The Dark Secret of Young Sheldon's Most Beloved Character

Summary

• Young Sheldon's characters are generally more likable than TBBT's.
• Meemaw is one of the most popular characters in the spin-off.
• Her family history raises many questions about her personality.

Throughout its twelve-season run, The Big Bang Theory captivated audiences with the hilarity of its awkward characters, four CalTech scientists and their friends and love interests who couldn't figure out life despite their vast intelligence. But while they were fun to follow, they weren't particularly likable, with the exception of Penny, whose sense of humor and lighthearted attitude about everything made her the ultimate fan favorite.

Young Sheldon's characters, on the other hand, are much more relatable and endearing. Written to have both flaws and strengths, the Coopers have complicated personalities that make them truly lifelike. But even among them, some characters are much more popular than others.

For example, Shelly's grandmother, whom he affectionately calls Meemaw, is one of Young Sheldon's most popular characters. She's feisty and abrasive on the surface, but very soft and tender on the inside, which she shows to her grandchildren. She also has a sarcastic sense of humor that makes her very popular with fans of the show. But apparently Meemaw has a very serious flaw that has been addressed several times in the spin-off.

A Great Meemaw ≠ A Great Mom

While Connie is the best grandmother Shelly, Missy, and Georgie could get, she obviously wasn't the best mother in the world. Meemaw looks after and cares for her grandchildren, but she wasn't the nurturing mom, which is mentioned on Young Sheldon on several occasions. Aside from Mary and George's comments about Meemaw's maternal qualifications, there are a number of things that point to Connie's poor mothering skills.

First and foremost, Mary's background story is a prime example of Meemaw being a carefree mother. According to Connie's own words, Mary was a bad girl who smoked, drank, and hung out with boys during her high school years. In the end, Mary's lifestyle, neglected by Connie, led to Georgie's out-of-wedlock conception. But there's a much more serious indication of Connie's poor mothering skills.

A Family Pariah

Although it's barely mentioned on Young Sheldon, Meemaw has two children besides Mary. On TBBT, Sheldon talks about his two maternal uncles, Edward and Carl, the latter of whom died after a tragic experience with a badger.

In the spin-off, George tries to hurt Connie's feelings by telling her that her own children don't talk to her. And since neither Edward nor Carl appear on YS, this is often overlooked by fans, but it really underscores the fact that Meemaw was such a terrible mother that her own children won't talk to her.

Meemaw has a disturbingly close relationship with alcohol and is somewhat self-centered. But how horrible must she have been that her own sons don't want her in their lives? Unfortunately, we'll never know because Young Sheldon ends tonight, May 16, when the two-part finale airs.