Young Sheldon cameo solves Big Bang Theory’s biggest plot hole

Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 10 featured a major guest star — and it’s a cameo that nixes any complaints about one of The Big Bang Theory’s biggest plot holes.

Let’s get this clear: Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory don’t need to maintain the same storytelling standards as shows like Game of Thrones, Succession, and other dramas. They’re sitcoms, and if we picked apart inconsistencies in their contemporaries, we’d be here all day; for example, what happened to Ross’ son Ben in Friends?

However, this one is understandable: Lance Barber, who plays George in Young Sheldon, earlier appeared in Season 5 Episode 11 of The Big Bang Theory as Jimmy Speckerman, one of Leonard’s high school bullies.

There haven’t been any other casting mix-ups between the prequel and original series, but Young Sheldon’s latest episode finally put it to bed. Octavia Spencer appeared as Connie’s probation officer — and this comes years after she played a DMV clerk in TBBT, proving that actors can play different characters in both shows with some sort of larger meaning.

“It’s another meta-casting. Octavia Spencer later plays the clerk at the DMV when Sheldon is trying to get a driver’s license,” one Redditor commented. “I was surprised to see Octavia Spencer play the probation of Meemaw since I remember her playing the DMV clerk character in TBBT. I think it would have been fun seeing Octavia play the same character in Young Sheldon and TBBT,” another wrote.

Vernee Johnson has portrayed a nurse in both shows, but there’s no indication that they’re the same character.

It’s a daunting time for Young Sheldon fans: not only is the series finale on the horizon, but George’s death is fast approaching. “I don’t want to say what you will or won’t see, but things will get addressed,” executive producer Steve Holland told TV Line.

“We are not beholden to every joke that was ever made on The Big Bang Theory, but we do feel beholden to the larger canon and the larger events that shape Sheldon’s life. We want to honor those.”

Young Sheldon returns next week, but you can check out our list of other new TV shows coming to streaming this month.