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Ready to laugh along with some classic nerdy humor? Dive into the quirkiest and most unforgettable running jokes from The Big Bang Theory, where Howard’s loud family dynamics, Sheldon’s peculiar habits, and the gang’s hilarious quirks never fail to entertain. From “Bazinga!” to Sheldon’s spot and the infamous broken elevator, these moments showcase why this sitcom remains an iconic comedy staple.
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00:00How do we decide that?
00:02Rock, paper, scissors, force, and fuck!
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the funniest recurring jokes
00:10on the long-running sitcom The Big Bang Theory.
00:13Sheldon, you have a guest who's upset.
00:15Right, I'll make tea.
00:17Oh, this video's okay, I don't want tea.
00:18I'm sorry, it's not optional.
00:21Number 30, Howard and His Mother Yelling.
00:24Who is it?
00:25It's Leonard!
00:27You're gonna have to play outside!
00:30I'm not dressed to receive!
00:33No one cares, Ma!
00:35So what's up?
00:36The dynamic between the mother and son of the Wolowitz family is one of the funniest on the show,
00:41and it's due in large part to this ongoing gag.
00:44Running in tandem with the joke that we never really see Howard's mom,
00:48which we'll expand upon in another entry,
00:50the two must constantly yell back and forth to communicate throughout the house.
00:53Don't have homework!
00:55I'm a grown man with a master's degree in engineering!
00:58Excuse me, Mr. Fancy Pants.
01:02Want me to get you a popsicle?
01:04Cherry, please!
01:06This has led to some humorous interactions in which we see how much Mrs. Wolowitz treats her son like a child,
01:12and how fed up Howard is with his living situation.
01:14This is made all the better by the fact that Howard's eventual wife,
01:18Bernadette, is no stranger to yelling across the house as well.
01:21We'll get to that later.
01:22Poor Howard can't catch a break.
01:24What's the word?
01:25He wants butter!
01:29It's butterflame and syrup!
01:31I just told him that!
01:33Number 29.
01:34Howard talking about being an astronaut.
01:36It was really nice of you to try to be happy for Leonard.
01:40I must have killed you when I went to space.
01:42When he's not exhausting his vocal cords conversing with his mom,
01:46you can find Howard talking about engineering, girls, and all things nerd.
01:50But the topic that comes up the most for him is that he is an astronaut.
01:54After his space trip, his friends are initially proud and excited for him.
01:58However, as time goes on and Howard continues to repeatedly mention that he's been to space,
02:03the topic hilariously gets on everyone's nerves.
02:06Never mind.
02:07I just won't talk about the greatest achievement of my life ever again.
02:11Look at that.
02:12The problem solved itself.
02:13His friends even go so far as to intervene on his constant chatter about astronaut life
02:18and insist he stop.
02:20Although this was an undoubtedly cool experience for him,
02:23we do kind of understand their perspective.
02:25It did not kill me when you went to space.
02:28Monkeys went to space.
02:33Number 28.
02:34Leonard's height.
02:35Leonard has his share of shortcomings, no pun intended.
02:39But there are a few that keep getting brought up by his friends, his wife, and even his mother.
02:43One of those is his height, which is really just slightly below average.
02:48But it gets brought up so much that you would think he was two feet tall.
02:51I assume like the rest of frontier life, it'll be exhausting and short.
02:55You're exhausting and short.
02:58Whether he's embracing it by dressing up as a hobbit or enduring the insults from his nearest
03:02and dearest, it's fun for us to watch.
03:05We're happy he doesn't let his size or his insecurities stop him from reaching for the
03:09stars, though.
03:10How else would he have ended up with a PhD and a wife like Penny?
03:13That is some short king energy.
03:15I guess for you guys, that's like regular golf.
03:19Short jokes.
03:21Really?
03:21You're like a quarter of an inch taller than me.
03:23And don't you forget it.
03:25Number 27.
03:26Raj hating on his culture.
03:28Howard has a good time making fun of his best friend Raj.
03:31And he even does an impression of his accent, too.
03:33Give me the phone.
03:34What?
03:34Just give it to me.
03:37What are you doing?
03:38Don't worry.
03:38You'll thank me.
03:43However, no one makes fun of India and all that it entails more than Rajesh Kutrupali
03:48himself.
