**Chuck Lorre's Admission of Early Mistake with Penny's Character**

Co-creator Chuck Lorre has made a startling admission about a significant mistake made in the earlier seasons of The Big Bang Theory.

When the original pilot of the show was reworked, Kaley Cuoco was brought in to play Penny, the new neighbor of Sheldon and Leonard. For the first three seasons, ... ... Penny was the only main female character in the show, and she ultimately appeared in all 12 seasons of the beloved CBS comedy.

**Kaley Cuoco's Involvement in Shaping Penny's Character**

However, Penny's status as an original cast member also meant that she was subjected to The Big Bang Theory's problematic brand of humor, which was particularly prevalent in its early years.

... ... Even Simon Helberg has acknowledged the backlash against the portrayal of sleazy Howard, and reruns have omitted a particularly distasteful scene from the show's pilot. In terms of Penny, the character was initially depicted as the stereotypical ditzy blonde, a portrayal that Lorre now regrets.

**The Big Bang Theory's Mishandling of Penny's Storyline in the Finale**

In the new ... book ... *The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series*, Lorre candidly admits to the mistake in Penny's depiction during the show's early years. Kaley Cuoco herself has previously mentioned feeling that her character was overly sexualized in the early seasons. Fortunately, ... as the ... show progressed, she became more involved in shaping Penny's character. Lorre's full quote on the matter is as follows:

**Calls for a Reunion and ... ... Reboot**

Despite Cuoco's increased involvement in shaping her character, The Big Bang Theory's finale still fell short in its treatment of Penny.

After years of stagnation in her and Leonard's relationship, season 12 introduced a conflict for the Hofstadters regarding their ... differing views on having ... children. Despite Penny's insistence that she didn't want to get pregnant, she ended up expecting anyway. Cuoco has expressed her disagreement with Penny's ending in the same oral history, stating that she would have preferred if The Big Bang Theory had honored her original wish. Unfortunately, ... the writers proceeded with their choice, .

.. and the show could have done a better job of depicting when and how Penny gradually changed her mind about the matter.

**Addressing Penny's Divisive Ending in a Potential Reboot**

Given The Big Bang Theory's enduring popularity, calls for a reunion have persisted since the show ended in 2019. While many cast members and producers have ... expressed interest, there are currently no plans for .

.. a revival. However, if a reboot were to move forward, one of the first things it would need to address is justifying Penny's divisive ending. This would allow the show to make amends for its treatment of the character and provide closure for fans who ... were left unsatisfied by the original series' ... conclusion.