Why Big Bang Theory Wouldn't Have Worked Without Penny

[@thetake]

Next, check out our character analysis videos on Sheldon ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3OxdGWIhq50pbc ) and Bernadette ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXLaaGSIZbRmppo )!

[@shivaniyadav9317]

Penny wasn’t dumb she was street smart. Knowing science isn’t the only way to be smart.

[@wilhelmvonn9619]

True, but she was also self centered. I never liked her.

[@marc21256]

That's what people who can't math say.

[@patrickrada2923]

Normally intelligent characters who are supposed to live or work with another highly intelligent or brilliant character are often portrayed as appearing stupid so that the genius appears highly intelligent in comparison. This error was also made in the 1939-1946 Sherlock series with Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson made. In contrast to the book, in which Watson is very intelligent, but his talents lie in other areas, Nigel Bruce had to behave and speak in a very naive and stupid way and that really bothered me. I quote from Wikipedia: "The former film villain Basil Rathbone in the title role can be described as an inspired cast and is still considered by many to be the perfect film Holmes. The choice of Nigel Bruce is more controversial, not least because his film Watson has little to do with that of the books However, with his clumsy, slow-witted, almost motherly manner, the actor only followed the scripts in which his role was conceived from the outset as a comic relief to the sinister Holmes. In fact, it was the great contrast between the two protagonists that contributed a lot to the charm and success the series." In order not to have to resort to this clumsy trick, the script would have to very credibly describe averagely intelligent and brilliant behavior and the actors would have to portray this plausibly. I suspect that this requires script writers and actors who are themselves really highly intelligent and even brilliant.

[@ad8447]

​@@wilhelmvonn9619self centred? She literally put up with the nerds, especially Sheldon. Always helped them in trouble. Accpeted them for who they are. How the fk is she self centred?

[@damightyshabba439]

I was about to leave that exact same comment, and saw yours. I'm lucky - I have tech skills AND am street smart - which gives me a window into both worlds. We need the "Penny's" of this world. When you start a new job, make sure you pay attention to the receptionist, the IT juniors (not the seniors), and anyone in the post room. And of course the lunch people - thats a natch. Its the "little" people who will get you the information / make things happen without anyone noticing.... THEY are your friends. The Penny's of this world.

[@pendragon2012]

She brought the emotional intelligence and helped grow the characters. But she also grew herself.

[@abbyrose6660]

penny grew but i feel like they regressed her as a character too. in the later seasons they left her stuck in a job she hated, made her and leonards relationship the butt of the jokes and gave her such an unsatisfying final season.

[@Saiman9000]

What is emotional intelligence? I hear women say that, but they cannot define it.

[@abbyrose6660]

@@Saiman9000 google is free but since youre too lazy to do that it’s literally just understanding and managing emotions.

[@Saiman9000]

@@abbyrose6660 Well that was a bit rude. I was simply being social on a social media platform. The point of my question was that there is no such thing as emotional intelligence. Especially with women. I simply asked a question and that caused someone to lash out and insult me.

[@abbyrose6660]

@@Saiman9000 well it felt rude for you to point out that ‘i hear women say that, but they cannot define it’ when google is at your disposal. your response makes it clear that you only asked it to have a go at women so dont have a go at me for being rude. asking someone to tell to you what it means instead of looking it up yourself is being lazy. emotional intelligence isnt a term exclusively used by women, and it does exist. being socially and self aware and having empathy makes you emotionally intelligent. and dont you tell me there is no such thing as emotional intelligence with women when men kill women simply for rejecting them.

[@VictoriaHatzson]

Hers and Jim Parson’s casting were the absolutely and undeniably best casting choices for this show. They literally made the show

[@ortamatama5479]

I agree! Both made me care so much about the show

[@BlackDiamond2718]

Jim and kaley were the best in terms of acting and simon in with humor.

[@russelconor8704]

amen! without this duo the heart and the excitement would have been zero

[@johndewittwalsh7765]

Kaley Cuoco is one of those actresses so adept at her craft, that she often goes underrated. People think she’s just playing herself. Penny’s development over the course of The Big Bang Theory demonstrated the breadth of Cuoco’s capabilities as a performer. I am so glad to see her enjoying successes like The Flight Attendant and other projects. She is the heart, soul, and wit of every production she’s a part of.

[@chip672]

Couldn't agree more.

[@v9ish9li]

Kaley has practiced 'not just a blonde girl' since her show 8 simple rules. If anyone wants to see what Penny would be if she was in high school, you should watch it.

[@stanleyconnor6898]

Well, to my mind she was really playing herself and I don't see anything wrong with it.

[@luhaguilar]

@@stanleyconnor6898you should watch The Flight Attendant. This woman has some fantastic acting range, I was pleasantly surprised

[@zak2u2]

@@v9ish9li John Ritter is what kept me from watching that show. He just had one shtick. Always had the same shtick in any role he played. I never understood why people liked him so much. But trying to watch that is what introduced me to Kaley. I had never watched TBBT until maybe three years ago. Now I'm on my second way through it. I've been around a long time, and it is the best sit-come of all time.

