Even Chuck Lorre admitted The Big Bang Theory had its missteps, Kaley Cuoco’s cringeworthy episode left fans—and creators—disappointed.
The Big Bang Theory might be known for its comic genius, but every hit show has its missteps—and even Chuck Lorre wasn’t thrilled with one major storyline that left Kaley Cuoco in the lurch. In what fans still remember as one of the most cringeworthy episodes, the series pushed Penny’s character into a scenario that didn’t just miss the mark—it practically rewrote the rules of awkward sitcom moments.
Let’s just say Lorre himself later admitted it was not our finest moment. And when the creator of the show agrees with fans that a plot twist was a dud, you know it’s got to be pretty bad. So, what exactly went down in this infamous episode?
Kaley Cuoco’s Regret: Chuck Lorre and the Infamous Serial Apeist Episode of The Big Bang Theory That Didn’t Land
Some plots are so cringeworthy that even the creators of a hit series wish they had never aired them. One of those infamous moments from The Big Bang Theory left its star Kaley Cuoco regretting her on-screen journey. Cuoco, who played the lovable Penny, called her experience filming Serial Apeist her worst experience.
Imagine being covered in hair from head to toe while trying to act! Cuoco was baffled, recalling how Chuck Lorre found it all amusing. She asserted,
The worst experience was filming Serial Apeist and getting covered in f–king hair from head to toe. I was like, Really, you guys? This is what’s happening? And Chuck just thought it was so funny. He loved it. I never understood why.
But here’s the kicker: even Lorre wasn’t a fan of those scenes. Still, he felt they were necessary to showcase Penny’s struggles in the acting world. He revealed,
Doing a show within a show – writing the ‘bad’ scenes that she’s in in an otherwise good show – was not our finest moment. The goal was legitimate, which was to put her in a bad move and see her struggling to make something work.
In the end, Penny ditched her acting dreams and became a sales representative in the pharmaceutical game. Those Serial Apeist moments might still sting, but they also add to the quirky chaos that made The Big Bang Theory a classic, proving not every plot twist hits the mark, and that’s totally cool!
Kaley Cuoco’s Hilarious Chaos: Diaper Duties and Murder Mysteries in Based on a True Story Season Two
In the new trailer for Based on a True Story, Kaley Cuoco’s Ava hilariously recruits her toddler, nicknamed murder bunny, to help dissect her living room’s evidence board. When asked if she’s monitoring local murders, Ava quipped:
The only investigating I’m doing these days is who shit their pants. All signs lead to that guy.
As the second season unfolded, Ava and Nathan, played by Chris Messina, juggled parenthood and attempts to reclaim their lives. While Ava returned to real estate, Nathan offered tennis lessons, but a fresh wave of murders pulled them back into the podcasting game. With Ava’s sister engaged to recovering-serial killer Matt, the stakes skyrocketed.
Showrunner Annie Weisman praised Cuoco and Messina’s comedic chemistry, promising fans an addictive blend of humor and intrigue when the season drops on Nov. 21 on Peacock.
