Young Sheldon Fans Prefer Their Meemaw Over The Big Bang Theory's Version

"The Big Bang Theory's" brainy spin-off "Young Sheldon" focuses on the titular scientist growing up with his Texan family. This includes characters we've seen future versions of in the original series, like Sheldon's older brother Georgie (Jerry O'Connell), twin sister Missy (Courtney Henggeler), and grandma "Meemaw" Connie (June Squibb). It even further develops his mother Mary (Laurie Metcalf), played by the actress' real life daughter Zoe Perry, which adds a fun layer of familiarity to "Young Sheldon." 

Although several prequel elements stay true to the original comedy hit, a few changes distinguish Sheldon's southern origin from his life on "The Big Bang Theory." For example, his grandmother Meemaw (Annie Potts) is far more carefree and fun-loving than the mean-spirited depiction we see later. Additionally, his father George (Lance Barber) is portrayed in a far more empathetic light, which complicates Sheldon's difficult history with him, which we hear recounted in his older years. 

This has fans making valid comparisons on Reddit, where they make it clear which version of Meemaw they prefer. A lot of it boils down to screen time and an irresistibly charming performance but most of the decision has to do with the character herself. Below, you'll find why viewers chose Annie Potts' bold portrayal over Meemaw's original debut. 

"Young Sheldon's" astonishing ratings, which pulls in around 7 million average viewers (according to TV Series Finale), leads to frequent fan discussions across the internet. These occur on both Twitter and Reddit with passionate fans sharing their burning thoughts. This brings us to the "Battle of the Meemaws" featuring Annie Potts' rule-bending confidant and June Squibb's shrewd and protective role.

One of Meemaw's most memorable scenes on "The Big Bang Theory" is when she meets Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Penny (Kaley Cuoco), who she is pretty unkind to. She doles out rude statements to all but her beloved Sheldon, which fans quickly took notice of. One user on Reddit u/Nerdy_Yet_Cool1997 shares that they were originally ecstatic for the character to debut on the original series but it soured quick. "I love June Squibb, this is nothing on her acting. But DAMN. I hated MeeMaw on that show. She was rude, and a straight up B***H. Seriously the way she treated Amy made me so mad." 

They continue by comparing how Potts' depiction is far different, writing, "Whereas MeeMaw on YS has her sassy moments but she's never straight up mean like her previous version. She's more funny and shady. Obviously Annie Potts does a lot of the heavy lifting but even the script is better." This is seemingly universal among viewers as seen in a clear Reddit survey while u/Kitkatt1959 express that they can't believe they're even the same person.