In The Big Bang Theory episode ‘The Celebration Reverberation’, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) plan special birthday celebrations for Amy (Mayim Bialik) and baby Halley, respectively. On a less cheerful note, Leonard (Johnny Galecki) receives the (dreaded) annual Christmas letter from his brother Michael. Just the mention of his younger brother causes Leonard to feel badly about himself. This year, the letter reports that Michael’s non-profit has built a hospital in Rwanda.
The character Michael Hofstadter (who has yet to be seen) has been described by Leonard’s mother Beverly (Christine Baranski) as “more successful than Leonard.” Michael is a tenured law professor at Harvard who has argued a case before the Supreme Court. He’s married to a judge, has kids, dogs and horses and, according to Leonard, is eight inches taller than Leonard due to the nurturing he received from their mother. The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8pm on CBS. [You can also stream 9000+ episodes and live TV with a CBS All-Access free trial.]
