Big Bang Theory Star Reveals How Sheldon Would Handle The Pandemic
The Big Bang Theory ended last year, but given the coronavirus crisis, Jim Parsons reveals how Sheldon may have reacted to the ongoing pandemic.
The Big Bang Theory's Sheldon would be totally fine during the coronavirus pandemic, Jim Parsons says. Playing the character for 12 seasons of the hit CBS sitcom, the actor has been synonymous with the genius but socially-inept physicist. Given his quirks, including being a notorious germaphobe, fans are wondering how the character may have handled the ongoing health crisis.
While The Big Bang Theory was an ensemble sitcom focusing on seven friends residing in Pasadena, arguably the show's truly lead was Sheldon. He was at the center of most narratives, and in the few ones that he wasn't, he remained an integral player. This is why when Parsons decided he didn't want to return for a potential season 13 despite CBS's plans for it, the show's producers decided to end the show altogether instead of moving on without Sheldon. Just because he wanted out of The Big Bang Theory, however, doesn't mean that Parsons has totally forgotten the sitcom; he revealed that he recently thought of his character amidst COVID-19
In a new guest appearance at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actor was asked how he thinks Sheldon would be during this time of a pandemic. Having played The Big Bang Theory character for more than a decade, Parsons is confident that he's just fine, if not even thriving as the physicist is known to be socially-averse anyway.
"He was built for this. This is the moment he was waiting for. I was saying earlier, he, we had an entire episode which I didn't think about until recently where he would have like a Shel-bot where he had like a video screen on a remote control wheelie thing.
And that was when people still needed to get together in groups and so he would just send that out and sit in his room. Don't touch me don't sneeze on me. And so, I guess, he'd be fine.”
Parsons correct; over The Big Bang Theory's 12 years on the air, the characters have grown and evolved, but Sheldon remained apprehensive of big crowds so technically, he has been socially-distancing for a while. Aside from the actor's example, there was also a point in the series where Raj (Kunal Nayyar) gets a sneezing fit and Sheldon refused to get near him. Initially, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Howard (Simon Helberg) chastised him for this, but after it was clear that Raj might be going down with something, Sheldon's friends eventually followed him. In any case, it won't really be that lonely anyway since Leonard and Penny (Kaley Cuoco) live on the other apartment opposite Sheldon and Amy making it easy for them to still see each other.
That said, fans can only hope that unlike Parsons, Sheldon doesn't get coronavirus. As seen in early seasons of The Big Bang Theory, he becomes more insufferable when he's sick; he becomes extra needy which makes him more intolerable for some. Fortunately, he has Amy (Mayim Bialik) with him, who has been nothing but patient when it comes to him. However, considering the extra measures Sheldon would more likely put in place when the coronavirus pandemic started, there's a slim to chance that he would get it.