While the show is predominantly known for its comedic brilliance, it doesn’t shy away from poignant moments that tug at the heartstrings. Throughout its 279 episodes, viewers frequently find themselves reaching for tissues, moved by the characters’ emotional journeys. Whether it’s out of empathy for their trials or the satisfaction of emotional resolutions, “The Big Bang Theory” masterfully balances laughter with tears, making it a timeless favorite.

One particularly memorable moment comes at the end of Season 3 in the episode “The Wheaton Recurrence.” Here, Leonard and Penny’s relationship reaches a critical juncture when Leonard expresses his love, only to be met with a hesitant “thank you” from Penny instead of the anticipated “I love you, too.” This awkward exchange triggers a series of events culminating in their breakup, prompting both characters to reassess their relationship desires.

In another emotional highlight from Season 7, Sheldon confronts a rare and profound sense of loss following the death of his childhood hero, Professor Proton. Sheldon channels his grief through his insistence on maintaining the group’s “Star Wars” marathon tradition on May 4th, albeit while outwardly dismissing the significance of Proton’s passing. A dream sequence featuring Proton as a ghostly Jedi mentor forces Sheldon to confront the reality that many of his role models, including his father, have passed away.

While a nudge from a villainous version of Wil Wheaton during bowling certainly didn’t help, it’s upsetting that this situation is what causes Penny to end the relationship. It gives the impression that, even after everything, Penny will never like Leonard as much as he likes her, and it makes you feel very bad for Leonard. He’s been pining from across the hall forever, but this episode forces the realization that maybe they aren’t meant to be. Even upon a rewatch, this episode still makes fans teary, because Penny and Leonard are the core romantic pairing of “The Big Bang Theory” at this point.

It’s rare that Sheldon shows any type of strong emotion, but in this Season 7 episode, we see him come to terms with the death of Professor Proton, his childhood hero and the reason he pursued a career in science. He channels his grief into his demands regarding the friend group’s “Star Wars” marathon on May the 4th, even if he denies caring about Professor Proton’s passing because death is inevitable. After a dream that features Proton as a ghost Jedi helping him from the grave, Sheldon is forced to acknowledge that all the men he looks up to — like the professor and his father — are now dead.

In addition to watching Sheldon come to terms with Professor Proton’s death, the others talk about their regrets in life in “The Proton Transmogrification.” Leonard has many, like not traveling more and not saying yes to Penny’s marriage proposal. Penny cries at the funeral, not over the professor, but because she hasn’t lost anyone close to her, so being at the funeral is new and makes her emotional.

Ultimately, the entire episode has a tone not present in the majority of “The Big Bang Theory.” While there is a bit of comic relief, everything is laced with a melancholy that makes the audience upset alongside Sheldon, especially since Professor Proton is clearly based on Bill Nye the Science Guy, a figure important to an entire generation’s childhood. Losing someone you look up to always hurts, and watching Sheldon go through it is an emotional journey. 

In the Season 7 finale, Sheldon is forced to experience plenty of emotions and learn how to handle them on his own. “The Status Quo Combustion” is filled with a lot of change. The university won’t let Sheldon swap specialties, so he has to go back to the research they hired him to do, which is an issue for him. Leonard is considering living with Penny instead of Sheldon, leaving the latter without a roommate. And, to make matters worse, Sheldon’s safe place — Stuart’s comic book store — burns down in the middle of the night thanks to a faulty hot plate.

It’s all incredibly overwhelming for Sheldon. He doesn’t do well with change, and it’s clear that there’s a lot of it on the horizon. As his best friend, Leonard is apprehensive. He knows Sheldon might start to spiral on his own, but Penny encourages him to let him go. It’s important for Sheldon to grow, after all, and he can’t do that if his friends always save him at the last minute. “The Status Quo Combustion” makes audiences cry not out of sadness, but because of the emotional ledge Sheldon jumps from and what’s waiting for him on the other side.

This Season 8 episode is initially a happy one. Stuart’s comic book store is reopening, which Sheldon’s friend group is excited about. Howard’s mother is having a good time in Florida, giving him a break from the difficulties surrounding her care over the last several months. However, things take a turn when he receives a call that his mother took a nap and died in her sleep.

Howard’s mother is a running joke in “The Big Bang Theory,” with Howard being seen as a mommy’s boy because of his close relationship with her, even if the two seem to rarely get along. Mrs. Wolowitz is a character we hear and never see, and her unexpected death brings that era to a close. Everyone in the friend group knew her, so this marks a time in the series where a single death impacts everyone.

Howard handles it best he can, but it’s Sheldon’s reaction in particular that makes it an emotional episode. He speaks about how, when he lost his father, he went through it alone because he didn’t have any friends, but Howard has them to lean on. Later, the group reflects on their favorite moments with Howard’s mother in Sheldon’s apartment. It’s the perfect end to an upsetting episode.

As Howard works through his mother’s death, he has to decide what to keep from her home. He’s struggling with what to throw away, each thing linked to a memory of her, even if it’s something like her stealing ketchup packets. However, a power outage causes him to invite his friends over for a meal so they can eat the last food his mother made before it goes bad.

As Bernadette, Raj, and Howard go through the freezer, different parts of Howard’s life, like his bar mitzvah cake, come into view. His mother kept everything in that freezer and it’s hard to look at, knowing that the friends are either going to eat it or throw it in the trash. Not only does it feel like they’re throwing away Howard’s mother, in a sense, but a part of his life that he’ll never get back now that he’s lost both of his parents.

