Before “The Big Bang Theory” left its mark on television lore, the character of Simon Helberg was quietly embedding his geeky genes into popular culture, though it went largely unnoticed by many.
In the short-lived TV show “Joey” (airing from 2004 to 2006, which was a spin-off of Friends), the character Joey had a smaller role that seemed somewhat similar to the later development of Howard Wolowitz.
Seth Tobin – Howard 1.0?
Seth Tobin resides at Caltech as a space engineer, shares a home with his grandma, and consistently struggles in the art of flirting.
He sports a Space Invaders t-shirt, discusses female robots, and is quite enthusiastic about Star Trek. Does that ring a bell?
No wonder: many of these traits appear almost one-to-one later in Howard.
Not Quite Howard – But Close
Absolutely, Seth doesn’t have the same depth as Howard, who has been a recurring character. Instead, Seth seems to lean more towards stereotypes and surface-level traits across his four appearances. However, the elements for a well-rounded character are present: the endearing nerdy side, the pretentious exterior, and the hidden emotional vulnerability.
It’s like seeing Howard in beta version.
Sitcom Fate Or Just Nerd Destiny?
Simon Helberg’s role in Joey was not merely a passing, insignificant part; rather, it served as an unspoken audition for one of the most recognized TV geeks ever. And then his rise to prominence as Howard Wolowitz seems almost preordained.
And here’s a little series fun fact to finish:
In the past, prior to the popular wave of nerd characters in The Big Bang Theory, both Johnny Galecki (Leonard Hofstadter) and Sara Gilbert (Leslie Winkle) were already recognized faces. In fact, they had starred together in the sitcom Roseanne, portraying David Healy and Darlene Conner respectively. Interestingly enough, their characters were even a couple on that show, predating their eventual reunion in the universe of The Big Bang Theory.
Multiverse vibes? Definitely. Just with more sitcom flair than superhero action.
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2025-05-26 16:11