Sheldon Cooper presentedThe Big Bang Theoryfans with an intriguing mystery when he mentioned having exactly nine friends, but the even more curious question is how many of those friends might appear in Stuart’s upcoming spinoff. Out of four confirmedcharacters in the newBig Bang Theoryspinoff, there aren’t many Sheldon would typically label as friends. And even though his character has undergone significant emotional development in the years leading up to theThe Big Bang Theoryfinale, the mystery in question predates much of that growth by several seasons.
The Big Bang Theoryseason 7 episode “The Discovery Dissipation” that Sheldon clocks his precise friend count at nine, although the number changes several times afterLeonard disproves Sheldon’s groundbreaking research into a new element. But fans have long since wondered who the original nine were meant to be. Given that it’s not exceedingly likely for Sheldon to pop up inThe Big Bang TheoryspinoffStuart Fails to Save the Universeafter Jim Parsons grew weary of the original series, the new show can still connect to him by featuring his closest compatriots.
7The Main Big Bang Theory Cast (Minus Amy)
He Names A Few Of Them Specifically
SinceDavid Galecki’s absence fromThe Connersfinal seasonis based on the actor preferring his life in Nashville over his small-screen return,Leonard’s not likely to appear in Stuart’sBig Bang Theoryspinoff. But nearly anyone else from themainBig Bang Theorycastis fair game for a guest appearance, provided they have the availability. Sheldon specifically mentions Howard and Penny as being among his friends in season 7. Given that he likes Raj more than Howard and braved his mysophobia to sing to Bernadette at a hospital, it can be assumed he includes them as well.
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Amy’s up for reunion, as evidenced byMayim Bialik’sNight Courtappearance, but it’s questionable whether Sheldon would call her a friend. He described her as such when they first met, butSheldon’s precise view of the world suggests he wouldn’t see “friend” and “girlfriend” as synonymous. He asks her to sign a contract to become his girlfriend, and he tells her after she learns about Tam Nguyen (who’s out of the running since Sheldon still resented him at this point) that she can’t be his best friend and wife simultaneously. That leaves his friend count currently at five.
6Stuart Bloom
His Friend Status Is Up For Debate
Out of everyone confirmed to appear inThe Big Bang Theoryspinoff, Stuart is the closest thing Sheldon has to a friend. Sheldon hates Kripke, respects Bert even less than Howard, and barely even knows Denise. Meanwhile,Stuart took Howard’s place in the main foursome while Wolowitz was in space. However, this exact storyline underscores why Sheldon might not consider Stuart one of his friends. He was happy to kick Stuart out of the group when Howard returned, and he only changed his mind when Stuart offered the gang 30% off on comic books.
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But even if that leaves Sheldon’s friend count at five, Stuart still warrants mention for the sheer fact thathe opens the door for many of Sheldon’s real friends to appear onStuart Fails to Save the Universe. While the inclusion of Bert and Kripke might open the door for Howard or Raj to pop up at Caltech, Stuart’s ownership of the comic book store opens up even more possibilities. And that becomes even more clear when looking at some of the other front-runners for Sheldon’s nine-point friend list.
5Wil Wheaton
They’ve Come A Long Way Since Their Feud
James Earl Jones is likely on the list of Sheldon’s potential nine friends, but the two didn’t actually meet until four episodes after he gave that number. At the time, Sheldon’s only friend with a tie to a major sci-fi franchise was Wil Wheaton. WithSheldon’s Wil Wheaton feudofficially put to rest,Sheldon specifically names Wheaton as one of his nine friends. When Sheldon doubts himself for making a scientific breakthrough almost entirely by accident, Wheaton is the one to talk him out of his depression. Their friendship isn’t perfect over the years, but it’s there.
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Wil Wheaton is also one of the most likely characters to appear inStuart Fails to Save the Universe. He’s never been tied to Sheldon alone, andhis ties toStar Trekmake him a prime candidate to appear at any events that Stuart’s comic book shop might host. On top of that, his multiple appearances make it clear that he was one ofThe Big Bang Theory’s more favored guest stars. If the spinoff can possibly get him back for an episode or two, it’s very likely they’d make full use of that.
