I was watching an episode of My Favorite Martian - Miss Jeckell and Hyde. It guest starred Marlo Thomas who played Mrs. Brown's niece Paula Clayfield. Paula was a shy brainy plain looking girl. The similarities to Amy Farrah Fowler are uncanny until Martin transforms Paula into striking confident woman. Now, true, Amy was confident. More so than Paula but otherwise it seems like Amy may have been based on Paula.

I was watching an episode of My Favorite Martian - Miss Jeckell and Hyde. It guest starred Marlo Thomas who played Mrs. Brown's niece Paula Clayfield. Paula was a shy brainy plain looking girl. The similarities to Amy Farrah Fowler are uncanny until Martin transforms Paula into striking confident woman. Now, true, Amy was confident. More so than Paula but otherwise it seems like Amy may have been based on Paula.

This was actually an episode type that was quiet common in 1960's television. It was the ugly duckling concept, Bewitched had an episode like this, Beverly Hillbillies, The Andy Griffith Show to name a few, the concept was used over and over again. With respect to Amy she was a female Sheldon. TBBT gradually evolved into a couples based series and to do meant that Sheldon was going to have to have a girlfriend.

What you said is true. But in this case both characters are scientists. That's really made the connection for me.