It went unnoticed, but Simon Helberg from The Big Bang Theory 3 years earlier played almost the same role in the Friends universe

Interestingly enough, beyond the shared premise of being sitcoms featuring a circle of friends, The Big Bang Theory and Friends share an additional, striking similarity, one that extends quite profoundly. Not only does Simon Helberg appear in both shows, but his characters in each series bear such resemblance that they could almost pass as the same individual due to numerous parallels.

Although Simon Helberg didn’t appear on the original Friends TV show, he did star in its spin-off titled Joey. In this short-lived series, he played Seth Tobin, the nerdy engineer who competed with Joey’s nephew, Michael. Unfortunately, his character only appeared in four episodes across two seasons, making him less familiar to many viewers. Interestingly, Seth served as a precursor to Howard Wolowitz from The Big Bang Theory, another role famously played by Helberg.

What features do they have in common? Both Seth and Howard are passionate about science fiction (Star Wars and Star Trek), share the same living arrangements – one with his grandmother, the other with his mother – and have a peculiar interest in women, as well as an idea to create a lifelike robot woman. They also have controversial digital files on their computers. To sum it up, they have several similarities between them.

It’s important to point out that Seth shares some similarities with Sheldon in terms of arrogance, setting him apart from Howard. However, they do have differences. On the other hand, Howard, being a central character in The Big Bang Theory, has undergone growth throughout the series, which includes a shift in his perspective towards women.

In light of examining the characters’ initial plans, it seems that Simon Helberg transitioned from the world of “Friends” to “The Big Bang Theory,” and in doing so, he brought along a character named Seth, changed his name, and embarked on a fresh journey with a new group of companions.

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2025-05-27 14:02