However, although Sheldon was the main character of the finale and the show’s last few seasons, this wasn’t always the case. Going back to The Big Bang Theory’s pilot, it is clear that Sheldon was initially established as a supporting character. He was the comedic relief to Johnny Galecki’s protagonist, Leonard.
Much like How I Met Your Mother’s Barney became the show’s breakout star even though Ted was its intended audience insertion persona, Sheldon gradually became the most famous and memorable character from The Big Bang Theory. Thus, it was no surprise when his childhood was selected as the focus of the show’s first spinoff.
Penny Changed The Big Bang Theory’s Main Characters
Raj Sheldon Howard and Leonard Were All Altered By Their Relationships with Penny
However, it is striking to realize that Sheldon was never the true main character of The Big Bang Theory when it comes to the changing personalities of the cast. In terms of the character who had the biggest impact on the world of the series, it was Kaley Cuoco’s Penny that the show really revolved around.
In one of The Big Bang Theory’s most controversial episodes, season 2, episode 12, “The Killer Robot Instability,” Penny confronted Howard over his toxic behavior toward women. While the group might have pushed her to eventually apologize for this, Howard’s behavior did eventually change substantially as the series continued.
Similarly, Raj learned to talk to women, and Sheldon got a girlfriend. Howard even ended up in a committed relationship with Bernadette before Leonard and Penny ended up together. Obviously, this sort of character growth needs to happen in any series, lest the lead characters feel stagnant or predictable.
However, it is particularly notable that Penny made all these character-redefining changes before season 4, and then there were eight more seasons of the series. Without Penny, there would be no Bernadette and no Amy, and without them, it is hard to imagine how the show could have lasted as long as it did or gained such a substantial fan base.
Penny Changing The Big Bang Theory’s Heroes Altered The Show’s Premise
The Sitcom Changed Its Main Characters Thanks To Penny
Similarly, repeatedly encountering Penny as a member of his friend group and a permanent presence in Leonard and Sheldon’s home eventually led Raj to shed his selective mutism around women. This, in turn, resulted in a string of romantic relationships for a character who once struggled with debilitating shyness.
The show was originally about the nerds looking for love and their misadventures, but by only a third of the way through its run, it was about three couples and Raj, thanks to Penny’s influence. Raj might have remained single, but he certainly wasn’t short of romantic prospects. Meanwhile, Howard was unrecognizable.
The would-be lothario transformed from a genuinely unpleasant sleaze into a loving father and husband with a penchant for dirty jokes. While not every The Big Bang Theory plot worked, this one truly proved just how much Penny’s presence changed the entire story of the series.
Sheldon might well be a fan favorite, and there is even a solid argument for him being the most complex character in the series. Thanks to his obstinate nature, he is certainly one of the characters who changed the most throughout its 12 seasons. However, the reality is that The Big Bang Theory’s main characters would never have changed if it weren’t for Penny.
Penny’s Biggest Change Saved The Big Bang Theory
Adding More Characters Improved The Sitcom’s Depth
Penny turned the gang into more sociable and sympathetic characters, and this was a vital part of what made the series work. When The Big Bang Theory first started airing, it was rare to see a group of self-professed nerds as the main characters of a sitcom. However, this premise lost its novelty value relatively quickly.
The immaturity and misogyny that the group displays in early seasons can be grating, and Leonard’s insistence that he deserves Penny as he is a “Nice guy” has aged pretty terribly. As such, the show needed to change its heroes, and exposing them to the various challenges and joys of real-life romantic relationships was the best way to achieve this.
However, none of the gang would ever have ended up in relationships without Penny’s patient guidance. Whether she was telling Raj where he went wrong or firmly informing Howard that he needed to commit to Bernadette, since he had no idea how lucky he was to be with her, Penny was the glue that held the group’s growth together.
Without her, the quartet would not have changed and grown as much as they did throughout the show. Jim Parsons’ Sheldon might have been hilarious, but he wouldn’t have had much to work with if his friends were always following his absurd rules, and he didn’t have Amy to push back against them. This made Penny The Big Bang Theory’s secret heroine.
