The Big Bang Theory is gearing up for yet another major life change for some of its central characters, as Amy and Sheldon will be tying the knot for the Season 11 finale in May. And while we know who some of the big guest stars that'll be showing up for the big wedding, including Mark freakin' Hamill, we weren't quite sure of what roles they were playing. Now, though, we finally know that Amy's parents will indeed be present, and they'll be played by Kathy Bates and the magician Teller.
Having been tapped to appear in the Big Bang Theory finale just recently, Kathy Bates and Teller were the ripe fan choices for Mr. and Mrs. Fowler, but CBS and the show's producers stayed mum about specifics. But TVLine has reported that will indeed the the case. I'm hoping that Mark Hamill is like an uncle or something. Maybe Uncle Ben? Eh?
Not that I want to make any broad generalizations, but I'm going to guess that Momma Bates will be where Amy gets her loud, zany and occasionally brusque traits, while Papa Teller is where she got her...close-up magic skills, and affinity for The Quiet Game? I can't wait to see how the sitcom handles the magician and author's signature silence.
With her Big Bang Theory debut, Kathy Bates made a quick reconnection with co-creator Chuck Lorre, whom she worked with on the recently cancelled Netflix comedy Disjointed. I can't imagine that Mrs. Fowler will share the same pot-embracing habits as Bates' previous character, but she'll probably have some of her own noteworthy quirks and obsessions. Teller, who appeared during the premiere of ABC's Deception (naturally), is currently on the front lines of The CW's Penn & Teller: Fool Us, and it seems like it would be wasting an opportunity if the show doesn't utilize his slight-of-hand talents. Alternately, since Teller is also a skeptic, maybe he could somehow prove one of Sheldon's ideas wrong, which would create more wedding drama than if Amy got cold feet.
While many of the other Big Bang Theory characters have seen several different family members appear on the sitcom in the past, Amy Farrah Fowler has been a lone wolf, so to speak. But in a way, keeping Amy's parents away from fans for all these years just makes their impending arrival that much more important, and Mom and Dad's arrival should make Amy's day all the more...happy? Stressful? Infuriating? We'll just have to wait and see.
Speaking of other family members, the Big Bang finale will also introduce Sheldon's brother George (whom fans have gotten to know on Young Sheldon), with Jerry O'Connell stepping in Adult George's shoes. And Sheldon's twin Missy and their mother Mary will be present as well, with Courtney Henggeler and Laurie Matcalf respectively reprising the roles. Can we hope for some surprise visitors on top of everyone else? Could be. Although Bates, Teller and Hamill are enough to last through the summer hiatus.
The Big Bang Theory airs Thursday nights on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET, with the big finale coming up on May 10. Check out Mayim Bialik's first look at the episode, and head to our TV finale rundown to see when all the other hit shows are wrapping up. And head to our summer premiere schedule to see what new and returning shows will appear soon.
To see how the show has set Amy up for that special day, and how star Mayim Bialik feels about it all, head to the next page.
With their big day approaching, Amy and Sheldon aren't just worried about their parents showing up, since that might be more of a headache than something to anticipate excitedly. But we all know what one of the most important elements of a wedding is to a bride and groom, perhaps more to one than the other: the clothes. Star Mayim Bialik recently shared a first look at what viewers can expect to see Amy and Sheldon walking down the aisle in.
In the episode "The Monetary Insufficiency," fans got to watch as Amy went out dress shopping, and instead of spending way too long on making that big decision by dragging her best friends around to watch her trying on new gowns for weeks on end, Amy ended up picking the second dress she got her hands on, and it was one that can definitely be considered "eye-catching," even if Penny and Bernadette's eyes weren't all that impressed when they saw it. All that mattered, though, is what Sheldon thought. And in his eyes, Amy looked like a pile of swans. Which is to say, "beautiful."
So not only will we get to see Amy interacting with her parents for the first time, but we'll also get to see their first impressions of her big dress. (Big in most senses of the word.) Something tells me her dad won't be saying too much about it, amirite? For what it's worth, Mayim Bialik had some complicated feelings about putting that dress on, since it was a firm reminder about her own real-life divorce.
Now, the wait is on to see what kind of tuxedo Sheldon will pick out. For the most part, wedding tuxes are the least interesting of most matrimonial outfits. But Sheldon's unique tastes will likely spill over into his choices here, and if his socks are anything to go by, we might expect his tux jacket to have a cape on it.