[@johnnyblue07]

I absolutely adore Penny and Sheldon's surrogate/adoptive brother-sister relationship in the show, especially after Penny quit acting. Early seasons was rife with misogyny and sexist jokes, but it was Penny/Kaley Cuoco's performance that shone through all of that and made me stay and keep watching.

[@melenatorr]

Some of my favorite episodes center around Penny and Sheldon: their contest, and the solstice miracle especially stand out for me. And there's a wonderful bit when he offers her rent money.

[@davidhamilton6612]

@@melenatorr and tells her to pay it back whenever she can afford it. True friendship.

[@pembrokelove]

I was greatly disappointed with them shoehorning in her pregnancy right at the end; they’d already done the exact same thing with Bernadette, who was adamant that she did not want children until she suddenly did. It plays the very serious choice to NOT parent - one that women make with just as much, often times more, gravity than choosing to parent - as a placeholder until she finds the right guy, or grows up, or whatever it is that they decide she has to “overcome”. Choosing to not have children is a valid and mature decision that should be presented as such.

[@AW-uv3cb]

Yeah, while it's perfectly possible and okay for some people to change their mind on having children - especially if they already get pregnant - they already covered that ground with Bernadette so shoehorning that for Penny in the very last episode, after she was so adamant about not wanting to be a mother and without spending any time on how she came to change her mind, looked like an unnecessary afterthought.

[@NM-qd3tm]

There is NO choice but to parent. Do you wanna be some loser in their 60s who didn't have kids and the result is your entire life was work and mindless consumerism? Like, get real. Strong men and strong women procreate and that is the only option. It's the only reason human beings exist on this planet. You aren't here to cure cancer or buy lattes dude.

[@brennaflaherty8871]

@@AW-uv3cb And at least with Bernedette, she and Howard did talk about kids and coming to a decision that when they do Howard would stay home with the kids(even if it later changed), with Penny, her changing her mind about kids just came out of no where.

[@kreb7]

You might be surprised that people change their minds and at different times as people change, so are the choices

[@penelopeoftheshire]

Not having children is a legitimate choice, and pushing that change at the last second felt like they were saying that women can't really have a fulfilling, happy life without having children

[@trinaq]

Yes, Penny and Kaley Cuoco really made this show iconic. In the original pilot, Katie, the initial version of Penny, was too mean spirited and snarky to be likable. Luckily, when it became a full series, Penny was made to be more open and lovable, while never being mean on purpose. She served as a much better foil to the guys than Katie did, and had much better chemistry with them.

[@abbyrose6660]

but then they kinda made penny a little mean towards the end of the series, especially when they joked about her relationship with leonard

[@ilusoriob]

"While never being mean on purpose"? Penny is narcissistic and abusive throughout the series. She constantly bullies Leonard by remarking how she is much more valuable than him due to her looks ("I would have whistled and you would have come running"), money (when she gets a job she's not qualified for, and despite having been financially supported by Leonard all the time) and general lack of commitment (getting jealous after she dumps him, going for sex and then acting like nothing happened, etc.)

[@chip672]

Of course it wouldnt have worked without penny. She was like the only reliably likeable character-

[@bengilhooly3616]

Leonard?

[@your-moms-favorite-side-piece]

​@@bengilhooly3616 he's like the definition of a 'nice guy' that really isn't likable

[@rohankhatri3226]

​@@bengilhooly3616 He's the one that makes the show unwatchable for me.

[@thefriesofLockeLamora]

Kaley Cuoco is a really talented actor. TBBT was a very misogynistic show in the early seasons, nigh unwatchable. But Penny's friendship with Sheldon saves it for me

[@isailwind3471]

The early seasons were the best, the show was ruined with the addition of amy, and howard getting married to bernie.

[@NM-qd3tm]

You act as if misogyny by it's very nature made the show bad. The first few season were leaps and bounds better than the following seasons for that simple reason. You learn and grow more from a message showing you why something is imperfect than the result of what is believed to be perfect.

[@malvavisco10]

@@NM-qd3tm *its. Misogyny is a very striking point against the quality of this series.

