-After 12 seasons, fans of The Big Bang Theory were left with hundreds of episodes, Howard’s pickup lines, silly idiosyncrasies from Sheldon, and plenty of hilarious memes to get viewers through dark days without new weekly episodes.
One of the more memeable characters was Penny. As the one person in the group who didn’t understand science or have a higher education, there were endless moments where Penny was left confused or mesmerized by her group of friends. As fun as Sheldon and Leonard were to watch, Penny was the most relatable, making her memes hit home.
Updated on May 2nd, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: One way that fans connect over The Big Bang Theory is by sharing memes they’ve created. Whether it’s Sheldon and his love for the word bazinga or Raj and his loneliness, The Big Bang Theory memes are some of the best. The one character that fans love to use for memes is Penny. Her reactions to the group and casual sense of style are what made her one of the best characters (and the queen of memes). And while she’s seen as the “dumb” one in the group, she had plenty of moments where she was smarter than the guys.
Binging All 12 Seasons Of TBBT
Thanks to different streaming sites, TBBT fans can watch some of the best episodes without commercials, interruptions, or weeks of anticipation for the next episode.
In the scene pictured, Penny wound up getting hooked on gaming, thanks to Sheldon. She didn’t sleep, stopped showering, and didn’t know what day of the week it was. It wasn’t until she bonded with Howard through the game that she realized she needed help from the gaming world. For viewers, the reminder of getting lost in a show or game is all too relatable.
Penny Never Changed Her Laundry Habits
Penny wasn’t the most careful person when it came to her finances or her laundry. In one scene, Sheldon warned Penny about the laundry machine she was about to use but Penny ignored his warning and dumped her entire hamper into the machine — despite colors and whites being washed together.
While Sheldon had his own relatable moments, this decision by Penny was all too real for viewers who too didn’t care about laundry etiquette.
Penny’s Insightful Logic
This scene had one of Penny’s best quotes on TBBT. Penny did eventually learn a few things about physics, games like Dungeons & Dragons, and franchises like Stars Wars, but there was only so much she could take in one sitting.
Penny assured Leonard and Sheldon that regardless of their accomplishments (or lack thereof), physics was always going to be hard because it was “boring.” To be fair to the guys, physics was anything but boring to them. Going to work every day was one of the more exciting parts of their lives because they got to work on their passions.
Penny & Leonard In 40 Years
It took a long time for Penny and Leonard to get married, and there were multiple factors behind the reasoning. Their differences as individuals kept them from moving forward but once they eloped, they put their relationship first.
Years later, the two had a wedding that their friends and family could go to, but this meme pokes fun at the idea of these two having a vow renewal in the future. Although these two had their differences, fans hope they last.
How Was Penny Able To Afford Her Apartment Without A Roommate?
Penny’s problems with finances were an ongoing conversation throughout TBBT. As a struggling actress, she worked at The Cheesecake Factory to make ends meet until she made it in the acting world.
From her heat not working to her power being turned off to not having Wi-Fi, Penny relied on Leonard and Sheldon for security. With that being said, it was wild to fans that she was somehow able to afford an apartment across the hall from two physicists with great jobs and high degrees. It didn’t make sense that Penny was in the same building. She may have had financial success if she downsized instead of spending so much on rent.
Living In A Parallel Universe
This meme poked fun at the parallel swaps between characters. In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon was the stereotypical geek that was obsessed with comic books, equations, and the Star Trek franchise. Meanwhile, Penny was seen as the cute, popular blonde. They were different but Sheldon and Penny shared sweet quotes that made them one of the best TBBT friendships.
In real life, however, these snaps of Kaley Cuoco (Penny) and Jim Parsons (Sheldon) are the opposite of their characters. It’s hard to fathom Sheldon Cooper in a leather jacket, let alone smoking a cigarette. And imagining Penny in thick-framed glasses is something that Leonard would have loved.
Penny Lived A Good Life
Some think The Big Bang Theory felt the series fed into offensive stereotypes. From the geeky things that Sheldon and Leonard did to the dumb-blonde attitude Penny had from time to time, the show was built on standard conventions.
One of the worst things Penny did to the group time and time again (that paralleled the stereotype) was getting free things from the “geeks” across the hall. Even when she wasn’t dating Leonard, her food and Wi-Fi were paid for. Luckily, when another attractive woman moved into the building, Penny had an out-of-body experience and saw her friends being used. From then on she made more of an effort to be a better friend.
Penny’s Mysterious Last Name
When fans heard The Big Bang Theory was ending, there were a few questions that needed to be answered before wrapping up for good. One of those questions was were fans ever going to find out Penny’s last name? It was one thing fans wished they saw on TBBT.
There are countless theories on Reddit about Penny’s last name but it was never said. Although she married Leonard and became a Hofstadter, she was the only character without a last name.
Penny Vs. Rachel Green: Same Character, Different Show
Friends ended in 2004 after 10 seasons. Years later, The Big Bang Theory joined Friends as one of the longest-running sitcoms. And while both shows were completely different, they did revolve around one thing: a group of friends who cared for each other.
If the characters of TBBT and Friends met, the array of potential couples would have been fun to see. Penny showed a lot of similarities to Friends’ Rachel. From acting choices to hairstyles, these two had a lot more in common than the average viewers realized. In a fictional alternate universe, it wouldn’t be surprising if Penny and Rachel were related.
The Haircut Everyone Talked About
In season 8, Penny started the new season with a new haircut. Instead of her usual long, flowy locks, she had a shorter pixie cut. Sheldon, of course, was getting back from his train ride across America so he had a major problem with Penny’s changed hairstyle since he loathed change.
Unfortunately for Penny, Sheldon wasn’t alone. Fans were not a fan of her new hair. Viewers were so used to Penny’s long hair that the drastic change was too jarring for many.
Penny Tried Understanding Leonard’s Interests
It didn’t matter what Penny and Leonard’s relationship timeline was like, she showed her interest in his life in different ways. She tried getting into different comic books, she wrote down keywords about his job to bring up in conversation, and she tried to learn physics from Sheldon.
In one scene, the group dressed up as characters from the Justice League of America. Penny was forced to be Wonder Woman for the party but she wasn’t in a partying mood because of her lingering feelings for Leonard. In the scene, Penny complimented Leonard for being a cute Green Arrow instead of the Green Lantern. Leonard sighed but gave her credit for trying.
Penny Is More Beloved By Viewers Than Legendary Figures
Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist who broke down walls in the field of science. Because of his influence, he appeared as a guest star on TBBT for several episodes.
Seeing Sheldon, Howard, Leonard, and Raj get giddy at the sight of Professor Hawking was entertaining. Nevertheless, when watching reruns, fans pointed out that Penny got a larger reaction for being on-screen with cleavage than Hawking ever did.
Luckily Penny Only Had Eyes For Leonard
It’s no surprise that Penny was sought after by Howard, Raj, and Leonard when they realized she moved in across the hall. She was beautiful, friendly, and genuinely liked hanging out with them.
Sheldon, on the other hand, didn’t understand his friends’ fascination with Penny and saw no interest in a romantic connection. Eventually, Sheldon and Penny’s friendship was one of the best on TBBT but that’s all they were. Even though Leonard won her heart in the end, Howard and Raj did a handful of awkward pleasantries in hopes of winning her over.
