When you make a show as big and good as The Big Bang Theory, and one that goes on for as long as it did, you are bound to take your audience through a rollercoaster of emotions.
TBBT creator Chuck Lorre and his creative team definitely managed to achieve this over the course of the 12 seasons that the show ran on CBS.
Being a sitcom, it's hard to imagine it would have lasted that long had it not been one of the funniest programs on TV during its tenure. At the same time, the writers did manage to churn out some tear-jerking episodes through the years.
For instance, The Stockholm Syndrome–the series finale–was an extreme sorrow-fest, as the cast and audience alike bid farewell to a show they'd all become super attached to.
According to some fans, however, none of all the sad chapters of Big Bang can match up to the 15th episode of Season 8, titled The Comic Book Store Regeneration. The episode saw the death of Debbie (Mrs.) Wolowitz, mother of central character Howard. The actress who played Debbie had actually passed on in real life as well, and the episode was dedicated to her.
Carol Ann Susi Played Mrs. Wolowitz On 'The Big Bang Theory'
Carol Ann Susi had been acting for more than 30 years when she was tapped to play Mrs. Wolowitz on Big Bang in 2007. Her first ever gig was in the 1974 fantasy crime drama on ABC, Kolchak: The Night Stalker. The series was originally considered a ratings disaster and was canceled after only one season. It has over time, however, built up a cult following.
Susi played a journalism intern called Monique Marmelstein. Her role involved cameos in only three out of the 20 episodes of that season. All the same, it has been argued that before she stepped into the shoes of Mrs. Wolowitz, Monique remained her most popular character - despite having gone on to appear in dozens of other films and TV shows.
The Brooklyn-born actress featured in a total of 40 Big Bang episodes, although her role was almost always voiced, and not seen. She only appeared once, and briefly, in the 15th episode of Season 6. Susi also reprised the part in one episode of TBBT's spin-off series, Young Sheldon.
Susi Was Diagnosed With An Aggressive Form Of Breast Cancer
Susi's eventual passing in November 2014 was a bit unexpected, as she had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer just a short while before. She died three months short of her 63rd birthday, while she was still contracted to the Big Bang project. Her other credits include The King of Queens, ER and Grey's Anatomy.
After her death, Lorre and the other executive producers on Big Bang released a statement praising her work, and the connection she built with the audience despite never being seen. 'The Big Bang Theory' family has lost a beloved member today with the passing of Carol Ann Susi, who hilariously and memorably voiced the role of Mrs. Wolowitz,' the eulogizing statement read.
'Unseen by viewers, the Mrs. Wolowitz character became a bit of a mystery throughout the show's eight seasons. What was not a mystery, however, was Carol Ann's immense talent and comedic timing, which were on display during each unforgettable appearance... Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with her family.'
The Episode Was Dedicated To Susi
The episode The Comic Book Store Regeneration was dedicated to Susi, as the writers and actors paid tribute to her contribution to the show and to their lives at large. As far as the writing out of Mrs. Wolowitz, Howard received a call from his aunt, who informed him that his mother had passed away in her sleep.
This was about halfway through the episode, and it started a sequence of the characters mourning and eulogizing her. The performances here were quite deep and real, with Simon Helberg–who played Howard–and Kaley Cuoco (Penny) being particularly emotional. Even Jim Parson's usually unempathetic character, Sheldon Cooper had an uncharacteristic human moment, telling Howard that he had friends to lean on.
Fans were strongly moved by the episode, with a number feeling that it was the saddest the show had ever seen.
One such aficionado wrote on Reddit: 'Saddest episode. I honestly feel sorry for Howard.' This started a thread of tributes, mostly to Susi. The actors were also praised for their delivery: 'The toasting scene was so genuine. Everyone has tears in their eyes. They did Carol proper with her passing,' another Redditor wrote.
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