The George Sr. Moment That Changes Everything On Young Sheldon
Created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, "The Big Bang Theory" ran for 12 seasons and aired nearly 300 episodes before coming to an end in 2019. The CBS sitcom follows two socially awkward physicists as their lives are gradually turned upside down by the arrival of a woman who moves into the apartment across the hall from them and the series often thrived on the talents of its core cast members. But no actor or character was more integral to the success of "The Big Bang Theory" than Jim Parsons' Sheldon Cooper. A delightfully quirky and well-constructed character, Sheldon quickly became the standout member of the "Big Bang Theory" ensemble and Jim Parsons earned consistent critical recognition and multiple award wins over the years for his performance as the character. Sheldon was so popular, in fact, that CBS eventually launched a "Big Bang Theory" prequel series about the character's childhood called "Young Sheldon," which has gone on to become a formidable hit in its own right for CBS.
The prequel series offers further insight into the Sheldon character by showcasing and exploring his childhood — and by introducing characters that were more or less absent from "The Big Bang Theory" — including Sheldon's father. One particular George Sr. (Lance Barber) moment changed everything on "Young Sheldon."
The George Sr. pep talk in Young Sheldon Season 4
Sheldon Cooper's father, George Cooper Sr., passed away prior to when the story of "The Big Bang Theory" begins, so the character had a notably smaller presence on the series than many of Sheldon's other family members. However, George Sr. does make a small "Big Bang Theory" cameo during the show's "Young Sheldon" crossover episode, in which he is briefly seen on a VHS tape that the older Sheldon still owns. George Sr. raises the spirits of the high school football team he coached by telling them not to get discouraged just because they lose a game. By watching the tape, adult Sheldon finds inspiration and encouragement. It's a touching moment that has, unfortunately, lost most of its power thanks to a more recent episode of "Young Sheldon."
The "Young Sheldon" episode in question is the 14th installment of the show's fourth season — entitled "Mitch's Son And The Unconditional Approval Of A Government" — and features a scene in which George Sr. gets down on one knee and gives Sheldon a pep talk face-to-face. The speech, which is all about persevering and growing in spite of possible failure, is very similar to the one he is seen giving on the VHS tape in "The Big Bang Theory." The "Young Sheldon" moment is notably more powerful than the scene in the "Big Bang Theory" crossover though; unlike in "The Big Bang Theory," in which George Sr. speaks to a group of high school football players, his "Young Sheldon" speech is actually directed at his son. The scene benefits from Sheldon and his father's face-to-face contact and stands as a highlight of the show's fourth season. The only problem is that it also robs that VHS moment from "The Big Bang Theory" of most of its power.