The Big Bang Theory: Penny’s 10 Best Pieces Of Advice
Penny was always a great support to her friends, and throughout the course of The Big Bang Theory, she dished quite a few pieces of good advice.
Kaley Cuoco gave fans of The Big Bang Theory many iconic moments throughout the show’s run. Because she was so different from the rest of the main characters this provided a lot of opportunity for comedy but also a lot of opportunities for her to show Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard some tips and tricks for the real world.
Penny having far more ‘life experience’ than the rest of the gang means that she can always give great advice whether it be for a relationship, friendship, or fashion. Sometimes, even the great Sheldon Cooper has benefitted from listening to her.
Taking Sheldon Suit Shopping
In season 3 episode 18, ‘The Pants Alternative’ Sheldon wins an award and must give a speech in front of an audience, which he knows he will struggle with. Somehow, even though he won’t stop talking around his friends, the idea of doing the exact same in front of strangers terrifies him.
Penny decides that she will take him shopping for a new suit as that will boost his confidence. Penny did help Sheldon look suave in an all-black suit, and feeling confident at work in smart clothes is something that everyone has had happen to them.
“Do As I Say, Not As I Do”
In season 11 episode 9, ‘The Bitcoin Entanglement’ in a flashback Penny and Bernadette are still working at The Cheesecake Factory when Bernadette tells Penny about her break-up. Penny then states that the best way to get over a break-up is to take time to yourself.
Penny’s ex-boyfriend Zack then appears as her date at which point Penny turns to Bernadette and says “Do as I say, not as I do.” It’s safe to say that Penny has made some questionable relationship decisions in the past and doing exactly as she does might not be the smartest thing.
Sheldon Only Has Eyes For You
In season 10 episode 24, ‘The Long Distance Dissonance’, Ramona Nowitzki returns and continues her obsession with Sheldon while Amy is away. Amy asks Penny and Bernadette to keep an eye on Sheldon while she isn’t there but gets worried when she hears of Sheldon working with another woman.
Penny comforts her by saying, “Looks don’t matter to Sheldon, because he only has eyes for you.” Even though Amy initially took this as a dig at her appearance, it was actually very sound advice. Amy should not forget that the similarities between her and Sheldon’s personality are what drew him to her.
“The Only Thing That Stays The Same…”
In season 12 episode 23, ‘The Change Constant’, Sheldon gets anxious about the fact that everything is changing. While sitting at The Cheesecake Factory, Penny tries to comfort him by pointing out that he has changed a lot since they first met years ago.
Penny then states that “the only thing that stays the same is that things are always changing.” giving Sheldon some comfort and a new perspective at a troubled time in his life.
“You Always Will Be Physicists”
In season 11 episode 2, ‘The Retraction Reaction’ Leonard and Sheldon feel like they have hit a dead end with physics and are incredibly down as they feel like their careers and lives have amounted to nothing.
As Penny goes over to comfort them she reminds them that even though physics is hard and not everything pans out, the journey of discovery is what got them into it in the first place. She may have used the word “boring” instead of hard but the basic premise of her advice is there.
“Keep Your Mouth Off Other Women”
In season 8 episode 24, ‘The Commitment Determination’, Penny and Leonard decide to get married in Vegas as Sheldon points out that they have been engaged for a while but still haven’t set a date for their wedding. While in the car Leonard confesses to kissing another girl in the past and Penny takes this as Leonard trying to sabotage the wedding when in fact he just didn’t want any secrets between them.
Leonard asks what he can do to make it better to which Penny replies “keep your mouth off other women?” Some very sound advice from Penny that anyone in a relationship can take.
Howard And The Prenup
In season 5 episode 16, ‘The Vacation Solution’, Howard and Bernadette discuss the matter of signing a prenuptial agreement and Howard is hesitant. When he goes to Penny for advice she puts it plain and simple: “All right, Howard Wolowitz, listen up! You sign anything she puts in front of you because you are the luckiest man alive.”
Looking at Howard’s relationship past, there has been no one for him like Bernadette. As Howard goes on to have a family and a house and a life with Bernadette, who knows where he might have ended up if Penny hadn’t persuaded him to sign.
Compromise Is Key
In season 10 episode 4, The Cohabitation Experimentation’, Amy and Sheldon are talking to Leonard and Penny, respectively, about moving in with one another and ask for advice from them. Penny offers Sheldon a lot of great advice but the most important one for Sheldon is “Compromise is key.”
Fans will know that Sheldon is not usually one to compromise on anything, such as his spot on the couch to take one example, but in order to make his relationship work with Amy, it may be the most important aspect of Sheldon’s personality he should be mindful of when living with Amy.
When She Solved String Theory
In season 11 episode 13, ‘The Solo Oscillation”, Penny sits with Sheldon as he goes through string theory where he makes it clear just how complicated it is. He states that scientists have been trying to come up with a solution for decades. She questions why and asks how it has taken scientists this long.
During her amazement, she states that strings get wrapped up in other strings which sparks the idea that Sheldon uses to make a breakthrough discovery in his and Amy’s wedding episode, arguably one of the best moments of Sheldon’s research.
“If You’re Really Leonard’s Friend…”
In season 2 episode 2, ‘The Codpiece Trilogy’, Leonard goes on a date with Sheldon’s ‘arch-nemesis Leslie Winkle who repeatedly belittles Sheldon’s research and calls him a “dumbass.” Sheldon spends the evening playing a game on his computer when Penny finds him on the stairs.
Sheldon vents about anger at Leonard and Leslie’s date to which Penny says, “If you’re really Leonard’s friend, you will support him no matter who he wants to be with.”
