Young Sheldon: Other Characters / Characters

Young Sheldon Main Character Index
The Cooper Family (Sheldon Cooper) | Other Characters

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Characters outside the Cooper family in Young Sheldon.

Children

Tam Nguyen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/110790_1049b_full_1_1.jpg

^{Adult Tam}

Played by: Ryan Phuong (Young Sheldon); Robert Wu (The Big Bang Theory)

A Vietnamese teenage boy who was also the childhood friend and classmate of Sheldon Cooper. Tam is Sheldon's only friend in high school.

Asian and Nerdy: He's the one who introduces Sheldon to comic books and role-playing games for the first time.
Broken Bird: Somewhat sullen and pessimistic because of his Dark and Troubled Past. He appears to have PTSD.
Casanova Wannabe: Look at one of the reasons his and Sheldon's friendship with Libby broke up: because Tam tried to hit on her when they went without Sheldon to that IMAX movie and she didn't like it.
Christianity is Catholic: Justified, as many Catholic Vietnamese escaped to America after the Communist takeover. Around half of Vietnamese Americans are Catholic.
Composite Character: Seems to be an amalgamation of the friends of adult Sheldon. He is the best friend of Sheldon in Texas while Leonard is Sheldon's best friend in California and both serve as the straight man to Sheldon's funny man (additionally Tam's parents are both emotionally abusive to him, just like Leonard's mom). Like Howard, Tam hits on every girl he meets. Additionally, Tam also has an overbearing mother (similar to Howard). Tam and Raj are both foreigners and Mary Cooper's racially insensitive comments to both are quite similar. Tam is very into manga and comics, similar to Stuart Bloom.
Dark and Troubled Past: After the Vietnam War, Tam's father was sent to a reeducation camp because he fought with the Americans. Meanwhile, his mother, his sisters, and he lived in poverty and sometimes starved. After his father was released, they reunited and fled to Thailand and were forced to live in a refugee camp. Eventually, they left for the United States and settled in Galveston. His father bought a shrimp boat and started a business until the KKK burnt his boat and chased away his family.
Defector from Commie Land: Tam's family were among the "boat people" who fled Vietnam after the war.
Doomed by Canon: By the time of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon and Tam are no longer friends, and Tam wasn't mentioned for a long time. It's finally revealed in season twelve that Tam had planned to go to college with Sheldon, but ended up staying in Texas with a girl named Beth he was dating. Sheldon felt so betrayed that he didn't contact or mention him for many years.
Earn Your Happy Ending: He suffered through poverty in Vietnam and often had an abusive childhood with his parents after moving to the United States. When he finally appears in The Big Bang Theory he is Happily Married, has one son and at least one other child, and eventually repairs his friendship with Sheldon. He himself even describes his life as being great, a stark contrast to how his home life sounded in his childhood.
Hypocrite: He denounces US action in Vietnam calling the Americans the "wrong side", but he and his family fled to the United States to escape Vietnam for a better life.
Immigrant Patriotism: He displays this to an even greater extent than his parents, which is saying something.
Intergenerational Friendship: Downplayed, but Tam is at least five years older than Sheldon. He also occasionally hangs out with Missy and Billy.
Loser Friend Puzzles Outsiders: When Tam appears in the TBBT, Howard asks him if there are no other boys in Texas when Tam describes his friendship with Sheldon.
Oblivious to Hatred: It's revealed in TBBT that he didn't go to college in California with Sheldon, who felt betrayed and even put Tam on his enemies list. Tam thought they just naturally drifted apart and was never aware that Sheldon had been angry with him for 20 years.
Only Friend: To Sheldon, in his childhood. (Except for that brief time when Libby was also their friend, as well as Sheldon's brief and one-time friendship with George Jr.'s bully Tommy Clarkson.)
Out of Focus: He appeared in eleven episodes of season one and ten episodes of season two, and often had a role to play in the subplots. Starting in season three, he appears less often and is usually just a cameo at best. He was in only five episodes of the third season. In season four, he only appears in three episodes. He didn't appear at all in seasons five or six.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With Sheldon. They do rib on each other but they are there for support when needed.

William "Billy" Sparks

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Played by: Wyatt Mc Clure

The son of a neighbor to the Cooper family.

Abhorrent Admirer: He has a one-sided crush on Missy.
Adaptational Nice Guy: Sheldon describes him as a bully in The Big Bang Theory but in Young Sheldon, he's on friendly terms with Sheldon and it's actually Billy's sister Bobbi who bullies Sheldon.
The Bully: To Sheldon, but only in the pilot. After that, his little sister Bobbi takes on the bully role.
Characterization Marches On: In his first appearance he is indeed shown bullying Sheldon, calling Sheldon a doofus and taunting him with his pet chicken Matilda. After that, Billy quickly becomes more of an emergency playmate/underling figure to Sheldon.
Deconstructed Character Archetype: Of the Kindhearted Simpleton and Fat Idiot. Billy might be kind to everyone he meets and nobody actually hates him, but his stupid moments embarrass his parents and once he reaches high school he becomes very unpopular with the other kids with even Missy trying to avoid him. And unlike most examples of the trope, Billy is aware that he isn't bright or have any impressive skills when compared to even the most average kids and how this impacts his family, leaving him depressed when his father leaves in Season 4.
Disappeared Dad: Subverted. Herschel moved out in season 4, and Billy is struggling to adapt to his father's absence. Though Herschel would later gain joint custody.
Doomed by Canon: Some fans have speculated he might be Missy’s first husband. Missy and her husband would separate while Missy is pregnant with her second child and eventually divorce.
Dumb Jock: He's on the same baseball team as Missy, and spent practice playing with worms.
Fat Comic Relief: He's a tubby, idiotic kid whose actions are Played for Laughs.
Fat Idiot: He's a slow and overweight kid who often says and does stupid things.
Foil: Billy isn't exactly the brightest kid and it's made very clear that intelligence wise he's below average, serving as a strong contrast to Sheldon as their respective intelligences have different impacts on their families.
Kindhearted Simpleton: He isn't very intelligent, but he is one of the friendliest characters on the show.
Nice Guy: Pilot aside, Billy is a friendly boy and he and Sheldon are on civil terms. They even occasionally spend time together.
Only Known by Their Nickname: His name is William, but is usually called Billy. In fact, season 4 episode "Freshman Orientation and the Invention of the Zipper" showed he didn't know the former name either (to the point he thought he was wearing someone else's underwear due to them being marked "Billy").
Vocal Evolution: His voice is deepening as of season 4.

Veronica Duncan

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^{Look after her conversion to born-again Christianity}

Played by: Isabel May

A troubled teen who becomes a Born-again Christian. She is the object of Georgie's affection.