Despite the somber note, the group tries to be there for Howard, with Bernadette even scolding a feuding Leonard and Sheldon to get it together and support him. With the light of several menorahs and a table full of food, everyone helps Howard honor his mother in one last meal, and it’s an emotional end to the arc.

In the Season 8 finale, Amy and Sheldon are celebrating their five year anniversary — or, at least, Amy is. Sheldon is in his own world, thinking about whether or not he should start watching The CW’s “The Flash.” Amy is rightfully upset about the progress of their relationship. Sheldon (being Sheldon) thinks she needs to apologize to him, and the two end up breaking up because Amy is tired of being patient with him.

During the break up, which takes place through a video call, it’s clear how much the decision is weighing on Amy. She doesn’t want to do it, but she isn’t getting what she needs out of the relationship, so she has to make the decision. While Sheldon doesn’t initially react, him taking out a ring and talking to a figure of Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings” implies he was planning on proposing, giving the episode an emotional ending.

By this point, Sheldon and Amy’s relationship is a key part of the show. Sheldon found someone who seemingly accepted his quirks, but, while Amy was willing to give him some grace, Sheldon often wasn’t willing to understand her point of view. It made for a one-sided relationship for Amy, and while it’s upsetting to see them break up, you understand why she did it.

In “The Spock Resonance,” we get more insight into Sheldon’s feelings about the break up. Though he continually claims he’s fine to his friends, while filming a Leonard Nimoy documentary, he blows up. It all starts because, while presenting things in his apartment, he brings up the ring. It’s a family heirloom, and Penny and Leonard ask if Amy knew about it. Sheldon continues to grow more and more upset with the conversation, eventually yelling, something he rarely does.

The true gut punch of the episode is when he decides to go and see Amy and propose anyway, hoping to win her back with the grand gesture. When he gets to her apartment, he sees her outside kissing another man, seemingly moving on. Sheldon doesn’t show strong emotion often, but this episode is full of it, really making you feel for him in the moment.

By this stage in the show, Sheldon has grown so much as a person, and seeing him reach the point of wanting to propose to someone feels like a win. It’s not something you’d expect at the beginning of the show and is a giant step for him. It hurts that much more to see Amy with someone else in front of him, knowing he hasn’t done enough despite his personal efforts.

Howard and Raj’s friendship is one of the most comedic elements of “The Big Bang Theory.” The former is always ribbing the latter, taking cracks at anything he can. Usually, Raj takes it in his stride, but it all comes to a head in Season 11’s “The Confidence Erosion,” resulting in a low point for their relationship that’s heartbreaking for viewers to witness.

Raj is preparing for a job interview, one he’s really excited about. While his other friends are supporting him, Howard keeps making jokes about what he decides to wear, ultimately undermining his friend’s self confidence. After talking with his father, Raj decides he needs a break from Howard’s friendship, something Howard is surprised about.

Friendship break-ups can hurt just as much as romantic ones. While it’s assumed they will make up because it’s a sitcom, Raj really seems like he won’t be able to forgive Howard for the impact he’s had on his self esteem. Leonard and Sheldon’s friendship is one-half of the group’s glue, with Raj and Howard’s as the other, so Raj making this decision could impact the entire dynamic. But, it was the right decision to make, since a real friend shouldn’t make you feel unsure about yourself. 

There are some “The Big Bang Theory” storylines that never paid off, but the last season does at least tie up some threads in a satisfying manner, including the one following Leonard and his mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter (Christine Baranski). They have never had the best relationship, but when she comes to visit in “The Maternal Conclusion” and finally takes an interest in his life and accomplishments, Leonard thinks they’ve turned a corner — only to find out it’s all for her own personal research regarding parenthood.

At the end of the episode, Leonard has a one-sided conversation with his mother, forgiving her, but also forgiving himself for always hoping for more. He’s accepting that their relationship will never change, and that’s okay. She does hug him after he finishes his speech, which is emotional and healing. It feels like a moment of closure, both for Leonard and us as viewers.

Many people can relate to having a difficult relationship with a parent at times, even if it’s not quite at the same level as Leonard and his mother. It’s hard to watch him accept that it won’t change, though it’s realistic. Yes, this is a sitcom, but not everything can have a comedic ending. That’s part of what makes the show great.

In the final episode of “The Big Bang Theory,” Sheldon and Amy pay for their friends to accompany them to Sweden so they can all be together when Sheldon and Amy receive their Nobel Prize. The others also hit important milestones here, and Sheldon is not handling it well. He doesn’t congratulate Penny on her pregnancy and makes fun of Howard and Bernadette’s worry for their children at home, causing his friends to want to leave. Even Amy is upset with Sheldon over how he’s treating their friends.

His friends do show up for the ceremony, which Sheldon is surprised about, and he pivots when he sees them in the crowd, making his speech about his friends and their importance in his life. It feels like a full circle moment for Sheldon. We see a level of emotional intelligence from him that he’s been working toward for 12 seasons. He might be the most annoying character in “The Big Bang Theory,” but at least he’s grown. He calls them a second family, and it’s obvious how much his friends mean to him, even if he doesn’t always express it.

It’s the perfect end to “The Big Bang Theory.” The group is together, celebrating a big accomplishment, being there for each other just as they’ve always been. It tells the viewers that, even if our time with them is over, they will still be active in each other’s lives, no matter the new chapters that come, and it’s hard not to get emotional over that.