Sorry, But Lance Barber Is Completely Wrong About Young Sheldon’s Most Underrated Character—Here’s Why

Young Sheldon was set to focus on the early life of Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage), the break-out character from the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, played by Jim Parsons as an adult in that show. But as the show continued through its seven-season run, the attention shifted focus to the entire Cooper family.

This included parents George Sr. (Lance Barber) and Mary (Zoe Perry), older brother Georgie (Montana Jordan), twin sister Missy (Raegan Revord), and grandmother Connie “Meemaw” (Annie Potts). There were other supporting characters who got their own storylines, too. But fans believe that by the end, one character in particular was overlooked and should have gotten more screen time than she did. This is despite Barber suggesting that her being overlooked was “intentional.”

Missy’s Story Was Seriously Lacking

Fans first learn about Sheldon’s twin sister Missy from how he describes her in The Big Bang Theory along with her few cameo appearances as an adult, played by Courtney Henggeler. He often describes her as being shallow, ditzy, and aimless. Misty proves this to be somewhat right, simply getting by while working as a chain restaurant hostess and dealing with a failed marriage and unwanted fourth pregnancy.

In Young Sheldon, it appears there are many layers to Missy. She might have turned out differently had circumstances changed. Even though she and Sheldon were the same age, she was like the stereotypical middle child. Mary gave all her attention to Sheldon, who demanded it given his tremendous IQ, sped-up schooling timeline, and lack of social skills that made her worry about him.

Older brother Georgie was the troublemaker who also required his parents’ attention in hopes that he could make something of his life. He ended up getting a much older woman pregnant at the age of 17, getting married, and starting his own life as a father and provider. But prior to that, Mary and George tried to keep as watchful an eye on Georgie as they could and push him to do better.

As a result, Missy was largely ignored. She never had the type of mother-daughter relationship with Mary one would expect. Her mother’s deep religious beliefs meant she didn’t understand Missy’s focus on fashion, make-up, boys, and rebelliousness. Missy had a closer relationship with her father that had its ups and downs as she went through typical growing pains. But when it came to parenting, George usually stepped aside to let Mary handle things, which sometimes meant Missy was left by the wayside.

She had already begun to rebel prior to George’s death, largely a factor of so much attention being placed on either Sheldon’s academic needs or Georgie’s upcoming baby. It was a clear cry for help for someone, anyone, to notice her and ask her how her day was, what she was going through, or how they could help. Missy’s untapped potential is evident when she steps up to the plate to manage the house when her mother is away in Germany with Sheldon. She cooks, cleans, divides chores, and basically fills Mary’s shoes. Yet even that goes largely unnoticed and certainly unappreciated.

When Missy loses her father during a pivotal time in her life, it breaks her. But even then, she doesn’t get the support she needs. With Mary grieving, Sheldon gone off to college, Georgie dealing with his own family, and Connie still navigating the loss of her home, Missy is once again left to fend for herself in a crucial time of need. The finale answered many questions but left the situation with Missy unresolved. Literally forgotten, like when her parents forget to pick her up after practice or no one calls her to tell her that Mandy has gone into labor, the way Missy is neglected in the storylines is mirrored in the actor’s potential for the show, too.

Missy Needs More Screen Time

While Barber spoke to Dexerto trying to justify the overlooking of Misty, it seems more like a cop-out than a genuine answer. He calls her journey “intentional” and notes that it “plays out well for cultural expectations of the girl for the ‘overlooked girl.’” He claims that her journey will have the chance to grow on Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. But if that’s to materialize, it hasn’t happened yet.

Barber adds that knowing Missy’s history and what she has been through “gives it more gravitas, more depth, and layers to who she becomes and why.” From what fans know of Missy from her few appearances in The Big Bang Theory, the circumstances of her life may have held her back. While she might have been happy in the life she had, it appeared she was simply just going through the motions of being a mother, entry-level worker, and at one point, a wife. In the episode with Sheldon and Amy’s wedding, she mentions being happy to be separated but not happy about being pregnant again with her fourth child.

Her relationship with Mary, who herself became much meaner and more cynical following George Sr.’s death, remained contentious. In one of her appearances on The Big Bang Theory, Mary, played by Laurie Metcalf, refers to Missy as being “dumb as soup.” It’s noted by Sheldon that she took six years to graduate high school, though this might have largely been due to her not applying herself, skipping school, and getting suspended.

Could Missy Finally Get the Story Arc She Deserves?

There’s an opportunity for Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage to provide more details about this pivotal time in Missy’s life. While fans already know where she ends up, so much of her story after George’s death was left untold.

Given that Sheldon went on to win a Nobel Prize in science and Georgie became a self-made millionaire selling tires, Missy is once again fading to the background. But fans wonder if there’s potential for her yet. Penny (Kaley Cuoco) from The Big Bang Theory, after all, is very similar to Missy, which is why some viewers believe Sheldon was drawn to her and the two became so close. And she ended up finding a lucrative career and her perfect match in Leonard (Johnny Galecki). Telling Missy’s story between the time of the death of her father and the present day could help at least provide some closure.

Missy was one of the most entertaining, fun to watch characters on Young Sheldon. Her sassy sarcasm, even from a young age, was downright hilarious. Her handling of Sheldon, with both deep irritation and care, was sweet. When Sheldon graduated high school, and she helped him deliver a confident speech, it proves there’s so much more depth to their relationship than fans got to see on either show.

In one of adult Georgie’s appearances on The Big Bang Theory, played by Jerry O’Connell, he unloads on Sheldon about how he was left to take care of their grieving mother and rebellious sister. Fans have seen glimpses of both, but very little of Missy so far. That’s a story that needs to be told and that fans want to see.

Even though viewers know where Missy ends up, seeing her route to getting there without the distraction of college like Sheldon or a baby like Georgie is the most raw and emotional story. She may never have been as academically intelligent as Sheldon nor as crafty and charming as Georgie. But she was arguably stronger than the lot of them.