Beware the Nice Ones: Being a born-again Christian didn't stop her from giving Georgie a black eye in retaliation for kissing her without permission during their baptism.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: She hasn't appeared nor been mentioned since season 3 episode "An Academic Crime and a More Romantic Taco Bell". This is likely due to Isabel May working on other projects.
Dark and Troubled Past: She was abandoned by her father and her older sister is in prison for trying to sell drugs to a cop.
Disappeared Dad: As mentioned above, her father left when she was very young and her mother's boyfriend is a drunken jerkass.
Doomed by Canon: Given that Veronica isn't with adult Georgie in The Big Bang Theory, any romance that may happen between the two will have ended before their adulthood. Adult Sheldon confirms that Georgie has at least two ex-wives, so it's possible that Veronica might be one of them.
Earn Your Happy Ending: Adult Sheldon's narration at the end of "Seven Deadly Sins and a Small Carl Sagan" indicates that Veronica went on to live a life devoted to God and help feed the poor, even helping her older sister, who she said previously had been arrested, start a literacy program for female inmates.
Easy Evangelism: After visiting Mary Cooper's Hell house on Halloween, she ends up immediately embracing Christianity upon seeing the sin of Lust.
Easily Forgiven: She's rather quick to forgive Georgie for coming on to her during their baptism. Perhaps justified due to her newfound Christian beliefs.
Former Teen Rebel: She's introduced as a cigarette-smoking, alcohol-drinking wild child who will put out for pretty much anyone. A trip to the Hell House later, she's a born-again Christian and has truly changed for the better.
Friend to All Children: She wants to be a teacher as she likes kids and gets along with Missy and Sheldon rather well.
Girly Bruiser: Very sweet and feminine, but capable of giving Georgie a black eye with one punch.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She has blond hair and is very nice and compassionate to all, even Georgie.
Let's Just Be Friends: Georgie has a big crush on Veronica and the two even date on Halloween. Though after embracing God, Veronica would rather be friends. Though she seems to be developing feelings for him as of "A Proposal and a Popsicle Stick Cross".
Nice Girl: She is a very nice and compassionate person and a delightful person to be around.
Really Gets Around: Heavily implied to be this before her salvation, as Sheldon notes that there are a lot of boys she has been "friendly" with. Had it not been for the visit to the Hell House, Veronica and Georgie would have likely ended up having sex on Halloween.
Statuesque Stunner: Very beautiful and taller than Georgie.

Paige Swanson

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^{"Bad Girl" look}

^{Mature look}

Played by: Mckenna Grace

A Child Prodigy who takes Dr. Sturgis' class alongside Sheldon. She's not only smarter than Sheldon, but also more social as well. Sheldon views her as a rival, but Paige is always kind towards him.

Always Someone Better: And this is why Sheldon views her as a nuisance. She's not only more intellectually gifted (for one, she's fluent in three languages while Sheldon only knows English and some Spanish, along with conversational Klingon.) but has better social skills as well. And she is a month younger, making her both the youngest and smartest person in Dr. Sturgis' class.
Berserk Button: Poking fun at her parents' divorce, especially if you insinuate that it's her fault. Sheldon did this and earned a black eye for his trouble.
Distaff Counterpart: To Sheldon, being a female Child Prodigy who knows more than the adults.
Five-Finger Discount: She and Missy want to buy some body glitter at Hot Topic, but neither have any money. They try to steal it, but Sheldon catches them in the act and threatens to rat them out, so they back down. Then Paige places the glitter in Sheldon's backpack when he turns away to leave the store.
Freudian Excuse: Paige having fooled him into drawing a moustache on his lip while he thought they were kissing in "A Second Prodigy and the Hottest Tips for Pouty Lips" and punched him hard in the face in "Bible Camp and a Chariot Of Love" soured Sheldon from love for a long time, until he met Amy.
Given Name Reveal: Her last name was never stated in her first three appearances, but "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit" reveals that her last name is "Swanson."
The Glomp: Gives one to Sheldon. Sheldon, who Hates Being Touched, reacts the way you'd expect.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Despite sharing Sheldon's academic intellect, she is much friendlier and more social. At least until her parents got divorced.
Hollywood Atheist: Downplayed. "Bible Camp and a Chariot of Love" reveals that she is an atheist like Sheldon. But aside from expressing mild shock that Sheldon "believes in this stuff" (not knowing that his mom made him attend because his "Stamp Camp" was cancelled, similar to how Paige was forced to attend after she was caught with cigarettes) she doesn't feel the need to openly mock believers.
I Just Want to Be Normal:
- Subverted. In her debut episode, she asks Sheldon if he sometimes wishes he was normal, but Sheldon says no and Paige says the same, as she enjoys being smarter than everyone else.
- Double subverted by "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit". Sheldon asks Paige why someone as smart as her would resort to shoplifting. She tells Sheldon that she doesn't want to be smart anymore. Sheldon, of course, can't comprehend why Paige would say this and he calls Dr. Sturgis for advice on how to handle it. John tells Sheldon that the best thing to do would be to just listen to her problems. It turns out that Paige blames herself for her parents splitting up, as they had a hard time dealing with her needs. She also cannot cope with all the sudden changes in her life, which is why her grades have been slipping and why she's been acting out.
I Just Want to Have Friends: Going to college turned out to not be as fun as she thought. She's been unable to make any friends and her academic colleagues don't treat her very well either. She reaches out to Sheldon, who tries his best to help her out, but only ends up making her feel worse.
Innocently Insensitive: She has a tendency to insult Sheldon's intelligence, though usually not intentionally. As of "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit", she has become more openly antagonistic towards Sheldon. She doesn't do this to Missy, however, mainly due to the two having common interests outside of science.
Innocent Prodigy: Despite sharing Sheldon's academic intellect, she likes My Little Pony, Hello Kitty, playing with dolls, and has a childish, mischievous side.
Intelligence Equals Isolation: Initially subverted, but later played straight. She tries to befriend Sheldon but he has no interest in making friends with a girl who (unintentionally) keeps insulting him for not academically catching up to her speed, proving that just like Sheldon, Paige doesn't know how to avoid offending other people and she implies that she doesn't have a lot of friends because of this. Though in "A Stunted Childhood and a Can of Fancy Mixed Nuts" she is able to form a friendship with Missy due to them having the same interests outside of science and Paige is able to avoid talking down to Missy despite their gap in intellect (for example, she didn't mock Missy for not knowing where tea comes from, which is something Sheldon would have leaped at the chance to do). This is in contrast to Sheldon, who is not interested in socializing with others and isn't shy about expressing his perceived intellectual superiority over others. By the time they attend college, the situations reverse, as Sheldon finds a group of friends while Paige is unable to make any.
Karma Houdini: She gets no comeuppance for shoplifting the body glitter in "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit". Or for punching Sheldon in "Bible Camp and a Chariot of Love".
Loving Bully: "Bully" is a stretch, but it is implied that she has a crush on Sheldon and that's why she teases him. She seems to confirm such in "A Second Prodigy and the Hottest Tips for Pouty Lips" and Sheldon suspects that he feels the same way about her. Paige suggests that they kiss in order to find out for sure. However, when Sheldon closes his eyes, Paige draws a mustache on his face, meaning that she was just screwing with him the entire time. Though it's possible that she wasn't lying about having a crush on Sheldon and was just too nervous to kiss him.
Manipulative Bitch: In "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit", she's able to guilt trip Mary into taking her, Missy and Sheldon to the mall, which is something Mary usually wouldn't do (Mary says it's because the mannequins don't wear enough clothes, but Missy and Sheldon know it's because they're too poor to shop there). In fact, Paige says to Missy that ever since her parents split up, people just can't say "no" to her and she takes full advantage of it.
Nice Girl: Unlike Sheldon, she is very sweet and kind. At least, until she Took a Level in Jerkass.
Nonconformist Dyed Hair: Sports a new hairstyle with pink highlights in "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit" as a way of lashing out. And the hair isn't just for show, as Paige has also become a lot meaner (at least away from the adults), more sarcastic and even steals a bottle of body glitter from Hot Topic and sneaks it out in Sheldon's backpack. The highlights are gone by "Bible Camp and a Chariot of Love", but her attitude remained.
Oblivious to Hatred: Downplayed. She is aware that Sheldon doesn't like her much, but that doesn't stop her from trying to be friends with him. This is why she makes attempts to goof off like other kids and why she insists on spending time with Sheldon, as she doesn't want him to grow up being despised and lonely. Following her parents' divorce and Sheldon making light of it, she has grown to hate Sheldon as well. Fortunately, they are able to patch things up in college.
Odd Friendship: She befriends Missy when Sheldon stops paying attention to her. Despite their differences in intellect, they have the same girly interests and get along without any tension.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Sheldon is able to recognize that Paige's drastic change in appearance and behavior is a reflection of some inner problems and calls Dr. Sturgis for help.
Took a Level in Jerkass:
- Her return in the episode "Body Glitter and a Mall Safety Kit" sees her taking on a new "bad girl" look and acting out as a way of coping with her parents' divorce. Though she's still a good person deep down. Something that Sheldon of all people is able to see. He willingly listens to her vent about her problems and offers her a hot beverage afterwards.
- She appears to have learned nothing by the time she appears again in "Bible Camp and a Chariot of Love". Paige's mom sent her to Bible Camp as punishment for smoking. She has started wearing makeup against her mom's wishes, and while she and Sheldon enjoy mocking Bible Camp together, she still can't resist trying to compete with Sheldon on who has the most Bible knowledge. And when Sheldon spends the night studying to best her, Paige decides to stop competing in order to intentionally irritate him.
Took a Level in Kindness: In "A Solo Peanut, a Social Butterfly and the Truth", she's nice to Sheldon again, since she was lonely at college and figured that Sheldon could help her deal with it (unaware that Sheldon has made friends of his own in college.) And even though she's gone further off the rails in future appearances, she's still friendly enough towards Sheldon.
Tragic Dropout: Her negative experiences at college has taken such a toll on her that she decides to drop out "A Solo Peanut, a Social Butterfly and the Truth". She's too young to get a job, so then subsequently turns to substance abuse to cope with her troubles.
Troll: Admits in "Bible Camp and a Chariot of Love" that she likes upsetting Sheldon. In fact, when Sheldon reveals that he spent all night studying the Bible to compete with Paige in Bible trivia, Paige decides not to compete with Sheldon, as she knows that will make Sheldon even more angry than if she did compete with him.
Toxic Friend Influence:
- She encouraged Sheldon to wander through a museum with her when they were supposed to be listening to a lecture (they both already knew everything that the lecturer was teaching, but Sheldon was determined to power through it to obey his father's command to stay put). They end up getting in trouble for messing with the displays. It's hinted in "A Stunted Childhood and a Can of Fancy Mixed Nuts" that she's trying to help Sheldon break out of his shell so that he won't grow up to be socially stunted. Obviously, she doesn't succeed.
- She also encourages Missy to shoplift at the mall Missy objects to it, so Paige just does it herself.
Vocal Evolution: Her voice is noticeably lower-pitched in "Body Glitter and a Small Safety Kit", due to her previous appearance in the series taking place over a year ago in real-time, allowing Mckenna Grace to start puberty.

