Any fan of The Big Bang Theory knows that Leonard and Penny are the founding romantic pairing of the show. His attraction to her formed a huge basis of the show’s humor when it first started, and their romantic ups and downs have been fodder for the series ever since. Now that the couple is finally married, many people wonder how long it will be until they take the next step and have kids. Well, showrunner Steve Molaro has some thoughts on that idea that he’s more than willing to share with us.
Realistically, if Penny and Leonard had a baby, that baby would start to alter the DNA of the show a lot more dramatically than Howard and Bernadette’s.
Steve Molaro spoke to TVLine about his desire to keep Penny and Leonard childless for as long as possible on the series. It was just a few weeks ago that it was revealed that Bernadette and Howard were soon to become parents, so it’s understandable that yet another baby among the small group of friends would be too much too soon for the show. But, it looks like Molaro also has some other concerns with the possibility of Penny and Leonard bringing home a baby.
His thought is that Leonard and Penny becoming parents would “start to alter the DNA of the show.” And, since this is the core relationship of the series, I can see how he’d feel that way. It was already a pretty big step to have the couple get married in the current season opener, having a kid would, indeed, change the show in a fundamental way.
Penny and Leonard have always been the couple you root for, but are still never quite sure how they could manage to last. Part of the intrigue with this couple is that, much more so than Howard and Bernadette or Amy and Sheldon, they seem so opposite that it feels like their relationship is always somehow up in the air. Even when they were dating we were hoping for them to last but thinking it just couldn’t. If these two had a baby, it would take that tension out of the show. That little tickle at the back of your Big Bang Theory loving brain that says This ain’t gonna work…is this really gonna work?, is suddenly shut off. You’d be forced to stop questioning and start believing 100% in them as a couple that needs to last until death do them part.
Their romantic entanglement is the backbone of the show. No matter what else goes on with the other couples, Penny and Leonard manage to capture our hopes and doubt at the same time. I think Steve Molaro is right. Why try to fix what isn’t broken?
