Every Character in Every ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Show

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Starting from its debut in 2007, “The Big Bang Theory” has blossomed into a broad franchise on television. This popular series spawned two prequel shows: “Young Sheldon,” focusing on the life of teenage prodigy Sheldon Cooper, and “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” which serves as a sequel to the original sitcom by delving into the first (of many) marriages mentioned in the show, centered around Sheldon’s older brother Georgie. At present, there is also an upcoming untitled spin-off sequel under development.

With each new episode, the Big Bang Theory universe expands and welcomes fresh characters, as well as unique plotlines that stray from the original series. The franchise’s time jumps have made it difficult to keep recurring characters consistent across shows. Therefore, while all the characters are part of the same reality, only four of them have appeared in all three spin-offs so far.

Meemaw: Sheldon Cooper’s Grandmother is Easy to Include

In terms of introducing unique characters in prequel spin-offs, it’s advantageous when they are older, as this provides writers with ample material to explore the events that occurred prior to their initial onscreen appearance. Therefore, the decision to include Sheldon Cooper’s Meemaw across all three series, given her longstanding presence in his life, was an intuitive one.

In “The Big Bang Theory”, June Squibb, known for her role as Thelma, is cast as Meemaw – a doting yet overly protective grandmother to Sheldon. Initially, she is introduced through letters that Penny discovers, addressed to her nickname “Moonpie”. Meemaw first appears on screen in Season 9, visiting her grandson and creating friction with Amy after their relationship had a rocky patch in previous episodes.

Even though Squibb appeared briefly as a guest star, Meemaw’s backstory was developed more fully in the spin-off series, “Young Sheldon.” Portrayed by Annie Potts from “Ghostbusters,” viewers get to understand Meemaw better as she is depicted as a lively and nurturing grandmother during Sheldon’s upbringing. Her run-ins with the law hint at her later subdued character. Following the end of “Young Sheldon,” Potts reappeared in a few episodes of its spin-off, prequel series, “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. ” Currently, Meemaw is not a main character on the show.

Missy: The Forgotten Twin Sister

In the first season of The Big Bang Theory, the creators introduced an age-old character archetype: the twin with opposite personality traits. Initially portrayed by Courtney Henggeler (known for Cobra Kai), Missy stuns the group as Sheldon’s emotionally balanced, charismatic, and flexible fraternal sister. A contrast to his social awkwardness and inflexible mindset, Missy quickly became a beloved character among fans, appearing only twice in the sitcom: during her introduction in season one and for Sheldon and Amy’s wedding, a decade later.

Just like Meemaw, Missy eventually became a significant character in the show Young Sheldon. In the prequel, the part was assumed by budding actress Raegan Revord, who infused the character with an energetic spirit and served as a contrast to her intellectually gifted twin brother. Despite featuring prominently in this spin-off, Missy’s character is seldom at the center of attention and often gets overshadowed by the storyline. However, consistently being relegated to a secondary role mirrors her neglected-sibling status because her parents, George (Lance Barber) and Mary (Zoe Perry), often overlooked her in favor of Sheldon.

Following the conclusion of the show, Missy from Revord also appeared as a guest twice in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage”. In the upcoming episodes, viewers might catch glimpses of her again in a secondary role. However, it remains uncertain if we’ll ever get a spin-off focusing on Missy in the future.

Mary: The Cooper Family Matriarch

Initially, on The Big Bang Theory, viewers encountered Sheldon’s mother, Mary, played by Laurie Metcalf – a Tony Award-winning actress who made the most appearances throughout the show’s duration. By the time the series ended and Young Sheldon was set to premiere, Mary, often referred to as a “religious nut”, had become a widely recognized character.

In the sequel series that took place decades earlier, Zoe Perry (daughter of Mary’s original actor) stepped into the role of Mary. Over seven seasons of “Young Sheldon,” viewers were treated to a deeper exploration of her character, including aspects not previously seen in “The Big Bang Theory,” such as her relationships with her other children Georgie and Missy, and the struggles of raising a child like Sheldon. Mary, portrayed by Zoe Perry, has made two appearances in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” so far, and is set to appear again before the first season concludes.

Georgie: The Story Continues

Although Georgie, Sheldon’s older brother who was frequently referenced throughout the series, was portrayed by Jerry O’Connell from the show “Sliders,” he appeared on-screen just once in “The Big Bang Theory.” The bitter feelings and lack of communication between the Cooper brothers after their father’s demise led to both a physical and emotional rift. However, they managed to reconcile in the second-to-last episode of the series, just before Sheldon and Amy’s wedding.

In the TV show “Young Sheldon,” Montana Jordan portrayed Georgie in a way that offered deeper understanding of their sibling relationship, which eventually turned strained as adults. Viewers got to see Georgie’s frustration about being in school with his brilliant younger brother and witness the rapid growth of his romance with Mandy. Due to the enthusiasm from fans, the couple’s storyline was expanded into a separate series titled “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage“, with Montana Jordan reprising his role alongside Emily Osment in that show.

In summary, since the creators of The Big Bang Theory have opted to set their spin-offs in the past, there haven’t been many recurring characters. Nevertheless, audiences can anticipate more appearances from the Cooper family as Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage unfolds, and they can also eagerly await the upcoming offshoot sequel, offering multiple chances for viewers to revisit their beloved characters.

At the moment, you can stream both “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon” on MAX. For those who prefer CBS, catch new episodes of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” every Thursday evening, starting at 8 PM Central Standard Time.

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2025-01-12 03:34