Move Over, Leonard: Penny & Sheldon Are the Real Friendship Goals on TBBT
Sitcoms are meant to be the ultimate comfort show – complete with a pair of best friends with whom the audience can relate.
In The Big Bang Theory, that's Leonard and Sheldon, the odd couple who grow together over the course of twelve seasons.
But some fans believe their friendship isn't even the best on the show. For them, that honor belongs to Sheldon and Penny.
Fans of TBBT took to Reddit to talk about the dynamic between the two. He was the ultimate nerd and she was a stereotypical pretty airhead, but they managed to have the best chemistry on the show.
One of their early moments of sweet friendship occurred early in Season 1, The Pancake Batter Anomaly.
When Sheldon caught a cold, he made Penny sing him "Soft Kitty" – the song his mother used to sing when he was sick.
"Soft Kitty" became a recurring theme, later used in Season 2's The Vegas Renormalization when he was locked out of his apartment and stayed the night, claiming that "Homesick is a type of being sick."
They later bonded even further when she slipped in the shower and dislocated her shoulder, which led to Sheldon chastising her for not having adhesive ducks on her shower floor.
He's forced to confront his fear of seeing Penny naked before taking her to the hospital. After she was administered some heavy medication, he then serenades her with an awkward round of "Soft Kitty."
Their relationship seems to deepen with each episode, and by the end they have become true friends.
Although he mocked her early on for being an "actress" – dismissing her profession with air quotes – he was stunned by her skill when he saw her perform in A Streetcar Named Desire in Season 6.
When he secluded himself in an overwhelming birthday party on the show's 200th episode, it was Penny that came to join him. She told him that, despite their surface-level differences, he had made her a better person.
Penny and Sheldon made each other grow outside of their comfort zones. Sheldon taught Penny to take life a little more seriously, to the point where she ended up with a well-paying job as a pharma rep.
Penny taught Sheldon to relax, care more about his friends, and step outside of his social circle. The two bettered each other – the truest mark of friendship.
While some fans dismissed their friendship as the "my buddy's girlfriend" dynamic, Penny and Sheldon developed a genuine love for each other. For some fans, their friendship was the best part of the show.