Libby

Played by: Anjelika Washington

An aspiring geologist who briefly befriends Sheldon and Tam.

Black and Nerdy: A black girl who's interested in Geology.
Innocently Insensitive: She referred to spending time with Sheldon as "babysitting", which hurt Sheldon very deeply to the point where he swore eternal hatred against Geology over it. She certainly wasn't intending to be mean-spirited.
One-Shot Character: She only appears in Season one episode "Dolomite, Apple Slices, and a Mystery Woman".
Small Role, Big Impact: She's only in one episode, but is the main catalyst to Sheldon's contempt against Geology which he'd carry with him to adulthood.

Bobbi Sparks

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Played by: Ella Allan and Mia Allan

Billy’s sister who has a reputation of tormenting Sheldon.

Fake Cutie: Sheldon's family is shocked that such a seemingly innocent girl could be a bully. Meemaw says that's probably why she can get away with it.
One-Shot Character: She only appears in the Season one episode "Jiu-Jitsu, Bubble Wrap, and Yoo-hoo".
What Happened to the Mouse?: She has mysteriously disappeared after her first appearance and it is unknown what happened to her. She is indirectly mentioned by Brenda in the season five premiere "One Bad Night and Chaos of Selfish Desires" when she tells George that Herschel had the kids that night.

Jana Boggs

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Played by: Ava Allan

A cheerleader who Georgie dates.

Alpha Bitch: Jana is a popular, talented cheerleader dating Georgie, a Football player.
Amicable Exes: Downplayed. She's upset after Georgie breaks up with her but seems to smile a bit when he offers to drive her home so she doesn't have to walk. Though they get back together in season 4.
Brainy Brunette: Possibly. While Jana doesn’t appear to be very academic, and couldn’t tell what Sheldon was saying in Spanish to her, it’s possible that she might be more clever than people think, as she was much more knowledgeable about early pregnancy factors and Science than Georgie, even if this wasn’t a very difficult thing to accomplish.
Clingy Jealous Girl: She makes it very clear that she doesn't want Georgie to so much as look at other girls besides her. She also doesn't react well to Georgie still hanging out with Veronica, perhaps for good reason, since it's painfully evident that the two have feelings for each other.
Dating What Daddy Hates: Her father doesn’t approve of Georgie dating her.
Doomed by Canon: Jana may very well be Georgie’s first wife, who he would later divorce, so if a marriage were to occur between them then it probably won’t end too well.
Flat Character: The series hasn't shown much about her personality or backstory, other than her being possessive.
Friend to All Children: Jana seems to get on well with Missy and they had a nice conversation when giving an excited Missy a lift to her first date with her new boyfriend, obviously charmed by her innocent enthusiasm. She does seem to also not harbor any negative feelings for Sheldon despite his rudeness to her when he asks her about how she thinks she did in her Spanish test, while speaking in Spanish.
Pom-Pom Girl: She's a cheerleader who avoids most of the negative stereotypes of the sport.
Satellite Love Interest: Doesn't really have much of a purpose in the story other than being Georgie's girlfriend.
Sudden Name Change: Her last name was originally "Owens", but was later changed to "Boggs".
Vanity is Feminine: Jana is conventionally feminine and considered attractive, Georgie admitted he has high standards and Jana meets them enough for her to be his girlfriend and dominate the relationship.

Marcus Larson

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Played by: London Cheshire

A baseball player and Missy's boyfriend during Seasons 3 and 4.

