User blog comment:Mattalamode/A Second Opinion: The Detective/@comment-9300845-20170617030802/@comment-30307603-20170618211647

If I may contribute to the discussion, while there's always room for improvement, I think the show really is trying its absolute best to balance its giant cast. This is an unfortunate consequence to having large casts; pleasing everybody proves to be a difficult task because there is so many characters to focus on.

I remember reading that it's harder to write comedy for an established couple than it is for those in the "shy phase". Perhaps that has something to with her lack of appearances ever since "The Shell"? I will admit, I have trouble thinking of unique scenarios to place Penny in that aren't a). her being in a more vulnerable state and having to rely on Gumball for support (which is something I'm surprised they haven't touched "The Shell" given her being an awful cheerleader can lead to a decent episode) or b). her acting separately from Gumball, which I find unlikely.

Back in February, I remember everyone was freaking out about the lack of Penny (which I admit, I got caught up in a bit), but the more I think about, the more I'm okay with her getting only two major roles with a decent number of supporting roles throughout a season. Like you said, Matt, it makes her appearances more special and prevents her from becoming too blind.

With that said, I can feel assured knowing that Carrie is going to have at least one more episode focusing on her before the series ends. It helps that she is a more interesting character than Penny and has more to prod at. I feel like the writers will address the effects of "The Matchmaker" at one point; we should just give them time.

It's a shame that the writers seem to have a harder time thinking of scenarios for Nicole given she is considered a main character, but alas, I won't gripe too much because she can really elevate an episode when she is on-screen.