Kaley Cuoco may be best known for her work on “The Big Bang Theory,” but she already had a pretty impressive resume before she snagged the role. Between starring in “8 Simple Rules” in 2002 and a long stint on “Charmed,” Cuoco was a pro before “The Big Bang Theory” came onto the scene in 2007.
Cuoco’s vast catalog of work began in 1992 when she was less than 10 years old. It’s impressive to survive a child acting era, continue in Hollywood as an adult, and avoid some of the unfortunate spiraling that often happens when kids are thrust into the spotlight at such an early age. Luckily, Cuoco keeps the drama on-screen. Between “The Big Bang Theory” and “Charmed,” here are the five best Kaley Cuoco shows to stream.
'The Big Bang Theory'
We love to see a popular woman and nerdy guy (or vice-versa) get together and neither party tries to change the other a-la “She’s All That.” In “The Big Bang Theory,” Cuoco’s Penny moves in across the hall from hyper-intelligent nerds Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki).
The concept of opposite attractions rings true in this series, as Penny and Leonard enter a will they/won’t they make up and break up relationship throughout the entire series. Though she doesn’t have much in common with her unlikely group of new nerdy friends, they all work as a friend group and respect each other’s quirks and interests.
To round out the rest of the geeky gang, the 2007 show also stars Simon Helberg (Howard Wolowitz), Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali) Melissa Rauch (Bernadette Rostenkowski), and Mayim Bialik (Amy Farah Fowler). Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady created the series.
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'The Flight Attendant'
Most flight attendants serve their passengers alcohol, but Cuoco’s character Cassie is more interested in serving herself in “The Flight Attendant." Naturally, that leads to some bad decision-making and endless partying. It was only a matter of time before she woke up next to a dead body.
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When that does happen, she has to clear up the evidence of her connection to the body before donning her Sherlock Holmes hat to figure out what exactly happened —which ultimately leads her to a job in the CIA. Meanwhile, Cassie contends with a combination of hallucinations and memories that she can’t exactly tell apart.
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'Charmed'
Not everyone loves Cuoco’s “Charmed” character Billie, but fans certainly remember her and have some passionate opinions. To be fair, it’s not exactly Billie’s fault, nor is it Cuoco’s, that not all fans vibe with her. She joined the series about three Halliwell sisters and their demon-fighting witchy ways in season 8 — which ended up being its last.
The last-ditch effort of a network trying to shoehorn a character into the plot of a faltering show is usually met with derision. Yet during rewatches, she’s not nearly as bad as fans once thought. At the end of the day, Billie brings the Charmed Ones together when they’re ready to abandon the fight against evil. That’s not insignificant.
The series also stars Holly Marie Combs (Piper), Alyssa Milano (Phoebe), Shannen Doherty (Prue), Rose McGowan (Paige Matthews), and Brian Krause (Leo Wyatt).
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'Harley Quinn'
Cuoco is often known for her on-screen comedy work, but she also has a significant background in voice-acting animated shows and movies. One such series is “Harley Quinn,” where she voices none other than Gotham’s most chaotic leading lady: Harley Quinn herself. While most Harley-centered projects glorify her toxic relationship with the Joker, this show ditches that notion when Harley makes it very clear that she’s not here for the Joker’s toxic BS.
Another refreshing component of the show comes from the fact that it’s not for kids. We get F-bombs and adult topics that match the energy you’d expect from one of Gotham’s most iconic vixens instead of the watered-down version we usually get. “Harley Quinn” also gives us a glimpse into her close relationship with Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) — a comic arc that’s been largely left out of the character’s other projects.
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'Based on a True Story'
Peaco*ck really brought the chaos in 2023 with “Based on a True Story.” We’ve all been inundated with true crime in the past decade, arguably to an unhealthy level. “Based on a True Story” takes that energy even further when housewife Ava Bartlett (Cuoco) and her husband Nathan (Chris Messina) discover that the serial killer haunting their area is closer than they think.
Now, most people would alert the authorities when they uncover the identity of a killer. Instead, the true crime-obsessed Ava decides to blackmail the killer into starting a podcast that dives into the mind of a killer.
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Xandra Harbet
Writer
Xandrais an entertainment journalist with clips in outlets like Salon, Insider, The Daily Dot, and Regal. In her 6+ years of writing, she's covered red carpets, premieres, and events like New York Comic Con.Xandrahas conducted around 200 interviews with celebrities like Henry Cavill, Sylvester Stallone, and Adam Driver. She received her B.A. in English/Creative Writing from Randolph College, where she chilled with the campus ghosts and read Edgar Allan Poe at 3 am.
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