They should’ve filed for a divorce.
From the very beginning of The Big Bang Theory, the sitcom teased its viewers with Penny and Leonard’s will they/won’t they relationship. They were two characters from very different worlds, with very different approaches to life and desires, but that only made their dynamic more interesting.
However, the longer fans stuck with the show, the more they realized how toxic their couple actually was. Technically, Penny and Leonard got their happily ever after, but these 10 moments prove they should have headed straight for divorce instead.
Penny Re-Gifted Leonard’s Laptop
Not only was it inconsiderate to give Leonard’s laptop to anyone, but it was made worse by the fact that the guy who got it was technically Leonard’s replacement in Penny’s life. To be quite honest, the two of them shouldn’t have gotten together at all after the whole Zack debacle, and the fact that they somehow did doesn’t excuse their behavior at all.
Leonard Ruined the Wedding
A drunken make-out session with some random girl in a bar we might have understood, but Leonard cheated on Penny with his co-worker he sees every day. Not only that, but he kept the secret until the night before their wedding, ruining one of the most exciting days of both their lives with this bad news. We wouldn’t blame Penny for calling it off right away!
Leonard Read Penny’s Diary
Leonard has always been insecure, and this often affected his relationship with Penny, whether she was his girlfriend or his wife. Perhaps by reading her diary, he was trying to get a better insight into her thoughts and feelings and to see if she was happy with him. Still, real adults know how to use their words to do that without invading their partner’s privacy.
Penny Invited Her Ex-Fling to Stay Over
Of course, trust is very important in any relationship, and Penny should have had Leonard’s trust in her, but it was pretty obvious that inviting someone she was dating to spend the night was out of the question. Fortunately, nothing really happened between the two of them, but the whole situation was an indicator of her and Leonard’s problems.
Penny Had a Thing With Leonard’s Friend
Penny spending the night with Raj was one of the most controversial moments of the entire show. Even though technically nothing much happened, it would have created a rift between any couple and changed the dynamics of the friend group forever. Of course, being a sitcom, The Big Bang Theory was able to shrug it off, but viewers were definitely affected.
Leonard Made Fun of Penny’s Weight
As if the wedding wasn’t disastrous enough after Leonard’s cheating revelation, he decided to take things to the next level and hit his new wife when he couldn’t carry her over the threshold. Of course, it was Penny’s fault for being too heavy, not Leonard’s for never carrying anything heavier than his laptop in his life.
Leonard Laughed at Penny In Front of Their Friends
Penny may not have been the smartest of the bunch, but that alone did not give Leonard the right to laugh at her, not only to her face, but often in front of her close friends. At one point, even Howard was so upset that he had to point out how rude his friend was being. And you just know it’s really bad when Howard is the one who has to intervene.
Penny Used Leonard With Her Father
Even when the couple reached the point of breaking up, Penny still couldn’t bring herself to tell her father. Instead, she essentially used Leonard to cover for her father and gave him false hope. It was unfair not only to him, but also to her father, who deserved to know the full truth if she was so sure of her decision.
Penny Hid Leonard’s Collectibles
Every relationship requires a certain amount of compromise and respect. You don’t have to share your significant other’s every hobby, but you do have to respect the time and money they put into it. Penny hiding parts of Leonard’s extensive collection was an indicator that she was not ready to deal with his interests, nor was she ready for an honest conversation.
Leonard Was Jealous and Controlling
Since Leonard had a problem with almost every man Penny had ever looked at, he was definitely not happy that Penny was letting some of her male friends visit her apartment. Maybe letting Justin crash on her couch wasn’t the best decision, but there was definitely nothing sinister about inviting Cole to study with her.
