For the most of the run of the ‘The Big Bang Theory’ Sheldon did not speak well of very many people, but there was always a certain reverence for grandmothers, his own “Meemaw” in particular, which led many to speculate that his Meemaw might have died, and that her passing was a painful time for Sheldon. (He even once forgave Will Whedon after a decades long feud when Will said his grandmother was sick at the time). Oddly though, in Season 9, the show-runners cast June Squibb in the role of Sheldon’s Meemaw and had her make an appearance on the series, meeting and disliking Amy, which made for a very entertaining episode, though it left some lingering questions about why, if the woman and Sheldon were so close, she had not visited before.
Flash to the present, and the Hollywood Reporter has broke the news that Annie Potts has landed the roll of Sheldon’s Meemaw on the spin-off show, ‘Young Sheldon,’ where she will be playing a character described as “foul-mouthed, hard-drinking Texas grandmother who is very supportive of her grandson and his unique gifts.” With this look into her past and seeing more of her faults (unlike the shining perfection Sheldon always speaks of), we may get some idea of why she did not visit her beloved grandson during the first nine years of ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ (Of course, this is disregarding the very real notion that the show-runners of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ might have originally conceived of her as being deceased, and just changed their minds when the 9th season rolled around and they wanted to shake things up). Though the part about her being so supportive of Sheldon and his gifts in the midst of her drinking should also help explain why she is so beloved by Sheldon.
What do you think about Annie Potts taking the role of Meemaw? Will she be as strong in the roll as June Squibb was? Do you think ‘Young Sheldon’ will be a worthy spin-off of ‘The Big Bang Theory?’ Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!
Source: EW
