The Big Bang of Paradox: How the Sheldon/Penny Ship Came to Be

THE BIG BANG OF PARADOX: How the Sheldon/Penny Ship came to be
By: RiA (Reveling in Anonymity)
Version 2.0
Updated 07/21/2009

INTRODUCTION:

The Big Bang Theory is an American sitcom from CBS revolving around the lives of four scientists and one girl. There are three main characters, that is Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons), the obsessive compulsive theoretical physicist with an IQ of 187 and two PhDs, Penny (Kaley Cuoco), the aspiring actress working as a waitress in the Cheesecake Factory ©, and Leonard Hoffstader, PhD (John Galecki), another theoretical physicist whose career is currently at a standstill.

The three mentioned have caused substantial debate among fans of the show. It is established that Leonard is infatuated with Penny, and they have since had dates, shared kisses and almost shared a bed. With this consistency, it is safe to assume that Leonard and Penny are the OTP, or the One True Pairing. However, it seems that in recent years, there is a rise in fans clamoring for a Sheldon/Penny hook up as opposed to Leonard/Penny, to the point that it is a question actors Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco, as well as the show’s producers and directors, have been subjected to. On TV, Sheldon and Penny are often seen bickering, and they have since gained more airtime over the rest of the cast.

This article is entitled “The Big Bang of Paradox” to denote the title of the series, and to describe birth. The word “Paradox” on the other hand, has been adapted by Sheldon/Penny supporters as the name of this pairing. It means contradictions, which seems to aptly describe Sheldon and Penny’s relationship.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this article is not to serve as proof for one pairing or the other, but rather, will explain the origin of the Sheldon/Penny "ship" (taken from the word "relationship", it is used to define a couple from either a TV show, movie, book, etc which is supported by fans in a romantic sense; the said fans are known as "shippers"). This article will try to be as unbiased as possible, although since we will be dealing with the origins of the Sheldon/Penny tandem, we will be discussing more on this pairing than anything else.

WHY?

Why have a number of people turned towards the pairing of non-couple Sheldon and Penny, as opposed to the obvious tandem of Leonard and Penny? The reasons listed below are gathered from both analysis of episodes and interviews with the shippers, though explanations are as much as possible, laid out in logical, non-biased terms.

1.) Opposites attract

One of the simplest scientific explanations and often used by Sheldon/Penny shippers (and shippers of other fandoms that fall under this category). In an interview with Jim Parsons by Ausilleo files, Mr. Parsons stated that a Sheldon/Penny hook up would be case of 'opposites attract', since he believes Sheldon and Penny are both polar extremes, north and south.

Setting aside Mr. Parson's interview, we will now be comparing the backgrounds of the two characters in question.

- Sheldon Cooper is a theoretical physicist in Caltech, with an IQ of 187, one Masters degree, two PhDs and an aspiration to win the Nobel Prize. Penny failed to finish community college and moved to Pasadena, California to try her luck at being an actress while working as a waitress in the Cheesecake Factory ©.

- With Sheldon’s body build, pale skin and fondness of videogames, it is assumed he is not into sports (except Wii bowling or the occasional paintball. He did try rock-climbing, but with little success), whereas of course, Penny was (perhaps still is) into sports (she seems to have a tan as well; it was also mentioned Penny’s dad used to push her into becoming a boy, played catch with her and called her “slugger”).

- Sheldon is a neat-freak, organizing everything from his comic books to his cereal (by fiber content!). Penny, though not untidy (as mentioned by Sheldon himself) is sloppy when it comes to housekeeping.

- Sheldon is an assumed asexual (though this in itself is a subject of debate by fans, since there are other indicators he may not be, most of which involves some dialogue he has with Penny) while Penny is a self-confessed “Big ol Five”, or sexual aggressor.

- Sheldon has no grasp or sarcasm whereas Penny is extremely sarcastic especially towards Sheldon (though with recent episodes, Sheldon seems to have already picked up on Penny’s sarcasm and has begun using it).

- Sheldon doesn’t drink alcohol or coffee (except for the two episodes wherein Penny tricked/convinced him into some) while Penny is often seen drunk or drinking coffee, and at times saying references to coffee.