[@campfire87]

@@NM-qd3tm They did not say that the show was bad. They said it was unwatchable. Something can be unwatchable because it's bad or because it's content is off-putting to the watcher. Very blatant sexism in a show can make it unwatchable for people, especially for people who experience it. Although, misogyny can be a legitimate reason to consider a show bad. This is a sitcom wherein misogyny is baked into and is the basis of many of it's jokes, which arguably makes these jokes uninspired and unfunny, misogyny thus making the show bad because it impacts it's humor. Of course, some people think sexist jokes are funny, but that requires for them to either agree with the joke's sentiments or to think situations referred to in the joke as ridiculous, which many do not because they are aware that these things happen in reality. I'm not exactly sure what you mean by learning and growing from imperfection vs perfection. But I don't see how Big Bang Theory fits the bill. BBT doesn't ask you to question it's misogyny. It wants you to laugh, sometimes to disagree with the character's more blatant sexism but at the same time find them all harmess because they're still supposed to be loveable main characters. It doesn't show you why it's imperfect. It simply is imperfect, which things are allowed to be. Also, not wanting to see blantant misogyny in media they consume is not the same as asking for perfection. It's not so grand of a request.

[@abbyrose6660]

@@isailwind3471 howard was such an unlikeable character in the earlier seasons because he was such a creep. bernadette really made him more tolerable but they ruined their relationship by making bernadette such a bully and howard such a pushover, same with leonard and penny. and amy and sheldon too when you think about it. amy was a good character and key for sheldons development but sheldon should have stayed single.

[@alexius23]

I have always believed adding Bernadette & Amy were vital moves too. Having the 3 guys & the 3 women was a huge improvement in the humor & in the depth of the show.

[@returntohades]

The more I watch Big Bang Theory, the more I realize how much Penny held the show together and made it watchable. She had the best character arc and growth. I just wish her relationship with Leonard and the ending was written better. She never felt fully happy - as if she always had doubts if she settled. Leonard also seemed too much of a simp, and never engaged with her substantially. The pregnancy really was the worst. But her relationship with Sheldon really made the show. I would love to see a video diving deeper into their friendship and mutual growth.

[@Punmaster9001]

Kind of reminds me of how they did Robin wrong in HIMYM. Punishing her for wanting to focus on her career and such.

[@ellenfleming9685]

who is robin and what does himym staand for???

[@Punmaster9001]

@@ellenfleming9685How I Met Your Mother, she was a character that Ted kept persuing even though she turned him down

[@slospop1125]

I've been waiting for a video about Penny, she was my favorite character on the show, but doesn't get the respect she deserves. As Funny as Sheldon and Howard are without Penny to call them out they would've just been Annoying & Creepy. She brought Leonard and Amy out of their shells, she set up Howard & Bernadette, even Leonard's mother acknowledges how great Penny is. Also her punching Sheldon over "The One Ring" is my favorite scene in the series. I just wish the show did her justice as an individual, there were so many opportunities for story lines that they could've taken her character, but they were all dropped. When she decided to continue her education I would've liked to see her make to graduation, when she said she hated her current job she could've realized has an entrepreneurial spirit. I liked how in the last season she made it clear that she didn't want kids and everyone else had to accept that, it was especially nice seeing her stand up to her father, but making her pregnant at the end makes her entire arc pointless. They at least could've told us her last name.

[@isailwind3471]

Bernadette and Amy ruined the whole dynamic of the show.

[@abbyrose6660]

i wished that they had taken penny’s career down the entrepreneur route too after the penny blossom episode. it feels like every character got what they wanted in the end (despite raj) but they ruined penny’s character in the process.

[@if3359]

Actually, Penny was never against having kids, until the end of the series, in which they used that as a plot device to make the pregnancy surprising (the writers have said that themselves). In season 9, for example, she seems definitely in favor of it, just not ready yet (because writing a baby in for them would make things difficult for the show). The writers always saw non-parenting discussion as a mere plot device, not a real issue to discuss.

[@marymitch316]

Thanks for this comment. I remember one episode where Penny and Leonard discussed not having children. It's not like it was a theme throughout the series.

[@if3359]

@@marymitch316 yeah it came out of nowhere in the last season and contradicted what has been written before (not that continuity ever bothered TBBT writers). When the show ended, the writers said they did that because they wanted the pregnancy to be surprising. Which is perhaps even more disrespectful to actual child-free and the real struggles they face. Honestly, they should have kept Bernadette child-free. With her they did establish that, but then, I guess, they wanted to mix things up and added children for Bernadette and Howard (so that they do get some pregnancy and parenting plots, but not with the more central characters and main set so that it's not such a major change).

[@abbyrose6660]

they used penny being against having kids to drive a wedge between her and leonard. in the past i think she was more non-commital about the idea of children so i dont think she was pro or anti kids until they needed something to cause trouble with leonard.

[@abbyrose6660]

@@if3359the one good thing they did with making bernadette a mother despite her previous aversion to motherhood was explore the struggles women face with their children and their career.

[@bobcole612]

I had no problem with Penny getting pregnant. That was part of the charm of the finale, that whatever plans we make, LIFE happens. No grand departures, no big acting break for Penny or million dollar job offer for Bernadette. Sheldon and Amy get their Nobel Prize, and then the gang is back to the sofa, having dinner as a family. Tomorrow they go back to work. Life goes on.