03:49He talks about how spicy the food is, how overcrowded the streets are, and he has opinions
03:54about his parents meddling in his love life.
03:56If you decide on a spring wedding, we can avoid monsoon season.
03:59A spring wedding?
04:01It's up to you, Davey.
04:02We don't want to meddle.
04:03If you don't want to meddle, then why are you meddling?
04:05He leans into and jokes about Indian stereotypes constantly, and his perspective on his own
04:10culture has led to some of the best one-liners in the show.
04:14After all, who doesn't love some good old-fashioned self-deprecating humor?
04:17Do you know at the Mumbai McDonald's you can't get a Big Mac?
04:20All you can get is the Chicken Maharaja Mac.
04:23And the special sauce?
04:25Curry.
04:25Which, in India, believe you me, is really not that special.
04:28Number 26.
04:29Leonard's mom loving Sheldon.
04:31Most mothers would be proud of their kid having a PhD, right?
04:34But if you're Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, that statement could not be more wrong.
04:38She basically has one emotion, and it is as neutral as can be.
04:43She's clearly a true scientist at heart, and fails to understand human feelings she deems
04:48unnecessary.
04:49This puts a strain on her relationship with Leonard, but makes her extremely compatible
04:53with Sheldon.
04:54You see right through me, don't you?
04:58Only when you're in a cat scanner.
05:00They have way more in common, both seemingly robotically putting scientific endeavors above
05:06all else.
05:07When we see Beverly and Sheldon interact, we don't know whether to laugh out loud or cry
05:11at Leonard's expense.
05:13But it's one o'clock.
05:14You were going to show me your laboratory at one o'clock.
05:16Her reasoning is unassailable.
05:17It is one o'clock.
05:21Fine, let's go.
05:22Number 25.
05:23Video chatting with Raja's parents.
05:25Raja's family becomes a prominent part of the series as it goes on, with his sister
05:30even moving to Pasadena and dating Leonard.
05:32His parents are quite involved too, but they usually only interact with Raja through a computer
05:36screen.
05:37Because of that, their relationship becomes a running joke of awkward camera angles and
05:42bad internet connection.
05:43But he's right, Papa.
05:44Listen to him.
05:46You!
05:47You are the one who ruined everything!
05:48Who is it?
05:49We can't see!
05:50Don't us!
05:51It's especially funny when they try to enforce their strict rules on Raja from thousands
05:55of miles away.
05:56We're sad we didn't get to see more of them, because let's face it, Raja's parents contribute
06:00to some of the best moments on the series.
06:02You are wearing the boxes that we sent you, aren't you, Rajesh?
06:05Yes, mommy.
06:06Because you know what happens to the samosas when you wear the tighty white case.
06:10Number 24.
06:11A hot beverage.
06:12We have to give kudos to Sheldon.
06:14Despite his stilted social skills, there are moments where he genuinely tries to form human
06:19connections based on social norms he's identified with.
06:22For example, he comes around to gift-giving, tries to be intimate with Amy at appropriate
06:27times, and even works hard to be a good host.
06:29Leonard, social protocol states when a friend is upset, you offer them a hot beverage, such
06:33as tea.
06:35Tea does sound nice.
06:38You heard the man, Leonard?
06:40The latter often includes him making the guest a hot beverage, and we giggle every time we hear
06:45the offer.
06:45The fact that he doesn't say coffee or tea and instead just goes with hot beverage shows
06:50how foreign and forced this is to him, which makes it that much funnier.
06:54Sheldon, your friend is hurting.
06:57What do we do when someone's hurting?
06:59Offer them a hot beverage.
07:01Number 23.
07:02Penny's check engine light.
07:03Sheldon likes things to be just so, and he's uncomfortable when any little detail isn't
07:09how it's supposed to be.
07:10So it is no surprise that Penny's check engine light rubs him the wrong way.
07:14When she gives Sheldon a ride, he notes it's lit up, but Penny is completely dismissive.
07:19If it were fine, the light wouldn't be on.
07:21That's why the manufacturer installed that light, to let you know it's not fine.
07:25I don't know, maybe the light's broken.
07:28Is there a check the check engine light light?