Satellite Love Interest: Has only had one line^note"Good game." during the series (as of the season 4 finale).
Small Role, Big Impact: Missy's breakup with Marcus in the Season 4 finale causes the entire family to get into an argument, setting the stage for George possibly having an affair and the family breaking up. The Season 5 premiere strongly supports this theory.

Medford High School Staff

Principal Tom Petersen

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ys_s1e1_pilot_55.png

Played by: Rex Linn

The principal of Medford High School.

Benevolent Boss: When George and Mary found out that they were going to have another child, George asked Tom for a raise and Tom happily gave it to him. And even when Mary miscarried the child and George told Tom he didn't need the raise anymore, Tom still gave it to him.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be crude at times, but he does try his best to help Sheldon fit in at Medford High and treats George very well. He also comforts a distressed pregnant teen and tries to help Billy cope with his father leaving.
Jerkass Has a Point: He pointed out to Ms. McElroy, Mr. Givens and Ms. Ingram that instead of relying on Sheldon to raise the school's test curve, they could simply do a better job at teaching the other students.

Ms. Victoria MacElroy

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Played by: Valerie Mahaffey

"This boy does not belong in our school!"

Sheldon's homeroom teacher and English teacher at Medford High School. Although she previously looked out for Sheldon on his first day and was nice towards him, as soon as she learned of his rude attitude she disliked him.

Apathetic Teacher: She clearly doesn't give a damn about her job, like the rest of Sheldon's teachers.
Big Eater: She stress eats out of depression over gender inequality, claiming this as the reason why she's not the school principal. Though she's not overweight (yet).
Formerly Fit: Sheldon's narrations indicate that she will become obese in the future as a result of her eating habits.
Hypocrite: She complains that she wants to live long enough to see women no longer treated like second-class citizens while munching on a chili cheeseburger, high in trans fats and calories.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She isn't very nice to Sheldon or any of her other students, but she does speak well of him in the video he made to convince Mary to go to college. And unlike the last time Sheldon tried to get into college, it seems like this time it was legit, and not just because she wants him gone.
Trademark Favorite Food: Chili cheeseburgers.

Mr. Hubert Givens

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Played by: Brian Stepanek

Sheldon's Science teacher at Medford High School. Out of all the teachers in the school, he seems to hate Sheldon the most.

Apathetic Teacher: He clearly doesn't give a damn about his job, like the rest of Sheldon's teachers.
Hidden Depths: Despite all of his apathy and bad attitude as a teacher, Mr. Givens is revealed to be a big Lost in Space fan and attends the same comic convention as Sheldon in one episode. He's also familiar with Star Trek: The Original Series and gets into a passionate argument with Sheldon about which show is better.
I Need a Freaking Drink: He is shown drinking with George and Wayne in the season three finale. Seeing Sheldon there (long story) likely didn't do him any favors.
Jerkass: Unlike the rest of Sheldon's teachers, who seem to respect Sheldon deep down, he appears to have nothing but utter disdain for Sheldon and makes no attempts to hide it. His testimony in Sheldon's college video is basically just begging Mary to let Sheldon go to college, offering to help out in any way he can, including packing up his stuff for him.

Ms. Evelyn Ingram

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evelyn_ingram_hears_sheldon_use_her_first_name_ep_1_2.jpg

Played by: Danielle Pinnock

Sheldon's Math teacher at Medford High School. Like most of the teachers at school, she seems to hate Sheldon.

Apathetic Teacher: She clearly doesn't give a damn about her job, like the rest of Sheldon's teachers. Though it's revealed in the season 3 finale that Sheldon actually inspired her to take her job more seriously by studying every night just to keep up with him.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She isn't very nice to Sheldon or any of her other students, but she does speak well of him in the video he made to convince Mary to go to college. And unlike the last time Sheldon tried to get into college, it seems like this time it was legit, and not just because she wants him gone. She even admits that she spent every night studying material in order to keep up with Sheldon.
Sassy Black Woman: Normally averted, but she does turn up the sass when Sheldon gets on her nerves, which anyone else would do in that situation.

Coach Wayne Wilkins

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wayne_wilkins.jpg

Played by: Doc Farrow

Sheldon's P.E. teacher and assistant football coach at Medford High.

Happily Married: George is somewhat jealous over how much better Wayne's marriage seems to be than his own. Until he realizes that Wayne and his wife don't have any children. Subverted by "An Ugly Car, an Affair and Some Kickass Football", where it's revealed that Darlene has been cheating on Wayne.
Hypocrite: He tends to give others health advice despite not being in very good shape himself.
- One example comes from "An Eagle Feather, a String Bean and an Eskimo", where Sheldon points out how hypocritical is of him to ask his students to run twenty laps when he is not willing to lead by example.
- In "A Proposal and a Popsicle Stick Cross", he encourages George not to eat a donut for health reasons.
Like an Old Married Couple: Has this relationship with George, even saying he considers himself to be George's "work wife".
Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Wayne is the sensitive guy to George's manly man. Wayne takes on the stereotypical "female" role in their Like an Old Married Couple relationship. He also mentions that his dad was a hugger.
Sudden Name Change: His first name was initially "Roy", but in "A Broom Closet and Satan's Monopoly Board", it was changed to "Wayne."

Ms. Sheryl Hutchins

Played by: Sarah Baker

The Medford High School librarian and pretty much the only staff member at the the school who can tolerate Sheldon due to her being a depressed loner. She is often complaining about how lonely she is, though later begins dating someone, but it has to be a secret as it is Mr. Givens, a Co-Worker.

Bunny-Ears Lawyer: She's a great librarian and quite helpful to Sheldon despite her personal issues.
The Chew Toy: She's perpetually single, friendless, has cats who often run away and was accidentally tackled and seriously injured during a football game.
Crazy Cat Lady: She tries to be this, but her cats have a habit of running away.
The Eeyore: To say that she's a depressed, insecure sad sack would be a massive understatement.
Expy: She's basically a Distaff Counterpart to Stuart from The Big Bang Theory. Single, down on her luck and hopelessly depressed.
Nice Girl: Easily the nicest of the Medford High staff and the only one who gets along with Sheldon.

Mr. Gene Lundy

Played by: Jason Alexander

The drama teacher at Medford High School. Also dabbles in real estate on the side.

Bad "Bad Acting": He can be a good actor when he wants to be, but his feigned sadness towards Sheldon for saying he can't help Mr. Lundy sell the house next door is so horrible that anyone other than Sheldon would be able to see right through it.
Crosscast Role: In-universe, he plays the role of Annie in the school play, when Sheldon drops out of the role at the last moment.
Jerkass Has a Point: While he does take over Mary's Hell House project in "Seven Deadly Sins and a Small Carl Sagan", many of the liberties he has taken are actually valid: sin is supposed to be appealing, or else no one would be tempted to commit it.
Large Ham: As expected of an unsuccessful theatre actor, even when he's not acting. He hams it up big time when portraying Satan in the Hell House.
New Job as the Plot Demands: Lampshaded in "A House for Sale and Serious Woman Stuff", he works part-time as a real estate agent to make some extra money, while still acting and teaching. And in "A Pink Cadillac and a Glorious Tribal Dance", he's a cosmetic salesman.
Took a Level in Jerkass: Mr. Lundy acts more earnest and encouraging in his first episode but is often greedy, manipulative, condescending, and quick to showboat in the following seasons. This may be because of how he ends up publicly humiliated due to Sheldon's Stage Fright, or mean that he was just laying on the charm for Sheldon to keep a potential theater prodigy in his class.

