Before ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ Kaley Cuoco Had Her Big Break on This TV Sitcom

For years now, Kaley Cuoco has been making viewers laugh with her varied roles in television and film, The Big Bang Theory being among her most well-known. In it, she played Penny, the sarcastic but lovable neighbor of Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons). As popular as The Big Bang Theory was – and how it launched her into superstardom – it’s actually not the show that gave Cuoco her big break. That honor belongs to the sitcom 8 Simple Rules, in which Kaley Cuoco first got to test out her comedic chops.

What Is ‘8 Simple Rules’ About?

8 Simple Rules premiered in 2002, and it was a typical family sitcom, the exact type you’d expect from that time period. That’s not a bad thing though; in fact, it’s quite charming. The show follows the Hennessy family: husband and wife Paul (John Ritter) and Cate (Katey Sagal); and their three children, Bridget (Cuoco), Kerry (Amy Davidson), and Rory (Martin Spanjers). 8 Simple Rules follows their day-to-day life and the humorous, sometimes heartfelt, moments that come up throughout.

Kaley Cuoco portrays Bridget, the oldest of the Hennessy children. She’s popular, a little ditzy, and totally boy-crazy – something her father is not thrilled about. Meanwhile, her sister Kerry is much more interested in her studies and art, which leads to her and Bridget butting heads in typical sister fashion. Rory is the typical younger brother; he’s always snooping on his sisters and being a pain, but he’s just as lovable as the rest of the clan.

When audiences first meet Bridget, she is more concerned with popularity, her looks, and dating, than she is with anything else. She’s a little shallow, the stereotypical teenage character that you often see in sitcoms of the early 2000s. But as the show went on, viewers slowly got to see new sides of Bridget which added a lot of depth to her character. This is especially true from Season 2 onwards, but that character development came because of tragic circumstances.

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Bridget’s Character Grew After Tragedy Struck

Kaley Cuoco crying at a funeral in '8 Simple Rules' Season 2, Episode 4, "Goodbye" — Image via ABC

In 2003, star John Ritter suddenly passed away at the age of 54, while 8 Simple Rules was in the midst of filming its second season. After a hiatus to mourn the loss, the show picked back up and was forced to confront Ritter’s death on the series. The episode diverted from the show’s usual format of situational comedy, and had a much more somber tone. It begins like any other episode, with a hectic morning in the Hennessy household. Then Cate receives a phone call and leaves in a tearful rush. We soon learn that Paul collapsed at the grocery store and has passed away.

The rest of the season follows the family as they navigate the sudden loss of Paul, but it’s Bridget who has the most difficult journey, as the last words she said to her father before he died were, “I hate you.” She’s wracked with guilt over the words that came out during a petty argument, but she’ll never be able to take them back – even if her father knew deep down that she didn’t mean them. But that’s not the end of her struggles. She doesn’t quite know how to navigate a world in which her father is no longer there. In one particular episode, she plans to go to a party wearing a fancy new dress, only to have a breakdown at the door because her father would never have let her leave wearing it, and she misses his lectures. It’s a stunningly raw portrayal of grief, and it’s from this moment on that we see a real turning point in Bridget’s character.

As much as The Big Bang Theory really put Kaley Cuoco in the limelight, it was 8 Simple Rules that showcased her acting talents – especially considering she was only 16 years old when she landed the role of Bridget. So, if you love Kaley Cuoco as Penny in The Big Bang Theory, make sure you check out 8 Simple Rules for her early years, and see why she’s become such a beloved television star.

8 Simple Rules is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.