[@India.H]

Well said! It is not abnormal for a woman who does not want a child to become pregnant and suddenly want a child, either, and vice versa. Also, HOW the pregnancy happened - she went out and got drunk with Sheldon, her friend, then came back and had sex with Leonard, her husband. The stereotype "sex-leading-to-pregnancy" for the "Dumb Blonde" is usually a) she goes out drinking alone and has a one night stand, whether it be consensual or non-consensual, or b) she is in a relationship with a guy she believes is "The One", who runs out on her when she tells him that she's pregnant.

[@esikazemese]

@@India.H not well said, it was way out of character and obviously badly delivered.

[@srami004]

Agreed with most of what you stated about the character, but I can't condone the moments when the relationship between her and Leonard were toxic. Quite frankly, them ending/still being together is something that I don't think should've happened. Penny didn't take responsibility, or better yet, didn't appear to take responsibility for her past actions with Zack and didn't like that she was held to a standard. Just feel like it could've been handled better. Definitely didn't approve of the pregnancy in large part that it was unplanned. Expectations were subverted in a bad way. Not to mention, I didn't feel like Leonard grew much as a character and I can't help but see similiarities between them and Leonard's parents.

[@abbyrose6660]

you spilled about her relationship with leonard and the final episode but i disagree regarding zack. penny knew that she screwed up with zack and the vegas marriage but it’s understandable why she got so annoyed at leonard, whos always trying to ‘save’ her and holds her mistakes against her. it wasnt so much about penny being held to a standard as it was about leonard only wanting the marriage annulled because she married zack as a joke but hadnt married him. leonard claiming hes the ‘real victim’ in the situation despite penny only finding out about the validty of the marriage that day annoys me so much. and penny acknowledged that she mostly used zack in the costume episode because she didnt want to spend new years alone.

[@anju5124]

She and Sheldon were always my favourites! ❤ Both are smart in different ways, and it complements their relationship.

[@zenagitana]

Penny and Sheldon were the blueprint for Missy and Sheldon in Young Sheldon. She humanized him and their relationship was the most healthy and important one in BBT.

[@abbyrose6660]

when you think about it penny is such a refreshing take on the ‘dump blonde’ trope and kaley cuoco really carried this show on her back. her delivery made penny such a great character. the writers did penny so dirty in the final season. she was the real life of the show and deserved a better ending.

[@JohnReviews]

They did something similar with her character on 8 Simple Rules.

[@lucypreece7581]

One thing I will say about TBBT that really grinds my gears is the dismissal of Bernadette and Penny clearly stating that they don't want children and all the legitimate reasons why but then by the end of the show Bernadette is a mother of two and Penny also ends up pregnant and it just always annoys me when like on TV we can't show women choosing to not have children and being happy in their lives without children. Why is motherhood always the end goal? I think it would have been really bold and progressive and ahead of it's time if they'd had Bernadette and Penny not have kids and it would have normalised being childfree by choice. like why have the characters state this in actual episodes only to reverse it later down the line. It perpetuates the notion that women who don't want kids are wrong and will eventually change their minds and while some do change their minds, some don't and it would have been nice to show that. It feels like sitcoms hate showing this as a life option for women. Those who actively choose not to have kids either end up with kids in the end anyways like Penny and Bernadette in TBBT or and up essentially punished by being made infertile like Robin in How I Met Your Mother. I will say it again for the people at the back MOTHERHOOD IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY END GOAL OR DESIRE FOR WOMEN!!!! WOMEN CAN HAVE HAPPY AND FULFILLING LIVES WITHOUT HAVING CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!

[@ad8447]

Do you get this mad when women you know in your life choose to get pregnant?

[@VengefulPurity]

Clearly forgetting about Samantha Jones. She was already the progressive woman you wanted; for she said no to BOTH babies AND marriage. And Cristina Yang. She was a widely supported character for refusing to have children. So these women you want to see badly on TV already exist. Bernadette was not a later reversal; she stated she didn’t want children but that very same episode at the end, she decided she will have them as long as Howard is the one to stay home and take care of them. What changed was her attitude to actually love to take care of them. And Pennys decision to be fine with being pregnant is not out of nowhere. Penny did want kids at first (she even drunkenly said so at one point) but it just wasn’t the right time, it was something she wanted put off until both she and Leonard were stable. Then it evolved to where she didn’t want them. That was more out of nowhere, but at least Leonard supported it. So being that the outcome was a surprise then accepted is pretty fair. And I’m sorry but I’ve known and encountered PLENTY of women who expressed the same vehemence of not wanting children only to change their minds later. I was one of them. I was adamant from the age of 18, then 16 years later that choice changed. So this display of that sort of decision making on this show was not a terrible thing for me. Sorry it was such a calamity for you.

