One thing I really liked from Big Bang theory is that how Leonard changed himself. Leonard was a man who from his childhood was expecting his mom’s acknowledgement and recognition. She always used him like a rat for all experiments.
What was so shocking was how indifferent she was in what was happening to Leonard. I felt Leonard when he met with Sheldon had two feelings. One he felt Sheldon wasn’t aware that he’s being an ass so he was so compassionate and empathetic to him. At the same time, Leonard saw Sheldon as his peer mom and kept changing himself. That moment when Leonard sees a psychiatrist for helping his wife sell a medicine is when he shared how much his mom put him through since his childhood.
The affection that Sheldon got from his mom is something that Leonard always envied. I liked the character arc when Leonard slowly begins to prioritise himself and begins standing up for himself. I felt that needed more episodes because being Leonard is tough. If I wanted a friend I wanted someone like Leonard and not Sheldon. Because it was Leonard who brought in raj and Howard to the Sheldon’s world.
The moment Leonard affirmatively speaks for financing his project, the moment he makes a choice to fund his own project being project coordinator and the moment he forgives his mom is when we see a new Leonard. When he fought with Sheldon in final season for Sheldon being truly an ass when penny said she was pregnant, I felt that was new Leonard. The Leonard in the first season wouldn’t have done that.