“The Big Bang Theory” is finally introducing Penny’s mom and brother, and they’re already TV icons. “Sons of Anarchy” and “Married with Children” alum Katey Sagal will join the hit CBS comedy as the mother of Kaley Cuoco‘s character, and “30 Rock” alum Jack McBrayer will play Penny’s brother in the first episode of Season 10, showrunner Steve Molaro revealed at Comic-Con.
Per CBS, Sagal will play Susan, who is described as stressed out and neurotic from a life with her troubled son. McBrayer will play Randall, a cheerful former drug dealer and ex-con. The casting marks a reunion for Cuoco and Sagal, who co-starred together in “8 Simple Rules.”
Something else to look forward to in Season 10, per Molaro: “Sheldon and Amy go to what we know is a real-life flag convention.”
A fan asked what’s coming up for Penny’s career in Season 10, given that she’s currently unhappy but making plenty of money. “We’re still figuring things out; I think she’s in an interesting and relatable place. She’s going to start to weigh her options,” Molaro said. While the writers find it hard to film at real conventions like WonderCon and San Diego Comic-Con, Molaro did tease that the B-movie Penny made with Wil Wheaton “is floating around and has developed a cult following” in the world of the show, so she may be able to make a quick buck “signing autographs at small conventions as the star of ‘Serial Apist'” in Season 10.
Molaro also revealed what went into writing Sheldon and Amy’s long-awaited “coitus” last season, admitting, “Not since the loss of my own virginity have I stressed out or been so invested in a single physical act. It meant a lot to us, it was a long time in the making.” Molaro said that a couple of aspects of the episode were planned a few years in advance; he knew he wanted to include Bob Newhart as a Force ghost to “give Sheldon some fatherly advice,” and thought that if it happened on Amy’s birthday or another annual date, Sheldon could say that he looked forward to doing it again next year.
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A fan asked whether the writers have an endgame in mind for the show, but Molaro admitted it’s too soon to think about it. “I’m not gonna tell you. There’s been a few thoughts that have floated around, but we don’t really know how long the show’s going to go on for, so I think it’s a little early for us to be thinking about an end point.”