07:30It's a comical interaction, so much so that the Big Bang Theory couldn't resist bringing
07:35it up a few more times in the series.
07:37It's also a perfect metaphor for Sheldon and Penny, since he is a textbook perfectionist,
07:41and she very much just goes with the flow.
07:44I pointed out the check engine light to you several months ago.
07:48No, the check engine light is fine.
07:50It's still blinking away.
07:53It's the stupid engine that stopped working.
07:56Number 22.
07:57Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard Spock.
07:59Then I believe we've arrived at another quintessential Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard Spock moment.
08:04These geniuses nerd out about absolutely everything.
08:07So we are not shocked they even have their own semi-Star Trek-inspired version of something
08:12as simple as Rock, Paper, Scissors.
08:14Whenever they need to make a decision, the fists come up and the confusing game begins.
08:19If that wasn't funny enough, we can't get over Sheldon's lightning-fast explanation of the rules.
08:24Scissors cuts paper.
08:25Paper covers Rock.
08:26Rock crushes Lizard.
08:27Lizard poisons Spock.
08:28Spock smashes Scissors.
08:30Scissors decapitates Lizard.
08:31Lizard eats paper.
08:33Paper disproves Spock.
08:34Spock vaporizes Rock.
08:35And as it always has, Rock crushes Scissors.
08:37Rock, Paper, Scissors on its own would obviously be too simple for them.
08:41But this version is still just a more complex game of chance.
08:44So at the end of the day, it's really no different, which makes it all the more hysterical.
08:49Okay, who gets the extra dumping?
08:56Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard Spock!
08:57The gang's resident astrophysicist has some memorable quirks,
09:04but the most prominent of them all is his initial inability to talk to women.
09:08In the beginning of the series, Raj can't so much as utter a word in the presence of a girl.
09:13But he later overcomes that with some liquid courage.
09:16I am talking to you.
09:18Hello, Penny. How are you?
09:22I'm fine.
09:23Okay, now I just need to make sure I have a Lalita before I meet the grasshopper.
09:26Still, it is an ongoing issue that ebbs and flows throughout the Big Bang Theory.
09:31As you can imagine, it makes his relationship with Penny both hilarious and complicated.
09:36To say nothing of his dating life,
09:38it takes years before Raj is able to speak to a woman without consuming alcohol.
09:43And honestly, we sometimes miss the hijinks that came from his shy mutism.
09:46Maybe there's still a future for us.
09:49The funny thing about life is that, you know,
09:51sometimes something you think is going to be...
09:53Does he ever shut up?
09:54Number 20. My Mother Had Me Tested
09:57Sheldon is definitely an odd bird,
10:00and although he doesn't want people to think he's weird, most of them do.
10:04Oh, no, I beg to differ.
10:06However, while some might also call him crazy,
10:09he has empirical evidence to the contrary.
10:11As he repeatedly assures us...
10:13I'm not crazy. My Mother Had Me Tested.
10:17We never find out much about these tests,
10:20or what they were testing exactly.
10:22But not only does he consistently claim his mother had him tested,
10:26Mrs. Cooper herself confirms this as well during one of her visits to Los Angeles.
10:30The doctor says he's fine.
10:32Told you.
10:33Although I do regret not following up with that specialist in Houston.
10:39Maybe that specialist in Houston could have provided a little more insight.
10:44Number 19. Leonard is lactose intolerant.
10:47Being lactose intolerant isn't fun,
10:49but thankfully Leonard isn't intolerant to being mocked for it.
10:52Because if he were, he would be in a constant state of flatulence
10:56that no amount of open windows would fix.
10:59Its main ingredient is paneer,
11:01a farmer's cheese that would cause Leonard
11:03to render any room uninhabitable within minutes.
11:08Leonard's short stature and his asthma are also brought up often,
11:11but it's definitely his inability to digest dairy
11:15that is the most recurrent of the running gags related to his character.
11:19Sometimes Leonard brings it up in too much detail,
11:22like on his first date with Penny.
11:24Do you want some?
11:26Right. No. I'm lactose intolerant.
11:29Right.
11:29So gas.
11:30Yeah, got it.
11:31Frequently, though, it's the rest of the group
11:34that mentions Leonard's dairy-induced Big Bangs.
