Fans of The Big Bang Theory already know that Penny did some questionable things over the course of the show, some of which could have even gotten her fired. Whether it's mooching food off the guys, trash-talking her friends, or being constantly out of control with her spending habits, she's certainly one of the most irresponsible characters on the show, but fans love her for it.
RELATED: The Big Bang Theory: Unnecessary Lies Penny & Leonard Told
By the time the series ended, Penny grew from being a young aspiring actor to a successful pharmaceutical representative and cherished member of the group. She and Leonard also ended up happily married, although it did take them a while to get on the same page. However, before that, she did some pretty reckless things too.
Asking Leonard To Get Her TV From Kurt
In the very first episode "Pilot," Penny meets Leonard and Sheldon after moving into the apartment across the hall. She reveals that her ex-boyfriend Kurt still has her TV from before they broke up and asks Leonard to get it from him. Wanting to impress his new love interest, Leonard obliges and goes to get it from the much larger and angrier Kurt.
Penny knowingly put Leonard and Sheldon in danger. Kurt is a muscle-bound guy with a bad attitude and of course, he didn't take kindly to Penny's friends showing up out of the blue. After some back and forth, the guys returned without any pants and still no TV. There is a chance that Penny likely knew Kurt wouldn't return the TV so it seemed pointless. Luckily, Penny, Sheldon, and Leonard all ended up as friends in the end.
Dating Guys Just To Make Leonard Jealous
In the season 2 episode "The Codpiece Topology," Penny hooks up with a random guy named Eric in an attempt to get Leonard's attention and make him jealous. Leonard, who at this point was dating fan-favorite Leslie Winkle, takes the bait and the two couples engage in a competitive makeout session.
After that, Penny unceremoniously dumps Eric and it becomes another meaningless romantic relationship for her. She has a history of choosing dim-witted guys like Kurt and Zack over Leonard and she spends a large part of the early series episodes avoiding Leonard's advances, even though he's clearly a smart and capable guy.
Becoming Obsessed With The Age Of Conan Video Game
In the very next episode "The Barbarian Sublimation," Penny admits she's frustrated with her acting career and her overall quality of life has worsened because hasn't had sex in six months. Sheldon introduces her to the video game Age of Conan. She instantly becomes addicted to the game, staying up all night playing and chugging energy drinks to stay awake.
When Leonard tries to help Penny through their game avatars, Penny beheads his character and shows little remorse for the way she is clearly going downhill. Sheldon then tries to hook Penny up with someone through online dating. When Penny finds out Sheldon got her a date with Howard, she snaps out of it and ends her crutch on the game. The thought of dating Howard was enough to make her stop. Yikes.
Having Drunken Breakup Sex With Leonard
Season 3 ends with Penny introducing her new boyfriend Zack to the group. He's another big, unintelligent guy that isn't able to relate to any of the things the group talks about, particularly science. Once Penny realizes they have nothing in common, she breaks up with Zack and rants to Leonard about how she always picks idiots for boyfriends.
Penny then sleeps with Leonard, leading him to believe he can get drunken sex from her whenever he wants. Penny leading Leonard on is a theme throughout the early episodes, but sleeping with him out of pity was definitely not one of her most well thought-out moments.
Interrupting Leonard and Priya's Dinner, Then Cutting Leonard Off
Confused by his on-again, off-again relationship with Penny, Leonard begins dating Raj's sister Priya instead. In the episode called "The Prestidigitation Approximation," he gets close with Priya to the point that she's getting jealous that Penny is still a part of his life. While on a date, Penny interrupts the two, laughing about inside jokes with Leonard and even stealing food off his plate.
When Leonard tries to subtlely encourage Penny to back off, she takes it to the extreme and cuts Leonard off completely, refusing to interact with him. This certainly showed Penny's immature side and confirmed that she had feelings for Leonard while simultaneously refusing to commit to him.
Making Amy Feel Bad About Her Sex Life
Jumping to season 6, the boys start a game of Dungeons & Dragons, which the girls eventually join. Penny suggests Amy and Sheldon's characters have sex in the game, clearly mocking their relationship as she knows they haven't done anything sexual in real life yet. Amy storms off upset.
Penny hit a nerve with Amy, who is not only a friend at this point but also a person that Penny knows has anxiety regarding intimate relationships. Instead of Penny comforting her, it's Sheldon who sits down with Amy and explains that he'd be open to having sex with her one day. Not Penny's best moment at all.
Quitting Her Job To Pursue Acting
One reoccurring theme throughout the series is that Penny has unrealistic ambitions of becoming a rich and famous actor. She freaks out at Leonard for suggesting her cut role on NCIS wouldn't have made a difference. To make matters worse, she gets drunk and proposes to Leonard, which he doesn't answer as he knows she is not in the right state of mind.
Finally, Penny quits her job at the Cheesecake Factory to finally focus on her acting career full-time. Leonard cautiously supports her but secretly knows it's a mistake. Instead of taking Leornard's advice and finding a stable career, Penny constantly gets upset when people who care about her try to tell her the truth and guide her on the right path. Once in a while,Penny is smarter than her friends though.
Scaring Amy's Dad Out Of The Apartment
Penny and Leonard find Amy's dad, Larry Fowler, played by Teller of magic duo Penn & Teller, hiding in Amy and Sheldon's apartment to get away from his overbearing wife (Kathy Bates). When Leonard brings up their own marital issues, Penny gets upset.
She then talks to Amy's mom about her relationship with Larry and convinces her to cut him some slack. When Mrs. Fowler suggests they talk more often though, Penny changes her mind and scares Larry out of the apartment.