The Young Sheldon Series Finale Can't Make This Mistake
The hearts of "Young Sheldon" fans everywhere are breaking knowing that Lance Barber's character George Cooper will die as Season 7 nears the finish line. As is established in "The Big Bang Theory," Sheldon is 14 when his dad dies, and the 13-year-olds' birthday is mere months away. For those fans hoping "Young Sheldon" bosses will retcon this particularly tragic event, as they did when the show revealed the truth about George's affair, no such luck.
The sitcom's executive producer Steve Holland confirmed to TVLine that this "TBBT" canon event would definitely be a part of the show's final season, although he kept the details vague. "I don't want to say what you will or won't see, but things will get addressed. We are not beholden to every joke that was ever made on 'The Big Bang Theory,' but we do feel beholden to the larger canon and the larger events that shape Sheldon's life. We want to honor those," Holland said.
With just a few episodes to go before the finale, it still hasn't been revealed whether George's death and the aftermath of it will be seen on-screen or not. In terms of how George will die, it seems most likely it'll be a heart attack since he has a history of coronary problems, but how the event is relayed to the audience is the most important thing. A popular theory is that George's death will happen off-screen and that Jim Parsons's Sheldon will acknowledge it in a voiceover in the show's epilogue. However, glossing over George's death like this in the finale would be a massive mistake for "Young Sheldon."
George Sr. has evolved beyond his TBBT persona
The reason George Cooper Sr. has become a fan-favorite character among "Young Sheldon" fans is because the prequel sitcom depicts a much more humanized version of him compared to the way he was talked about in "TBBT." In the original series, George is described by Sheldon and Mary (Laurie Metcalf) as a football-obsessed Neanderthal who "coasted" as a parent and husband. According to their recollections, he was more interested in smoking, drinking, and shooting than trying to understand any of Sheldon's interests.
These details, peppered through 12 seasons of "TBBT," hardly paint the picture of a supportive dad. But Lance Barber's iteration of George couldn't be further from that description. Although he's by no means perfect, George is there for his children at every turn. He is Sheldon's biggest champion when he graduates from high school in Season 4, Episode 1 and gives his son a much needed pep-talk when he's nervous about delivering his commencement speech. And unlike Sheldon's recollections in "TBBT," George and Mary (Zoe Perry) have a sweet and loving relationship in "Young Sheldon."
In fact, it can be argued that George is actually the heart of the Cooper family. And losing a character this important to the show deserves more than a couple of sentences spoken in an epilogue.
Young Sheldon should have a funeral scene for George
Lance Barber always knew George Cooper's death was coming. "I had the luxury of being emotionally prepared for this from day one," the actor explained in February (per TheWrap). Of course, this doesn't make the eventuality of it any easier for "Young Sheldon" fans to stomach. Nevertheless, it is possible for the depiction of George's death to happen in a satisfying way and not feel like something that's been tossed in solely because it is a storyline that's established in "TBBT."
One way to do this would be to have everyone George leaves behind come together for a funeral scene, which would show they remember him and each move on in the wake of his death. As sad as it may be, it would be a major mistake for "Young Sheldon" not to memorialize George. His death is a life-altering event for the Coopers and it's important to see how they react to it and how it affects their lives going forward.
A behind-the-scenes photo posted by Rachel Bay Jones, who plays Audrey McAllister, teases that the "Young Sheldon" bosses might be in agreement about having a funeral for George, too. In the photo, Jones posed alongside co-stars Emily Osment, Will Sasso, and Wallace Shawn. While the actors are all smiles in the black-and-white photo, they're dressed in somber black outfits. With Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy's (Osment) wedding plus two baptisms for CeCe already done and dusted, what other formal event could be on the horizon for the Cooper's other than George's funeral?
George's death will irrevocably change the Cooper family's relationship
Having a funeral for George could also help explain a major contradictory plot point that exists in the "TBBT" universe, which is how the Coopers go from being a close-knit family in "Young Sheldon" to virtually estranged in "TBBT." Like George's death, this is something that can't — or shouldn't — be explained away in an epilogue voiceover.
In "TBBT" Sheldon is not close with his siblings. He can barely tolerate being around Missy (Courtney Henggeler) and goes years without speaking to Georgie (Jerry O'Connell). As adult Georgie explains in Season 11, Episode 23, "The Sibling Realignment," it seems that this is largely due to how they all deal with George's death. As he sees it, Missy starts acting like a "dumb teenager" while Sheldon goes to California and isn't there to support the family. Georgie feels like he was left to pick up the pieces and support Mary, and ultimately, they all grew apart as a result.
After seven seasons of "Young Sheldon," it's hard to imagine the Cooper siblings getting to this point. But if the prequel sitcom depicts the initial aftermath of George's death and how it affects the members of the family, rather than just glossing over it, it will be able to successfully bring this chapter of their family life to a close.