11:36Well, you know, milk in the taters, milk in the gravy, Parmesan crust.
11:39Your lactose intolerant boyfriend will turn into a gas-filled Macy's Day balloon.
11:46Number 18. Soft Kitty.
11:48Cats in general were a running theme throughout the series,
11:51from hypoallergenic calicos to zazzy felines.
11:54I was going to name him Herman von Helmholtz, but he's so fessy.
12:02But there is no cat-centric gag more prevalent and important than the Soft Kitty song.
12:08We first learn about the song in season one,
12:10when Sheldon gets sick and the guys escape to a Planet of the Apes marathon,
12:14leaving Penny to care for him.
12:16Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur.
12:24While that's the first time we hear the song, it's definitely not the last.
12:28This gag keeps on running through season after season,
12:31and even develops its own specific rules,
12:34such as the fact that the song is only for when someone is sick,
12:38and if you mess up, you have to start again from the beginning.
12:41Happy kitty.
12:44Um.
12:46Sleepy kitty.
12:47Sleepy kitty.
12:48No.
12:51Start over.
12:55Number 17. Sheldon is a robot.
12:58Okay, so we know Sheldon isn't actually a robot.
13:02Or at least we're pretty sure he isn't.
13:04And based on some questioning by Howard and Raj in season one,
13:07even they aren't 100% convinced.
13:10Have you ever harmed yourself or allowed yourself to be harmed,
13:12except in cases where a human being would have been endangered?
13:15Well, no.
13:16I smell robot.
13:19What we all do know is that while Sheldon may not be a robot just yet,
13:24he definitely wants to be one,
13:26and is disappointed when he calculates that he won't live long enough to make that happen.
13:30So you're upset about missing out on becoming some sort of freakish self-aware robot?
13:36By this much?
13:39However, it does lead him to create a pretty cool mobile virtual presence device
13:43in an attempt to avoid the dangers of the outside world,
13:47as well as adding Brussels sprouts to his diet.
13:49The latter of which causes him, and not Leonard, to be the flatulent roommate for once.
13:54Funny how things worked out, isn't it?
13:56Oh, lord, I think it's about to burst!
14:03On the other hand, it might have been the Brussels sprouts.
14:09Number 16. Forgetting Stewart
14:11When the series began, Stewart Bloom, yes, that's his last name,
14:15was a confident, talented artist and proprietor of a comic book store.
14:18Now, give me the picture.
14:20You drive a hard bargain, but here.
14:24Alright. So, um, just give me a call.
14:30So, Leonard, how are you enjoying Anything Can Happen Thursday?
14:35By season three, however, he's begun his regression into sad, depressed loner Stewart.
14:41The poor guy gets stood up by stray cats,
14:44and is happy to play dead just to be a part of a group activity.
14:47Although he becomes a series regular and a part of the gang,
14:51it's a running joke that he is often forgotten about when activities are planned.
14:55I invited you to my modern mystery party.
14:57No, you didn't.
15:00Oh.
15:03Or even when there's some big news like Bernadette being pregnant.
15:07Sounds like something a member of the group might know.
15:09Yeah, birthday party first.
15:12Pity party later.
15:16Sheldon can add up the change under a couch cushion just by sitting down,
15:21but he usually can't recognize sarcasm when it's staring him right in the face.
15:25For God's sake, Sheldon, do I have to hold up a sarcasm sign every time I open my mouth?
15:31You have a sarcasm sign?
15:32This hole in his emotional IQ is something the writers have a lot of fun with throughout the series.
15:38Initially, the humor is just in him having sarcastic comments go right over his head.
15:42But eventually, Sheldon tries to improve,
15:44and starts to keep track of his stats when it comes to picking up on sarcasm.
15:48Did Leonard?
15:49I'm no expert, but I believe what we just heard from Penny was sarcasm.
15:54Ah, good.
15:56I'm 8 for 26 this month.
15:58And it goes really well.
16:01Was that sarcasm?
16:03No.
16:04Was that sarcasm?
16:06Yes.
16:08For all the Sheldons out there, yeah, that was sarcasm.
16:11Number 14.
16:12Howard doesn't have a PhD.
16:15As much as Leonard's lactose intolerance and Sheldon's not being crazy are mentioned throughout the series,
16:20there might be no single character point that gets brought up more than Howard's lack of a PhD.
