Jump to content

Penny (The Big Bang Theory)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 189.235.132.118 (talk) at 00:09, 1 January 2010 (→‎Relationships). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Penny
Kaley Cuoco as Penny
First appearance"Pilot"
Portrayed byKaley Cuoco
In-universe information
Nickname"Queen Penelope" (online), "Slugger" (by father)
GenderFemale
OccupationWaitress/aspiring actress
RelativesBob (father), unamed sister and brother
NationalityAmerican

Penny is a fictional character on the CBS television series The Big Bang Theory, portrayed by actress Kaley Cuoco.

Penny is the main female character on the show. She is Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper's neighbor across the hallway, and the main love interest of the former. Penny's looks and outgoing personality contrast with the rest of the main male characters, who are all scientists and geeks.

Personality

Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Penny is a waitress at the local Cheesecake Factory with aspirations of becoming an actress.[1]

Unlike the rest of the group, Penny is not intellectually gifted or savvy in a particular technical field, but she has great social skills and a lot of knowledge about pop culture.[2]

Penny is messy and disorganized, but appears to like it that way.[3] She also has full confidence in horoscopes and often has arguments with Sheldon about their accuracy.[1][4]

While usually very kind, she can become extremely fierce when provoked such as when Sheldon broke into her apartment to clean,[3] when she confronted Howard over his flirting,[5] or when Sheldon "banished" her from their social group.[6]

Enmity towards Sheldon

For the most part Penny cannot stand Sheldon's nerdy, crazy personality, and the two of them have clashed several times.

In one occasion Sheldon tried to improve Penny using chocolate, rewarding her for what he considered to be "correct behavior", as in operant conditioning with lab rats.[7] As Sheldon observed, Penny will often call someone "sweetie" coupled with a thinly-veiled insult.[8]

Despite this, at times Penny and Sheldon have shown to be good friends; Penny took care of Sheldon while he was sick[9] and when he was left out of his apartment;[10] Sheldon lent money to Penny when she needed it[11] and took care of her when she dislocated her shoulder.[12]

Geek traits

Although Penny's personality usually contrasts to that of her nerdy friends, in the latter episodes Penny has shown some geekiness too, either intentional or unintentional.

Penny was surprisingly good the first time she played Halo 3, and proved to be better than Sheldon, which greatly aggravated him.[13]

In one instance, she was critical of the guys' interests in toys and collectibles, but Sheldon confronted her by noting her collection of stuffed bears and childish things (Hello Kitty, Beanie Babies, My Little Pony, etc.).[14]

After a brief introduction to the game by Sheldon, Penny became addicted to Age of Conan, to the point of ignoring her friends and calling Sheldon at all hours for advice. She finally overcame her gaming addiction when she realized she had agreed to go on a virtual "date" within the game with Howard.[15]

After Alicia, a new tenant in the building, stole the boys' attention from Penny, Penny became jealous and tried to win over the boys again by making a physicist joke and even referencing Star Trek.[16]

Name

Unlike most of the characters in the show, Penny's full name is not revealed and is largely kept a secret.

A first reference to her full name was made in The Barbarian Sublimation, in which her online nickname to play Age of Conan was Queen Penelope.[15]

Family

Not a lot is mentioned about Penny's family, but on her accounts they seem to be a dysfunctional family.

In an early episode, Penny talked to Raj about her sister's problems with her husband.[3] In another episode, Penny accompanied the guys to the comic book store to shop for a present for her 13-year-old nephew.[17]

When Leonard's mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter who is a neuroscientist and a psychiatrist, chatted with Penny, Penny revealed some of her childhood issues such as being called slugger by her father because he really wanted a son to play baseball with. This conversation affected Penny in such a way, that she became drunk and almost ended having sex with Leonard.[18]

In another occasion Penny mentions having a brother on parole, who she says is "kind of a chemist".[8]

Work

Penny's main job is as a waitress in the local Cheesecake Factory.

She considers herself a professional actress and constantly goes to castings, but she is not very successful.

When Penny was a child, she would even build a tractor engine on the farm[3] and compete in a junior rodeo.[6]

Relationships

Unlike the rest of the guys, Penny is very outgoing and assertive, and has many romantic relationships over the course of the series.

