Amy and Penny's friendship painting on has a secret detail that makes their relationship more tragic. When Amy was first introduced on season 3, she was as socially awkward as Sheldon. Unlike Sheldon, however, Amy didn't have a circle of friends for any emotional or social support. That all changed when she started hanging out with the Pasadena gang. Aside from Sheldon, Amy was immediately smitten by Penny's beauty, charm, wit, and overall demeanor. As they spent more time together, Amy only became more enamored by Leonard's love interest, prompting her to commission a $3,000 painting of them to celebrate their friendship.

The artwork features a giddy Amy beside an uncomfortable Penny. Mayim Bialik reveals a on . Bialik says that Amy’s hand on Penny's shoulder was a last-minute addition that exposes the truth about their relationship. It highlights just how desperate Amy wanted to befriend Penny and how uncomfortable Penny was about it. Perhaps Amy used a photo of them for inspiration that doesn’t show her physically touching Penny because of how awkward the situation already was. Instead, she decided to later have the hand added in the painting to make them look closer than they actually were.

Penny & Amy’s Painting Location Is Still A The Big Bang Theory Plot Hole

Amy and Penny's painting location remains a mystery more than three years since . The painting was supposed to be in Apartment 4A after Amy moved it from its original place in Apartment 4B. This way, Penny could keep it in her new flat. Later on, however, the painting was back with Sheldon and Amy in Apartment 4B, although there was no mention of Amy reclaiming it. While the confusing detail doesn't negatively impact any significant plot lines, it would have been better if the sitcom provided any kind of explanation for this. Perhaps, they could have even used this for a final Penny/Amy-centric narrative.

How Penny’s Friendship Changed Amy On The Big Bang Theory

As CBS hit sitcom, continued over the years, . This change stemmed from her finally having genuine female friends, particularly Penny. Amy previously talked about being mostly alone; this was the reason why she grew up awkward and naive in many things. Being raised by a strict and borderline controlling mom alongside a mostly submitting father didn't help her social development either, as it further isolated her from her peers. When they met, Penny reminded Amy of the cool but mean girls in high school whom she desperately wanted to be friends with but couldn't.

Luckily, Penny was very accommodating towards Amy; she welcomed the socially-awkward neuroscientist into her and Bernadette’s group. Despite the less-than-ideal start of their friendship, it evolved over the years. By the time ended, there was no doubt that they were best friends, just like how Amy always wanted.