Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) is a pedantic soul — which might be a big reason why some “The Big Bang Theory” fans can’t stand him. There’s no fighting that impression, not after the many times his detail-orientated qualms have gotten him into worlds of trouble throughout the run of “The Big Bang Theory.” That search for exactness has resulted in Sheldon coming to verbal blows with others, ultimately leading to legal consequences. But sometimes, the guy just can’t help himself, even if that means staying 50 feet away from celebrities he worships.
And that inability to keep his thoughts to himself has legally had some rather dire consequences on Sheldon. Since he has a mind or a mouth that cannot be controlled, Sheldon has managed to rack up restraining orders from at least four different celebrities. Those unfortunate few? A who’s who of the geek creme de la creme — Leonard Nimoy, Carl Sagan, Stan Lee, and Bill Nye. It’s also implied that he has a restraining order against Zachary Quinto, though he doesn’t flat-out say that Mr. Quinto pressed charges against him.
Each order’s specific hows and whys have been gone over onscreen — glancingly or before the eyes of Sheldon fanciers everywhere. And only Sheldon Cooper could get himself in this much trouble without getting jailed.
The hows and whys of Sheldon’s many restraining orders can be dizzying
Only Sheldon Cooper could land himself as many as five restraining orders from five different people. While “The Big Bang Theory” doesn’t detail every single incident, audiences learn a whole lot about Sheldon through the people he’s offended.
The Stan Lee incident occurs right onscreen during “The Excelsior Acquisition” in Season 3. When Penny (Kaley Cuoco) forces Sheldon to run a red light, he finds himself in court on the same day Lee’s supposed to hit up the gang’s local comic shop. Penny gets Lee’s address and brings Sheldon to his door to make it up to him. Unfortunately, the amazing and spectacular Lee’s sarcasm goes right over Sheldon’s head. When the late comic book legend mockingly invites Sheldon inside, he steps over the threshold — and gets a legal scolding.
Viewers learn Leonard Nimoy has a restraining order against Sheldon during “The Excelsior Acquisition,” though Sheldon doesn’t explain the specifics behind the inciting incident. Since we learn in Season 2’s “The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis” that Sheldon’s been dying to get a sample of Nimoy’s DNA to clone him, the actor’s actions might be self-preservation.
Sheldon discusses Carl Sagan’s legal charge during Season 5’s “The Vacation Solution.” During a humorous interchange between Sheldon and his soon-to-be wife, Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), he says, “Here you go! This is now the only lab with glassware washed by a man with two doctorates and a restraining order signed by Carl Sagan.”
Lastly, Sheldon gains a restraining order from Bill Nye during Season 7’s “The Proton Displacement” after getting involved in the science show host’s beef with Professor Proton (Bob Newhart). But one more celebrity might have a restraining order against Sheldon.
Zachary Quinto might have a restraining order against Sheldon (and Young Sheldon might provide the reason why)
One more public persona might have a restraining order against Sheldon Cooper. During Season 10’s “The Allowance Evaporation,” Amy Farrah Fowler scolds Sheldon, telling him there’s a thick line between saying hi to a friend in public and tailing a celebrity into a public washroom. Sheldon replies, “If the judge couldn’t explain it to me, I don’t see how you will. If you think this is more fun than talking to Zachary Quinto through a stall door, you’re crazy.” At the very least, it appears Sheldon was arrested for tailing Quinto into the can, but the show doesn’t flat-out say that the actor might have a restraining order against the scientist.
Why does Sheldon have so many restraining orders pressed against him by people he admires? He might have been given the idea by one of his mentors as a child, as depicted in “Young Sheldon.” During Season 6’s “Legalese and a Whole Hoo-Ha,” Dr. Linkletter (Ed Begley Jr.) tries to bribe Sheldon (Iain Armitage) with an autograph from Richard Feynman. Linkletter explains he got the John Hancock from Feynman via a restraining order. Sheldon finds this a clever way to collect autographs. That may explain why Sheldon, who worships Leonard Nimoy, managed to run afoul of him. It also provides “Young Sheldon” fans with another callback to “The Big Bang Theory,” and proves that the more things change with Sheldon, the more they remain the same.