In the first episode, Penny moved in across the hall from Leonard and Sheldon because of her recent split with her boyfriend, Kurt, after four years. She said she still loved him even though he cheated on her.[1] Kurt makes further appearances in the show trying to get back with Penny, and is usually confronted by Leonard.[19][11]

From the beginning, Leonard's infatuation with Penny becomes the major force that drives the series. Howard also shows interest in her, but he is always rejected abruptly due to his overtly-sexual approaches.

In an early episode, Penny described her approach after a failed relationship: she picks up an attractive man and then has meaningless sex over the course of a weekend, then she dumps him.[20]

In the finale of the first season, Penny broke up with her boyfriend, after the latter posted intimate details about their sex life on his blog. This event gave Leonard the opportunity to ask her out on a first official date.[21] Although the date was successful, Penny became worried after she lied to Leonard about graduating from community College. Leonard eventually learned the truth about this from Sheldon, but he made matters worse when he tried to encourage Penny to enrol into a city College. Penny considered his suggestion an insult to her intelligence, and they broke up.[22]

Some time after, Penny's introduction to Leonard's mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, caused Penny and Leonard to seek comfort in each other, and nearly have sex; however, Leonard spoiled the moment with inappropriate comments and Penny kicked him out of her room.[18]

Afterwards, Penny dated Stuart, from the comic book store, but the dates didn't end well. The first time, Penny and Stuart were interrupted by Sheldon.[17] In another occasion, when Penny and Stuart were kissing, Penny mistakenly called him "Leonard".[23]

It was in the second season finale that Penny finally showed strong romantic feelings for Leonard. When she discovered that Leonard and the other guys would be spending three months at the North Pole for a scientific experiment, she became sad and gave him an unusually long hug.[24] In the third season premiere, after the guys returned from the expedition, Penny kissed Leonard right when he arrived at her door. Subsequently, Leonard and Penny finally made love for the first time.[25] Initially, Leonard and Penny felt uncomfortable with their new relationship, and they agreed to remain only friends. Yet, almost immediately they changed their minds, found renewed sexual urges, and remained a couple.[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Pilot". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 1 (1). September 24, 2007. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "The Bat Jar Conjecture". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 13 (13). April 21, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ a b c d "The Big Bran Hypothesis". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 2 (2). October 1, 2007. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ "The Peanut Reaction". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 16 (16). May 12, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "The Killer Robot Instability". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 12 (29). {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |airdaite= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ a b "The Panty Piñata Polarization". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 7 (24). November 10, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "The Gothowitz Deviation". The Big Bang Theory. Season 3. Episode 3 (43). October 5, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ a b "The Pirate Solution". The Big Bang Theory. Season 3. Episode 4 (44). October 12, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ "The Pancake Batter Anomaly". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 11 (11). March 31, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ "The Vegas Renormalization". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 21 (38). April 27, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b "The Financial Permeability". {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help); Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency". The Big Bang Theory. Season 3. Episode 8 (48). November 16, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "The Dumpling Paradox". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 7 (7). November 5, 2007. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "The Nerdvana Annihilation". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 14 (14). April 28, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ a b "The Barbarian Sublimation". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 3 (20). October 6, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "The Dead Hooker Juxtaposition". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 19 (39). March 30, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ a b "The Hofstadter Isotope". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 20 (37). April 13, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b "The Maternal Capacitance". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 15 (32). February 9, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ "The Middle Earth Paradigm". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 6 (6). October 29, 2007. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ "The Fuzzy Boots Corollary". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 3 (3). October 8, 2007. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ "The Tangerine Factor". The Big Bang Theory. Season 1. Episode 17 (17). May 19, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "The Bad Fish Paradigm". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 1 (18). September 22, 2008. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "The Classified Materials Turbulence". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 22 (39). May 4, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ "The Monopolar Expedition". The Big Bang Theory. Season 2. Episode 23 (40). May 11, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation". The Big Bang Theory. Season 3. Episode 1 (41). September 21, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ "The Jiminy Conjecture". The Big Bang Theory. Season 3. Episode 2 (42). September 28, 2009. {{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter |episodelink= ignored (|episode-link= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |serieslink= ignored (|series-link= suggested) (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Penny_(The_Big_Bang_Theory)&oldid=335204356"