4Professor Proton
He Was Way More Forgiving Than Bill Nye
Unfortunately, Bob Newhart’s passing makes it impossible for him to appear in theBig Bang Theoryfranchise ever again. But even if Newhart were alive, Professor Proton’s death onThe Big Bang Theorymade it virtually impossible for him to return.Newhart’s appearances after Proton’s death only occurred during Sheldon’s dreams, so it’s not feasible to bring him back without Sheldon’s return. They can’t even bring back a younger version of the character since Newhart played him onYoung Sheldonas well.
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Nonetheless, there’s every reason to believe Sheldon includes beloved TV scientist Arthur Jeffries among his friends. Unlike Bill Nye “The Restraining Order Guy,” Jeffries begrudgingly tolerates Sheldon’s eccentricities. And sinceProfessor Proton doesn’t pass away until half a season after Sheldon gives his friendship count, there’s every reason to believe the lovable TV character would have brought Sheldon’s friend count to at least seven. Considering the fact that Sheldon pictures Professor Proton when he needs guidance in life, it seems this particular friendship was of very great importance to him. Jeffries just unfortunately saw it differently.
3Beverly Hofstadter
They Nearly Became More Than Friends
Leonard’s mom inThe Big Bang Theoryis horrifically neglectful as a mother. She never seems to care about Leonard, yetBeverly Hofstadter treats Sheldon as if he’s the son she always wanted. As a respected psychologist and renowned author on the subject, she’d probably then have a lot to say about the fact that she drunkenly kisses Sheldon right in his own living room. While Sheldon wouldn’t have been ready for this kind of contact at the time it happened, he’d nonetheless continue to respect Beverly as an intellectual equal.
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To be fair, Sheldon respects a lot of people who he wouldn’t necessarily think of as friends. But he usually responds to such people with delighted surprise. His relationship with Beverly appears to extend a bit deeper.Sheldon’s legitimately excited any time Beverly arrives and enjoys catching up with her, something that hardly describes his relationships with most people. That said, she’s unlikely to drop any news about Sheldon in the newBig Bang Theoryspinoff, since it would be extremely difficult to justify her appearance without featuring either Sheldon or Leonard at the same time.
2Stephen Hawking
The Game Is Literally Called “Words With Friends”
Stephen Hawking’s first appearance inThe Big Bang Theorywas in season 5, during which he met Sheldon and the two established a somewhat loose professional relationship. But it wasn’t until the next season that their relationship developed to the point they were playingWords with Friendsagainst one another. Sheldon vocally declared them to be official friends based on the name of the game alone. Given his relationship with Professor Proton, this is enough toqualify Hawking as the ninth friend on Sheldon’s list(assuming previous inclusions and exclusions were correct), regardless of Hawking’s own feelings on the matter.
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The legend unfortunately passed away, meaning it’s not possible for him to reprise his role inStuart Fails to Save the Universe. However,TheBig Bang Theoryspinoff can still feature Stephen Hawking without his physical appearance. One of the betterTheBig Bangepisodes involving Hawking largely just revolved around a toy created by Howard, and a cut season 11 scene would have involved Sheldon and Amy receiving a posthumous wedding gift. Bert and Kripke’s confirmation suggests the new spinoff will maintain some focus on science, so Hawking getting at least a mention is hardly out of the picture.
1Frank & Alicia
They Can’t Stay Under The Sink Forever
The newBig Bang Theoryspinoff won’t be on CBS, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still give fan service to those who have followed the show since its network roots. Andone of the easiest ways to do that is to finally show Sheldon’s mysterious friends Frank and Alicia in the flesh. Despite a common (and typically facetious) fan theory, the aforementioned Alicia probably isn’t the same Alicia who used to live in the apartment above Sheldon. He showed her a moment of respect, but he never treated her like a friend.
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Moreover, she was never depicted as the type who would participate in the sort of game night Sheldon describes himself as sharing with Frank and Alicia in season 9. Because this reference occurs a full two seasons after Sheldon mentions his nine friends inThe Big Bang Theory, it’s not clear or particularly likely that they’d be factored into his friend count. However, including them inStuart Fails to Save the Universeas customers in Stuart’s shop and having them reference their friendship with Sheldon would go a long way with long-time devotees of the franchise.
The Big Bang Theory
Cast
The Big Bang Theory: This sitcom follows a group of socially awkward scientists and their interactions with each other and the people around them. Centered on physicists Sheldon and Leonard, the series humorously explores friendship, romance, and the quirks of life among an eclectic group of academics.
