Lenny, Penny and Kenny: Never Released TBBT Pilot Will Blow Your Mind

The Big Bang Theory was a huge success throughout its 12 seasons and quickly earned its place among other iconic classic sitcoms like Friends and How I Met Your Mother.

The story of four nerdy but extremely smart guys and their hot, funny neighbor Penny, who somehow fits perfectly into their group of friends, made many people relate to the characters and resonate with their struggles.

Raj, Howard, Leonard, Sheldon and Penny – it's hard to imagine the show any other way today. But the original idea behind it all was a little different.

Not many fans know this, but before The Big Bang Theory aired the pilot that we all know and love, there was another one that didn't sit well with the focus group.

The original title of the show, Lenny, Penny and Kenny, had a nice ring to it, but suggested another name for Sheldon that is even harder to grasp today.

The biggest change, however, wasn't in Sheldon's name (though it's nice that they did it), but in Penny's... everything.

From her personality to her name to the actress who portrayed her, Penny was rewritten to be more relatable to the audience.

Originally played by Amanda Walsh, she was called Katie and had a much tougher exterior than her later iteration.

Sheldon, or Kenny, along with Leonard, who doesn't seem to have changed at all, meets her on the sidewalk outside their house.

She's crying, she's lonely, and she has absolutely nowhere to go – what more do you need for a good TV show premise?

For some reason, Katie just didn't click with viewers, and it was decided that her character would be completely rewritten.

In the end, it worked, as the audience fell in love with Kaley Cuoco from her first appearance as Penny.