It is not yet clear which characters from Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory will return in the sitcom franchise’s upcoming spinoff, but there are plenty of options for series creator Chuck Lorre to choose from. Sitcom spinoffs can be hard to pull off. For every success story like the Cheers spinoff Frasier, there is an embarrassing misfire like the Friends spinoff Joey. However, with six successful seasons and an incredibly high audience share, it is fair to say that The Big Bang Theory’s first spinoff Young Sheldon falls into the former category. Young Sheldon is arguably as successful as The Big Bang Theory.
As such, it is no surprise that The Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre is reportedly working on a new show set in the same universe. Young Sheldon’s Missy storyline alone proves that any member of Sheldon’s family could sustain a series spinoff. Meanwhile, The Big Bang Theory was filled with side characters who had untapped potential. With 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory and six seasons of Young Sheldon to build on, Lorre will have no shortage of material to work with in this new show. However, there are a few Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon that particularly deserve more story focus.
8 Raj
One of the most unusual decisions the writers of The Big Bang Theory’s finale made was keeping Raj single. This choice was a fascinating one since, as his actor Kunal Nayyar noted, Raj was the character who cared most about falling in love out of the show’s group of leads. While it was highly unusual for a sitcom to end without all of its characters who were looking for love paired off, this allows Lorre’s spinoff to explore the story of where Raj went next. Raj’s Big Bang Theory finale fate felt unfinished when the sitcom wrapped up, but a spinoff could fix this by expanding on his untold story.
7 Paige
Young Sheldon’s recurring supporting star Paige is a walking, talking plot hole. In Young Sheldon, she is Sheldon’s first crush, his earliest academic rival, one of his first good friends, and his introduction to the world of college parties and teenage socializing. However, she is a ghost in The Big Bang Theory, going unmentioned throughout the show’s 12 seasons. Lorre’s spinoff could fix this issue by telling viewers what happened to Paige between Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory and perhaps even explaining whether Sheldon stayed in touch with her.
6 Missy
If there is one breakout Young Sheldon character underused in The Big Bang Theory, it is Sheldon’s twin sister Missy. Missy could not be less like Sheldon, but over Young Sheldon’s six seasons, she has proven to be bright, resilient, and sweet in her own way. Unfortunately, The Big Bang Theory barely mentions Missy’s adult life. Young Sheldon’s dark Missy storylines haven’t offered the character many opportunities to have fun due to all the tumult in her family life. However, Lorre’s spinoff could fix this by focusing on the lighter side of Missy’s life.
5 Leslie Winkle
While it was always obvious that Penny and Leonard were destined to end up together, Sara Gilbert’s Leslie Winkle gave Penny a run for her money in The Big Bang Theory season 2. As Leonard’s sardonic office crush, Leslie, Gilbert could not have been less like the sunny, fun-loving Penny. This relationship fleshed out Leonard’s approach to romance and allowed Gilbert to revisit the Roseanne-era chemistry she shared with Johnny Galecki. However, their relationship spelled the end of Leslie’s Big Bang Theory role, and since The Conners may end soon, Gilbert could be free to return in Lorre’s spinoff.
4 Meemaw
At some point between Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory, Meemaw’s character shifted completely. In Young Sheldon, she is a fun-loving, hard-living rebel who couldn’t be less like her devout daughter Mary. However, in The Big Bang Theory, she’s an older version of Mary, prompting viewers to understandably wonder what happened in the interim. Fortunately, Lorre’s spinoff could answer that question if the show was to bring back Meemaw. Even if it isn’t set between the two shows, the spinoff could still see Meemaw explain her story via flashbacks or a cameo, thus filling in this plot hole.
3 Georgie Cooper
Georgie didn’t get to play much of a role in The Big Bang Theory, but this oversight was helped in the early seasons of Young Sheldon. However, in Young Sheldon season 6, Georgie’s disappointing Mandy plot has been a slow road to nowhere. Viewers already know that his eventual marriage ends in divorce, which makes his attempts to propose to Mandy feel pointless. However, by the time Sheldon meets him in The Big Bang Theory, he is a successful business owner. Lorre’s spinoff could clarify what happened in between, filling in the years missing from his story.
2 Beverly Hofstadter
The Big Bang Theory got a lot of laughs from Leonard’s legendarily cold mother, Beverly Hofstadter. However, there must be a story behind her ice queen demeanor, and The Big Bang Theory was never interested in developing this plot. While Young Sheldon set up Mary’s personality in The Big Bang Theory, the spinoff can’t address Leonard’s mother or what made her so callous. However, Lorre’s new spinoff could bring back this character and delve into her backstory, which would have the added benefit of explaining how Leonard ended up as neurotic as he did.
1 Barry Kripke
Sheldon’s nemesis Kripke was arguably the most underused supporting character in The Big Bang Theory. The polar opposite of Sheldon, Kripke was unashamedly coasting at his job while Sheldon was obsessed with pursuing ever more difficult and obscure goals. Kripke was only ever seen through the eyes of Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory, but his uncaring attitude toward his vocation marked him as a unique figure among the lead characters of the sitcom. If John Ross Bowie’s character were to return in Lorre’s spinoff, he could illustrate another side of The Big Bang Theory’s workplace setting.
