The One Fix That Would Have Redeemed Big Bang Theory’s Divisive Finale

In contrast, The Big Bang Theory’s ending was the result of much less planning. The show’s narrative arc wasn’t preordained since The Big Bang Theory had no predecessor, so its storyline wasn’t set in stone before the show began. Most of The Big Bang Theory’s cast of characters got a happy ending, but there were still some loose ends.

The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard/Penny Pregnancy Twist Came Out of Nowhere

Penny Was Insistent About Not Wanting Children

Raj’s fate was particularly disappointing for some viewers of The Big Bang Theory, since the character who spent the most time waxing lyrical about love and romance was the only one who ended up alone. While Raj’s character had other problems, the fact that Kunal Nayyar’s character didn’t end up in a relationship unlike every other member of the gang was an oversight.

However, as noted by Vulture’s Kathryn Van Arendonk, Penny’s surprise pregnancy announcement might have been the most disappointing part of the finale’s story. Not only was this massive life change sidelined in favor of Sheldon’s Nobel Prize acceptance ceremony, but The Big Bang Theory also failed to explain why Penny changed her mind about having children off-screen.

For much of The Big Bang Theory’s 12 seasons, Penny was adamantly child-free. She was a rare sitcom heroine who had no interest in raising children, and she made it clear to Leonard that this was a major decision she didn’t intend to change her mind on.

Even earlier in season 12, she was understandably upset when Leonard spoke to her father about the possibility of the pair having children in the future. Penny and Leonard’s The Big Bang Theory communication was never a strong suit, but the show’s heroine still managed to make it clear that she was certain she never wanted children.

What made the sudden about-face in the series finale so disappointing was that The Big Bang Theory could have justified Penny changing her mind about children. After all, the sitcom had a long history of changing characters almost completely, while still maintaining enough of their original personalities for their appeal to shine through.

The Big Bang Theory’s Pregnancy Twist Could Have Fixed Penny’s Disappointing Arc

Penny’s Career Plans Were Never Clarified

When Howard was first introduced, he was a shamelessly sleazy, often genuinely odious character who thought nothing of spying on Penny with a webcam hidden in a teddy bear. By the series finale, he was a loving husband and a doting father, but his redemption took place so gradually that it never felt like The Big Bang Theory changed him overnight.

Howard’s transformation is proof of The Big Bang Theory’s solid character writing, but he is far from the only character to undergo such a change. While Young Sheldon’s finale proved Sheldon’s character change didn’t stick completely, his speech in The Big Bang Theory’s series finale was a testament to the depth of his newfound humility.

Over the years, Sheldon was forced to contend with the reality that he couldn’t get by without the help of his friends, colleagues, and family. He fought this thought at every turn but eventually admitted that he relied on them and wanted them to be able to rely on him, too.

In contrast, Penny’s The Big Bang Theory arc proves that the show never really knew what to do with her after she and Leonard got together. First, Penny gave up on acting and started working in sales, but The Big Bang Theory never focused on whether she was happy in this new career.

If an earlier episode had seen Penny tell Leonard that she wanted to become a parent instead of focusing on her new career, this could have justified the series finale’s twist and centered on her character’s journey. Penny’s forgotten acting career feels like one of The Big Bang Theory’s tragedies, but it could have been an opportunity for her character to change instead.

Young Sheldon’s Finale Made The Big Bang Theory’s Ending Twist Worse

Penny Passed Down Her Love of Acting To Sheldon’s Daughter

To make matters worse, The Big Bang Theory’s first spinoff inexplicably clarified that Penny never gave up her love for acting. Young Sheldon’s finale revealed that Penny passed her love of acting down to Sheldon’s daughter, much to the title character’s comical chagrin. This was a fun nod to Penny’s passion, but one with sad implications.

Judging by the fact that she passed her love of acting on to Sheldon and Amy’s offspring, it seems pretty obvious that Penny never wanted to stop acting after all. This sad revelation would have been ameliorated if the original show revealed that she wanted to be a mother more than an actor, but instead, Penny seemed surprised by her pregnancy.

Leonard and Penny didn’t seriously discuss children except for numerous instances when Penny reiterated to her partner that she didn’t want to have them. While The Big Bang Theory’s spinoffs explored dysfunctional families in more depth, the original series was about friendship. Like New Girl, How I Met Your Mother or Friends, The Big Bang Theory was a hang-out show.

The Big Bang Theory’s Finale Twist Highlights A Major Series Issue

The Show’s Focus On Leonard and Penny Waned In Later Seasons

Earlier hang-out shows have often been accused of treating children less as living, thinking people, and more as plot devices designed to highlight a character’s new life stage. From Lily and Marshall to Schmidt and Cece, children are a harbinger that the central group’s time for hanging out is coming to an end and their exodus to suburban family life is overdue.

However, this trade-off worked much better for Leonard than Penny. Leonard always liked his job and, marrying Penny, he got the girl of his dreams. However, as The Big Bang Theory centered Sheldon and Amy more, it became increasingly obvious that Penny’s happiness was an afterthought. Sadly, The Big Bang Theory’s sudden finale twist epitomized thi