Big Bang Theory's Near Miss: Leonard & Penny Almost Stayed Just Friends

The Big Bang Theory surprisingly paid a lot of attention to the development of its characters' love lives.

The fact that even Howard, who was initially portrayed as a real woman repeller, found happiness with a significant other and ended up with two kids proves this.

Not to mention the show's main weirdo, Sheldon Cooper, who also found his (no less weird) half. But it seems that the couple that got more attention from the fans than any other was the tandem of Leonard and Penny.

Although their relationship had its own difficulties (frankly a lot of them), it was still quite obvious that these two just had to end up together and have their happily ever after. And it actually happened in the show.

But initially, the writers had another ending for them.

As The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady claims in Jessica Radloff's book, The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive Inside Story Of The Epic Hit Series, there was a significant chance that Penny and Leonard would remain just friends.

Because their characters were never written as having an inevitable future as a couple.

"We said they legitimately could be the person for each other and we were rooting for it, but they had a lot of obstacles. So when they'd break up, it wasn't false jeopardy for the audience.

Them not winding up together was an absolute legitimate path forward for the series, and it could've been. They could have easily been that couple who once went out and now are friends," he said, according to the book.

The one thing that helped the writers decide what to do with Penny and Leonard's relationship was actually the reaction of the fandom.

The audience was really invested in them as a couple, which is why we have the Hofstadters at the end of the series.