We knew this moment was coming and
still we lived in naïve hope that it wouldn’t actually happen, that they would
just alter the storyline and rewrite the history of the Cooper family. After
all, it would not be the first time Young Sheldon altered facts which had previously been established in The Big Bang Theory. However, when it comes to George’s fate
nothing was rewritten or altered. Our hearts shattered when Coach Wilkins and
Principal Petersen arrived at the Cooper’s doorstep, delivering the devastating
news of George’s fatal heart attack. The entire family is in shock. Sheldon’s sudden need to sit down and the expression
of profound emotional pain on Mary’s, Connie’s, and especially on Missy’s face, broke
my heart almost more than the news of George’s death itself.
“A New Home and a Traditional Texas Torture” – YOUNG SHELSON,
Pictured: Raegan Revord, Annie Potts and Zoe Perry. CBS ©2024 CBS. All Rights Reserved
Up to this point the episode maintained a light tone, there was no big foreshadowing other than what we knew from watching The Big Bang Theory. As Sheldon prepares to leave for California, Mary insists on taking a family picture, a moment they are all preparing for just before receiving the devastating news.
George was actually genuinely
happy at the beginning of episode 12 since he was on the verge of receiving an
attractive job offer as a college coach in Houston. This would not only mean George
gets his dream job but also that the family will do better financially. Mary
and Missy were even in favor of moving cities right away. Only Sheldon was not ready
to let go, not that this surprised anyone. It was already enough change for
him that he was about to move to California, now his parents were going to move
as well?! And on top of that the house, including his precious room, likely would
be sold?! These looming changes feel entirely unacceptable for the teenager!
“A New Home and a Traditional Texas Torture” – YOUNG SHELSON,
Pictured: Lance Barber and Montana Jordan. Bill Inoshita/Warner Bros. ©2024 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved
However, by the end of the
episode, all their plans had fallen through and yet everything is drastically different from how it used to be. The Cooper
family’s world had completely fallen apart.
It seems almost trivial to discuss episode 11 now, as
its events hold no real significance for the final three episodes. The
storyline involving George’s fear of Mary wanting another baby and his secret
vasectomy, feels out of place, especially given the subsequent turn of events
in episode 12. It’s unclear why the creators settled on the secret vasectomy
plot right before killing off George. Did they hope it would soften the blow of
his death if they depicted him in a less favorable light by showing he
underwent a vasectomy without talking it over with his wife first? Another
possibility is that they wanted to mislead viewers into expecting he would
suffer the heart attack during the vasectomy, only to deliver a different,
unexpected outcome with George’s death in the following episode.
Given the recent developments, it will be intriguing to see how the final two episodes maintain the show’s comedic essence despite the devastating heartbreak the Cooper family is experiencing.
Did George’s death surprise you
or were you expecting it? Let us know below what you think of the episodes!
About the Author – Julia Krassnik
Writer and traveler from the country of Sound of Music looking for the meaning of life.