East Texas Tech University

Dr. John Sturgis

Played by: Wallace Shawn

A physics professor at East Texas Tech, the university Sheldon is auditing coursework for, and is dating Meemaw. Specifically, Sheldon is learning quantum chromodynamics in Sturgis's class.

Amicable Exes: To a fair extent, he and Connie are this as they are still friends well into Season 4... this does get Played With in Season 5 when John finds out Dale and Connie broke up and plans to make a move on Connie again.
Celebrity Paradox: Wallace Shawn appears as Dr. John Sturgis. Shawn's most famous roles are in The Princess Bride and Toy Story, both of which have been mentioned many times on The Big Bang Theory. In fact, on Toy Story, he appeared on the first two movies with Annie Potts (Meemaw on Young Sheldon) and on the first three with Laurie Metcalf (Mom on Theory).
Commuting on a Bus: In season 4, as he moved to Waxahachie to work on a supercollider. He occasionally gets phone calls from Sheldon and Connie. He returns to Medford in the penultimate episode of season 4.
Doomed by Canon: Seeing as how he doesn't appear nor is referenced in The Big Bang Theory, his romance with Connie is this. It's likely that either he'll die at some point or they will eventually break up. It seems to be the latter though as John broke up with her in the Season 3 episode "A Pineapple and the Bosom of Male Friendship".
Endearingly Dorky: He's as socially unaware as Sheldon, but is nicer and has more of an awkward charm about him that makes Connie fall head over heels for him.
Friendless Background: He didn't have much of a social life before meeting the Cooper family. This is likely why he continues to hang with them even after he broke up with Connie.
The Friend Nobody Likes: Outside of Sheldon and Connie, the Cooper family don't seem to like him very much. Missy is the most vocal about it, though it's implied that she's angry at him for breaking Connie's heart. George takes him out for drinks a few times at Mary's urging and doesn't seem to enjoy it much, but feels guilty enough for shooting him down to invite John over to watch a football game. Georgie seems to at least tolerate John, and being the person he is, asks uncomfortable questions that John is more than willing to answer.
Friendly Rivalry: With Ira Rosenbloom for Connie's love, after getting to know one another at the Rosenbloom furniture business.
Gender-Blender Name: His middle name, Whitney. From the scene when Connie (Meemaw) finds out about it:
John: My middle name's Whitney.
Connie: And now I know that.
John: Well, I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Love Triangle: Connie Tucker, John Sturgis and Ira Rosenbloom. Later Connie and John with Coach Dale Ballard. (Connie, John and Linkletter don't really count, because she never liked the latter.)
Manchild: Despite his old age, he's just as, if not even more childish than Sheldon is. He steers a bike instead of a car, wears elbow patches and overprotective gear while bicycling, and is reluctant to do things on his own without asking permission from Meemaw as if Meemaw is his mother.
Nice Guy: He is very kind-hearted and one of Sheldon's closest friends. He also happens to be the only one of Sheldon's teachers who gets along with him and is fond of Sheldon.
Not So Above It All: Can be just as egotistical as Grant Linkletter, not helped by Sheldon's presence.
Scatterbrained Senior: The season 2 finale implies that he is becoming senile in his old age, and by season 3, he has been checked into a mental institution.
Sudden Name Change: He stated in his debut episode that his middle name is "Whitney", but in "A Perfect Score and a Bunsen Burner Marshmallow" he says his middle name is "Burgess". To be fair, he was delirious at the time, but it was more likely a Series Continuity Error.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Dr. Sturgis looks like a human-turtle, yet his awkward charm was enough to woo Connie.
Yes-Man: He does everything and anything Sheldon and Connie ask him to do with eager compliance. In S2E18, he even agrees to have Sheldon live with him at his house, but it turns out Sturgis is horribly incompetent to take care of a child as he had no idea how to handle emergencies when his kettle pot caught on fire and he had to call 9-1-1.

Dr. Grant Linkletter

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/74015b4a_1a67_49b2_9a08_c2a121b5289e.jpeg

Played by: Ed Begley Jr.

A professor and colleague of Dr. Sturgis. He constantly tries to woo Connie away from him, to no avail. Sheldon audits his course during John's recovery and he becomes Sheldon's mentor once the latter starts attending full time.

Child Hater: Part of the reason he wants to be free of Sheldon is because he doesn't understand him and dislikes being around children.
Everyone Has Standards: He may not be very fond of Dr. Sturgis, but he seems to take his side when Sheldon accuses John of plagiarism. He informs Sheldon that scientists frequently exchange ideas, warns him that this accusation could have severe consequences and insists on talking to John himself before Sheldon takes the issue to the higher-ups.
Hopeless Suitor: He regularly pursues Connie, even when she's with John (and though he knows of that) and later Dale, and fails miserably every time. Even when she finally agrees to go out with him in "Future Worf and the Margarita of the South Pacific", it's clear that she only did it because he wore her down and she had nothing better to do. Not to mention she's clearly bored and uncomfortable on the date itself.
Jerkass: If coming on to another man's girlfriend in front of said man isn't enough to qualify him as this, he also regularly uses Sheldon to get closer to Connie, allowing Sheldon to take his class while John is recovering at the mental hospital, asking Connie to an event in front of Sheldon so that she can't say no, lying when Sheldon asks Linkletter if he is using Sheldon to get closer to his Meemaw. Not to mention he doesn't really like Sheldon (at least outside their science experiments), even taking into account the latter's abrasiveness, only opportunistically doing so to be closer to Connie. All and all, he's a real piece of shit.
Love Triangle: He'd wish this would happen between him, Connie and Dr. Sturgis, but she's always been very clear about not liking him.
Manchild: He complains about Sturgiss lacking maturity for his age but Linkletter is little better prone to putting his ego above scientific integrity.
Pet the Dog: Despite his general jerkassery, he does have his moments:
- His science experiments with Sheldon are the only times he isn't using the latter to get closer to Connie or not showing the latter his utter contempt for him. (Although he'll still try to get rid of him if he has a chance.) The science experiment they did with Connie is also the one time he's not outrageously hitting on her (outside the beginning of that episode).
- His rowdy, drunken night with Dr. Sturgis is one of only two times he isn't treating the latter like shit or being rivals with him.
- The time they went on a road trip to a radio telescope. Not only did he encourage Dr. Sturgis to drive, he also was understanding of the latter's feelings when he ran over the armadillo (who, eventually, died).
Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: He's this to Dr. Sturgis. Not only are they academic rivals, but they at one point were both competing for Connie's affections.

President Linda Hagemeyer

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Played by: Wendie Malick

The president of East Texas Tech.

