TV

Forget Sheldon And Leonard, The Big Bang Theory Owes Everything to Penny

Forget Sheldon And Leonard, The Big Bang Theory Owes Everything to Penny
Image credit: CBS

It’s hard to imagine the show without her.

Summary:

  • The Big Bang Theory was a CBS sitcom running from 2007 to 2019.
  • The show was praised for putting a group of unpopular character types under the spotlight.
  • However, fans believe that the character who truly held the show together was the most regular one, Penny.

Throughout its run, and even years after its finale, The Big Bang Theory has been praised for its realistic portrayal of the friend group of people who aren't usually perceived as the main characters. Not too attractive, full of quirks and flaws, very smart but lacking in social skills, but not overly cliched.

These are the people that exist among us, and they were pretty well represented on the screen for many viewers.

To better explore their world, the audience had the character of Penny. Someone closer to the majority of those watching at home. By no means a genius, and constantly struggling with money and career aspirations, she was thrust into a group of people she had never met before and did her best to fit in.

While some people were not fans of Penny's portrayal from the beginning, and others saw her as intentionally shallow next to the group of 4 male leads, in reality, Penny was always the heart and soul of the show.

Penny Is The Best Friend To Sheldon (And Everyone Else Too)

Forget Sheldon And Leonard, The Big Bang Theory Owes Everything to Penny - image 1

Although the show has focused heavily on the love story between Penny and Leonard through the lens of personal relationships, it was impossible not to notice how her relationships with other people have changed over the years. While she was a complete stranger in the beginning, all four friends treated her as such.

Sheldon was uninviting and closed off to her, Leonard was confused and had a total crush on his new neighbor, Howard showed no respect and acted like his creepy self, and Raj couldn't even say a word to her. It was a real disaster. But as the episodes and seasons went on, everything changed.

By being genuinely interested in friendship with all of them, and building a certain bond with each of them individually and all within a group, Penny gained their trust. Her style of friendship was always the most considerate and courteous of all, and this contributed to her general acceptance.

From the boys ' point of view, however, Penny was even more important. Penny was a trigger, an "outsider" who showed them kindness and made them open up to the world with less hesitation. In a way, she was the catalyst for each character's personal growth. And because of that, the show just would not work without her.

If you feel like you need a reminder of The Big Bang Theory, you can watch the whole show or specific episodes on Max.