[@kermitfreak193]

How would that have normalized childfree women though? there are plenty of childless women in famous tv shows that are seen as idols and icons, nothing wrong with that

[@WCYUM]

Kaley cuoco is a brilliant actor and very smart. She deserves more recognition

[@mariaskabardonis8353]

I loved Penny and what she brought to the group and loved the girl nights in the later season. I didn’t mind Penny being happy being pregnant at the end people do change their minds

[@Moeller750]

Cuoco was the saying Grace of bbt. Her ability to deliver comedic lines while simultaneously exuding warmth and kindness is so unique

[@Trix897]

THANK YOU for addressing Penny’s pregnancy and how insulting it is to childfree women everywhere. Same goes with Bernadette’s two pregnancies. These were two childfree women who were great partners for the men in their lives, just to be ruined by the misogynistic and narrow-minded writers room who don’t get that having children is a CHOICE and that it’s ok NOT TO HAVE KIDS!

[@abbyrose6660]

at least with bernadette there was some build up to her coming around to the idea of motherhood as opposed to penny’s acceptance of her pregnancy that felt like a 180 from where she was a few episodes ago. but the worst thing they did was have bernie belittle penny for not wanting kids after bernie didnt want them herself. the way the writers punished penny, whether it be through mocking her looks or turning her into a bully with leonard was so nasty.

[@Trix897]

@@abbyrose6660 and that shouldn’t have happened either. DID YOU NOT READ MY COMMENTS ABOUT BERNADETTE? SHE WAS CHILDFREE TOO! Chuck did both of them dirty, no doubts about that. If you don’t know the whole story, you need to STFU, don’t comment and listen to those that actually paid attention for the ENTIRE series.

[@abbyrose6660]

@@Trix897 you dont have to be so aggressive with your response. and i have rewatched the show multiple times so i absolutely paid attention to the entire series and understand how misogynistic the shows writers were. since you brought up paying attention, penny was never against the idea of having kids until the final season. she always seemed open minded or at the very least, non commital until they solidified the fact that penny didnt want kids in the final season to have some drama with her and leonard. if anything, the writers making penny and bernadette have children isnt a slap in the face to women who choose not to have kids because women can and do change their mind about that. the real slap in the face is using their aversion to motherhood as a plot device and villainising them for not wanting kids. especially when bernadette, who was ‘childfree’ as you put it, belittles penny for not wanting kids and says howard is the one who doesn’t want kids to her dad when she didnt want them.

[@ad8447]

What is wrong with you? You are actually mad that two fictional characters got pregnant? How does that invalidate child free women everywhere? You are the definition of the "what about me" syndrome.

[@danettewelborn5577]

No, nice try. Bernadette was actually pregnant in real life both times, so the writers had to write it in. Life happens.

[@EMuro-wu7uy]

I wish they would have done something else than have Penny get pregnant. Because there is nothing wrong with a woman not having children. I never did, but I ran a daycare for years. I was saddened to see them leave with this.

[@darkblue9314]

People hated Kaley on Charmed, but I loved her as Billie, it showed Kaley's true acting potential. I really feel that Kaley is one of those actors that was a missed opportunity, the character Penny had potential but it was wasted. I hated how she gave up her acting, because they made it look like that acting is just about "Who is the prettiest" It's NOT! It's art! It's a serious job!

[@alexwallar8608]

Are you talking about Penny quitting acting

[@darkblue9314]

@@alexwallar8608 Not just that, but mainly that.

[@ellenfleming9685]

i loved her on charmed too!!!

[@davemmar]

Cuoco’s performance and multi-faceted character really shine. She manages to bridge a gap that normally excludes geeks from the attention of a hot babe that in this case they crave. She provides an acceptance to their differences as do they to hers and eacothers’ that gives the show its charming appeal. Their acceptance of their individual quirks is an example of how humans should truly co-exist. I also love that the funny in each of them comes from a different place. It always leaves me with a warm fuzzy while I LMAO.

[@maiphuongnguyen7851]

I quote Stuart: "Penny brought Leonard out of his shell. Leonard makes Penny think more deeply about the world. Together you both make one awesome person". To be fair, I think that's true for the whole group. Penny's world got extended when she befriended a whole new "type of people", and because of her, the guys became more open and less condescending towards people who are less academically inclined than them. She makes them better people and better friends, while being around the guys gives her the circumstances to discover more aspects of herself.

[@ArunIyerS]

You missed a very important point. Penny, despite being commented on by others as stupid not necessarily directly but indirectly and in sarcastic ways, did not let it get to her. While she did show hurt, but she took it in her stride and strove to improve herself. This was very evident in the show as well, when they showed her relationship with Zack, the first time, and her relationship with Zack, the second time and it was clear as day (she realized herself) how much she has grown over the years. While the rest of the cast has some character growth, but largely their character remains grounded in few dimensions, but Penny grew leaps and bounds throughout the show. Her character, to my mind, possibly one of the best written characters with large growth in any sitcoms (note that this is not necessarily hard to achieve, since most sitcoms keep the characters original traits as much as they can, because that's what makes these sitcoms funny, at the same time, it is not really easy exactly for the same reason).