Mistaken for Servant: In "A Free Scratcher and Feminine Wiles", she explains to Dr. Lee that during her first month as president, everyone thought she was the president's secretary. In response to this, she told them that the president was too busy to see them, and then cut their funding.
Head-in-the-Sand Management: Thinks its a good idea to lie to Sheldon about the Grand Chancellor thinking it won't bite her in the ass, she's wrong.
Yes-Man: Zigzagged. She gives Sheldon a second phone line so that he can use the modem without being interrupted, and later gives him a dorm room (that's nicer than most of the rooms on campus) just for downtime in between classes. However, she also casually lies to Sheldon about her (non-existent) boss, the "Grand Chancellor", and feels no remorse for it.

Prof. Dora Ericson

Professor Dora Ericson

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Played by: Melanie Lynskey

A philosophy professor.

The Anti-Nihilist: After Sheldon has an existential crisis due to her class, she consoles him with her worldview of epistemology giving life meaning instead of making life seem pointless.
Hippie Teacher: She has a laid-back teaching style, is very passionate about philosophy (especially her then-trendy post-modern ideas), and even invites her students to take off her shoes — which, according to Sheldon, some do (although, not Sheldon himself).

Prof. Boucher

Professor Boucher

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Played by: Lance Reddick

An engineering professor and Army Corps of Engineers veteran.

Freudian Excuse: Combined with Small Role, Big Impact, though not for this series but Big Bang. Boucher is a very strict, no-nonsense professor that constantly rejected and tore up Sheldon's work for being wrong. Unlike other professors, he adamantly refused to help Sheldon develop an understanding of his class's subject by telling him what he was doing wrong. It culminates in him closing the door in Sheldon's face when he was late to class, right after Sheldon finally figured out what was wrong with his work (the wind). Overall, this one man became the whole foundation for why Sheldon hates and looks down upon Engineering itself.
Schedule Fanatic: He espouses military time in casual conversation, locks the classroom door at the start of class as a deterrent to late students, and points out to Sheldon about how his "fun fact" caused the class to fall one minute behind schedule. Sheldon eventually ends up a victim himself of Boucher's strictness and it colors his opinion of engineers well into his adult years.

Dr. Carol Lee

Played by: Ming-Na Wen

A physicist from UC Berkeley brought in to lead a project that Sheldon, Dr. Sturgis, and Dr. Linkletter are working on.

Nerd Nanny: President Hagemeyer brings her in to lead the telescope project because, along with her scientific credentials, as a mother of three, she knows how to deal with the immature Sturgis, Linkletter and Sheldon.
Territorial Smurfette:
Dr. Lee: Can you believe there were only three women in my major?
President Hagemeyer: Well, at least you had each other.
Dr. Lee: Those bitches? Pass.

Sam

Played by: Taylor Spreitler

One of Sheldon's fellow physics students.

The Cassandra: In an attempt to ease the tensions between them, Sam tries to advise Sheldon that his haughty attitude is keeping him from having friends. He prefers to think that people avoid him out of deference to his intelligence and ignores her for the time being.
Green-Eyed Monster: She is clearly jealous that Sheldon's dorm room is a single with its own bathroom, while she has to share a bedroom with two other people and a bathroom with 30.
Odd Friendship: Sam has a distant if not hostile relationship with Sheldon due to his arrogance and privileges, but gets along great with his mother when they tour the campus together.

Oscar & Darren

Oscar and Darren

Played by: Ivan Mok (Oscar), Caleb Emery (Darren)

Sheldon's dorm neighbors at East Texas Tech. They and Sheldon frequently play video and tabletop games together.

Early-Bird Cameo: Darren appears in "A Pager, a Club and a Cranky Bag of Wrinkles" as a student who studies by himself in Sheldon's Professor Proton Appreciation Club meeting (which no one else showed up to).
Just Friends: Abby apparently made it very clear that she only likes Darren as a friend.
Manchild: Lampshaded in S5 E17.
Darren: We're basically 12.

Abby

Played by: Maddy Caddell

Oscar & Darren's friend who plays Dungeons & Dragons with them.

Nerd Nanny: Lampshaded in S5 E13.
Darren: You're the closest to a mommy here.
Vomit Chain Reaction: In S5 E13.
Abby: If [Sheldon] throws up, I throw up!

Neighbors

Herschel Sparks

Played by: Billy Gardell

The Coopers' next door neighbor, husband of Brenda Sparks and father of Billy and Bobbi Sparks. He works as a mechanic and recognized Georgie's knack for auto repairs, hiring him part-time after school.

Grease Monkey: Works as a mechanic and puts Georgie on the path to becoming Dr. Tire.
Henpecked Husband: Constantly yelled at and bossed around by Brenda. He and George both bond over how they are often dominated by their wives.
Nice Guy: Unlike his wife, he's always courteous to the Coopers.
Odd Name Out: The only member of the Sparks family whose first name doesn't begin with the letter "B".
Put on a Bus: He stopped appearing after the season 2 episode "Albert Einstein and the Story of Another Mary" and the storyline of Georgie working at his mechanic shop was an Aborted Arc. Herschel was officially written off the series in season 4's "A Box of Treasure and the Meemaw of Science", with Brenda telling Mary that he moved out. His disappearance is likely due to Billy Gardell's portrayal of the titular Bob on BOB ❤️ ABISHOLA, a fellow Chuck Lorre show.

Brenda Sparks

Played by: Melissa Peterman

The wife of Herschel Sparks and the mother of Billy and Bobbi Sparks. She works at the bowling alley that Connie goes to.

The Alcoholic: It is mentioned that she drinks a lot. In "An Academic Crime and a More Romantic Taco Bell", she organizes a meeting between all the baseball mothers, but it's really just an excuse to get drunk.
Hate Sink: In the first couple of seasons she's a straight bitch without a single redeeming quality who likes to antagonize the Cooper family. This would change in the third season, as she and Mary realize that they aren't so different.
Hypocrite:
- She calls both Sheldon and Missy "weird". This is coming from the mother of Billy Sparks.
- She tells Mary that Missy playing baseball isn't ladylike, then immediately yells at Billy "like a dock foreman" (in Mary's words).
Jerkass: She treats everyone terribly, even her own husband and children. Though she develops a Hidden Heart of Gold in the third season.
"Not So Different" Remark: "A Party Invitation, Football Grapes and an Earth Chicken" has Brenda and Mary acknowledge that they both have difficulty dealing with children that are considered strange and unpopular, Mary with Sheldon, and Brenda with Billy.
Obnoxious Entitled Housewife: Initially she would try to act superior to Mary and her mother, which backfired eventually. She mellows out when her husband leaves her.
Pet the Dog: The above exchange could qualify, but an even more appropriate example would be in the season 3 finale "A Secret Letter and a Lowly Disc of Processed Meat". She catches Mary outside sulking and begins to mock her. But when she sees that Mary is genuinely distressed, she apologizes and invites Mary over for drinks.

First Baptist Church of Medford

Pastor Jeff Difford

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/young_sheldon_pastor_jeff_620x375_1.jpg

Played by: Matt Hobby

The pastor at the church Sheldon and his family attend. Also gives Sunday school to Sheldon, his sister, Billy Sparks and other kids.

