There are many older sitcoms with fan-favorite characters who would be problematic by today’s standards – like Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother – but The Big Bang Theory has not one but two characters that wouldn’t work today. Howard Wolowitz was the obvious sleaze, but Barry Kripke is a sleeper contender for one of the most toxic characters.
From certified creep to doting father, Wolowitz’s transformation was one of the biggest character arcs in TBBT, but Kripke was a much more minor character who didn’t receive the same kind of scrutiny or redemption. Kripke will be part of the main cast of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, along with Stuart Bloom, Denise, and Bert Kibbler.
I’ve always loved Kripke – he never kowtowed to Sheldon like nearly everyone else – but I don’t think his brand of bullying and sexism will play as comedically in modern times. While I want more of Kripke, I’m worried about how his character is going to work in a more crowded story with far fewer episodes.
Barry Kripke Is A Problematic Character
Kripke’s Defining Traits Are Sexist, Bullying Provocateur
On casual viewing, Big Bang Theory’s Barry Kripke seems underrated, like nothing more than a goofy foil for Sheldon, a rival with a silly lisp. But a closer look reveals darker tendencies in his behavior, which are often masked by the laugh track.
Kripke displays overtly sexist tendencies. He makes uncomfortable remarks to Penny in season 2 about her name not being “hot enough” and complains about the lack of strippers at Wolowitz’s bachelor party in season 5. These jokes are framed as harmless banter, but they normalize misogyny under the guise of comedy.
He was also a bully, constantly mocking Sheldon, sabotaging his work, and humiliating him in social situations. On rewatch, his stutter—something actor John Ross Bowie doesn’t naturally have—is played for laughs, which now feels exploitative. Combined with his bullying and sexism, Kripke reflects how sitcoms once excused toxic behavior as comedy.
The Big Bang Theory Did A Fantastic Job Redeeming Howard Wolowitz
Wolowitz Had 279 Episodes Over 12 Seasons To Grow
Howard Wolowitz’s arc is one of The Big Bang Theory’s most striking evolutions. He begins as a lecherous, lonely figure defined by crude jokes, yet gradually becomes a devoted husband and father. By the end, his marriage to Bernadette stands as the show’s most stable and loving relationship.
However, this growth took time. Across many seasons, Wolowitz organically matured from the guy who got his junk stuck in a robot hand to the man who serenaded Bernadette in The Big Bang Theory’s most romantic episode. TBBT’s many seasons and long episode orders allowed Wolowitz’s journey to feel earned.
Even as Wolowitz evolved, the show still mined humor from his quirks – his insecurity about his degree and station, and his unusually close relationship with Raj. These traits became funnier after his growth because they were rooted in character depth rather than crude lechery, allowing the audience to laugh with him instead of at him.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Has 1 Major Hurdle TBBT Didn’t Have
Stuart’s Spinoff Will Likely Have Only 10 Episodes Per Season On HBO Max
Barry Kripke could theoretically evolve into a more layered character, but Stuart Fails to Save the Universe seems positioned as a plot-driven spinoff rather than a character study. With a multiverse at stake, there won’t be time for the slow-burn growth audiences saw in The Big Bang Theory.
The format also matters, and Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will be the first BBT spinoff on Max. Unlike CBS’s 24-episode broadcast seasons, Max originals typically run closer to 10 episodes, and this series will likely follow suit. That leaves far less room for side plots, subtle arcs, or softening Kripke’s harsher traits through gradual development.
The show might simply tone down or sidestep his more dated traits, but as one of the four familiar characters anchoring the narrative, they can’t rewrite canon entirely. Hopefully Stuart will save the universe, and his spinoff can redeem Kripke from The Big Bang Theory.
