Despite being painted as a negative character used mostly for comedic purposes on the nerd-centric sitcom, Missy’s The Big Bang Theory tragedy is great for Young Sheldon. Introduced on The Big Bang Theory season 1 as Sheldon's more attractive and social twin, Missy was the second Cooper family member to appear on the nerd-centric sitcom after Mary. Now, Missy is one, if not the most popular character on Young Sheldon, and despite The Big Bang Theory's big blunder in handling her character, it's actually a blessing in disguise for her.
Sheldon's twin sister has been the emotional support of the Coopers ever since Georgie's unexpected pregnancy news came out towards the end of Young Sheldon season 5. This further highlights just why exactly Missy is the smartest Cooper kid, as she's the only one who recognizes the very serious cracks in Mary and George's marriage. Despite this, Young Sheldon continues to underutilize the character, refusing to give her a personal arc and instead relegating her to a supporting role. It's a massive mistake that CBS already committed on The Big Bang Theory.
Why Missy Was Barely On The Big Bang Theory
Considering Missy’s popularity on Young Sheldon, one would assume that The Big Bang Theory would have significantly factored in this. After all, the prequel was greenlit to further capitalize on the popularity of the original sitcom. However, this isn't the case because Young Sheldon's version of the character could not be more different than her older counterpart. In fact, Raegan Revord is thankful TBBT didn't utilize Missy as much because it allowed her to make the character her own. It also allows Young Sheldon to craft her story in a way that isn’t beholden to The Big Bang Theory’s established canon, decreasing the chances of creating more plot inconsistencies.
It’s no secret that Young Sheldon’s relaxed approach to The Big Bang Theory’s continuity has resulted in inconsistencies between the sitcoms. Plot holes primarily stem from contradicting depictions of the characters. This is particularly the case with George, who was described as a no-good father, only for the prequel to directly go against it by featuring a flawed but devoted family man. The same could be said for Mary, who is significantly more judgmental and overall worse on The Big Bang Theory despite her claims that she was the better Cooper parent.
Young Sheldon Needs To Remember How Great Missy Is
Sadly, Young Sheldon season 6 continues to underutilize Missy. The character has yet to have any compelling narrative in the show’s current year, and it doesn’t seem like there are any plans to put focus on her anytime soon. This is understandable, considering that almost everyone in the family is already going through something, but CBS needs to remember that Young Sheldon is missing a big opportunity by not taking advantage of Missy, who is a fantastic character. If only The Big Bang Theory prequel could focus on her, too, then the show could finally and truly be a family comedy.
Young Sheldon season 6 airs Thursdays on CBS.