5. Ending the Show Earlier & With a Bigger Bang
The Big Bang Theory’s actual ending was a solid one that helped end Sheldon Cooper’s arc well, but it took 12 seasons to get there, and some fans say the show suffered a decline in quality long before it got there. Ideally, this sitcom would be roughly half the length, which would mean better pacing and a more impactful ending.
Ending the show earlier would have made it feel more like lightning in a bottle, concluding each main characters’ arcs before the show started to drag. That way, The Big Bang Theory would have retained far more fans and kept everyone on board to watch the explosive finale, building on nonstop momentum to feel like a true sitcom ride.
4. Making Amy More Likable From the Start
The Big Bang Theory did get some mileage out of the fact that Amy Farrah Fowler was exactly like Sheldon Cooper at the start. She was awkward, shy, blunt and downright bizarre at times, so she and Sheldon played off well against one another. However, the writing took that a bit too far, including some inappropriate dialogue.
Ideally, The Big Bang Theory would have simply accelerated Amy’s transformation into her kinder, more outgoing new self, probably after just one or two episodes. That would have avoided making her redundant with the four main guys, and it would have given Penny another on-screen female friend that much sooner, too. That would have made Amy Penny’s best ally against the four guys’ excessive geekiness in those early arcs.
3. Giving Howard Better Closure About His Father
Howard Wolowitz had some serious drama with his parents, including his off-screen mother but also his absent father Sam, albeit indirectly. One of Howard’s biggest emotional wounds involved Sam Wolowitz abandoning the family when Howard was 11 years old, but the show was too slow to heal that wound.
The show needed a more clearly-defined before and after for Howard where this was concerned. Resolving Howard’s abandonment issue around season 3 or 4 would have made him more confident and emotionally healthier, paving the way for him to be a worthy romantic partner and spouse for Bernadette.
2. More & Better Flashbacks For Sheldon
The Big Bang Theory used very few flashbacks, instead using humorous dialogue to explain what the characters have been through in their childhoods or semi-recent years. Such throwbacks might have made a character more sympathetic, but for the likes of Sheldon Cooper, direct flashbacks may have been best.
Sheldon still felt insufferable even after describing his family drama and his constant experiences with bullying. Instead, The Big Bang Theory could have used flashbacks, like snippets of Young Sheldon, to clearly show what his early life was like and make him more sympathetic and compelling as a result. It could have also satisfied everyone’s curiosity about exactly how these life events played out for him.
1. Giving Penny a Roommate
From the very start in The Big Bang Theory, Penny lived alone in her apartment, and it wasn’t clear how she could afford rent. The show did make jokes about that to acknowledge that weirdness, but perhaps the show could have instead given Penny a much-needed roommate.
A roommate would have also given Penny another like-minded friend and not just have her be a foil for the four main guys. Penny’s roommate could have brought out the best in her and vice versa, and make Penny feel less lonely in the show’s earlier seasons. That would have also given fans insight about what Penny looks for in a friend or roommate.
