Courtney Henggeler Was Nervous To Return To The Big Bang Theory After A Decade Away

"The Big Bang Theory" changed a lot over the course of the roughly 12 years it was running, but one thing that never shifted throughout its lifespan was its propensity for making callbacks. Even some of the smallest of set details on "The Big Bang Theory" contain references and payoffs to jokes made in the earlier seasons. It lends the series an impressive level of to continuity, as well as an opportunity to layer blink-and-you'll-miss-it gags among the more outspoken humor.

One particularly impressive callback "The Big Bang Theory" actually comes in the form of a certain guest star on the show. Courtney Henggeler, who portrayed Sheldon's sister Missy Cooper, first appears in Season 1, Episode 15, which originally aired in 2008. She then didn't appear on the show again...until Season 11, Episode 24, airing a whopping 10 years after her first appearance. Getting a guest star back to play the same minor character an entire decade down the line is a pretty impressive feat for "The Big Bang Theory." However, Henggeler has admitted that she was nervous about returning to the show after such a lengthy gap.

In an interview with BriefTake, Courtney Henggeler talked about returning to "The Big Bang Theory" a decade after her original appearance. While she was nervous about the experience, it proved to be a positive one. "The best part of returning to 'The Big Bang Theory' was how warm and welcoming everyone was," Henggeler said. "It's been 10 years since I last worked with that group (of insanely talented people) so I was a little nervous to go back. But that set is so lovely."

Despite only making two appearances as Missy, Henggeler has actually become a vital component of the franchise's overall canon. After all, the younger version of Sheldon's sister appears as part of the main cast on the series prequel "Young Sheldon." Henggeler's portrayal of Missy helped lay the foundation for Raegan Revord's version of the character. "I watched clips of older Missy to kind of see how she was, [but I] was also able to add my own take on the character," Revord told Popternative.

While "The Big Bang Theory" may be over, that doesn't necessarily mean Henggeler can't ever play Missy again, Older versions of "Young Sheldon" characters, such as Jim Parsons' iteration of the titular protagonist, have appeared on the show, and it's possible that Henggeler could do the same. Alternatively, there's still that potential reunion special for "The Big Bang Theory" getting tossed around. Perhaps Henggeler will eventually up her count of Missy appearances to three.