16:24You're a doctor.
16:26You're a doctor.
16:26You're a doctor.
16:28You're a doctor.
16:29And Howard, you know a lot of doctors.
16:34Howard likes to tell people that engineers usually don't get one.
16:37But that doesn't stop the jokes from coming.
16:39But she has no prospects, no marketable skills.
16:43And then one day, she meets a group of geniuses and their friend Howard.
16:50For the most part, it was Sheldon commenting on Howard's PhD-less level of education.
16:55But the other members of the group also got their jabs in during the show's 12-year run.
16:59Even his loving wife chimed in on the matter.
17:02You don't want to get teased about that, get a doctorate.
17:07I have one, they're great.
17:11Number 13.
17:11Maybe the most impressive thing we noticed in the show is the strength of the Wi-Fi in Sheldon and Leonard's apartment.
17:20Many of us have probably experienced weak Wi-Fi in different rooms of our house.
17:24And yet, on the fourth floor at 2311 North Los Robles Avenue,
17:28the Wi-Fi in the guy's apartment is strong enough that Penny can use it in her unit across the hall.
17:34Hey, Leonard, is your Wi-Fi down? I can't get on.
17:36Oh, Sheldon changed the password. It's now Penny is a freeloader.
17:41It might be a tad unrealistic, but we're okay with it because it leads to some very funny moments whenever Sheldon changes the Wi-Fi password.
17:48If you can't get me to stop eating your food, what makes you think you can get me to stop using your Wi-Fi?
17:52I believe that you're capable of great change.
17:55Leonard can usually be counted on to give the new password, though.
17:58And the formatting, at least, is always the same.
18:02Yes, it's Penny. Get your own Wi-Fi. No spaces.
18:06Thanks.
18:07Number 12.
18:08Bernadette sounds like Howard's mom.
18:10We got a little glimpse of this one early on in their relationship,
18:13when Bernadette and Raj were bonding over teasing Howard.
18:15They poked fun at some of his favorite jokes, and both did their impression of his mother.
18:20Howard! Help me out of that tub! I'm stuck again!
18:26However, the next time we hear her do the voice, it isn't in jest.
18:30And it's the beginning of this funny running gag.
18:32We're very different people, Howard, so communication's a little tricky.
18:36Does he like the pancakes?
18:38He didn't try them yet!
18:40An added dimension to this is the fact that Howard doesn't initially pick up on the fact that she sounds just like his mother.
18:49It isn't until she yells at Sheldon and Leonard one night during dinner that it finally clicks.
18:54You guys ever notice sometimes Bernadette sounds like my mom?
18:59I don't hear that!
19:00No, not at all.
19:02Number 11.
19:03Howard and Raj are a couple.
19:04The running gag that Raj and Howard are a couple is hard to miss.
19:08Even Leonard's mother sees it the first time she meets them in season two.
19:11Your both selective mutism and an inability to separate from one's mother can stem from a pathological fear of women.
19:18It might explain why the two of you have created an ersatz homosexual marriage to satisfy your need for intimacy.
19:27Whatever the reason for it, this relationship is played up throughout the series after that.
19:31The two best friends often argue like a married couple, and have gone as far as to seek professional help.
19:36We're just saying all the things we love about each other.
19:39Oh, like you and I did at couples therapy!
19:42They even kissed two times, once virtually, and they've felt each other up.
19:47We aren't sure what base that would be for Bernadette, but it sure sounds like first base to us.
19:54Yeah, maybe.
19:56Number 10.
19:57Restraining Orders
19:58One might not think of Restraining Orders as comedic fodder, but on The Big Bang Theory, not only are they played for laughs, they are played on repeat throughout the series.
20:07Wait here, I'll get some Alka-Seltz so we can build that rocket, and we can shoot it at Bill Nye's house.
20:13As long as I'm not within 500 feet of it.
20:17We know Sheldon is harmless and definitely wouldn't hurt anyone, especially his idols.
20:22But he can also be a little, let's call it, persistent.
20:25It is this quality that led to a number of restraining orders filed against him.
20:30Boy, a restraining order from Stephen Hawking.
