Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Big Bang Theory

#10: It Originally Had a Different Title

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It’s no secret that “The Big Bang Theory” is named after the cosmological model for our universe. Before settling on this title, however, the show was initially going to be called “Lenny, Penny and Kenny.” While Penny ultimately stuck around, Lenny evolved into Leonard and Kenny went on to become Sheldon. These changes were probably for the best, especially since the original title doesn’t really tie into the show’s science theme or nerdy sense of humor. “Lenny, Penny and Kenny” sounds like a generic sitcom that’s trying to be the next “Three’s Company.” And we all know how frustrating Sheldon can get when he comes and knocks on your door.

#9: We Still Don’t Know Penny’s Last Name

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As of 2017, audiences have known Penny for 10 years, but over 200 episodes later and they still don't know her full name. After tying the knot with Leonard at the beginning of Season 9, Penny adopted the surname Hofstadter. Yet, her maiden name has never been spoken throughout the show’s lengthy run. Co-creator Bill Prady has said that Penny’s surname will come out of the bag at some point. Executive producer Steve Molaro, on the other hand, insists that her last name will forever be a giant question mark. In other words, Sheldon could prove the string theory before we hear Penny’s full name.

At the end of Season 3, actress Mayim Bialik entered the equation as Amy Farrah Fowler. Given the instant chemistry with Sheldon, it wasn’t long until Bialik became a series regular. Long before that though, Bialik herself was actually referenced in a Season 1 episode. Listing off potential candidates for a physics bowl, Raj suggests “the girl from TV’s 'Blossom'” noting that she has a PhD in neuroscience. This, of course, is Mayim Bialik, who broke out into stardom playing Blossom Ruby Russo, and later went on to become a neuroscientist. Interestingly enough, the girl from “The Wonder Years” would also eventually pop up in the series.

When actress Melissa Rauch made her debut on the show back in Season 3, she noticeably didn’t have the cute, high-pitched voice Bernadette Rostenkowski has become iconic for. Rauch would evolve and perfect Bernadette’s voice over time, deriving inspiration from a family member. At a PaleyFest panel, Rauch mentioned that Bernadette’s voice is tonally very similar to her mother’s, but, quote, “without the Jersey”. Perhaps this is fitting, seeing how Bernadette and Howard really started to hit it off after swapping stories about their overbearing mothers.

Seeing as how the cast of characters includes two physicists, an engineer, an astrophysicist, a neuroscientist, and a microbiologist, the writers need to take extra precautions to make sure this show is scientifically accurate. Enter David Saltzberg. A physics and astronomy professor at the University of California, Saltzberg has been a science consultant for “The Big Bang Theory” from the very beginning. His duties involve checking each script, pointing out any errors, and adding scientific information. And those complicated equations you see on the whiteboards? He’s responsible for overseeing those as well. Sheldon Cooper may have an IQ of 187, but Saltzberg is the real genius.

#5: An Executive Producer’s Coworker Inspired Raj’s Selective Mutism

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While Raj has never exactly been smooth with the ladies, at least he can maintain a conversation with them now. Raj struggled with selective mutism for the first six seasons, generally requiring alcohol to speak in the presence of women he’s not related to. The idea for this character trait stemmed from the show’s co-creator and executive producer Bill Prady. Prior to the show, he worked for the Small Computer Company as a programmer, and had a colleague who, like Raj, couldn’t talk to women without being inebriated. As for actor Kunal Nayyar, he obviously has no problem talking to the opposite sex: he’s married to former Miss India Neha Kapur.

#4: Penny Wasn’t in the Original Pilot

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It's hard to believe, but Penny was nowhere to be found the original pilot. Instead, Leonard and Sheldon cross paths with a hard-boiled woman named Katie, played by Amanda Walsh. After breaking up with her boyfriend, Katie moves in with the dorky duo. Test audiences didn’t respond well to Katie, however, and the network found the pilot underwhelming on the whole. Still, the creators knew they had struck gold with actors Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons, so they went back and retooled several aspects, most notably switching out Katie with Penny. The new pilot was subsequently picked up, and the rest is history.

#3: Jim Parsons Has Never Seen “Star Trek”

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Sheldon Cooper is about as hardcore as Trekkers get. He’s dressed up as “Star Trek” characters on numerous occasions and practically had a meltdown after attaining some of Leonard Nimoy’s DNA. Plus, he knows Next-Gen actors LeVar Burton and Wil Wheaton personally. But ironically, actor Jim Parsons claims to have never even seen an episode of “Star Trek.” Rather than growing up with the voyages of the starship Enterprise, Parsons has always been more of a sports guy. When the cameras are rolling, though, Parsons still manages to speak fluent Klingon, demonstrating his incredible versatility as an actor.

#2: The Show Got Sued for “Soft Kitty”

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One of the show’s most famous running gags, “Soft Kitty” is a song that’s known to soothe Sheldon when he’s feeling sick or depressed. This song originated from a Polish lullaby, as was a song called “Warm Kitty”, written by Edith Newlin. In 2015, Newlin’s daughters brought a copyright lawsuit against the companies attached to the show, claiming that Willis Music had published the rhyme in a 1937 songbook. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2017, however, on the grounds that Newlin’s heirs had failed to prove that they owned a valid copyright on their mother’s work. That must’ve made Chuck Lorre a happy kitty. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - A Real-Life Actor/Producer Inspired Sheldon & Leonard’s 1st Names - There’s Only 1 Set of Stairs Used Over & Over Again On Set

“Bazinga” has become such a popular term that it even inspired the name of a Brazilian bee species known as Euglossa bazinga. As for where Sheldon’s catchphrase came from, we have writer Stephen Engel to thank for that. Engel would say, “Bazinga,” whenever he played a prank on another writer, like when he gave Bill Prady a scooped out grapefruit and yelled the immortal punchline when Prady tried to eat it. “Bazinga” later popped up during the show’s Season 2 finale, although it wasn’t originally scripted, and was instead inserted at the last minute during filming. Although it took two seasons to arrive, “Bazinga” is now practically synonymous with “The Big Bang Theory.”