There are many older sitcoms with fan-favorite characters who would be problematic by today’s standards—like Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother—but The Big Bang Theory has not one but two characters that wouldn’t work today. 

Howard Wolowitz was the obvious sleaze, but Barry Kripke is a sleeper contender for one of the most toxic characters.

From certified creep to doting father, Wolowitz’s transformation was one of the biggest character arcs in TBBT, but Kripke was a much more minor character who didn’t receive the same kind of scrutiny or redemption. 

Kripke will be part of the main cast of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, along with Stuart Bloom, Denise, and Bert Kibbler.

I’ve always loved Kripke - he never kowtowed to Sheldon like nearly everyone else - but I don’t think his brand of bullying and sexism will play as comedically in modern times. 

While I want more of Kripke, I’m worried about how his character is going to work in a more crowded story with far fewer episodes.