Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz was the petite spitfire The Big Bang Theory needed when she came to the scene in the third season. She tamed the one and only Howard Wolowitz and became a successful microbiologist with her Ph.D. Unlike Penny, Bernadette showed how goals outside of her looks inspired female viewers interested in STEM.

10. Her Voice Loses Its ‘Squeak’ Over Time

If Leonard got a girlfriend again, he’d do everything to set Howard up with one of her friends. Penny could only think of one woman: Bernadette, her teeny-tiny coworker at the Cheesecake Factory. Bernadette was only brought into the picture because Leonard owed Howard a favor.

9. Was Bernadette Almost Pregnant For A Year?

 

Viewers found out she was pregnant with their first child, Halley, around Valentine’s Day in the episode “The Valentino Submergence.” It wasn’t said how far along she was then, but it’s assumed it was in the early stages.

8. Where Were Her Five Siblings?

 

Early in her relationship with Howard, Bernadette mentions that she’s not fond of kids because she has five brothers and sisters. Bernadette never received the attention or comfort she desired with a busy house and aloof parents.

7. If Bernadette’s Mom Worked full-time, How Did She Run An Illegal Daycare Center?

 

When it came time to talk about children, she was hesitant. Did she want to have kids after hating them for so many years? Her hatred for kids stemmed from assisting her mom run an illegal daycare.

6. Was She Going To Break Up With Howard Or Not?

 

In “The Herb Garden Germination,” rumors started spreading that Bernadette would break up with Howard. Amy and Sheldon found the story intriguing and started their theory on words, but the question remained: was Bernadette breaking up with Howard?

5. She Can Be Hyporcritical When It Comes To ‘Me Time.’

 

At the beginning of Howard and Bernadette’s relationship, she seemed to light up at Howard’s jokes and supported his quirks. As the series went on, however, that mentality changed. In one episode, she gets upset with Howard for choosing his friends over her. Howard would constantly be gaming with Raj or at the comic book store with the guys. He didn’t want to spend it with his wife when he had downtime. This irritated her, and it appeared to have an effect.

4. Bernadette: She Transforms Into A Full-Fledged Bully From A Sweet & Sensitive Woman

 

In “The Speckerman Recurrence,” she and Amy have a heart-to-heart with Penny about her past. It became clear that Penny was the bully women like Amy and Bernadette feared in high school. Bernadette forced Penny to accept this and apologize to those she hurt.

3. Bernadette: Why Would She Work At The Cheesecake Factory?

 

One fan on Reddit made a good point: if she was getting her degree in microbiology, why was she working at the Cheesecake Factory to pay for her loans? As the poster said, becoming a microbiologist is challenging work and takes time.

2. Bernadette: How Would Bernadette’s Mom Pick Out Her Clothes For Her?

 

While on her first day with Howard, the two are going back and forth about their controlling mothers. Howard’s mom calls him every second of the day, and her mom calls to ask what she had for lunch.

1. Bernadette: Exactly How Religious Are The Rostenkowski’s?

 

Bernadette wore a cross necklace around her neck when she went on her first date with Howard. Being Jewish, he hoped dating a Catholic girl would push his mother over the edge. Bernadette also mentioned being very religious, and her dad wasn’t too happy she was dating (or marrying) someone outside of her religion.