[@chessieray1465]

I loved the big sister energy with helping the guys smooth themselves out and become more well-rounded.

[@SlayerNinaFriki]

The show about 4 nerds and a hot girl developped somehow into "I'm only invested in the girls of the show"

[@esikazemese]

I am so glad someone addressed this, I was soooooooooooo mad that they knocked Penny up. The fucking show couldn't handle ONE women not wanting children???

[@reghunt2487]

Great overview. She's a severely underrated character I think. I don't agree with everything this says, but that character is essential to the show. Even the original pilot was mainly about the guys having an "average" girl enter their lives.

[@kaoryakasaka6835]

Penny was the glue that held the rest of the group in touch with reality😂

[@james-pierre7634]

If not for Penny, all we would have is three gay guys!

[@kaoryakasaka6835]

@@james-pierre7634 *four

[@alekadelacruz8592]

Penny is not a dumb blonde, she's a street smart. She just looks dumb cause they are all geniuses.

[@paulparker4240]

Loni Anderson from 'WKRP in Cincinnati' was supposed to be the supposed 'dumb blonde'. She convinced the producers she deserved a deeper character. And she definitely delivered!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Penny was really awesome and fun. ❤

[@LeeLe412]

I need a Bernadette analysis now please. She is so underrated

[@timbennion7079]

I love the character of Penny in the Big Bang Theory, she is so very grounded and street smart. Witty, clever, pretty and lastly and most importantly intelligent, but in a different way to the lads. She's easily their equal although they hardly recognize the fact. Kaley is a brilliant actor and brings life to the whole series, without a doubt.

[@MSGSlayer1]

Though I believe the show indeed would've worked without Penny, it wouldn't have lasted nearly as long.

[@francescakyanda9182]

My favorite part of Penny is how clever she is! She put all of them all in their place so many times 😂

[@survivalwriter2635]

What is it with the weird jazz music playing over the voice narration? It is really irritating and distracting. Please stop it.

[@brandondavidson4085]

Penny has emotional intelligence, and despite the sexism of the show, she often played the "straight man" who helped all the men grow up

[@enjoyingedits]

Please lower the background music

[@TheMags53]

I just want to say that sudden scene outside with Leonard and Penyy walking looks like The Big Bang Theory Movie or something. I watched like 4 or 5 seasons of this before being fed up and this is the most shocking thing I've missed so far. Ok, watching the rest of the video now....

[@jordanfalkowski6924]

I kinda think the implication of dating when workin at the cheesecake place and sheldon folding tshirts is creative and that howard was yelling back in response of brisket.

[@danjones2164]

Penny getting pregnant doesn’t have to be a character choice but one of those things that happens in life.

[@ElvisRose_]

Penny and Sheldon's friendship is far and away my favorite. I feel she is the catalyst for a lot of his growth even when it comes to Amy as she helps me to work through his developing relationship milestones with Amy. I didn't mind it but I wish that what had been handled differently was a woman who had expressed wishes not wanting kids having that surprise pregnancy as that does happen as well. It may have been a good way to handle it in a funny way.

[@evildoesnotsleep-x2b]

my love for her character is what prevents me for rewatching tbbt, the misogynistic attitudes towards her (and every other woman in the show) are shitty and played for "laughs"

[@pripac759]

Id love to see more videos about "The Big Bang Theory" in this chanel 😃

[@blacklavoux]

They needed the character that was the complete opposite of the smart ones so they can function better as a human being. The group makes each other a better person.

[@samanthagupta]

I would love more Big Bang Theory content🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@kgmotte2363]

My Most Remembered Moment: Penny- "So I just came back from solving String Theory with Sheldon" Leonard- "Yeah, Right, YOU Helped Solve String Theory? As if..." Penny- "Yeah, Turns out the Answer was Knots!" Leonard- "Nice try, but Knots can't exist in more than 4 Dimensions" Penny- "They Can if you think of them as Woven Sheets like Cloth!" Leonard- "....??!!???" NEVER underestimate Common sense!.. Which none of the Scientists on the show have...

[@aninditabhattacharyya7222]

Penny is the backbone of the show. She is the most relatable character. And OMG i follow her style so much.... my wardrobe sometimes looks like Penny's wardrobe (both in design and unorganized way).

[@sinistereleven9145]

Did they ever explain how a waitress could afford to live by herself, while 2 career professionals had to share expenses.

[@jeffgaboury3157]

When you think about it, Penny really is the one who helps every other character develop. Leonard becomes more confident, Raj's two breakthroughs with talking to women are with Penny first - the one with alcohol and the one without. Penny is responsible for Howard and Bernadette becoming a couple, which gives both of their characters tremendous growth. Penny and Amy become incredibly close. And yes, Sheldon finds someone to match his attachment to Leonard in becoming a surrogate sibling. But Penny also grows because of her relationship with each and every one of them, making Big Bang Theory one of the best ensemble cast shows of all time. I loved it from the beginning and Kaley Cuoco's incredible performance made her an incredibly interesting person to watch. She rocks!

