It’s the perfect timing to bring Sara Gilbert’s Leslie Winkle back in The Big Bang Theory spinoff. Chuck Lorre is re-teaming with Bill Prady as they expand the nerd-centric sitcom 5 years after the Pasadena gang said farewell in The Big Bang Theory finale. While Sheldon, Leonard, and the rest of their friend group won’t be mainstays in the new show, the endeavor will bring back familiar faces from the nerd-centric sitcom, led by Kevin Sussman’s Stuart Bloom and John Ross Bowie’s Barry Kripke. Rounding out the confirmed cast are Lauren Lapkus’ Denise and Brian Posehn’s Bert.
Lorre has been tightlipped about the project, which remains without an official title. Technically, the show hasn’t also gotten the greenlight, but reports claim that the aforementioned cast members have signed contracts with the intention of seeing them star in the next The Big Bang Theory spinoff. Based on Lorre’s casting choices, it seems like the idea for the new show is to put the spotlight on the flagship’s best supporting characters. While the ensemble’s current selection is already good enough, Perhaps the producers could also consider bringing in Leslie, especially in light of a new career development for Gilbert.
Sara Gilbert’s Time In The Conners Is Ending
Darlene Is Preparing To Say Goodbye
Before Bernadette and Amy joined the nerd-centric sitcom’s cast, the show’s most prominent female character after Penny was Leslie. Gilbert debuted the character in The Big Bang Theory season 1 episode 3, “The Fuzzy Boots Corollary.” She primarily worked with Leonard because they used the same laboratory, with the show briefly exploring a romance between them before eventually dropping the matter. Gilbert’s Leslie was eventually phased out of The Big Bang Theory, allowing her to eventually reunite with her Roseanne co-stars in its revival and subsequent sequel spinoff, The Conners.
After seven successful seasons, however, The Conners is now ending. As one of the lead stars of the show, Gilbert has devoted her time playing Darlene, but as that wraps up, she could revisit Leslie via the upcoming The Big Bang Theory spinoff. Since the project is still in development, there’s not even a targeted release plan for it yet. However, because The Conners is wrapping up its run this May 2025, it’s safe to say that by the time the production starts on Lorre’s project, the actor is already free of her previous commitment.
Why Leslie Winkle’s Appearance Fits In The Big Bang Theory Spinoff’s Story
The Big Bang Theory Spinoff Is About 2nd Chances
Leslie coming back fits perfectly with The Big Bang Theory spinoff’s theme of giving overlooked characters their deserved time under the spotlight. Gilbert’s character was gradually written out of the sitcom, not because it was a bad one, but because the writers didn’t have room for her. As in Roseanne, she and Johnny Galecki, who played Leonard, had great chemistry, but the viewers were already invested in seeing Sheldon’s best friend with Penny. Without that romance angle, Lorre and his team didn’t know what else to do with Leslie.
Without the Pasadena gang, The Big Bang Theory franchise can fully explore Leslie’s story. The original show barely tackled her background, making her an interesting addition to the cast of the upcoming project. Suffice it to say, there won’t be any scarcity of stories to tell about her. Hopefully, however, Gilbert is willing to step back into the world of network sitcoms after ending her seven-year stint with The Conners.
