Leonard, Sheldon, and Penny's first meeting in was apparently improvised, Jim Parsons reveals. It has been more than four years since the nerd-centric sitcom wrapped up its 12-season run. Despite this, it remains more popular than ever, with long-time fans revisiting via streaming, while also allowing new viewers to discover it.

When , it had seven main characters. However, it was always clear that its true leads were Sheldon, Leonard, and Penny. The events of the show are kicked off by their initial introduction to each other, which Parsons reveals in Jessica Radloff's was not in the script.

Read his full quote below:

"I don’t think the full exchange of hi’s, greats, and byes were in the script originally, which is, under these circumstances, kind of remarkable because that would have been an excessively rare moment in the history of The Big Bang Theory. Regardless, the scene still kind of tickles me when I think about it. It was something so beautifully odd and so simple that said so much."

How Sheldon, Leonard, & Penny’s Meeting Scene Laid Big Bang Theory’s Foundation

actually started with Leonard and Sheldon's trip to the sperm bank — something that was brought over from the original pilot after CBS asked Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady to rework it. However, the aforementioned scene has already been cut from re-runs, with both Lorre and Parsons' agreeing that it just didn't fit the show. Instead, Lorre has said that he sees Leonard and Sheldon's first meeting with Penny back in the apartment as the true beginning of the comedy.

Despite the narrative ramifications of cutting the sperm bank scene, Lorre's stance is understandable. For what it's worth, the trio's first encounter is far more important to the show as it's a foundational sequence.

Considering the chemistry issues that Lorre and Prady had in the original iteration of the project, seeing Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, and Parsons come together as their characters for the first time was their first indication that they were on the right track with the revamp. It also effectively informed viewers of what they can expect from the trio's relationship.

Amy may have married Sheldon, but his most important relationships in are the friendships he had with Penny and Leonard. Had it not been for them, the socially-inept genius would have likely ended up being alone. Unfortunately, CBS focused way too much of the sitcom's time on Sheldon's story and somehow underutilized Penny and Leonard towards the end of the show's run.

Source: The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive Insider Story Of The Epic Hit Series