Summary
- Young Sheldon has evolved beyond being solely about Sheldon and now focuses on all members of the Cooper family with their respective compelling storylines.
- While Young Sheldon initially relied on its connection to The Big Bang Theory, it has realized the need to expand its storytelling beyond the established canon to avoid limitations.
- Mandy and Georgie’s romance in Young Sheldon has a predetermined ending due to Georgie’s character development in The Big Bang Theory, but there is a potential narrative fix to maintain a happy ending for the couple.
The Big Bang Theory doomed Georgie and Mandy romance from the beginning, but Young Sheldon can easily fix it. Sheldon may be the titular character of the hit CBS sitcom, but its recent years have made it clear that it is no longer about him. He isn’t the only one driving Young Sheldon‘s narrative. All members of the Cooper family have their respective compelling arcs. George and Mary have had to take a good look at their marriage after they both engaged in emotional cheating with Brenda Sparks and Pastor Rob. Meanwhile, Missy has started her rebellious phase as she feels like she’s continuously overlooked by her parents.
When it was greenlit, Young Sheldon‘s main appeal was its ties to The Big Bang Theory. The project served as supplementary viewing for fans of the nerd-centric sitcom, with earlier seasons of the series leaning on their connection. This is the reason why storylines tend to be about giving additional context to Sheldon’s childhood stories. However, CBS eventually realized that Young Sheldon can only go as far if it’s dependent solely on The Big Bang Theory. Even if the writers wanted to expand on their storytelling, however, they needed to be careful so as not to contradict the established canon. This is exactly the case for Mandy and Georgie’s romance.
Big Bang Theory Puts An End To Mandy & Georgie’s Romance
Set up in Young Sheldon‘s 100th episode, the unexpected pregnancy for Mandy and Georgie has brought so many changes for the Coopers. Despite some rough patches, however, things have finally stabilized for the couple. After the arrival of Baby Cece, they’re finally engaged to be married as seen in the Young Sheldon season 6 finale. It’s a big cause of celebration for everyone, especially seeing how madly in love they are with each other. Mandy and Georgie’s wedding is expected to be a big part of Young Sheldon season 7, but while everyone is excited about their upcoming nuptials, their romance has a pre-determined ending thanks to The Big Bang Theory.
Unlike Mary and Missy who both appeared in The Big Bang Theory season 1, Georgie didn’t make a cameo until the end of season 11. His introduction was brought about by the impending wedding of Sheldon and Amy. While he was mentioned before that, the sitcom revealed more about him after he visited Pasadena. That included having multiple wives. Young Sheldon backed this up, mentioning Georgie marrying for the first time when he was 19. This means that even if he and Mandy end up tying the knot, they will eventually part ways in the future, albeit the reason for it is currently unknown.
Young Sheldon Can Reverse Mandy & Georgie’s Big Bang Theory Fate
Luckily, there’s an easy fix to this narrative dilemma. Despite Young Sheldon‘s nature as a prequel, Jim Parsons’ adult Sheldon offers fans new information about how the future looks like for its beloved characters. Previously, the spin-off already featured Mayim Bialik’s Amy, which resulted in the revelation that she and Sheldon have a son named Leonard Simon Helberg’s Howard Wolowitz also did a voice cameo for Young Sheldon‘s engineering episode. However, CBS doesn’t even have to bring in Jerry O’Connell’s adult Georgie to repair this issue. All adult Sheldon has to do is share that George has somehow made his way back to Mandy post-The Big Bang Theory.
Young Sheldon has actually done something similar. In season 4’s “A Pager, A Club, And A Cranky Bag Of Crinkles,” it is revealed Missy has loving family and friends in the future. This is despite The Big Bang Theory previously painting a desolate personal life for the only Cooper daughter. During her final trip to Pasadena for Sheldon and Amy’s wedding, Missy was pregnant with her second child, and she wasn’t thrilled about it because she was on the cusp of separating from her husband. While The Big Bang Theory never provided any additional update regarding her fate, Young Sheldon confirmed that she ends up being content in life.
Why Young Sheldon Needs To Give Mandy & Georgie A Happy Ending
Over the years, Young Sheldon has created countless The Big Bang Theory plot holes. They vary in degrees — some of them totally inconsequential while others have a massive impact on how Sheldon’s childhood is perceived. Admittedly, it’s difficult for the CBS prequel to stick to everything the socially-inept genius said about his time in Texas because some of his anecdotes were totally unrealistic and were only included for comedic purposes. Given this, it is totally understandable if Young Sheldon prioritizes its own storytelling rather than upholding continuity for a show that has already ended.
The spin-off has more creative wiggle room when tackling Georgie and Mandy’s romance, however, because The Big Bang Theory didn’t say anything about the specific arc. In fact, Mandy and Baby Cece weren’t even referenced in the series. It is definitely the best original plot line that Young Sheldon has come up with, and it would be massively disappointing if the pair’s narrative doesn’t get a satisfying payoff simply because the original show depicted Georgie differently. At this point when the prequel has finally gotten its own identity, CBS’ priority should be what’s best for Young Sheldon‘s storytelling, especially considering how popular it is.
What To Expect From Mandy & George In Young Sheldon Season 7
Coming into Young Sheldon season 7, Georgie and Mandy’s romance will expectedly continue to be focused on. There have been rumblings that the upcoming year could be the prequel’s final outing. Whether that’s the case is difficult to tell, especially given the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA dual strikes. However, if CBS ends up pulling the plug on the series, the project’s finale could show Mandy and Georgie tying the knot. This way, it can leave the couple in a great place. Depending on the comedy’s upcoming trajectory, the Coopers may be looking at the tragic loss of George, so their wedding would give them something to celebrate.
Before they tie the knot, however, Young Sheldon‘s Meemaw tragedy poses new challenges for the engaged couple. With Connie’s house destroyed by the tornado, Georgie, Mandy, and Baby Cece are all moving in with George and Missy. Because Sheldon and Mary are in Germany, they have extra space for the family of three. The change of setting, however, may not exactly be good, especially since Mandy and Georgie are just starting to find their footing as parents. There’s definitely going to be an adjustment period for Mandy with Meemaw not around to help her.
