The Big Bang Theory never cleared this one major Howard plot hole, details explored in depth

The Big Bang Theory, the CBS sitcom which aired from 2007 to 2019, is one of the most popular sitcoms of its time, due to its unique humour, characters and scientific accuracy. The series followed four scientists and their friends and later on spouses as they dealt with their personal and professional lives. Despite being known for its scientific accuracy, there is one plot hole that the show has not yet cleared.

The plot hole is the fact that, despite having a serious medical condition, Howard Wolowitz (played by Simon Helberg) was shown completing astronaut training and travelling to space. In reality, such health issues would have kept him grounded, leaving viewers with a significant unexplained plot hole.

How The Big Bang Theory ignored Howard's medical complication

Howard Wolowitz’s storyline was among the most dynamic in The Big Bang Theory. Over the course of the show, he grew from an immature, overconfident engineer into a dependable husband and father. His biggest professional achievement was going to space, which he rubbed in everybody's face multiple times. NASA invited him to join a mission to space, and while going to space was a big achievement for Howard, this plotline overlooked a serious medical obstacle.

In the Season 1 episode The Middle Earth Paradigm, Howard casually revealed that he suffered from transient idiopathic arrhythmia. While flirting with a woman in a nurse's costume, he had asked her,

“Do you want to hear my heart skip a beat? No, really, I have transient idiopathic arrhythmia.”

The same condition resurfaced in Season 5’s episode, The Good Guy Fluctuation. This disorder disrupts the heart’s electrical rhythm, leading to sudden and irregular heartbeats. Though the irregularity usually lasts for a few seconds, the risk is enough to disqualify someone from space travel. NASA makes it clear that candidates with any history of heart disease or cardiac irregularities cannot move forward in the astronaut selection process. Yet in the show, Howard was portrayed as not only passing these thorough tests but also surviving in space without any heart issues. This is where the plot hole lies.

The physical demands of space travel, especially during launch, place enormous stress on the body. Thus, travelling in space could potentially cause fatal harm to someone with Howard’s condition. Adding to the issue, Howard had several other health problems highlighted throughout The Big Bang Theory. He was allergic to nuts, a condition that could cause life-threatening reactions. His body fat was higher than the strict requirements for astronauts, and he often admitted to struggles with depression. He also came from a family with a history of heart disease, which indicates a higher risk.

When these factors are combined, the idea of Howard being selected for a NASA mission becomes highly unrealistic. While his engineering qualifications from MIT and Caltech would have made him a valuable asset on Earth, especially in mission control or spacecraft design, he would not have been cleared for space travel. This plot hole is particularly noticeable because The Big Bang Theory usually took pride in its scientific accuracy. The show rarely made mistakes when it came to science, so Howard’s space storyline stands out as a rare but major plot hole. Though his travelling through space and his mental recovery offered humour and helped develop his character, it left behind a plot hole that is still unanswered.

The Big Bang Theory is streaming on Hulu and Max.

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