- Sheldon doesn’t have many friends and is believed to have Asperger’s syndrome, which causes him unable to function normally in society. He is also particularly clueless in social norms and interaction (he actually keeps a log of his social interactions, and is also unable to gain a wider circle of friends other than the four he already has. He once kicked Rajesh Koothrappali out to bring in a new friend). Penny, on the other hand, appears to be a socialite and has several friends outside of the four scientists around her (as shown by the number of guests in her Halloween party). She is also quick to strike up conversation and make friends.

- Sheldon has a daily routine which he vigorously protects by a set of rules. Penny is shown to almost always break those rules, or rather she would do whatever is completely opposite to what Sheldon wants.

- Sheldon is smart, and he wants the whole world to know it. Penny, though not blessed with the same IQ, wants the world to respect her for who and what she is. A trend in Penny's character shows a lack of self-esteem and the need for respect, which often puts her at odds with Sheldon, who is extremely self-confident and doesn't show respect to anyone at all (he once lost his job by insulting his boss).

There are still a number of scenes in the series which show how different these two are from each other.

They are the embodiment of north and south, thus the fans' tendency to relegate them under "Opposites Attract".

This formula has been commonly used in TV and Movies. More on this at #3

2.) Rebelling against social norms

Rebellion is not inherent in teenagers alone, despite it being at its pique during the pubescent years. Rebellion is a human trait, passed on since Adam and Eve. Humans have a tendency to bend, if not break the rules, or the social norms, if you will. In Big Bang Theory, the social norm would be Leonard/Penny whilst Sheldon/Penny would come as the opposition or rebellion.

Another way to explain this would be through the forbidden fruit method. What is forbidden is always tempting. The Sheldon/Penny ship is the forbidden fruit in comparison to ‘what is right’ (Leonard/Penny), and therefore, would tend to generate more curiosity and interest.

I must make note that this particular section has caused some reaction from S/P shippers. If you are offended, I apologize. I did not intend to put the Sheldon/Penny tandem as a result of sheer rebellion, but as I’ve observed with other non-conventional ships, this is the trend/inference I have garnered. I am by no means an expert, so please take this with a grain of salt.

3.) The More You Hate, The More You Love

This is related to #1. In the earlier parts of the show, we see a lot of conflict between Sheldon and Penny, though eventually, we also see their slow, yet progressing level of friendship and understanding.

This is where the love/hate relationship formula comes in. This formula has been used in shows, movies, books etc with constant success. This can be explained by the fact that there are two emotions involved: Love and Hate. Both are polar opposites (see #1) yet are both equal in terms of intensity. This is explained by an article from the Science editor, written by Steve Connor:

Love and hate are intimately linked within the human brain, according to a study that has discovered the biological basis for the two most intense emotions.

Scientists studying the physical nature of hate have found that some of the nervous circuits in the brain responsible for it are the same as those that are used during the feeling of romantic love – although love and hate appear to be polar opposites.

(sic)

Say for example a story involves just love no conflicts. It tends to be boring. If a story involves all conflict and no resolution, it tends to depress. But put the two elements together, we have conflict WITH resolution, which is a more realistic and appealing formula.

An argument to this may be that Leonard and Penny also have conflict and love at the same time. This, however, is overshadowed by the intensity of love/hate between Sheldon and Penny, as explained by this love hate relationships excerpt from Wikipedia:

It can be argued that, due to the fact that the subjects love each other despite issues they have, a love hate relationship actually represents a stronger bond than a simple love relationship does. Also since a constant hatred is felt, any new issues which emerge are unlikely to put the relationship in jeopardy. However it is also true that real happiness may be attained from such a relationship as there would always be commitment and love for the other person as it existed even when the dislikes are known and accepted as part of relationship. This kind of relationship is also more likely to bring peace and contentment in [the] life of those people.

This is the part wherein we may need to insert the Leslie Winkle angle. Leslie Winkle (Sara Gilbert) is a physicist in Caltech who became the ex-lover of both Leonard and Howard, and calls Sheldon dumb-ass at every opportunity, while Sheldon has stated he has no respect for Leslie as a human being. One may say this could be a love/hate relationship, but from what has so far been seen, there is no chemistry and love between Sheldon and Leslie’s characters, unlike Sheldon and Penny. One can say it’s an all-hate relationship.

