10 Secret TV Pilot Episodes You Didn't Know Existed
2. Big Bang Theory - Kaley Who-oco?
Back when Big Bang Theory was dominating pop culture, rumours about the unaired pilot were everywhere. Telling the story of a successful pilot with one major problem: the character of Penny was played by a bad actress, and that Kaley Cuoco came in and saved the show.
Well, I hate to tell any fans that believed that rumour, but it's not entirely true. Actually the original, unaired pilot was completely different to the one we eventually got to see, and that was the problem. Yes, it is true that Cuoco wasn't a part of the unaired pilot, but the character Penny didn't even exist in the original! The only main characters that did exist were Leonard and Sheldon.
In fact, after the episode was first presented to studios, the creators were told that the two nerdy roommates were the only thing that actually worked with it and that to sell it they'd have to change everything else.
So, it was back to the drawing board, and the two female leads, Katie and Gilda, were written out of the show and Raj, Howard and Penny were written in with the 3 actors being brought in to portray the eclectic bunch. And the rest is history.