The long-running sitcom The Big Bang Theory was a successful television series, airing for 12 seasons from 2007 until its finale in 2019. Now that the show is over, fans can't stop rewatching the series and combing through small details in each episode.
One thing that stands out in the 12th season is how much Penny has changed from season 1. At the start, Penny was bubbly, naive, and open to learning new things from her friends over in apartment 4A. But as time goes on, Penny appears to be cynical, judgmental, and unhappy. Some would even say that her character got worse and worse as the season continued on.
Updated on September 30th, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: Penny grew a lot over the years on TBBT, but it took a long time for her to find herself. Thankfully, she had the help of her friends to get her where she needed, but even with the love and care from characters like Leonard and Amy, Penny still had her off moments. Whether it was drinking too heavily or rolling her eyes at her friends’ interests, many fans felt that Penny got worse and worse as the series went on.
Did Penny Have A Drinking Problem?
Penny's love for cocktails and dancing was comical at the start of the series. She was in her early twenties and enjoyed girls' nights, house parties, and drinking when she had a hard day. Over time, Penny was seen with a glass of wine or beer whenever she was at Amy's, Bernadette's, or at home.
But she wasn't the bubbly, silly woman fans saw when she drank tequila with Leonard early on. She became dark, tired, and a bit of a Debby downer. Some of the more cringe-worthy episodes included a drunken or tipsy Penny. Fans questioned if she had a reliance on alcohol because of how often she was seen with a drink on her hand, but it was never discussed in the show.
Penny Lied To Those When She Didn’t Want To Tell The Truth
In season 12, Bernadette was thrilled with Penny’s professionalism and numbers at work. Knowing she was one of her best saleswomen, she wanted Penny to take on a managing role.
Although Penny didn’t love her job, she wasn’t sure she wanted to work so closely with Bernadette. Bernadette could be overbearing and intense, two things Penny didn’t want to be around. Instead of being honest with Bernadette, Penny lied to her and came up with multiple excuses about her supervisor as to why she couldn’t take on a new role. In the end, Bernadette found out Penny lied and was more upset about the lie than the disinterest in the job position.
Penny Did The Exact Same Thing Stephanie Did
There came a time in Stephanie and Leonard’s relationship when he was ready to part ways. He felt like she was moving too quickly in their relationship when she became close with Sheldon and slowly moved into his room. Leonard also complained that whenever Stephanie didn’t want to hear bad news, she’d sleep with him instead of talking.
Penny comforted Leonard and told him to leave the relationship. However, Penny does (and continues to do) similar things Stephanie did. Penny also hid geeky things of Leonards so that she didn’t have to look at it in their room. She also took advantage of her sexuality whenever she didn’t want to come face to face with the realities of their relationship.
She Lied About Wanting Kids With Leonard
Throughout the series, Penny and Leonard both wanted marriage and kids but never set an end date for their goals. Their marriage worked for them and they were happy in their relationship while living with Sheldon and by themselves. But in season 12, Leonard brought up the notion of having kids and Penny was suddenly against it.
It turns out that she knew for some time that she didn't want kids; she just never told Leonard. The change in plans didn't make sense for Leonard and Penny, but she felt strongly about it. What's worse is when Leonard has a chance to pass on his genes through Zack as a donor, Penny is completely against it and makes it impossible for Leonard to have his own child.
Did Penny Resent Leonard?
Did Penny resent Leonard for "wearing her down?" It's obvious in season 3 that Penny has feelings for Leonard but it's almost like she wishes she didn't. Leonard was her best friend. He didn't fit the mold of any of the kinds of guys she usually dates.
As Leonard and Penny's relationship timeline progressed, Penny appears to be more sarcastic and mean to Leonard — all of which he takes in stride. With a glass of wine in her hand, she makes sassy remarks and gets mad at him for not bringing passion or effort to their marriage, but fans can argue that's all Leonard did in the early years.
She Gave Up On All Her Dreams...
Penny had quotes that proved she was a smart character, but those moments happened sparingly. She later became a successful pharmaceutical sales rep when viewers last saw her but that was never her dream. The only reason she got the job is because of Bernadette. Penny came to know her role and thrive in the industry, but she mentioned a few times that she wasn't happy.
When Penny was first introduced, she was a struggling actress, though she seemed happy for the most part. After years of no success, she decided to give up on acting and go in another direction. But it wasn't just acting that Penny gave up; she gave up on a college degree as well.
...And She Began To Care Less And Less
The gang may laugh about how "dumb" Penny is in comparison to them, but she isn't as dimwitted as they joked. She's proved time and again that she has more street smarts than the rest of the group.
What comes off as dumb is actually Penny not caring. In the beginning, she used to ask questions and try to relate what the guys were talking about but over time she gave up. She stopped caring, stopped asking questions, and started tuning out when the guys were talking about science. It was moments like these that proved Penny aged poorly on TBBT.
After Penny Got Married, Her Character Lost Her Way
When Penny and Leonard got married, Penny was thrown a curveball when she learned her new husband had been unfaithful to her. The two had some issues in their first few weeks as husband and wife but found their way out of the darkness.
From that point on, Penny's character changed. She didn't hang out with friends outside of the group and she wasn't the bubbly woman who loved being around people like when we first met her. It was almost as if writers didn't know what to do with her in this new mature role.
Leonard Pushed For Penny's Success But Did She Return The Favor?
In season 12, Leonard has a personal dilemma when he sees all his friends have success in their careers, yet he's not even close to having a breakthrough. He starts rethinking his choices and looks to make a change.
Funny enough, Penny wasn't as supportive of Leonard the way he was of her when she tried improving herself. That could be because Penny doesn't understand what Leonard does for a living, but there was still a huge difference between their individual support for each other. During this low time in his life, fans wouldn't have been surprised if Leonard dumped Penny for a fresh start.
Is Penny A Bully?
Penny could be viewed as a bully. She may think that she was a bully in high school, but her bullying tendencies have followed her into her adult years. Her comments towards the group get brushed off as sarcasm but she can be hurtful at times.
Penny bullies Leonard into doing things her way and bullies Amy and Bernadette if they want to do something differently. On the flip side, Penny could be resorting to this kind of behavior because she feels tongue-tied around her friends. Either way, it's a bad look.
Penny's Family Story
Hearing about Penny's upbringing was comical at first. She grew up in rural Nebraska with caring (but aloof) parents and a distant brother.
Viewers met her dad a few times before seeing her mom and brother, but the tales of her youth only became sadder as time went on. She would continue to make jokes about her brother's addiction or her being a bully, and it became more upsetting than funny. The storyline ran itself into the ground and fans didn't love it,
Penny's "Hot Girl" Attitude Got Old
The premise of the show in the early seasons was a hot girl like Penny hanging around "nerds" like Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj. But as time went on, Penny became a valued friend in their social circle, despite having a totally different sense of style and interests.
Her attractiveness was still always a focal point, which almost make her look shallow — especially dating someone "less attractive" like Leonard. Likewise, it made Leonard look shallow for only dating Penny because she was hot. The entire concept took a dark, tired turn after 12 seasons.