First off let me just say that I love this show. It's my favorite show of all time. The plot lines are riveting, the characters are so developed, the lines are hilarious and genuine and the acting is amazing. I never get tired of watching TBBT.
So I just joined this site today and this is my first post, so I apologize if someone else has already brought this up. I was watching clips from the show on youtube today and it occurred to me that Penny might be the most important character on the show. She shows up in the apartment building and things start to change. Without her, the guys would just continue to stay in the apartment playing video games and going to the comic book shop. Every growth the characters have made has been because of their interactions with Penny.
Howard was always being creepy and sexist when trying to talk to women. He was always making sexual comments to Penny until one day she had enough and told him off. It crushed him to be called creepy and pathetic but it resonated with him. If Penny never got angry at him, he would have never changed. Things would never have worked out with him and Bernadette if he treated her like he treated Penny in the beginning. Penny is a strong enough character to ignore it and finally put him in his place and still be friends with him afterwards.
Leonard and Penny's relationship was important as well because of Leonard being a doormat for women. He had to grow a lot as a person in order to have a serious relationship with Pria, even if it didn't work out. Penny doesn't always treat him the best but he has been starting to stand up for himself a lot and demand better treatment in his relationships with women. I don't think it works out with them because the spark just isn't there for Penny, but they will remain close friends.
I really love the dynamic between Sheldon and Penny. There always seems to be a little chemistry between the characters. I think it's because Penny is the first person to stand up to Sheldon. He always walked all over the other guys whereas she stood up to him and gave him crap right back. She holds her ground with him even if they aren't intellectual equals so I think he respects her for that. I know a lot of people were wanting them to get together before Amy came along (and some still do) but I don't think they should. They just don't have enough in common. Penny and Sheldon have a special relationship. She gets him to open up to his emotional side like no one else really can. He gets over his aversion to human contact (somewhat) because of her. He shares things with her that he can't talk about to the other characters. He can be scared, hurt, and vulnerable with her. He becomes more human because of her. Without Penny, things would not work out with him and Amy. He's meant to be with Amy, but he'll always have a special place in his heart for Penny.
I think the next big storyline will involve Penny helping Raj to get over his fear of talking with women so he can start to have adult relationships but I don't think she'll end up with Raj or Leonard long term. I don't want this show to end because it's brilliant but it will someday. I was trying to think of how it could end the best. I think a fitting endning would be that it's a few years down the road. Raj, Howard, Leonard, and Sheldon are all hanging out in the apartment with their wives/ girlfriends. They are all talking, joking, and laughing and having fun together. Penny opens the door and pauses in the doorway unnoticed. The camera zooms in to a close up of each couple for a second before moving onto the next couple. They are all smiling and in love. She still hasn't been noticed by anyone. She smiles to herself and quietly closes the door. In the hallway she pauses for just a second. She knows that she will always love them, but that she can't be a part of their lives anymore. She wipes away a tear, smiles, whispers "goodbye", and walks down the stairs. The end.
I'd love to hear comments. I know my proposed ending is sad, but even though the show is a comedy, I don't think doing a funny ending would be doing the show justice after all that has happened. This is my favorite show and just pray the writers give it a great ending when the time does come to end the show.
