Over the 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory, there was bound to be many heartfelt and touching moments. The viewers laughed during Bernadette and Howard’s wedding, they cried when Sheldon and Amy won their Nobel Prize and they were overjoyed when Penny and Leonard finally made it work.
But if you had to pick between them all, which couple do you believe made the biggest and best romantic gestures? From Sheldon and Amy’s first “I love you” to Leonard buying Penny a car, here are the 10 biggest and best romantic gestures on the show.
Sheldon and Amy say “I love you”
Out of all the relationships, Sheldon and Amy’s was seen to have the biggest development. Starting out as cold and functional, Sheldon and Amy’s relationship eventually blossomed into a romance that was based on mutual admiration and respect. However, out of all their milestones, Sheldon and Amy’s first “I love you” was one most significant.
The memorable moment occurs in “The Prom Equivalency”, where Amy decides to check on Sheldon after he has a panic attack. After Sheldon tells her that he felt pressured by the expectations of prom, Amy reassures him that she just wanted to spend the night dancing with him and didn’t expect anything. Amy then tells Sheldon she has something to tell him, to which he responds “I love you too”. It’s a touching moment.
Raj asks Anu on a date
When it comes to relationships, Raj didn’t have the best of luck. However, that doesn’t mean he didn’t deserve a place on the list as his Love Actually style proposal was kind of swoon-worthy. Raj decides to win back Anu after they decided to call off their wedding because of the lack of trust they had.
However, “The Propagation Proposition” sees Raj try to win her back by using a scene from Love Actually. He starts with placards outside her door, asking if they could talk. Although the first attempt goes wrong, Raj then asks if they can press restart and spend time trying to get to know one another. Anu seems to like the idea and the two get back together.
Sheldon gets back together with Amy
Another touching moment in Sheldon and Amy’s relationship is when they decide to get back together. In the episode “The Earworm Reverberation”, Sheldon finds himself distressed when he cannot figure out why a certain song is stuck in his head.
He realizes the importance of the song, telling Penny and Leonard that the song reminded him of Amy and how she made his life better. Sheldon then rushes off to Amy’s apartment, telling Amy that he can’t get her out of his head and how he would “like to be her smile again.” His speech works as the episode ends with the couple getting back together.
Leonard gets Penny a car
A heartwarming gesture was made by Leonard in the episode “The Friendship Turbulence” when he decides to buy Penny a car. This all came about after Penny’s vehicle breaks down and she begins to reconsider taking a job at the Cheesecake Factory to pay for the repairs.
Leonard had also got into a fight with Penny earlier on about her life choices and wanted to try and make amends with her. He buys her the car so that she will be able to travel to the auditions, saying that if she wants to be an actress then she has his full support. Penny is touched by the gesture, which is why it has to be considered as one of the most romantic.
Penny says “I love you”
Penny and Leonard’s was a whirlwind of a romance. They had their ups and downs like every other couple, and came out stronger in the end. However, the one time they didn’t was back in Season 3 when Penny broke up with Leonard after she felt pressured by the scientist’s confession of love.
Yet, the writers showed the growth and maturity in Lenny’s relationship when they got into a fight over Leonard’s jealousy in “The 43 Peculiarity.” Instead of lashing out, Penny discusses her thoughts on the matter and reassures Leonard that she does love him. Leonard is taken aback by her response as this was the first time she said it. Although Penny runs away after, it was a huge milestone.
Sheldon was going to propose
Although it could be classed as one of the show’s most heartbreaking scenes, the prospect of Sheldon proposing to Amy can also be seen as one of the most romantic gestures. At the end of “The Commitment Determination,” Sheldon is left reeling when Amy breaks up with him after she expresses doubts about their future.
Sheldon then shocked the viewers when he asks his Gollum figurine what he should do with “this ring.” It was a huge step for Sheldon, who had often expressed his disinterest in committing himself to a relationship. The fact that Sheldon was prepared to take that step with Amy proved how much he loved her.
Penny’s box of mementos
In the episode “The Romance Resonance,” Penny and Leonard find themselves entangled in a challenge when he tells Penny he believes she is not romantic. The former waitress then spends the rest of the episode trying to make a grand gesture.
Despite all attempts failing, Penny does prove that she can be as romantic as Leonard when she reveals she kept a box of mementos from their relationship. This includes a plane ticket Leonard bought her so she could go home, a rose he left on her windshield and an eleven-page thank-you letter Leonard wrote her after they first slept together. The gesture proves how romantic Penny really is as Leonard is touched that she kept all that stuff.
Howard and Bernadette’s wedding day
What could be more romantic than the world being able to see your wedding? Out of all the couples on The Big Bang Theory, Bernadette and Howard had the best wedding of all. Spurred on by the fact that Howard was about to be sent into outer space, Raj and the gang helped the couple organize a quick wedding.
The ceremony took place on the rooftop of the apartment complex, where Raj arranged it so it would appear on Google Earth. However, the day becomes more memorable for the couple when Howard requests that Bernadette give him her necklace before his trip so he can take it with him. This way, when he returns, Bernadette can say she had a star that was in space.
Leonard freezes a snowflake
Penny and Leonard’s relationship got off to a good start in Season 3 after the physicist returned from the North Pole, where he spent three months on a science expedition. As soon as Leonard arrived home, he was welcomed by Penny, who expressed her delight at his return.
While Sheldon and he were trying to settle in, Leonard took a mini-break and went over to give Penny a gift. This was shown to be a snowflake he preserved from the North Pole, with Leonard telling Penny that he made sure it would last forever. What makes the gesture even sweeter is that Leonard wasn’t even dating Penny, which suggests that no matter how far away he was, Penny was always on his mind.
Howard’s song to Bernadette
Who would have thought Howard would become the king of romance? In the episode “The Romance Resonance,” Bernadette and Howard are about to celebrate the anniversary of their first date but run into a problem when she has an accident at work.
Instead of canceling, Howard asks the gang to come with him to the hospital and help him serenade Bernadette while she is in quarantine. The song he sings is full of references to pop culture and science, with Howard telling Bernadette that he couldn’t imagine life without her. It’s such a romantic song that it ends up reducing Bernadette to tears.