[@rigelb9025]

Funny, I didn't even know 'BBT' worked. Thanks for the scoop.

[@kingsuccesskevin8359]

sheldon and penny proved men and women can be friends without sex... i dont think they slept together.. someone correct me if i missed that episode

[@davidhamilton6612]

For me, I loved TBBT for the interactions, not the "must appeal to the sex hungry males" ideology. Yeah, most people can't understand the scientific banter that went on, but it was how each character, from the "dumb Blonde" to the "woman shy" Asian to the "sexually frustrated" non doctor, to the "scientifically pure" Sheldon and every one in between those character tropes, learned and evolved from their cocoons to what they left the show as. Great writing, great actors, great directing. Hell, even when Wil (Wesley Crusher) Wheaton came on board I didn't watch it for the TNG connection, I watched it for the established characters, and how much fun the actors portraying those characters had together. For a sit-com, it checked every box. Funny, yes, captivating, yes, hitting on the nuances of nerds in every day society, YES, having emotional moments (Howard's Mum's death, the weddings, etc), YES. It just hit me on so many levels at the same time, and I love watching it on re-runs or on DVD.

[@charleshadle9376]

They could have made it better if she'd said that because of a health scare in her past she'd been told she couldn't ever become pregnant.... So she had resigned herself to that.

[@july8xx]

I have always thought that the original plot line was supposed to be the Penny and Leonard’s romance and Sheldon was supposed to be the quirky roommate. But that it was quickly sidelined by Jim Parsons portrayal of Sheldon and his popularity until later seasons.

[@stevenfernandez4372]

I can concede that the character of Penny [especially Kayley Cuco's performance of her] brought depth (especially emotional depth) to the show. 👍 But I would argue that what really carried the show as a comedic phenomenon was Jim Parson's unmatched performance as Sheldon. 😳😲 That is, in essence, what made the show a stand out. [Not to say or dismiss the efforts of the other cast members at all ☝ - just to say what was the keystone of the show for its era 🧐🤔]

[@Headpfones]

Would love to see more Big Bang theory Take

[@KryptoNite-nu9sd]

I felt same, when i saw complete show. Glad everyone is noticing it

[@aninfinitedealofnothing4856]

I watch your videos everyday. Love them! First comment ❤

[@Marigen1971]

I always hoped that Penny would become a popular actress.

[@martinb.770]

Analyzing Penny's role starting from the first season is just half the story: The unaired pilot with Amanda Walsh introduced a different approach, even more dissimilar than the unaired pilot of "Charmed" (before Alyssa Milano got into the game): While Leonard was pretty much ... Leonard, Sheldon was far less ... Sheldon-y, "Howard" was a cross of H. + Leslie Winkle ... and the non-Penny was supposed to live in their flat (which was different, far less modern, too). After the first try, Chuck Lorre himself understood, that Leonard and Sheldon needed an empathic counterpart, to work as an "odd couple".

[@alexdavis-mann8513]

i think the lenny/penny moment that solidified it was when she started dating Zach again and relised that she didnt get the same stimulation of relationship she used to

[@ajknaup3530]

I've loved Kaley in whatever role I've seen her, going back to "8 rules..."

[@davemmar]

Penny adds an unexpected twist to a friendship with four insecure guys.

[@ardalla535]

Penny character was sort of unbelievable. No human female would have put up with the insults she tolerated from Sheldon. It's also not really believable that she would be interested in Leonard irl. He's too passive and syrupy. Sheldon himself would be more her type if he wasn't so insulting.

[@heatherstephenson3559]

Yeah, he really was so awful to her (as well as being so misogynistic to all the female characters). I couldn't believe that she let him get away with being so incredibly insulting.

[@7Sensed]

Penny is the sauce of the burger. Not why you buy it for but without it it’s just dry.

[@TrinaMoitra]

Penny makes you want to be her friend. You feel like you can trust her. It’s so rare to be able to positively influence the viewer in this way… FRIENDS was amazing, but I never - not once - felt that the gang would actually “have my back” if I was a part of the group of 6. Penny is that character … she is real. She isn’t a covert narcissist. And she actually comes off as someone who has done a lot of shadow integration work. Except for that one instance when she would not say “I love you” back to Leonard. She would not have dumped him that way… goes against who she is.

[@abhikmoj5853]

Couldn't have said it any better!

[@elseby]

I think it's good that they didn't show Penny finding out. That would just make it an even bigger deal and people like Penny wouldn't appreciate it.

[@sycho-tech5104]

I kinda like slow burn of her character development, it’s indicative of her integration into the friend group and how the ‘guys’ slowly come to know her. She’s starts as the dumb blond hot-girl next door everyone wants to sleep with, and slowly becomes one of their best friends that none of them can imagine not being around.

