
Season 7, Episode 22 - "The Proton Transmogrification"
In this episode, Leonard informs Sheldon of the passing of Professor Proton (Bob Newhart) and tries to comfort him with a hug. Sheldon responds, "your heart might be in the right place, but your head, chest, and arms certainly aren't," indicating that he's okay. As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that Sheldon isn't coping with Arthur's death.
Arthur appears to him in a dream, and Sheldon says, "it's like all the men I've looked up to have gone away," referencing the loss of his father and grandfather. When Sheldon wakes up, he disregards his dislike for human contact and embraces Leonard in a hug. Sheldon has never been one for physical contact, most of the time avoiding it at all costs, so when he suddenly embraced Leonard, it was very emotional to see.
Season 8, Episode 24 - "The Commitment Determination"
At the beginning of the episode, Shamy celebrated the 5th anniversary of their first date. Immediately after a kiss, Sheldon asked if he should watch The Flash, upsetting Amy as he wasn't paying attention to her and their relationship. By the end of the episode, Amy decided she needed to take some time away from him.
The couple had their fair share of ups and downs, but the season eight finale shattered fans the most. Sheldon was upset with her decision, but the most heartbreaking moment came when he revealed an engagement ring he'd planned on giving her before she ended things, leaving fans shocked and upset.
Season 9, Episode 9 - "The Platonic Permutation"
While the season eight finale break-up between these two characters was upsetting, it's a mid-point episode in season nine that added salt to the wound for fans of the couple. After a successful morning between the two as friends, Amy decided she wanted to try giving their relationship another go, but Sheldon didn't.
Sheldon admitted to Amy that getting over her was one of the toughest challenges he'd ever faced, telling her, "I excel at many things, but getting over you wasn't one of them." Between Sheldon's honesty at the pain he felt from the break-up to the restrained heartbreak plastered on Amy's face, their pain hit fans hard.
Season 8, Episode 15 - "The Comic Book Store Regeneration"
TBBT fans were hit with another blow when Howard received a call to inform him that his mother had sadly passed away. Over eight years, the only representation of Howard's mother had been a shouting voice from another room, her face never actually being shown on screen. Nevertheless, that loud, unmistakable voice became a classic part of The Big Bang Theory humor.
After finding out the sad news, Sheldon immediately reassured Howard that even though he had no one to help him when he lost his father, Howard had them, again showing his compassion. Sadly, after the actress behind the voice (Carol Ann Susi) passed away, the show bid farewell to Mrs. Wolowitz.
Season 6, Episode 19 - "The Closet Reconfiguration"
In this season six episode, when Sheldon sorts out Howard and Bernadette's (Melissa Rauch) closet, he finds an unopened letter from Howard's estranged father, sent to him on his 18th birthday. Howard was unsure of what to do as the man left when he was so young, and he'd had no contact with him since.
The saddest moment came when they all read out different potential versions of the letter. While Howard ultimately decided he didn't want to know the official answer, his friends' idea helped bring him the closure he needed. Seeing the usually happy Howard brought to tears in this episode was an extremely emotional watch.
Season 3, Episode 19 - "The Wheaton Recurrence"
Leonard and Penny are The Big Bang Theory's unlikely couple that fans fell in love with very quickly. The pair had their ups and downs, as any couple does, but in the end, they proved they were perfect for each other.
In season three, they had one of their worst rough patches when Leonard told Penny he loved her, and she didn't say it back. With some interference from Wil Wheaton, Penny decided it was too much too soon and broke off their relationship, leaving Leonard and us heartbroken.
Season 12, Episode 24 - "The Stockholm Syndrome"
It's no surprise that the culmination of this beloved series after 12 years would be a very emotional watch. From Leonard and Penny's pregnancy reveal to Amy telling Sheldon he'd broken their friends' hearts, this episode was jam-packed full of moments that had no trouble bringing a tear to your eye.
Sheldon's speech at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony destroyed everyone. From his genuine apology to his friends to the love he'd always had for them shining through, fans were in bits. With the acoustic version of the show's theme song playing over the gang eating take-out to close out the series, this was a beautiful send-off for one of the best sitcoms that brought millions of people joy for over a decade.