Altogether, the main characters of The Big Bang Theory were a group of scientists, sci-fi lovers, comic book fans, and lovable nerds - except for Penny. She was different from all the others, seen as a breath of fresh air when the complex science jokes, obscure video games, and sci-fi pop culture references became too much.
In a show with so many characters and humor-filled storylines, it was easy for any one of them to get lost in the crowd. But for many fans, Penny stood out above the rest for many reasons. While some fans felt she was mean and condescending, especially towards Leonard, others saw redeeming qualities in her and shared what they loved about her on Reddit.
Her Friendship With Sheldon
Despite his sometimes annoying character, Sheldon had good friends that stood by him. The most surprising of his friendships—and possibly the best—was Penny. As Reddit user achiavelli said, "they really have the most solid friendships on the show."
On the surface, Penny and Sheldon were vastly different, but in those differences, they found common ground. They understood and supported each other, with Penny being one of the few people in Sheldon's circle that could talk him out of a tantrum and Sheldon being more open, free, and accomodating of her. Their friendship was really solid and one of the best things on The Big Bang Theory.
Her Growth & Development On The Show
All the characters of the show changed over the seasons, some more than most. Leonard learned to stand up for himself but he still had trouble voicing what he wanted. Sheldon was way less annoying but there were moments when he reverted to his old habits.
Of all of them, Penny had the best development. As Reddit user bubba9999 said, "she's a character that shows both qualities and flaws" and that "she's way more than just a hot girl character now." She went from someone stuck in a poor paying job she hated, with bad financial habits, terrible relationships, and occasional feelings of self-doubt, to a happy woman with a great job, a husband that loved her more than anything, and a reliable group of friends she treasured.
Defended The Guys From Bullies
In a post about Penny's best qualities, Reddit user GeorgeStart520 praised the pharmaceutical rep for "defending the guys from bullies." One example of this is from the episode, "The Zarnecki Incursion," when she helped Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj get Sheldon's stuff back after Todd Zarnecki hacked his World of Warcraft account.
Penny didn't care much for the games the guys loved and even called Sheldon's stolen stuff "imaginary crap that's useful in a make-believe place." But she helped them get it back anyway because she knew how important it was to him and that perfectly highlights how much she cared for them. It was one of many times when she stood up for the guys and the things they loved, even though she found them odd and occasionally made fun of them for it.
She Made Leonard Happy
Penny's and Leonard's relationship was a complex one, mainly because of their differences. In fact, most fans on Reddit constantly question what Leonard loves about her, but as Reddit user DammitMiriam commented, "She makes Leonard happy. Sometimes that's all that's necessary."
The two certainly had their ups and downs, but there was no question that Leonard loved her. She stood up for him, especially with Sheldon, and also pushed him to stand up for himself and what he wanted. By the series finale, Leonard's wish to be with Penny and have smart and beautiful babies had basically come true and he was happier than he'd ever been on the show.
Her Snark & Honesty
Before Bernadette became a regular on The Big Bang Theory, Penny was the snarkiest character with a tendency to be upfront and brutally honest. She never hesitated to point out when the guys were being mean, like the time they were teasing Zack about his intelligence in "The Justice League Recombination."
As user Jaymez82 on Reddit said, "she is upfront and direct with everything." In some ways, she gave them insight on how to be more sociable by pointing out their flaws when it came to interactions with others, which made them all better people in the end.
How She Survived & Thrived
Penny's financial issues were the subject of many jokes in the earlier seasons of the show with Sheldon often commenting that she was a freeloader. Reddit user aditya_mitts commented that what they liked about Penny was how she faced "difficulties financially but still manages to survive and thrive," in a post that ranked The Big Bang Theory characters by likability.
Despite her financial situation, Penny managed to get by. Her reliance on the guys for food and WiFi also brought them all closer and eventually pushed her to make smarter decisions about her life and future. By the end of the show, she was thriving at a really good job and that might not have been possible if she had never interacted with the gang.
Her Complex Character
In a post that questioned if anyone would like to date or befriend Penny in real life, Reddit user GratefullyGodless commented on some of Penny's best qualities saying "she's strong, capable, self-confident." These and some other good traits Penny had made fans love her, especially the patience she showed when it came to dealing with Sheldon.
All of these things made Penny a unique character. Unlike most of the others whose defining trait was their impressive intelligence, Penny had many sides to her that the fans loved and could relate to. Those traits, especially her friendliness and patience, are also what made her a good friend to Sheldon and the crew.
Her Matchmaking Skills
Thanks to a pact between Leonard and Howard, Penny introduced Howard to Bernadette and the two eventually hit it off and settled down. It was one of the best things Penny did and user fresnel-rebop commented on Reddit that they were "forever grateful for her doing that."
Before he met Bernadette, Howard had been desperately trying to hook up with several women, using pick-up lines and tactics that often came across as creepy. Howard's relationship with Bernadette changed his character for the better and was one of the best evolutions on the show, with Penny as the catalyst for that change.
She Was Good To Amy
When Amy joined the show in the season 3 finale and eventually became a series regular, she was a little awkward at first. Her only relationship was her friendship with Sheldon before she started hanging out with Penny and Bernadette. User whatwouldadonutdo created a post on Reddit to "discuss how good Penny was to Amy. Considering the fact that she was a bully in high school."
Penny's kindness to others was one of her redeeming qualities. This was especially evident with Amy, even after she sort of became obsessed with becoming Penny's best friend. Instead of blowing her off or shunning her, she was actually understanding and welcoming of her, with Amy eventually becoming Penny's best friend on The Big Bang Theory.
She Was The Best Character
Fans have differing opinions of Penny and on one post, where a fan said she was the worst, Reddit user MyriVerse argued that she was actually the best of them all and "the only times she's ever "mean" is when they deserve tough love or when they've wronged her."
Although there were times when Penny made fun of the others, there were moments when she felt belittled by them too, like Sheldon's comments on her intelligence and Leonard teasing her over believing in psychics. This was all part of the dynamic of their relationships and they often forgave each other and learned from the situation, which helped their characters grow and evolve.