One of the most enduring jokes on The Big Bang Theory was that Mrs. Wolowitz (Carol Ann Susi), Howard’s mother, was never shown. Although it’s a lighthearted recurring joke, the writers’ motivation behind it was surprisingly profound.
Mrs. Wolowitz was the archetypal controlling mother who was afraid of losing her son and didn’t want him to succeed in life. Despite how much he disliked his mother’s stifling ways, Howard made the decision to live with her or in the same house as her during the entire program due of their closeness. Even though Mrs. Wolowitz had a significant influence on him, she was never seen.
Howard’s mother was a comfort to him, someone who could support him through difficult moments such as the breakup with Bernadette, despite the jokes from his friends about their tight relationship.
Raj was among the many friends of Howard’s who considered Mrs. Wolowitz as a second mother, despite their constant taunting. Due to Mrs. Wolowitz’s prominent role on The Big Bang Theory, there has been a running joke about why she is never seen on screen—only heard.
Why Mrs. Wolowitz Was Never Shown by the Writers?
Without ever displaying Mrs. Wolowitz, the writers of Big Bang Theory did a fantastic job characterizing her. Her thick, solid New York accent did not hurt either.
Though there were fleeting glimpses of Mrs. Wolowitz from a distance, such as being seated at the back of the row at Howard and Bernadette’s wedding, Mrs. Wolowitz’s visage was never what won people over. Given how well-known she became without being seen, her relationship with Howard merits a TBBT spinoff.
Chuck Lorre, the man behind The Big Bang Theory, explained to actress Carol Ann Susi the direction he wanted to take her character. There were well-known comedy characters whose voices were never as well-known as their looks. Susi disclosed to the newspaper that she was unsure of Mrs. Wolowitz’s status as a recurrent character.
Famous for being heard but never seen, Carlton the Doorman gave a subtle tribute to characters that came before her in Rhoda. Mrs. Wolowitz was killed off in “The Comic Book Regeneration,” season 8, episode 15. In the scene, Howard received an unexpected call from his aunt and learned that his mother had passed away while he was sleeping.
After she passed away, Howard and his friends grieved for her, and in many respects, his wife Bernadette changed to resemble his mother, right down to her voice. Susi’s 2014 cancer death is the reason Mrs. Wolowitz was killed off on The Big Bang Theory.
Showrunner Steve Molaro sent Mrs. Wolowitz on her way and said that they wouldn’t replace the actress as a means of honoring the role and her. Mrs. Wolowitz is one of the more well-known “faceless” television characters to this day.
