10 Shocking Twists That Would Improve Major TV Shows

5. The Big Bang Theory €“ Leonard Dumps Penny

The Big Bang Theory, perhaps more than any other show on television right now, has found its sweet spot. Every episode unfolds in essentially the same way, with an A-plot and a B-plot unfolding and every character providing commentary on the action that can be filtered through their quirks. Sheldon is an intelligent yet annoying borderline sociopath, Leonard is an intelligent romantic, Raj is an intelligent socially incompetent male, Howard is a weirdo, Penny is attractive but not particularly intelligent, Bernadette is an intelligent woman who shouldn't have to be married to the weirdo to be in the gang, and Amy is the one emerging from her formerly socially inept shell. This is the bread and butter of the show, and that is not going to change. Part of the reason why the show does so well now is because it aired on syndication on CBS, and why it did so well on TBS is because it does not differ much from episode to episode. I'm not suggesting a major change that would shake the very premise of TBBT like the other shows on this list, I still think it should go back to its merry band of misfits after Leonard breaks up with Penny, but it would still represent a big turning point for the message of the show. Let's face it, their relationship isn't as happy or natural as it was supposed to be, and the two actors lack chemistry together. They should definitely break up rather than get married (the direction in which the writers seemingly have them heading). It isn't enough that the two break up though €“ Leonard has to be the one to break up with Penny. Isn't it getting annoying that Leonard is expected to grovel at the feet of the more attractive person, despite the fact that they have almost nothing in common, simply because she is more attractive than he is? Their relationship is unhealthy, as any relationship based on a fundamental inequality is, so why not stand up for the "nerds" this show so explicitly states they love and give Leonard some long overdue self-respect. Then they can go back to making jokes about science again.