[@MrCejw]

Penny was relatable to Sheldon as she was so like Missy.

[@sureshmukhi2316]

Agreed.

[@limerence8365]

I don't think it's just her performance that brought out a more in depth side of Penny. Penny was the voice of common sense and foil to the other four's closed off and internal lives. She was the opposite to what the boys were. They were highly educated with super technical jobs, she was a waitress, the lowest of the working class jobs for a beautiful woman with a naive and stereotypical dream of being an actress (but unlike Joey in friends, was not very successful at it). I'm not saying those are bad careers, I'm saying the writers gave her that because it's what a stereotypical bombshell would do. Whiles the guys were introverted, social awkward and never got laid, Penny was extroverted, super comfortable in social situations and liked to sleep around. The show was made to almost make fun of nerds (that's why my Dad loves it) so the writers wrote Penny to reflect that. She was the perfect foil. Too bad the guys were kinda gross.

[@alexwallar8608]

Kaley Cuoco is so underrated

[@EmyN]

Love Penny ❤

[@laixi4904]

live smart, compassionate, fierce friend, lovely an pretty, sometimes painfully honest - one of the best kind of a person to have at your side - that is Penny in nutshell

[@afroditim.421]

It sad that every time Lenard speaks about her qualities, he only mentions her beauty. Not her good heart and that she is a good friend.

[@sinisterintelligence3568]

As a blerd on the spectrum, I felt more connected to Penny than the other charters (aside from Raj). Penny is actually very intelligent and wise, but the show wrote her as a dumb blond. Not to mention that the actress (Cuoco) went much further in her acting career than the others.

[@GiselleKlara]

I’d disagree on that for sure- Jim Parsons has done much more. But he’s classically trained and has done more B’way and LGTBQ+ films- by choice. In interviews he’s said that these sorts of characters are why he wanted to leave BBT

[@officialCannisMajoris]

Her kindness was 👌

[@sasanach8]

i loved the penny character she was pretty smart lots of street smart and good looking but her looks were combined with a funny quirky excitable happy personality with a touch of angry girl too

[@1thunderlight]

Penny is the heart of the Big Bang theory ❤

[@BlackDiamond2718]

Um perhaps because she was pretty? That is an easy one. Fr the positives of her character were that she was a foil to them, strong and capable but dumb. She also had a central role in their lives. Howard is married and a dad because of her, leonard is happy with a girl who loves him for who he is, and sheldon has a mother/sister/friend. She adopted all three roles very well.

[@SunShine-qk4rb]

Great video

[@heidifedor]

You should take a look at the first non dumb blonde, Jennifer Marlow from WKRP.

[@IFStravinsky]

One of my nitpicks about the show is that all of the pregnancies--Penny's and Bernadette's--were unintended. The never happens with educated couples in their thirties. Every couple I know who has kids made the conscious decision to try.

[@JohnnySmithWhite-wd4ey]

Katey is a fantastic actress. She was great in 7 Simple rules.

[@FractalKrystian]

Banished Penny vs Sheldon is my fav episode.

[@acousticmonkey2209]

As a person that doesn't want kids, personally I was never upset that they made Penny pregnant despite her earlier statements. Nor was I upset by the way they revealed it, though I did seem fast to squeeze it in. I've known plenty of women right into their 40's adamantly state they don't want children, only to change their minds when it accidentally happens. I was more angry they forced the only non-white character to stay single and not give him the relationship he really desired, while the rest got to pair up and have kids.

[@GiselleKlara]

I don’t care what color he is- it was more that Raj was the real romantic of the group and deserved to find true love- he wanted it the most. I know everything has to be seen through the lense of race now but i don’t think it was intended that way. More just that his personality struggled with women bc he was both sweet and awkward

[@matiaspereira9382]

Even though Amy is my favorite from the girls I have a crush on Penny too. Also a little bit on Bernadette too

[@v429vv9]

i really like it how penny got pregnant at the end.

[@BakedBuddy]

She ended being the model for Sheldon's little sister haha

[@chickrepelant]

well said! i fell off after the first few seasons, but glad to see Cuoco getting her say

[@ilusoriob]

Penny was narcissistic and abusive throughout the series. She constantly bullies Leonard by remarking how she is much more valuable than him due to her looks ("I would have whistled and you would have come running"), money (when she gets a job she's not qualified for, and despite having been financially supported by Leonard all the time) and general lack of commitment (getting jealous after she dumps him, going for sex and then acting like nothing happened, etc.) Of course, Leonard allowed all that and was superficial wanting her as a partner.

[@Gfriend_Buddy99]

I hate that they end her character with her being pregnant even though she clearly doesn't want to...the episode where she's doubting her marriage and her dissatisfaction with her job as sale rep was also underdeveloped...