When The Big Bang Theory debuted in 2007, Sara Gilbert frequently appeared on the show as Dr. Leslie Winkle. But over time, the character just faded away with little explanation.
During an appearance on The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast, Gilbert explained why she thinks Leslie slowly disappeared from the sitcom. “I think the writers kind of hit a wall with the character, probably also because she leaves these dynamics quickly, you know, then kind of like, well, what do you do now?,” she said. “[Leslie’s] wired like that, and she left, and then there’s no more story there, really. But yeah, it was a blast, and I like to work, so I’m always happy to show up.”
Gilbert, whose character worked as a physicist in the same laboratory as Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Howard (Simon Helberg), and Raj (Kunal Nayyar), also revealed whether she would be open to appearing in the upcoming spinoff series Stuart Fails to Save the Universe if the opportunity presented itself. “Yeah I would do more,” the actor said without hesitation. “I would have done more at the time.”
In a 2022 book titled The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series, executive producer Steve Molaro explained why Leslie had a short-loved tenure on the series. “We wanted love interests for Leonard and were just looking for stories,” he said via Slashfilm. “It was also a great way to add female scientists, because Leslie was at the university as well. And [series creator Lorre] had a history with Sara from Roseanne [in which Gilbert and Galecki played love interests].
Leslie Winkle Was Never Meant To Be A Permanent Character
“But we were never looking for a permanent, everlasting relationship for Leonard because we always thought he would date Penny [Kaley Cuoco] on and off,” Molaro continued. “We weren’t looking to find a permanent girlfriend for him. We were adding characters and seeing what worked and what was leading to fun stories.” Leslie only appeared in Season 1, 2, 3, and 9 of The Big Bang Theory, with her final appearance billed as a cameo in the show’s 200th episode, “The Celebration Experimentation.”
It is currently unclear if there will be a place for Gilbert in The Big Bang Theory spinoff. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe recently received a promising update. “We’ve seen some material at the studio, and we’ve had some creative conversations with Max, so we are hopeful for good news soon,” Warner Bros. Television Group CEO Channing Dungey said. She also described the scripts as “creative, imaginative,” and “most importantly, very, very funny.”
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will focus on Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie), Denise (Lauren Lapkus), and Bert Kibbler (Brian Posehn). All four characters appeared in The Big Bang Theory in recurring roles. Bowie recently shared a behind-the-scenes look at the quartet which was snapped during a table read of the show’s first few episodes. None of the main cast members from The Big Bang Theory are expected to star in the new series.
All 12 seasons of The Big Bang Theory are streaming on Max. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe does not have a release date at this time.
