Why Sheldon And Amy's Relationship On The Big Bang Theory Was So Important To Fans

On the one hand, Sheldon Cooper, the protagonist of "The Big Bang Theory" played by Jim Parsons, can be sort of awful to Amy Farrah Fowler, his long-term (and only) girlfriend turned wife, portrayed by "Blossom" veteran and real-life neuroscientist Mayim Bialik. (Amy is, like Bialik, a neuroscientist.) On the other hand, their relationship is a sweet depiction of two socially awkward people finding love, and in Jessica Radloff's 2022 book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series," she, Parsons, and Bialik speak to the fact that Sheldon and Amy represent something important on television ... and their relationship made fans feel seen.

I honestly don't think I can put it better than Radloff herself did; as she wrote, "What 'Big Bang' was showing was that it's perfectly normal to have your firsts — whether it be a kiss, or an 'I love you,' or sex — come later than the cultural and societal norms we've grown up with. And that mattered."

Apparently, Bialik agrees with that ... and has gotten a lot of seriously positive feedback about the slow-burning romance between Amy and Sheldon. "A lot of people said that seeing someone like Sheldon find and receive love was something they never imagined for their child, or even seeing a couple like that was giving people hope for their kids," Bialik revealed. "I've also heard from some friends of mine who have kids either on the spectrum or who struggle socially, so it was a really interesting source of comfort without laughing at this character who was the kind of character who would often be teased."

"I certainly had a fair share of people reach out to me, or that I would come in contact with, because it made a difference to them to have this character out there," Parsons agreed, speaking to the fact that, throughout "The Big Bang Theory," it's often suggested that never confirmed that Sheldon was on the autism spectrum. He continued:

"Now that we're a few years outside of doing the show, I understand how it could have a positive impact without being a clinical study in what it is to be on the spectrum. You meet someone through a character, and they may be completely fictionalized, as Sheldon is, but they bear similarities to other people in the world who you may not know at all or not be very familiar with, and it changes your view or approach to those other people in life. And I know this from my own experience of characters and things that I've watched. I'll meet people or I'll rethink somebody I knew who bears similiarities to that character, and it will just change [my perception]."

As executive producer and writer Steve Molaro told Jessica Radloff, he felt like the sweet and supportive relationship between Amy and Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory" was important for people to see on TV. "There are a few young people on the spectrum in my life, so I found myself hoping there might be a significant other out there for them one day who has the kind of patience Amy displayed with Sheldon. Someone out there who would give them time and understanding, just to simply hold their hand. 

Still, Molaro was careful to make one thing clear: Sheldon, who was originally intended to be an asexual character, didn't "need" a relationship to be fulfilled, but it was simply a nice evolution of the character (and, for that matter, a tribute to Amy's kindness). "At the same time, I also didn't want to imply that Sheldon needed to be in a relationship to be lovable or complete," Molaro said. "People like Sheldon can be difficult to get to know. They can be off-putting or frustrating at times, usually unintentionally, but they also have so much to offer. Sheldon was resistant to a lot with Amy in the first few years, like physical contact or even just the label 'boyfriend and girlfriend,' and that's where the patience that Amy displayed came in."

"It was more about showing that the road to love or finding a partner or best friend can manifest in different ways," Molaro continued. "A lot of things can be scary for someone like Sheldon, and Amy recognized that. And even though they didn't say the words for a long time, I think they loved each other for years before they said it out loud. They just had to take baby steps to get there."

As writer Tara Hernandez told Jessica Radloff, the unrestrained joy and wonder exhibited by both Amy and Sheldon as they explore new relationship milestones together on "The Big Bang Theory" is basically the heart of the entire show. "Amy and Sheldon got to have so many moments together that they didn't have growing up," Hernandex explained. "Audiences can look at the show like it's juvenile or wonder why these adults are in a fort, but what was so charming about it was that everyone wants to sit on the floor and eat sometimes. There's a lot of joy in that! And we got to sit in forts, jump in ball pits. There was so much joy in the process of making it because the characters were getting to do things — often for the first time."

"'Big Bang' celebrated nerds [and] geek culture, and a big part of that is being able to unabashedly have an interest in something or love something — anything — and dig in on a truly deep level without caring how other people judge you," Steve Molaro added, supporting what Hernandez said as well. "Sheldon and Amy had a sweet innocence to them. Many of us 'adults' pretend we've been around the block or know what we're doing. But Sheldon and Amy didn't." He continued, "They were willing to show that vulnerable side to each other, whether it was awkwardly cuddling for the first time all the way up to them finally having coitus. How nice would life be if we could be as open as they were about everything we don't know?"

That is a lovely way to think of it, and you can head to HBO Max to experience Amy and Sheldon's full love story on "The Big Bang Theory."