20:34It'll look so nice next to the ones he's already got from Leonard Nimoy, Carl Sagan, and Stan Lee.
20:39The ones from Leonard Nimoy and Carl Sagan are just mentioned on a few occasions, but we are witness to the ones filed by Bill Nye the Science Guy and Stan Lee.
20:49You boys may have had gelato with Stan Lee and gotten autographed comics, but I saw the inside of his house.
20:56And got an autographed application for a restraining order.
21:01Number 9. Amy Crushing on Penny.
21:03The growth of Amy Farrah Fowler was one of the biggest character transformations on the show.
21:09That sounds so great, but I have a little more studying to do.
21:12Can you believe this, nerd?
21:17When we first met her, she was a robotic female version of Sheldon who only dated once a year to get her mother off her case.
21:24And disliked physical contact from anyone, even Penny.
21:27Please don't touch my breasts.
21:30I wasn't going to.
21:31Alright, I just want to establish boundaries.
21:34Cut to a few years later and she's getting drunk in Vegas,
21:36writing sexy Little House on the Prairie fan fiction about Sheldon and totally girl-crushing on Penny.
21:43And Penny's reactions, from awkward to flattered, take these running gags across the funny finish line.
21:49There's not a hair on my body I wouldn't let this woman trim.
21:55Number 8. Penny loves wine.
21:57After 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory, we still didn't know Penny's last name.
22:02But we did know that she loves alcohol.
22:05Particularly wine.
22:06She might not have a clean glass to drink it out of, but that won't stop her from getting her buzz on.
22:11Yep, that's good.
22:12Wine glasses should have handles.
22:15And Penny's love for the grape juice that burns is often commented on and joked about throughout the series.
22:21Hey, you guys want to play a drinking game?
22:23No, we'll never win.
22:25You always play the drinking game.
22:28It also serves as the catalyst for a few of the biggest moments on the show,
22:32including her first ever kiss with Leonard and that ill-advised hookup with Raj Quickdraw Kuthrapali.
22:38This never happened.
22:41Do you understand me?
22:46Really? Still can't talk to me?
22:49Number 7. Food questions.
22:52Sheldon is a man of routines and habits.
22:54And when he finds something he likes, he sticks to it.
22:57There's no harm in trying something new.
23:00There's a lot of harm in trying something new.
23:02Well, that's why we test out drugs and cosmetics on bunny rabbits.
23:06That includes his food, as anyone who brings him his meal is sure to discover via a barrage of questions regarding its contents and preparation.
23:14While there are a few people who get the full questioning treatment, most of the time it's Leonard on the receiving end.
23:38Leonard does get to turn the tables on his roommate one time, though, and inundate him with questions.
23:44It is a very happy moment for Lenny.
23:57Number 6. Bazinga.
23:59No running gag or quote from the show has been entrenched into our pop culture lexicon more than bazinga.
24:05Once again, you've fallen for one of my classic pranks.
24:09Bazinga.
24:10If you don't own a red t-shirt emblazoned with the word, know someone who does, or have seen someone wearing one, we assume you haven't left your house in the last decade.
24:21The word was first uttered in the season 2 finale and remained a memorable staple, even making its way into the prequel Young Sheldon.
24:28If it's funny, it's bazinga. Interesting.
24:33All to say, bazinga was uttered many a time, but maybe the most memorable was the classic ball pit scene in which Sheldon, while evading Leonard,
24:42continuously pops up out of the balls and proclaims his signature catchphrase.
24:45Number 5. Mrs. Wolowitz
24:57From Cheers to Home Improvement, there is a history of television shows featuring a character whose face is never completely revealed to the audience.
25:05Maybe you shouldn't try to have all the answers and instead ask more questions.
25:10And the Big Bang Theory carried on that tradition with Howard's mother, Mrs. Wolowitz.
25:13Not only is her face never revealed, besides one brief moment passing by an open kitchen door, but she is never even seen on screen.
25:22Although, she is most definitely heard.
25:24Do their parents know they're here?
25:28No, but if you keep screaming, maybe they'll hear you!
25:34As previously mentioned, her loud, wall-penetrating screams were an integral part of the show,
25:39and a running gag that continued until the sad day she passed away.
25:43I didn't care for her yelling, but now that I'm not going to hear it again, I'm sad.