4.) Love transcends all boundaries

Love is the ultimate resolution to conflict, and is believed to transcend all boundaries, be it race, age, social standing etc. People want to see proof of this, and the pairing of two conflicting opposites (Sheldon/Penny) may serve as a representation of what love is capable of.

5.) Chemistry

This is a much discussed topic among shippers. Sheldon and Penny's scenes have become notorious for their hilarity, earning them more screen time. The directors have even nicknamed their scenes Shenny or Peldon scenes. It got so, as mentioned previously, actors Jim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco have been subjected to questions about their characters. The chemistry of the two characters is believed to be the ultimate reason behind the Sheldon/Penny pairing itself, and it is something the Leonard/Penny tandem seems to lack.

6.) Media Exposure

Also a driving force behind the Sheldon/Penny tandem. Originally, it seemed as though the writers had planned on Leonard and Penny to be the lead male and female respectively, but after two seasons, Sheldon has come out the male lead and the most memorable character of the series. It is also notable to mention that Jim Parsons was not only a host for the 2009 Emmy Nominations broadcast, but has also been nominated for the said award under the Lead Actor for a Comedy Series category. Kaley Cuoco had also been mentioned as a possible nominee, although she unfortunately did not make the cut. This, however, shows how much of a hit their characters have become. Interviews and information in several websites often mention Sheldon and Penny over the rest of the characters. The promotional pictures released by CBS (as seen above) have also added to Sheldon and Penny’s exposure to the public.

THE FANS

Due to the reasons mentioned above, it is not uncommon for fans to switch from Leonard/Penny and non-shipper to Sheldon/Penny shippers. Several Paradox shippers have admitted to this, and the trend seems to be what is listed below. The following are derived/adapted from posts of fans in online forums such as CBS, as well as the livejournal.com community of Sheldon and Penny.

1.) Shock

· At first, I couldn’t believe it. I was like, Sheldon and Penny? Get out of here!

· I was just searching the internet for information on Big Bang Theory when I came across this pairing. My first thought was “No way! It’s supposed to be Leonard and Penny!”

· This isn’t right. That was my first thought.

· At first, I didn’t think they would be good at all. They fight all the time for goodness sakes!

· Come on, Sheldon doesn’t even like Penny!

2.) Contemplation

· Then again, the more I thought about it, the more I actually warmed up to the idea.

· I stopped a moment to think. I began to reconsider and searched the internet for more about this couple.

· But then I thought, what IF Sheldon and Penny ended up together? That has a lot of possibilities.

· I began reviewing my dvds and saw something between Sheldon and Penny I hadn’t seen before. Their chemistry just lights up the screen!

· They fight all the time, but I suddenly found it interesting. It would be really funny if they did get together.

3.) Acceptance

· I’m a Sheldon/Penny shipper now. Sure, Leonard/Penny may have a better chance at getting together, but that won’t stop me from wanting Sheldon and Penny to get together.

· I love Sheldon and Penny! I realize now how boring Leonard and Penny was, which was probably why I never even bothered to do artworks on them, but now I do a ton of Sheldon and Penny.

· I’ve written a lot of fanfiction on Sheldon and Penny. There are just so many possibilities with the character growth of these two. There’s absolutely no need to change their personalities just to find a way to get them together. If I could do this, the writers should be able to do so too.

· Sheldon and Penny have so much chemistry! I replay their scenes over and over! The writers would have to be crazy not to see it.

· A Sheldon/Penny hook up would make for a lot of funny episodes. I would personally like to see how they would tackle intimacy and the change of routines, and how Sheldon would say ‘I love you’ to Penny in his usual Sheldon way. I would love to see what the writers would come up for this.

Although the conversion is quite common, there are still some fans that came into the fandom on their own, and were of course, merely fans of the show and were non-shippers. When asked what episodes had made them think about the possibility of a Sheldon/Penny hook up, the following episodes are often mentioned: “The Barbarian Sublimation” (where Penny becomes addicted to online gaming and turns to Sheldon for gaming advice), “The Work Song Nanocluster” (where Sheldon and Penny show an uncanny degree of teamwork while working on a hair accessory business), “The Vegas Renormalization” (where Sheldon spends a night in Penny’s apartment after being locked up from his), “The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis” (where Sheldon gives a hug to Penny, the first initiated from his side as far as episodes go) and “The Panty Piñata Polarization” (where Sheldon and Penny have their first all out battle of wits).

