While The Big Bang Theory was a hugely successful sitcom, the show’s lowest-rated episode proves that not all of its recurring gags worked perfectly. The Big Bang Theory’s cast of characters each brought something special to the series, but the triumvirate of Sheldon, Penny, and Leonard was central to the hit sitcom’s success. Even though Raj and Howard also appeared in every episode of the show, the dynamic between the fastidious Sheldon, his carefree neighbor Penny, and her shy love interest Leonard was the fulcrum that supported the series. The rest of the characters built on their relationship.
That said, by The Big Bang Theory’s series finale, a lot of the show’s original character dynamics had shifted significantly. Leonard and Penny were originally a free-spirited party girl and a nebbish neighbor who harbored a secret crush on her, but by the time the show ended, they were a happily married couple expecting their first child. Similarly, although Sheldon was comically standoffish and antisocial for much of the show’s run, by the finale he was graciously attributing his successes to his friends and family. The show needed to change its characters since its weaker episodes proved their dynamic was tired.
The Big Bang Theory Season 10 Episode 22 Was Hated Because Of Leonard And Sheldon
This Outing Saw Penny Consider A Job With Her Ex Zack
The lowest-rated episode of The Big Bang Theory gained only 6.8 on IMDb, and it isn’t hard to see why. While Penny and Sheldon shared The Big Bang Theory’s best relationship, Sheldon’s antics got tired and Leonard’s treatment of Penny was often worse than viewers remember. Season 10, episode 22, “The Cognition Regeneration,” was reviled by critics upon its initial release and fans were equally unimpressed with the outing, judging by its IMDb rating. Its reliance on jokes about Sheldon’s intelligence, as well as Leonard’s shameless mistreatment of Penny, make this a unique showcase of the show’s worst elements.
In this episode, Leonard becomes worried when Penny considers taking a job that her ex Zack has offered her. Throughout the outing, Leonard proves that he doesn’t trust Penny and discourages her from taking this promising career opportunity as a result, a plot that highlights just how entitled and callous the show’s protagonist can be. While lighter, Sheldon’s subplot wasn’t any better. The episode saw him train his brain when he was beaten by teens at a video game, resulting in him pursuing a string of goofy hobbies that never amounted to much by the time the episode’s end credits rolled.
Leonard’s Treatment of Penny Was Pretty Terrible
Leonard’s Lack of Trust In His Wife Is Shocking
Although Leonard cheated in The Big Bang Theory and Penny didn’t, he remained paranoid about the possibility of her leaving him. In season 6, episode 8, “The 43 Peculiarity,” Leonard informed Penny’s attractive classmate Cole that her boyfriend was a gang leader in an attempt to scare him away instead of sharing his insecurities about their relationship with her. In season 3, episode 7, “The Guitarist Amplification,” Leonard started a multiple-day fight over Penny’s ex sleeping on her couch. His fear of her cheating was never treated as unreasonable, even though he was the one who cheated on Penny with Mandy.
Leonard could have proven that he was no longer as insecure about Penny straying and supported her in pursuing this new job.
In contrast, Penny remained faithful to Leonard throughout the series. As such, when Penny’s The Big Bang Theory boyfriend Zack reappeared with a job offer in “The Cognition Regeneration,” this could have been an opportunity to showcase Leonard’s growth. Now that the couple were married, Leonard could have proven that he was no longer as insecure about Penny straying and supported her in pursuing this new job. Instead, Leonard heavily implied that Penny couldn’t be trusted to work with Zack, and the episode treated this viewpoint as if it was reasonable, self-evident, and ultimately correct in the end.
The Big Bang Theory Season 10 Episode 22’s Ending Didn’t Work
The Episode Implied Leonard Was Right All Along
In the episode’s ending, Penny and Leonard’s fight turns out to be pointless when Zack reveals that his fiancée forbade him from working with his ex. Penny’s ex rescinded the job offer since his fiancée was just as insecure as Leonard, but “The Cognition Regeneration” treated this as an obvious conclusion that proved Leonard right. Leonard and Penny’s The Big Bang Theory relationship had its ups and downs but, considering Leonard cheated on Penny and she never cheated on him, it was a particularly low point when the show treated Leonard’s suspicions of Penny and Zack as justified and logical.
Leonard and Penny’s Relationship Hit A Common Sitcom Problem
TBBT’s Main Couple Got Together Too Soon
The main reason that The Big Bang Theory struggled to make Penny and Leonard’s fights compelling is that the series brought them together too soon. The pair were dating by the third season, but the show lasted another nine seasons. This meant the series constantly had to throw new roadblocks in their way. The same issue befell The Office’s Jim and Pam, New Girl’s Jess and Nick, and The Mindy Project’s Mindy and Danny, all of whom went through countless unnecessary conflicts to keep their story engaging after they initially got together. This made their eventual happy endings less effective.
The Big Bang Theory Episode’s Sheldon Subplot Didn’t Help
Sheldon’s Search For A New Challenge Was Dull
Seeing Sheldon try his hand at baking, juggling, and unicycling should have been funny, but like most storylines about Sheldon’s intelligence, the gag was too one-note to feel fresh or original. As funny as The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon was, the character’s self-obsession grew tired by the tenth season. Sheldon’s desire to sharpen his intellect could have seen him humbled by the realization that he wasn’t immediately good at everything but, instead, he reacted with a predictably emotionless response that had grown tired by this point. Sheldon may have challenged his brain, but the episode never challenged his character.
Sheldon And Leonard Became A Problem For The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon’s Stories And Leonard’s Attitude Toward Penny Both Got Old
Sheldon’s self-involved shtick was no longer particularly compelling when “The Cognition Regeneration” aired, and Leonard’s fear of Penny’s potential infidelity was similarly shopworn by this stage. Although The Big Bang Theory had a great cast, the show sometimes used this to paper over the show’s lack of compelling storylines. Neither Leonard nor Sheldon learned or changed in the episode, and they also didn’t suffer any consequences for their failure to grow. Without any humbling failures that viewers could laugh at or sweet moments of growth to applaud, this episode of The Big Bang Theory epitomized the show’s most tired, least essential era.