25:51If you want, I can yell at you later.
25:55It won't be as good.
25:58Number 4. The Roommate Agreement
26:00While a great laugh-filled running gag for fans of the show, the Roommate Agreement was anything but funny for Leonard.
26:06I don't care! I'm done!
26:09Hold on! Are you saying that you want to invoke Clause 209?
26:14I don't know what that is, but if it means I can go home and sleep, then yes.
26:17Think carefully here.
26:18And in fact, it was the cause of much of the anguish he had to endure for all those many years that he and Sheldon lived together.
26:24Now, some provisions probably didn't cause Leonard much stress,
26:27like clauses for zombie apocalypses and correct flag usage.
26:31Never fly it upside down.
26:34Unless the apartment's in distress.
26:36However, there were many items in said agreement that did annoy and enrage Leonard,
26:41and even led him to retain a lawyer one time.
26:44Albeit one that he was sleeping with.
26:46Schooled.
26:47Legal principle is ambiguity in a contract benefits the party that did not draft it.
26:51In this case, Leonard.
26:53So much for count one.
26:54But there's no but, Sheldon. That's how the law works.
26:58Schooled.
26:58Number 3. Sheldon's Spot.
27:05It is the singular location in space around which Sheldon's entire universe revolves.
27:10And it's the running gag that began on the very first episode.
27:14It is, of course, Sheldon's Spot.
27:16And if you know nothing else about it, you know not to sit in it.
27:20And if you don't know that, you find out pretty quickly as Penny did in the pilot episode.
27:24In the winter, that seat is close enough to the radiator to remain warm, and yet not so close as to cause perspiration.
27:30In the summer, it's directly in the path of a cross breeze created by opening windows there and there.
27:35It faces the television at an angle that is neither direct, thus discouraging conversation, nor so far wide as to create a parallax distortion.
27:41I could go on, but...
27:43I think I've made my point.
27:44Sheldon's Spot is an ever-present running gag that even extends beyond the apartment and to his parking spot at the university.
27:53The fact that he doesn't have a car is irrelevant.
27:56Maybe they reassigned it because you never use it.
27:58Well, I'm not using my nipples either. Maybe you should reassign those.
28:01It also leads to one of the most heartfelt gestures of the entire show when he gives his spot to Howard, even if it only lasts 94 seconds.
28:09I changed my mind. Get out of my spot.
28:13Number 2. The Broken Elevator
28:15On the surface, there may not be anything inherently humorous about a broken elevator,
28:20but the fact that it is broken does lead to some funny situations, often involving heavy items being carried up the stairs.
28:26Almost there. Almost there. Almost there.
28:31No, we're not. No, we're not. No, we're not.
28:34This includes new furniture for Penny and a time machine for Leonard.
28:37The Broken Elevator with the crime scene tape across it is a silent yet ever-present character on the series.
28:43Sheldon, when is your landlord going to fix the elevator?
28:47I don't know. Lately, we've been talking about converting it into a missile silo.
28:53One that becomes so ingrained in the fabric of the show that when the elevator is finally fixed in the penultimate episode,
29:00it leads to one of the biggest audience reactions of the entire series.
29:04I can't take any more.
29:05Can you believe it? They finally fixed the elevator.
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29:33Number 1. Three knocks.
29:35This is definitely one of the best jokes on the show, but it also is the one that almost never happened.
29:41I bet that started off as a joke, but by the third one you realize there was something strangely enjoyable about it.
29:51Yeah, I kind of want to do it again.
29:52If we go all the way back to the second episode of the series, the first time we ever see Sheldon knock on a door, he only knocks once.
30:01This one knock anomaly aside, for the next 12 years, his multi-knock obsession is a constant running gag.
30:08Penny?
30:10Sheldon?
30:13Penny?
30:14Sheldon?
30:14Penny?
30:15Sheldon?
30:16Like the broken elevator, Sheldon's knocks become so important to the show that in season 10, he even confides in Penny the reason he does it.
30:23And another burning fan question is answered.
30:26I mean, the first one's traditional, but two and three are for people to get their pants on.
30:32Now, if only they would have told us Penny's maiden name.
30:35Which running gag always makes you laugh?
30:41Let us know in the comments.
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