SEASON 3 UPDATE & OPTIMISM:

Aside from Jim Parsons’ recent revelation that Sheldon and his fellow scientists will be coming home from the arctic unshaven, the show’s creators, Lorre and Prady, have released information that have caused an uproar of opposite intensities from both the Sheldon/Penny and Leonard/Penny shippers.

"Perhaps having learned a lesson from shows that dragged out possible relationships for far too long (see Anatomy, Grey's), The Big Bang Theory isn't messing around with two of its main characters any longer.

When the sitcom come back for a third season - following the main quartet's return from its Arctic adventure - Penny and Leonard will give dating a try. "We’re going to pursue a relationship between these two characters,” executive producer Chuck Lorre told TV Guide Magazine. “After the dance they’ve been doing for two years, it’s the right thing to do.”

Though the article seems to signal the end for Sheldon/Penny, the Paradox shippers, interestingly enough, do not think so.

The passages below is garnered, derived and summarized from fan reactions and comments in several websites and fan forums.

· It’s good that they’re finally getting Leonard/Penny all over with. They’re the last obstacle to finally getting Sheldon/Penny

· It’s not like I’m surprised. Think about it, Sheldon/Penny probably would never happen as easily without having the Penny/Leonard explored and established as Not Going To Work.

· If Penny is Leonard's girlfriend, she'll probably spend MORE time with Leonard's best friend. This could actually work out really well.

· The sooner they get Leonard/Penny over with, the better. I don’t think I can stand any more of the will-they won’t-they formula. And once it’s done, the writers will be able to develop more of a story line that’s finally going to lead to Sheldon/Penny.

· Leonard/Penny HAD to be dealt with before they could move onto S/P, so the fact that they are tackling this now can be seen as very, very good. If they had kept playing the 'will they/won't they' game for two more years (or more), it would have been forever (if at all) before we even got a chance at Sheldon and Penny.

Another reason perhaps for the Paradox shippers optimism is Jim Parsons’ Emmy nomination itself. It is of course, a logical assumption that with Mr. Parsons’ nomination, it will give his character and the show a boost, which will make people more interested in Sheldon Cooper. And since people are inclined to being romantic, one can say it is inevitable that people will pair him with the female lead, that is Penny.

The Paradox shippers have also found a prominent voice in the form of Kristin, the resident TV insider for E! Entertainment and E! Online. The quote below is from her recent statement in her online column:

The Big Bang Theory: Ugh! Apparently Penny and Leonard are a go for romance on The Big Bang Theory. As Penny-Sheldon partisans, this displeases us.

Kristin dishes exclusive scoop on the small screen's shows and stars--both on her E! News segments and in her online column, Watch with Kristin.

CONCLUSION:

The facts laid out on this article serve to explain why the Sheldon/Penny ship exists. Simply put, Paradox shippers exist because the Sheldon/Penny formula works. It may not work for everyone, but it works well enough to have gained a huge following on the internet: a fact proven by the number of votes garnered in a CBS online fan forum as to who should be the endgame couple:

Sheldon/Penny – 54%

Leonard/Penny – 34%

Interestingly enough, not everyone who voted for Sheldon and Penny are dedicated Paradox shippers. Most are actually fans of the series itself, but are intrigued with the idea of Sheldon and Penny as a couple for its comedic potential.

The increased airtime of Sheldon and Penny, as well as their character developments has only served to intensify the fans and shippers’ attachment of them. This shows in the number of members in the Sheldon and Penny community in livejournal.com, which has grown to 1000 members and still counting. In the popular art sharing site deviantart.com, majority of the fan works are Sheldon/Penny related. The same goes for fanfiction.net, which contains only one Big Bang Theory community, and it focuses on Sheldon/Penny fan fiction. Sheldon and Penny have become a clear hit online, and it seems regardless of what happens in Season 3, the Paradox shippers are here to stay.