George’s return in Georgie & Mandy proves one heartbreaking thing about Young Sheldon
CBSYes, George is returning to Georgie & Mandy from beyond the grave. We don’t know when, but we’ve now got our official first look – and it confirms something heartbreaking about Young Sheldon.
One of the top TV moments of 2024 was living through George’s death alongside the rest of the Cooper family. The funeral episode in Young Sheldon Season 7 might have been the best ever, with Medford High breaking the news to Mary, Missy, and Meemaw almost too difficult to watch.
George’s legacy hasn’t been dropped in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage either. Georgie routinely visits his grave to seek advice and comfort, even bringing Mary and Missy along for the ride when he knows they need it. Whether it’s through conversation, Georgie’s growing relationship with Jim, or drama that’s too close to home (eg the fake heart attack), George is there.
In upcoming episodes, George actually will be there. His return was confirmed in January 2025, revealing he makes a cameo in a dream. We’ve just got our first look at the scene, but it’s sour grapes for any long-term Young Sheldon fan.
George’s return proves Young Sheldon could have easily continued instead of Georgie & Mandy
George’s first look at his ghostly return to Georgie & Mandy arguably proves one thing – we could have had Young Sheldon Season 8 if creators loosened their grip on the Sheldonverse lore.
I mean, look at the man. It’s as if nothing at all has changed since we last saw him midway through Young Sheldon Season 7, sitting at his rightful place at the breakfast table. We don’t yet know what he has to say to Georgie – or if he’s going to interact with anyone else – but it’s just not the same as more Young Sheldon.
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Annoyingly, not having what we actually want is all George’s cameo is currently reminding us of. Georgie & Mandy is at its best when as many Coopers are possible feature. Why? Because it’s as close to Young Sheldon as we can get.
Even the creators themselves knew they messed up with George’s death. Co-creator Chuck Lorre wrote on Instagram at the end of Season 7: “Eighteen years ago, when we were writing and producing The Big Bang Theory, it seemed like a good idea to imagine that Sheldon’s childhood was deeply disrupted by the loss of his father.
“No one could have thought that someday, we would regret that decision. That someday is now.”
If George doesn’t connect with Missy and Mary in the dream sequence (who arguably need to see him more than Georgie), that’s another missed opportunity. Nobody wanted to see George die in the first place, and while Georgie & Mandy is great for finding a way to bring him back, we really shouldn’t be here in the first place.
Catch up with our review of Georgie & Mandy, when every remaining episode will be released, and what Lance Barber thinks George would tell the kids. You can also find more TV shows streaming this month.