Ascended Extra: As of the Season 3 premiere "Quirky Eggheads and Texas Snow Globes", he billed as part of the main cast.
Awful Wedded Life: Proved to some extent by Selena not knowing Jeff's actual finances and he having to mistranslate what she says to the Cooper family. The plot of season 2's "A Broken Heart and a Crock Monster" is about Pastor Jeff moving in with the Coopers after he and Selena stopped speaking to each other and he starts sleeping on his office's couch. By the end of the episode, she dumps him because he is "un perdedor" (Spanish for "a loser").
Fourth-Date Marriage: He and Robin get married rather abruptly because they want to become physically intimate, but Jeff can't do so outside of holy matrimony. It's not specified exactly how long they were together before tying the knot, but based on the episode airings, it can't have been longer than a few months.
The Fundamentalist: He tries to convert everyone, including atheists such as Sheldon, to Christianity. While it's unknown how many he's converted to Christianity, he's failed miserably to do so with Sheldon.
Happily Married: To Robin.
Henpecked Husband: In the episode Selena dumps him, he's actually so afraid of her coming at him with a cutler's knife he goes to his home accompanied by Mary.
Insane Troll Logic: Sheldon interprets Jeff's defense of religion as being this, such as the fact that Charles Darwin is right about God but wrong about evolution. Sheldon also disproves Jeff's theory there's a 50/50 chance of a god existing, arguing all probability in the already-existing universe (not a theoretical one) must be taken in a binary sense (0 or 1) making the chances 100/0 rather than 50/50.
Mistaken for Pedophile: Quick to avert this, in "A Crisis of Faith and Octopus Aliens", Mary's struggling to cope with the death of a neighbor girl. Jeff advises her to go help the needy, start a Bible study, or hug a stranger and tell them God loves them. As long as it's not a child, as that backfires.
Mock Millionaire: Lied about his wealth to Selena. It's clear he has a very precarious financial status.
Mary: Why don't you just talk to her? Explain your financial situation?
Jeff: That...
Mary: Oh, we're closing the door now, okay.
Jeff: That's not so easy.
Mary: Because of the language barrier?
Jeff: That, and I implied, when we were dating, that I was well-to-do.
Nice Guy: Despite his flaws such as being an unsubtle preacher, he cares about everyone, is a kind and well-meaning person and tries to be the best Christian he can.
Not So Above It All: Can be just as bad as his fundamentalist counterparts when he feels he has to bar Mary from the church due to Georgie's actions. Not to mention none of it was Mary's fault.
Religion Is Right: The viewpoint Pastor Jeff tries to impart on his audience (without necessarily saying Science Is Wrong although at times it may seem so) during Sunday school and Sunday service. Unfortunately Sheldon is present at both, and pokes holes in his arguments.
Tactful Translation: It's obvious he actually knows Spanish, but he's purposely mistranslating Selena to the Cooper family due to Selena's pessimism. Unfortunately, Sheldon, who does know the language, is there and thinks he doesn't know it.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: While not ugly, he's definitely a dorky-looking (and dorky-acting) guy married to a total knockout. Though she's a Gold Digging bitch who leaves him. He later marries a Fair Cop who had just moved to town and was very into him.

Peg

Played by: Nancy Linehan Charles

Pastor Jeff's chain-smoking secretary.

Dirty Old Woman: She displays many un-Christian behaviors in church, such as her smoking and drinking habits. In S5 E6, she is perfectly okay talking about sex at church, while Pastors Jeff and Rob are not.
Smoky Voice: Peg's voice is very rough and gravelly due to her smoking habit.
Stopped Caring: Her boyfriend served in World War II, and came home with syphilis. Since then, she has not dated anyone.

Pastor Rob

Played by: Dan Byrd

A youth pastor hired by Pastor Jeff to teach Sunday school.

Sexy Priest: Both Mary and Missy are secretly attracted to him and fantasize about him.
Younger and Hipper: His approach to preaching religion screams this, compared to Pastor Jeff and Mary. He even encourages the children to think for themselves about religon, even Sheldon is impressed by this approach.

McAllister Family

Jim McAllister

Played by: Will Sasso

Mandy's father and Audrey's husband.

Henpecked Husband: Audrey constantly pushes him around with everything that he does.
Nice Guy: He is a good-natured and pleasant fellow, even more so than his wife.
What the Hell, Hero?: He delivers one to his wife in "A Launch Party and a Whole Human Being"

Audrey McAllister

Played by: Rachel Bay Jones

Mandy's mother and Jim's wife.

Like Mother, Like Daughter: As both Georgie and Jim say, Mandy takes after Audrey's overbearing behavior.

Connor McAllister

Played by: Joe Apollonio

Mandy's younger brother.

Basement-Dweller: He's a 22-year-old graduate who is unemployed and still lives with his parents.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: A large portion of "A Tornado, a 10-Hour Flight and a Darn Fine Ring" takes place at the McAllister household. Connor is not seen or mentioned at any point, even when the rest of the family is taking cover in the bathroom.
A Degree in Useless: Connor has an art school degree. According to Jim, he has no prospects of ever holding a real job.

Others

Ira Rosenbloom

Played by: Richard Kind

One of Connie's suitors. He owns the local furniture store and he's Jewish.

Dogged Nice Guy: Right after Connie decides in favor of John, he starts showering her with expensive gifts — often from his store — to the point of annoying her. He stops this after getting better acquainted with John.
Friendly Rivalry: With Dr. Sturgis. They become friends when they fight for Connie's attention and remain so after she prefers John — especially after they got to meet each other at Ira's furniture store. In fact, when John broke up with Connie, he told her he'd like for her to get back with Ira.
Love Triangle: Connie, Ira and Dr. Sturgis. He tries one with Coach Dale in place of the Dr., but it doesn't go anywhere besides a date and him crashing her date with the Coach.
Nice Guy: He's very amiable and doesn't take a grudge on Connie preferring Dr. Sturgis (except for what's mentioned in Dogged Nice Guy).
On the Rebound: Was this for Connie after she broke up with Dr. Sturgis.
Put on a Bus: Once his romance plot with Connie ends, he disappears. The Bus Came Back twice: once when Sheldon was trying out different religions and Ira is the one to present Judaism to him, twice when Dr. Sturgis breaks up with Connie and she goes on a date with Ira on John's suggestion.
Satellite Love Interest: Except for two minor points (him selling furniture — which still sets the way for him and Connie to meet and then fall in love — and Sheldon's religion plot), his whole story is about loving Connie (and his relationship to first John, then Dale).
Self-Deprecating Humor: He's prone to this about his Jewish religion.

Selena

Played by: Zuleyka Silver

Pastor Jeff's ex-wife who doesn't speak a word of English and has nothing in common with Pastor Jeff.

