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The Big Bang Theory enjoyed huge success for over a decade, however, things could have looked very different on a few occasions. In fact, Howard was almost played by Kevin Sussman, while Mayim Bialik only had five lines to perfect her role as Amy during her role in The Big Bang Theory.
As for Kunal Nayyar, he was almost given the boot by CBS early on, and the network wasn’t into his involvement on the show, despite the fact that he hardly had any lines during the pilot.
The final formula worked, however, as we’ll find out, it didn’t start that way. According to creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, fans completely disliked a main character early on. So much so, that he had to completely alter the script and premise because of it.
Amanda Walsh Played The Role Of Katie During The First Pilot
During the original pilot, Penny was not part of the script and instead, Amanda Walsh was in one of the prime roles as the character, Katie. Her role on the show was the exact opposite of Penny, much darker and meaner.
Ultimately, she wouldn’t last following the pilot. However, creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady praised her work, although it lasted briefly.
“She was terrific in the role, but the role was misconceived. It was our responsibility,” Lorre said with EW.
Bill Prady would also reveal that Walsh returned, and attempted to take on the role of Penny. However, she just didn’t fit the role.
“She was actually a very sweet person, and it was a lot of work for her to become that rough character. Afterward, she wanted to come back in for the new version of Penny, but she had been so identified as that first character that it wasn’t able to happen.”
Although the creators praised Walsh for her involvement, those at the test screening thought differently of her brief role during the pilot.
The Test Audience Loved Sheldon And Leonard But Hated Katie’s Character
The original pilot didn’t go over so well with the test audience and a major part of it had to do with the character, Katie. According to both Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, it became evident quickly that her character wasn’t going to work.
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“In the first pilot, the female character (who, at that point, was named Katie) is kind of rough. She’s dangerous in a way and wasn’t very nice to the guys. I remember going to the test screening, the dial testing.”
Prady continues, “They hated her, but what was amazing was that they were defending Leonard and Sheldon so much.”
According to Chuck Lorre, the audience reaction helped them understand Leonard and Sheldon’s characters on a deeper level.
“Yeah, we didn’t realize early on that the audience viewed them as children. They were very naive and childlike, regardless of how intelligent they were. They were very vulnerable, and the audience didn’t want a toxic presence around them.”
Ultimately, bringing in Kaley Cuoco as Penny completely changed the show’s dynamic.
Kaley Cuoco’s Character Of Penny Completely Changed The Show’s Dynamic
A major reason as to why Penny ended up entering the mix, was as a form of protection for both Leonard and Sheldon. Creators Lorre and Prady learned all about this following the original pilot.
“That’s why we rewrote Katie to become Penny [Kaley Cuoco] and made her much more charmed by the guys and kind to them, as opposed to a woman who would take advantage of them.”
Not only did the show improve during the second pilot, but the premise was also much easier to understand.
Lorre stated, “The plot of the second pilot is pretty simple. Leonard meets an incredible woman, he’s obsessed with her, she’s the woman of his dreams, and he wants to win her heart. So, she gives him a task, he fails at it, and then they all eat dinner!”
Cuoco was perfect in the role and her audition was memorable for her initial interaction alongside Jim Parsons.
“I remember sitting next to Jim in the waiting room and he had a Blackberry. It was an older phone and I remember introducing myself to him. He said he couldn’t get his Blackberry working and was talking to it. I thought, “This guy would be a hilarious Sheldon.” It might have been a Nextel, I don’t know what it was,” Cuoco tells THR about her audition.
