Wil Wheaton may be done on The Big Bang Theory, but what about Young Sheldon? The Star Trek: The Next Generation star has had a recurring role on Big Bang Theory since Season 3 in 2009, playing Sheldon Cooper's (Jim Parsons) nemesis-turned-ally across 10 years.
The Big Bang Theory Season 12 is the final season, and it's closing in on its final episodes. But the spinoff Young Sheldon started by following Sheldon in 1989 and then into 1990. If the show gets to 1995, it could theoretically cover the infamous Dixie Trek Convention that started Sheldon's feud against this alternate version of Wil Wheaton.
As it was revealed on The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon spent 10 hours on a bus from Texas to Mississippi to get to Dixie Trek '95. During which, he revealed, he had to violate his person rule of relieving himself on a moving vehicle -- twice! When he arrived at the convention, Sheldon expected Star Trek's Wil Wheaton to be there to sign Sheldon's Wesley Crusher action figure. But Wheaton was a no-show, leaving Sheldon seething and betrayed.
Wil Wheaton became Sheldon Cooper's mortal enemy.
Wil Wheaton was asked if he'd do a guest spot or a voiceover on Young Sheldon, if the spinoff ever got to that 1995 timeline. Here's Wheaton's response to TV Insider:
I [actually] lived in Houston from 1974 to 1977. I mostly remember fire ants and thunderstorms. I’m asked all the time about if I’d go and recreate that moment for Young Sheldon – where he went to a sci-fi con and Wil wasn’t there, but my answer is: Wil didn’t show up!
True. But TV Insider noted that Young Sheldon could show us what Wil Wheaton was really doing -- i.e., taping a guest spot on Hollywood Squares (despite lying that his grandmother had died). Wheaton seemed OK with that angle, but added:
They could do that, but they’d have to do a fair amount of age reduction!
Just call in the team that does it for Marvel Studios all the time now! CBS should have the money. The Big Bang Theory has certainly made enough for them.
In The Big Bang Theory Season 5, it was revealed that the TV version of Wil Wheaton had gone to Hollywood Squares instead of the convention. However, at a party he threw, Wheaton gave Sheldon a signed Ensign Crusher action figure. The gift was noted, "To Sheldon, sorry it took so long. Your friend, Wil Wheaton."
That took Wil Wheaton off Sheldon Cooper's mortal enemy list. However, Wheaton's Star Trek co-star Brent Spiner quickly got himself on top of the list by seeing the action figure and opening the mint condition package.
Wil Wheaton had a major role in the star-studded Big Bang Theory Season 12 episode "The D&D Vortex," which aired on February 21. He said, as far as he knew, that was his final appearance on the show:
And that was just the most joyful way to complete the most amazing 10 years of my acting career. There could not have been a better, more satisfying way to finish it.
The Big Bang Theory Season 12 will tape its final episode next week; the finale will be an hour long, with two back-to-back episodes airing Thursday, May 16 on CBS. Young Sheldon is currently airing Season 2, also Thursdays on CBS.
For the record, when asked if he'd bring Wesley Crusher back on an episode of CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery, Wil Wheaton said he'd do everything he could to say yes. He also previously said he wasn't expecting to be asked back for Patrick Stewart's Picard series, but he was thrilled for his former co-star and figured the entire cast would be happy to return, if wanted. Would you hope he also said yes to Young Sheldon, however that would play out?
