Young Sheldon‘s latest Big Bang Theory Easter egg comes in the form of very special guest star Octavia Spencer.
Sixteen years after a brief (but memorable) turn on The Big Bang Theory, the Academy Award-winning actress appears in the prequel series’ fifth-to-last episode — and TVLine has an exclusive sneak peek at her introduction.
In “Community Service and the Key to a Happy Marriage” (CBS, Thursday at 8/7c), Connie (played by Annie Potts) is assigned a tough (but fair!) probation officer (Spencer) who is not amused when Sheldon’s Meemaw plays up her age in an attempt to get out of completing 140 hours of community service.
Officer Thomason’s debut comes after Spencer previously guest-starred in an October 2008 episode of Big Bang. In Season 2, Episode 5 — “The Euclid Alternative” — Spencer played a fed-up DMV clerk who found herself on the receiving end of Sheldon’s complaints about the written driver’s permit test (see below). Four years later, Spencer would take home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her turn in The Help.
Young Sheldon marks Spencer’s fourth collaboration with series co-creator Chuck Lorre. In addition to Big Bang, Spencer guest-starred on Dharma & Greg, and later recurred as recovering alcoholic Regina in nine episodes of Mom, appearing throughout its first three seasons.
Young Sheldon’s final season continues Thursday at 8/7c on CBS, with Episode 10. Episodes 11 and 12 will air back-to-back on May 9, followed by the one-hour series finale (consisting of Episodes 13 and 14) on May 16.
