Leonard and Penny are in one of those sitcom relationships that exists because that's what the showrunners want, rather than something that develops naturally as a result of chemistry. A Ross and Rachel, rather than a Monica and Chandler. The weird thing is, though, that they don't really even seem to like each other that much. They've been on-again off-again for so many seasons, but why? Penny feels inadequate when she's with Leonard because of his high IQ and oh-so-subtle suggestions that she further her education. Leonard is so in awe of her beauty that can become petty and jealous fairly easily. He's also got enough mommy issues to fill an inconveniently large building. It's so obvious to everyone but the characters that Leonard should be with a smart, nurturing woman (maybe an English PhD), and Penny should have a guy with average to slightly above average intelligence and halfway decent social skills. How many awkward breakups and beta tests do they have to go through before they come to terms with the fact that they're just not meant to be together?
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
