The Big Bang Theory is one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. After spending twelve seasons on the air. The series about best friends, relationships, and a love of science inspired viewers while also bringing laughs. But as upbeat as this series was, there were a handful of things that went downhill as the series went on.
There were story arcs, storylines, and developments that didn't pan out the way fans were hoping. Penny, for instance, went from a bubbly, outgoing young woman to someone who was bothered by her friends and relied on wine to have a good time. But Penny's personality wasn't the only thing that got worse as the series continued.
Leonard’s Whiny Behavior Was Unappealing
There's no denying that Leonard tends to whine. Sheldon and Penny brought this personality trait up numerous times and how bothersome it was. Leonard never meant to whine about things when he spoke, it happened naturally. And annoyingly, it was something that continued from season 1.
Leonard's confidence did grow since the first season but he whined when things didn't go his way or if he was triggered by something. It was Leonard's one flaw that fans couldn't let go of.
Penny’s Dreams For Herself Die
In season 1, Penny had big dreams. She moved to Los Angeles to be a successful actress and she wanted to prove everyone back home wrong.
When acting didn't pan out, all of Penny's dreams died. She said if she were rich and famous she wouldn't mind living abroad and being able to see the world. Living in a trendy downtown area was also something she fancied (while Leonard didn't). However, jet-setting was something that never happened. For fans, this didn't make sense for Penny because she was originally such a go-getter. This was realized when Leonard and Penny went to write a Christmas card and realized they did nothing exciting.
Bernadette’s Distaste For Her Husband's Humor
Granted, Bernadette didn't join The Big Bang Theory until season 3 but she was an important member of the friend group since she married Howard.
At the start, Bernadette was bubbly and a little naive when it came to Howard. She was brilliant as a microbiologist and found everything Howard did charming and hilarious. But the longer these two dated, Bernadette's twinkle faded. Bernadette's personality and remarks aged poorly. She no longer found her husband delightful and seemed bothered by his sense of humor by the end of the series.
The Absence Of Family Members
Although Sheldon, Penny, Leonard, and co. were the main cast and all that mattered on TBBT, the presence of outside family members was important to the series. Sheldon's upbringing in Texas was brought up skillfully, making his mom an important part of the show. The same can be said for Leonard's mom.
However, Penny's family was MIA until the end of the series. It bothered fans that her family was mentioned so many times over the years and they only came to visit for the wedding (except for her father). Even Penny's relationship with her problematic brother was a confusing plotline because he was mentioned for years, only to appear once.
Sheldon’s Treatment Of His Friends
Sheldon matured tremendously throughout TBBT. He went from not being able to understand sarcasm or boundaries to caring for and understanding his friends. However, there were aspects of his personality that didn't improve.
As much as Sheldon grew over the years, he was the same, selfish friend he always had been by the finale. While at the Nobel prize ceremony, Sheldon wasn't sensitive to his friends' problems and made it about himself. Amy scolded Sheldon for breaking their friends' hearts time and time again by ignoring their feelings and thinking about his own. After 12 seasons, Sheldon was the same kind of friend.
Penny Becomes Darker And Less Bubbly
Penny grew and changed with her and Leonard's relationship timeline. In season 1, Penny was bubbly and upbeat. She was optimistic about her career, loved to go dancing with her friends, and enjoyed learning new things from Sheldon and Leonard. But something changed as the series progressed.
That twinkle in Penny's eye faded. She became a darker character who was bothered by Leonard's jokes and Sheldon's day-to-day issues. Penny no longer had friends outside of the core group and didn't do too many things for herself like she used to. Overall, Penny became cynical.
Leonard And His Mom’s Relationship Doesn't Improve
Leonard and his mom Beverly Hofstader didn't always have the best moments in the series. From the start, Leonard was open about his dysfunctional relationship with his mom and how he didn't have a typical childhood.
Due to his mom being a neuroscientist and psychiatrist, she studied Leonard instead of raising him in a loving, healthy way. Fans hoped the two would reach reconciliation by the end of the series but the opposite happened. Leonard found out his mom was writing a book on how her children turned out as adults, which made him realize she was, yet again, using him for her work.
Howard And Sheldon’s Friendship Is Surfaced-Based
Howard and Sheldon were short with each other in season 1, but there was also a level of mutual respect between the two (more so from Howard than from Sheldon). Sadly, the bond between the two became toxic.
Sheldon didn't respect Howard's intelligence or career choice, which made Howard angry towards Sheldon. If Sheldon was going to treat Howard poorly, then he would do the same. The two had underrated Big Bang moments of hope for their friendship, but it always went back to Sheldon thinking poorly of Howard for "only" being an engineer with a Master's Degree.
Penny’s Acting Gets Her Nowhere
Along with Penny's loss of uplifting energy, Penny also lost out on her dream career of being an actress. She spent years going on auditions and working at the Cheesecake Factory as a way to pay her bills.
Fans were excited for Penny when she quit her job and solely focused on acting, but the movie she was in went nowhere and she realized she was wasting her time. It would have been fun for fans to see Penny's acting career take off and how that affected her friendships and relationship.
Howard Doesn’t Treat Raj Any Better
Were Howard and Raj real friends or were they just comfortable with each other? In season 1, Howard and Raj were as close as Sheldon and Leonard. Since Raj and Howard were both girl-crazy, they'd go out and try to pick up women when they weren't working on scientific studies together.
As time went on, the friendship became one-sided. Howard bullied Raj around and made him the butt of the joke when it wasn't necessary. Raj never used to care about Howard's jokes that were at his expense, but there came a time when Raj was disrespected. It was sad to see their friendship shift and not be as close as they were in season 1.