Why young creator Sheldon Chuck Lorre regrets killing George Sr. in The Big Bang Theory

“Young Sheldon,” the “Big Bang Theory” spinoff that ran for seven seasonsis mostly a standard network sitcom. The main exception to this rule is that thanks to all the bits of backstory we got from older Sheldon’s childhood on “The Big Bang Theory,” viewers knew that tragedy would eventually strike the Cooper family. George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber) He would die at some point in Sheldon’s youth, but we never knew exactly how or why. (His cause of death was briefly listed in one of Sheldon’s charts as follows: “SBL” Whatever that means.)

For seven seasons, the Sword of Damocles hung over George Sr.’s head, and the omen was worse because “Young Sheldon” portrayed George Sr. as far kinder than expected. In “The Big Bang Theory” Sheldon talks about his father as if he was a good-for-nothing drunkard who cheated on his wife and never cared for Sheldon, but throughout “Young Sheldon” George Sr. is portrayed as a very nice man. . Yes, he often struggles to communicate with his nerdy, unathletic son, but honestly it’s Sheldon’s fault for being annoying.

The creative choice to make George Sr. likable is certainly more than just a true reflection of adult Sheldon (who now seems to have unnecessarily disrespected his father’s memory for 12 seasons in a row), but it also makes the final few episodes of the spinoff uniquely heavy for this type of drama The comic. “The Funeral,” the Season 7 episode in which young Sheldon (Ian Armitage) must navigate the aftermath of his father’s death, is particularly sad, especially because it’s an episode the show was pretty much obligated to do at some point. Turn it on. This is part of the reason why “Big Bang Theory” creator Chuck Lorre, who later created “Young Sheldon,” expressed some regret over the flippantly made decision to prove that Sheldon’s father died before the events of that show.

After Season 7’s “A New Home and Classic Torture in Texas,” which ended with the Cooper family hearing the news of George Sr.’s death, there was a problem. Vanity card written Written by Lori Redding, “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 had been severely disrupted by the loss of his father. No one would have thought that one day we would regret that decision.” days.”

The card continued: “There were a lot of tears on stage when the final scene of this episode was filmed. A reminder that we have all fallen in love with a fictional character. Which in itself is a reminder to love the characters in our lives that to do otherwise would mean living with regret.”

In an interview with luster It was published to coincide with the conclusion of Young Sheldon in May 2024, and co-showrunners Steve Molaro and Steve Holland explained that they were very happy with the note on which the series ended. “I think it gave the show a really strong emotional ending, and the death is very important to Sheldon as a character,” Holland said. “Looking back on that death as an adult, it really helped shape the theme of this show, I think.” Molaro added: “I agree with that. I don’t regret that it happened. It’s a strong ending and part of life.”

The only real issue was the contrast with the way George Sr. was portrayed in The Big Bang Theory by Young Sheldon. Partially taken up via a cameo by Jim Parsons as the older Sheldon in the series finale. This didn’t quite explain the jarring scene, especially since Sheldon’s mother Mary also trash-talks George Sr. on The Big Bang Theory (where she’s played by Laurie Metcalfe), but Holland explained how it was a necessary adjustment to make the spinoff work:

“As Chuck (Lore) always said, you have to give these shows room to grow and become their own thing. You can’t force them to put them in a box. And as the show went on, Lance brought (a lot) to the character. He was a beloved person and a beloved father, and that’s what he became He has to offer, you can’t go back and force him to do (something else).

Perhaps the best thing about George Sr.’s death is the way it helped set Young Sheldon apart from his competitors. If it weren’t for this giant tragedy looming over the series, “Young Sheldon” would seem like a standard network sitcom in an age where sitcoms seem less important than ever. Yes, it has a “Big Bang Theory” connection to help it stand out, but the impending death of George Sr. is a big swing in tone that the series probably wouldn’t have taken if the original show hadn’t inadvertently forced its hand. The death of George Sr. meant that “Young Sheldon” had to be truly bold in its final moments, and the result is a show with one of the most interesting and well-received final seasons in recent years.