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Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco, The Big Bang Theory
Question: Like you, I'm enjoying
The Big Bang Theory and think Sheldon and the gang of nerds are a hoot. Penny, though, seems to be an unwelcome distraction. I haven't laughed at her even once — her scenes simply aren't funny.
Sara Gilbert, on the other hand, is a riot. Do you think the show should (or would) get rid of Penny and focus on its strengths, the geeks? Last week's episode, which had Penny in nearly every scene, didn't make me laugh once. (Or am I just prejudiced against dumb blondes?)
— Angie H.
Matt Roush: Ouch. I appreciate where you're coming from, but I think you're selling Penny (and
Kaley Cuoco) short. This show, which has developed in a short time into one of TV's best new comedies, has been likened to a reverse
Three's Company in its two-geeks-and-a-girl setup, but Penny's not such a dim bulb as Chrissie. She is, in a sense, the show's "straight man," it's true, but I get a kick out of her withering responses to Sheldon's anal-retentive rudeness and Wolowitz's bumbling lechery. I also find her endearing when she (understandably) can't track what the geniuses are obsessing about, and she's sweet when it comes to Leonard's awkward adoration. The geeks are the franchise (and I also hope they bring back Sara Gilbert as often as possible), but they need to be grounded by someone who is both "normal" and, in her own way, funny. For me, Penny fits the bill.
