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The Big Bang Theory‘s controversial Penny pregnancy twist was foreshadowed by a comment from Amy. In its final season, The Big Bang Theory tackled several multi-episode arcs that both culminated in the finale. The first focused on Sheldon and Amy’s bid for the Nobel Prize in Physics, and the second tackled Penny and Leonard’s conflict about having kids. The Big Bang Theory developed the latter plot line inefficiently, resulting in the divisive reveal that Penny got accidentally pregnant.
As The Big Bang Theory‘s original romantic pairing, Penny and Leonard’s love story was consistently at the center of the show’s storytelling. Once they tied the knot, however, the sitcom effectively forgot about them. In an effort to rectify years of neglect, its last season introduced the problematic The Big Bang Theory Penny pregnancy story. This became one of the biggest questions leading up to The Big Bang Theory‘s final season, and did a great job keeping audiences guessing until the end. However, the show included a subtle detail that spoiled the twist ahead of its reveal.
In preparation for the Pasadena gang’s Stockholm trip for the Nobel Prize ceremony that would honor Sheldon and Amy in The Big Bang Theory‘s finale, the girls went out to have their special gowns made. Once they returned home, Amy giddily talked about her experience saying that while her dress needed to be tucked, Penny’s had to be loosened. This was a subtle nod to the fact that Penny’s bump was finally starting to show. Eventually, it was revealed that she and Leonard were expecting their first child, despite previously having opposing thoughts about the matter.
Unfortunately, Penny’s final The Big Bang Theory story lacked a proper payoff. The Pasadena gang did not learn about her pregnancy until they were on the flight to Stockholm, and since the focus at that point was on Sheldon and Amy’s Nobel win, The Big Bang Theory missed the chance to properly explore how the Hofstadters’ felt about their big development. Suffice to say, Penny’s pregnancy was one of the more disappointing aspects of having to end The Big Bang Theory after season 12. Had it gone on, CBS could have shown what kind of parents Penny and Leonard ultimately become.
Why Penny’s TBBT Pregnancy Plot Twist Was So Divisive
Ultimately, the way The Big Bang Theory wrapped up Penny’s storyline drew much criticism. The show essentially disregarded her earlier stance on having kids and then showed her suddenly happy about getting pregnant by accident. Even Kaley Cuoco argued against Penny’s TBBT ending, but her complaints fell on deaf ears. Penny’s character could have changed her mind about the matter, of course. The problem lies in how the whole narrative was rushed and unearned, and at no point in The Big Bang Theory‘s final season did Penny suggest she was opening up on the idea of having kids.