Beauty Is Bad: She's very beautiful, but also rude, selfish and implied to be abusive towards Jeff.
Credit Card Plot: She used Jeff's credit card to purchase a $2,000 massage chair.
Domestic Abuser: Implied. Jeff asks Mary to accompany him when he returns home, in case Selena decides to come at him with a knife.
Foil: To Robin. While both are known to have been married to Pastor Jeff, Selena is Hispanic, not very nice, a gold digger and doesn’t really like Pastor Jeff while Robin is American, a kind woman, doesn’t steal money and loves and cares for Pastor Jeff deeply.
Gold Digger: As such, Pastor Jeff lies to her about the finances and she often spends his money.
Jerkass: She appears to be this since Pastor Jeff says she can make him do things and doesn't seem very friendly either.
Master of the Mixed Message: Leaves Jeff a note saying she's left him and calls him a loser. And signs it "Love, Selena". Mary is quick to point out the mixed signals.
Put on a Bus: After her first and only appearance in the episode "Potato Salad, a Broomstick, and Dad's Whiskey", she is never seen again after she dumps Pastor Jeff in the penultimate Season 2 episode "A Broken Heart and a Crock Monster".
Trophy Wife: Pastor Jeff once described her like this after being asked by Mary Cooper:
Mary: Oh, Pastor Jeff, why would you do that [lie about his finances]? You saw her.
Jeff: Uh, she is the kind of woman that can make a man do bad things.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: The hot wife of the gangly Pastor Jeff. However, her beauty is only skin-deep, as she's nothing but an ungrateful gold-digging bitch who leaves Jeff because she thinks he's un perdedor (a loser). Jeff's definitely more beautiful on the inside.

Linda Swanson

Lisa Swanson

Played by: Andrea Anders

Paige's mother.

Education Mama: She constantly pushes Paige to excel in school, even when Paige doesn't want to.

Robin

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Played by: Mary Grill

A policewoman in Medford.

The Bus Came Back: In the Season 7 premiere "Half A Wiener Schnitzel And Underwear In A Tree" for the first time since the Season 3 episode "A House for Sale and Serious Woman Stuff" (S 3 E 19), a span of 65 episodes.
Fair Cop: She's a very beautiful police officer.
Foil: To Selena. While both are known to have been married to Pastor Jeff, Selena is Hispanic, not very nice, a gold digger and doesn't really like Pastor Jeff while Robin is American, a kind woman, doesn’t steal money and loves and cares for Pastor Jeff deeply.
Fourth-Date Marriage: She and Pastor Jeff get married rather abruptly because they want to become physically intimate, but Jeff can't do so outside of holy matrimony. It's not specified exactly how long they were together before tying the knot, but based on the episode airings, it can't have been longer than a few months.
Nice Girl: She is a very nice lady and cares deeply about Pastor Jeff.
Happily Married: To Pastor Jeff.

Coach Dale Ballard

Played by: Craig T. Nelson

Missy's baseball coach and Connie's boyfriend. He also owns a sporting goods store and hires Georgie, and later George Sr., as a salesman.

Casting Gag: He's portrayed by Craig T. Nelson, who's famous for previously portraying another fictional coach.
Derailing Love Interests: While it may be too soon to say, the way he treats Dr. Sturgis in the latter portion of season 3 seems to signal that he's headed in this direction. Though to be fair, he has shown some jerkass qualities ever since he was first introduced and John is not entirely undeserving. He finally crosses fully into this in "A Baby Tooth and The Egyptian God of Knowledge" when Connie rejects his offer to get married. Not only does he take on an Entitled to Have You attitude, but he fires Georgie the next day. While Georgie did leave the cash register open while he was in charge of the store, leading to over $400 being stolen, it's obvious that Dale only fired Georgie because he was pissed at Connie.
- He and Connie split up for real when Connie says she's not ready to slow and settle down with him.
Doomed by Canon: Much like Dr. Sturgis, he's most likely dead during TBBT. Like Connie and Sturgis, she and Dale broke up in season 5's "A Suitcase Full Of Cash And A Yellow Clown Car".
Entitled to Have You: Takes on this attitude with Connie in "A Baby Tooth and The Egyptian God of Knowledge", after she refuses to marry him. He reminds her of all the things he's done for her and her family and Connie rightfully informs him that this doesn't obligate her to marry him.
Everyone Has Standards: As much as he belittles Dr. Sturgis on their fishing trip, he stops himself from mentioning John's mental problems.
Foil: To Dr. Sturgis. John is short, homely, slightly effeminate and socially awkward. Dale is tall, fairly handsome for his age, a manly man and confident. Their differences are also examined when both of them proposed to Connie. Connie rejected both proposals, but they reacted in different ways. John was heartbroken at first, but ultimately respects Connie's decision and the two remain on good terms while Dale is furious and acts like a whiny, entitled jerk, going so far as taking his anger out on Georgie.
Jerkass Has a Point:
- While the way Dale treats John is unacceptable, his reasons for doing so are at least somewhat understandable, as John did spy on him after he found out Connie was dating Dale.
- His firing of Georgie in "A Baby Tooth and The Egyptian God of Knowledge" is not entirely unjustified either, as Georgie did forget to lock the cash register, which resulted in a theft.
Jerkass to One: The only person he is mean to on a consistent basis is Dr. Sturgis.
Jerk Jock: He's a baseball coach and definitely has a bad side to him.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Despite first appearing to be a sexist pig for not allowing Missy to try out for baseball, he soon reveals himself to be quite a stand-up guy and does coach her well once he finally puts her on the team. Though he is quite a jerk to Dr. Sturgis and his bad qualities are slowly revealing themselves, hinting that he may well be a Jerk with a Heart of Jerk. As much as he tries to better himself, he can't keep it up for long.
Kick the Dog: He fires Georgie in “A Baby Tooth and The Egyptian God of Knowledge” because he was mad that Meemaw didn't want to marry him. Seeing as how the store was robbed on Georgie's watch, Dale had a good reason to fire him. What makes it more cruel, however, is that Georgie was willing to pay back the stolen money out of his own pocket. Dale took the money, then fired him anyway.
Not Good with Rejection: He doesn't take it well when Meemaw rejects his proposal. At first, he pouts, then tries to guilt her by reminding her of all the things he's done for her and the family. When that doesn't work, he fires Georgie just to spite her.
Straw Misogynist: Subverted. He has reservations about Missy trying out for baseball, mainly because he doesn't want the boys to hurt her instead of believing that girls shouldn't play sports. His fears quickly subside once he sees Missy beat the crap out of a pitcher on the opposing team for nearly beaning her in the face several times.

June

Played by: Reba McEntire

Dale's ex-wife, who is the local hairdresser.

Chatty Hairdresser: Apparently, as shown by the first time Mary went there, her clients actually go there more to talk to her than for hairdressing services, to the point she actually wonders whether she should start charging by the hour.
Hollywood Tone-Deaf: When she and Connie go to a casino together, she demonstrates her terrible singing voice. This is likely a Casting Gag due to her actress being a very famous singer.

Jake Rutledge

Played by: Bill Fagerbakke

A Medford police officer. He's a friend of Dale's but an antagonist of Connie because of his shake down of her.

Dirty Cop: First he shuts down Connie's gambling den not because he thinks it's wrong but because he wants to use it as a campaign strategy because he's running for sheriff. Then when Connie finds a loophole, he shakes her down saying it's a gray area, and threatens her with jailtime, unless she paid him off.

Characters / Young Sheldon: Other Characters

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