The Family Analysis Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mrs. Debbie Wolowitz

Carol Ann Susi was the voice of Mrs. Wolowitz until her passing in 2014; at that time Mrs. Wolowitz also passed away. Interestingly, we never see her face in any of the episodes; nevertheless, her physical attributes are well described. She is apparently morbidly obese and has a mustache.

In "The 43 Peculiarity" (Season 6/Episode 8) we learn that she has a size 43 neck and when Howard and Bernadette get married in Season 5/Episode 24 the comment is made that Mrs. Wolowitz has a bigger mustache than Bernadette's father! The group of friends on "The Big Bang" constantly acknowledge the fact that Howard is a big mama's boy; she cuts his food for him, washes his clothes, and treats him as if he is still a little boy.

It is in the Season 7 finale (Episode 24) that we learn from Stuart that her name is "Debbie".

He is hired by Howard and Bernadette to take care of Mrs. Wolowitz after she is injured.

Answer: Dr. Alfred Hofstadter

Judd Hirsch first appears as Dr. Alfred Hofstadter on "The Convergence-Convergence" (Season 9/Episode 24) of "The Big Bang Theory". In this episode Leonard and Penny are remarried so that their friends and family may attend their wedding. The pre-wedding dinner is more than a bit awkward as Leonard's mother is also present and she is still very bitter about her divorce from Alfred.

In addition - who could have anticipated - Alfred hits it off with Sheldon's mother and leaves the restaurant with her! Hirsch also appeared in "The Conjugal Conjecture" (Season 10/Episode 1), which showed Leonard and Penny's actual remarriage, where the Hofstadters finally agree that they are happy they had Leonard together.

Answer: Wyatt

Keith Carradine appears on "The Big Bang Theory" as Penny's father, Wyatt, for their remarriage, but the first time he is introduced on the show is Season 4/Episode 9, "The Boyfriend Complexity". Although Penny and Leonard have called it quits with their relationship, Penny has not yet told her father.

She asks Leonard to help her carry out a ruse so that her father thinks they are still dating. Leonard agrees to help, however, he is a bit too happy to play the boyfriend once more. Penny confesses to her father that they are no longer together, and Wyatt begs Leonard to keep trying. Wyatt is also seen in Season 9/Episode 3, in "The Bachelor Party Corrosion", when Penny calls to tell him that she and Leonard are married.

Answer: Mrs. Fowler

Kathy Bates replaced Annie O'Donnell, previously seen in Season 4 as the mother of Amy Farrah Fowler in the Season 11 Grand Finale, "The Bow Tie Asymmetry". Amy's mom is obnoxious; she never allows her husband to speak his opinion and does not appear to care for her own daughter.

As Amy's character developed on "The Big Bang Theory" it was revealed that her mother's way of raising a child was rather strange. For example, she would not let her watch the movie "Grease" (1978) because it might encourage her to join a gang.

In addition, she apparently punished Amy frequently by putting her in closet. Sheldon and Amy are married in this episode, however, they, along with Leonard, become involved in working out math equations and are late for the wedding. Fortunately, Penny steps in while Mrs. Fowler is berating the couple and tells her to sit down.

Answer: Georgie Cooper

Sheldon has really never wanted to have much to do with his older brother, George, even though he mentions him from time to time throughout the first ten seasons of the show. Consequently, George was not invited to Sheldon and Amy's wedding. Mrs. Cooper, however, refuses to attend if George isn't invited - so Sheldon has to make an attempt to reach out to his brother. Fans of "Young Sheldon" have learned that Georgie was a bit of a creep when he was younger, but Sheldon's confrontation with his brother (Season 11/Episode 23) puts George in a bit of a different light.

He is angry because Sheldon never realized that it was George who took care of the family after their father died. Not only that, but because Sheldon was "special" his financial needs, such as going to college, always seemed to take precedence over everything and everyone else, and there wasn't enough money to help out the other siblings. Happily, George has done well for himself; he owns a chain of tire stores called "Doctor Tire".

