It used to be one of the best-kept secrets from the show, but it turns out that Penny's last name may have been revealed pretty early on in Big Bang Theory.
Now, all the best sitcoms out there need to have that one mysterious joke tying the show together - from Scrubs not revealing the Janitor's name until the last episode to Friends hiding Ugly Naked Guy's face.
For the iconic sitcom The Big Bang Theory, the mystery surrounding Penny's last name has continued to keep viewers intrigued long after the final episode aired.
However, one eagle-eyed viewer has revealed that the show had already slipped the answer under our noses early on, leaving fans astounded.
Throughout the twelve seasons of The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco's character Penny remained a central figure, standing out amidst her group of nerdy friends with her good looks and charm. From her humble beginnings as an aspiring actress to her transformation into a successful pharmaceutical sales representative, Penny underwent significant personal growth, captivating audiences worldwide.
While the series provided a mostly satisfying conclusion for Penny, with the revelation of her pregnancy with Leonard, one question remained unanswered: her last name. Despite fervent speculation and anticipation from fans, the showrunners opted to keep this detail under wraps.
But in season 2, episode 18 - titled 'The Work Song Nanocluster' - Penny's last name was subtly revealed.
In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Sheldon delivered a package to Penny containing materials for her business venture, Penny Blossoms, with her full name printed on the box.
Here, it is revealed that Penny's last name is "Teller" - most likely a comical nod to the magic double act Penn & Teller.
After u/Quell_Alma shared the screenshot and revelation on Reddit, fans flocked to the comments section to voice their reactions.
"Incredible spot. I’ve never seen anyone mention this before. Would be crazy to solve the mystery after all these years," one person commented.
"This man has figured out something that I don't think even Kaley Cuoco knows you are a true hero to the whole community hell the whole world. Thank you for this closure," another excited fan added.
However, before we all get excited by the find -- it turns out that Penny's last name of "Teller" sadly isn't canon or recognized by the show's creators.
In the book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series by Jessica Radloff, it was revealed that the name was just made up by somebody in the prop department and was never supposed to be legible.
As executive producer Steve Molaro explains: "Props had to put a label on it and it happened to be caught on camera. We didn’t sanction it, we didn’t write it, and we didn’t intentionally put it there."
Molaro stressed that the name is not canon and should simply be considered an error by fans. This was also confirmed by the show's propmaster, Scott London, who stressed that viewers were never supposed to be able to make out the label.
So, despite being a funny little gag, before Penny takes the name Hofstadter, she really does officially have no last name.
