The later shine sometimes makes the efforts at the beginning seem absurd. This also applies to The Big Bang Theory. The sitcom about two young scientists and their neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco) enjoyed gigantic success and has cult status. But at the beginning the series was about to end: Two parties in front of the camera didn’t get along.
Kaley Cuoco saved The Big Bang Theory: Another star should play Penny first
Cuoco is now internationally known as Penny. Before her, however, The Big Bang Theory showrunner Chuck Lorre wanted to cast Amanda Walsh (Disturbia) in the role. As he revealed to Entertainment Weekly in 2022, the two male leads had Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki no good chemistry with her in front of the camera. This was particularly evident in a specially produced pilot episode, which failed the test audience. That was a huge problem.
The US media industry produces countless series every year canceled due to a disappointing pilot episode, before the regular audience even gets to see it. The Big Bang Theory apparently narrowly avoided such a fate. The US broadcaster CBS was appeased… and the key was Kaley Cuoco.
“Cuoco came on board and turned out to be the missing ingredient“explained former CBS boss Nina Tassler in an interview quoted by The Direct. “Chuck and [Co-Showrunner] Bill Prady provided the script and the rest is history.“
Slashfilm also quotes then-Warner boss Peter Roth, who wanted to get Cuoco into the series by any means possible: “I pleaded with Kaley’s team. Everything in the second pilot was designed to sell Kaley as Penny. She was exactly what we needed.” As Cuoco previously revealed, Walsh’s Penny was a completely different person, darker, sadder.
It was their new cast that turned The Big Bang Theory into the hit series that millions of fans celebrate it as today. So Kaley Cuoco and her character have the sitcom actually saved.