While some elements ofYoung Sheldon’s plot were set in stone byThe Big Bang Theory’s canon, the spinoff didn’t hide its biggest twist even early on. By the timeThe Big Bang Theory’s finaleaired, the show’s first spinoff had already proved popular with audiences.Young Sheldonfollowed Sheldon’s childhood and adolescence in small-town Texas.
WhileThe Big Bang Theory’s upcoming spinoff,Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, is set to completely rewrite the sitcom franchise’s fictional universe,Young Sheldonsticks close to canon details established by the earlier show. As a result,Young Sheldon’s finaleinevitably had to center on the aftermath of George Sr.’s untimely death in Sheldon’s early teens.
SinceThe Big Bang Theoryalready mentioned that George Sr. died when Sheldon was around 13,longtime viewers always knew that Sheldon’s father would die inYoung Sheldon. However, the spinoff never made any attempt to hide this fact from casual fans. On the contrary, George Sr.’s fate was foreshadowed as early as season 1, episode 3, “Poker, Faith, and Eggs.”
WhileYoung Sheldon’s sitcom tone ensures the heart attack isn’t too devastating, the scene still serves to warn viewers that George Sr.’s health is a major concern.
In this outing, George Sr. suffers a mild heart attack and is briefly hospitalized. WhileYoung Sheldon’s sitcom tone ensures the event isn’t too devastating, the scene still serves to warn viewers that George Sr.’s health is a major concern. As early as the show’s third episode, it is clear that George Sr.’s heart is at risk.
By subtly drawing attention to this unfortunate reality, the spinoff ensures his eventual death doesn’t come as a sudden shock. However, by staging his first heart attack so early, the show also allowed viewers to largely forget the threat over time.
Young Sheldon Kept George Sr.’s Death Until The Last Possible Moment
This proved a savvy approach, asYoung Sheldonleft George Sr.’s death until the last possible moment when the show wrapped up. AlthoughGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriagecontinued the storiesof Georgie, Mary, Missy, and Meemaw only a few months afterYoung Sheldon’s finale, that spinoff still felt like an entirely separate series.
of Seasons
2007-2019
12
2017-2024
7
1
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This is because George Sr.’s death represented a meaningful endpoint forYoung Sheldon’s story, as it immediately preceded Sheldon’s move to Caltech. The move also happened shortly after Georgie moved in with the McAllisters, meaning the family was already split before the spinoff ended.
Young SheldonforeshadowedThe Big Bang Theory’s canonical death as far back as its third episode.
Thus,Young Sheldonmanaged to use George Sr.’s death as a fitting endpoint for the show’s story. This was possible becauseYoung SheldonforeshadowedThe Big Bang Theory’s canonical death as far back as its third episode.
