“The Big Bang Theory,” which ran for twelve seasons and nearly 300 episodes, kicked things off by asking an age-old question: can nerds talk to girls? The answer was “kind of, or sometimes, and depending on the nerd in question. In the pilot, roommates and best friends Sheldon Cooper Jim Parsons and Leonard Hofstadter Johnny Galecki are fascinated when their new neighbor, Penny (Kaley Cuoco, turns out to be pretty, and they immediately try and get into her good graces. Well, Leonard does. Sheldon has no interest.

Alongside their other friends Howard Wolowitz Simon Helberg and Raj Koothrappalli Kunal Nayyar, Sheldon and Leonard eventually befriend Penny, who hangs out at their place pretty much all the time from that point forward  and that exact dynamic is the foundation upon which “The Big Bang Theory” stands. Penny might not have a PhD or be an astrophysicist, but she has social awareness and understands a completely different world than any of the guys. Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj all form bonds with Penny in varying ways from a romantic relationship to a close friendship to being really creepy towards her in the early seasons that last one is Howard.

So why is Penny so vital to the show, and what’s Kaley Cuoco doing now?It’s safe to say that, without Penny, “The Big Bang Theory would be a total slog. Penny is the voice of reason whenever the four guys want to do something completely boneheaded, but she also reminds them that there’s a big world outside of their insular CalTech workplace and their research projects. Moreover, she’s important to Leonard and Sheldon in very different ways.

Leonard and Penny eventually do get together, but it’s not without strife; Penny overlooks Leonard for a pretty long time, and Leonard does his fair share of boneheaded things to get in his own way (kissing another woman while away on a remote research project comes to mind. The two ultimately get married, though, and close out the series as its longest-running couple, expecting a baby together. Perhaps more important, though, is Penny’s bond with Sheldon.

Even though the two are polar opposites, she understands Sheldon’s strangeness in a way few others doThe best part of Harley Quinn though, is that it’s an unabashedly feminist, queer story led by Harley and her now-girlfriend Poison Ivy, voiced by Lake Bell. The series kicks off with Harley finally leaving The Joker Alan Tudyk, who provides a whole host of voices for the show in her rearview mirror, realizing she’s more powerful without him and trying to get into the Injustice League.

Eventually, Harley and Ivy get together, and their love story isn’t quite like anything else on television — and considering “Harley Quinn” is also produced by Yes, Norman, it’s clear that Cuoco’s creative control extends far beyond her voice talents, and she’s working to provide more representation on television.