He and Sheldon seem to make amends in this episode, and he is present at the wedding. Jerry O' Connell plays a very believable and likeable George Cooper, and, like young Georgie, he has a mullet!

Answer: Mary Cooper

Mary Cooper, played by Laurie Metcalf, is first featured on "The Big Bang Theory" in Season1/Episode 4. She comes to California to help Sheldon, who has just been fired from his job. During this episode we learn that Mary is a widow - she makes sure to tell this to the physics department head - and that Sheldon really loves his mother.

Although there are many instances where they do not see eye-to-eye (the topic of evolution always causes a disagreement between the two), he respects the fact that she is his mother.

She tells him to apologize to his boss, and he does. Mary Cooper is not seen in every season of "The Big Bang", but she is mentioned, or talks on the phone. In Season 2/Episode 7, when Sheldon bans Penny from the apartment (she had three strikes against her) and they begin feuding, Leonard gives Penny Mary's number and tells her that Mary is Sheldon's Kryptonite. Mary tells Sheldon in no uncertain terms that he has to quit and apologize to Penny - which he does!

Answer: Dr. V. M. Koothrappali

Dr. V. M. Koothrappali, Raj's father, played by Brian George, is a wealthy gynecologist in India. According to Sheldon, the Koothrappalis are "not just rich. They are Richie Rich rich" (Season 5/Episode 4). Viewers are always given the impression that Raj's family has money; they have servants and expensive cars.

They are frequently seen on video chat, worried that Raj is gay, will never get married, and has an inappropriate relationship with Howard. By Season 8, however, Dr. and Mrs. Koothrappali are divorced, and Raj's dad comes to visit him at Christmastime (Episode 11). Dr. Koothrappali has been able to give Bernadette some advice about motherhood that was comforting.

While Raj is somewhat successful in playing the newly-divorced couple against each other, in "The Allowance Evaporation", much to Mr. Koothrappali's relief, he does eventually decide that he can make it without his dad's money.

Answer: Mike Rostenkowski

Mike Rostenkowski, played by Casey Sander, is one tough guy. He's a retired police officer who is not afraid to speak his mind. Although we just briefly meet Bernadette's mom in Season 5 and see her at Howard and Bernadette's wedding, Mike drops in from time to time. Howard consults his future father-in-law in "The Launch Acceleration" before he marries Bernadette.

In "The Fish Guts Displacement" he and Howard plan to go on a fishing trip, but decide to go to the casino instead. Mike also plays a major role in discouraging Howard to go back into space, reminding him in "The Table Polarization" how miserable he was the first time he traveled there. Howard and Bernadette name their son Neil Michael; after a bit of a difficult delivery it looks like Howard will agree to call him "Mike".

Answer: Susan

Penny's dad definitely seems like the most important parent in her life; she rarely speaks to or about her mother. She does mention that she wishes that her mother would have saved her from being such a tomboy in "The Maternal Capacitance", and assures her mom that the reason for her engagement to Leonard had nothing to do with pregnancy in "The Status Quo Combustion".

When we finally meet Susan, played by Katey Sagal, at Leonard and Penny's second wedding in "The Conjugal Conjecture", we learn that she is concerned that Leonard's family will think they are white trash.

At the wedding, she is very quiet, but seems to be happy for the couple.

Answer: Dr. Beverley Hofstadter

Although Leonard tells us a bit about his mother in Season 1, it is Season 2 before we get to meet her in person. Professionally it seems that Beverley, played by Christine Baranski, has everything going for her - she is a respected psychiatrist and writer, but she has been a terrible mom.

For example, Leonard tells us in "The Peanut Reaction" (Season 1, Episode 16) that she refused to let him celebrate his birthday like other kids, because his birth was her accomplishment, not his. In Season 2, after we meet her in person in "The Maternal Capacitance", Episode 16, it is obvious that she is cold, strict, and logical - very much like Sheldon! In fact, as the personalities of Sheldon and Leonard's mothers develop it seems that each would rather have the other's mother.