The entirety of The Big Bang Theory cast haven’t even technically signed an official contract for season eight yet, but co-creator and executive producer Chuck Lorre is already planning some big changes for some of the characters on the smash hit CBS series. Lorre recently revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that some big plot changes are in the works, specifically regarding Kaley Cuoco’s character, Penny.
Fans of the show know that Penny has been (mostly unsuccessfully) pursuing an acting career since the beginning of the series while also maintaining a waitressing gig at the Cheesecake Factory. Last season, she quit her job at the restaurant to chase her dreams of Hollywood fame full-time. Unfortunately, the only job that she manages to book is that in a bad, extremely low-budget film, which she eventually gets fired from. This season though, things for her will turn around dramatically career-wise.
“Penny has an interesting arc this year where she puts acting down,” Lorre confirmed at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. “She gets a shot to be a pharmaceutical rep at Bernadette’s [Melissa Rauch] company.”
To the surprise of some of her friends, and particularly to soon-to-be husband Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Penny begins to excel in her new vocation, becoming increasingly confident in herself and her capabilities and earning a higher salary than ever before. Her newfound success will eventually cause a change in the dynamic between Penny and Leonard, who became engaged toward the end of season seven.