Young Sheldon’s series finale brilliantly tied up Sheldon’s story in The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff with its parent series, but another cameo would have worked better than Amy’s finale cameo in the future timeline. Despite its shorter run, Young Sheldon season 7 managed to wrap all the storylines still needing a conclusion, including George’s tragic death, how the Coopers handled it and Sheldon’s move from East Texas to Caltech. The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff also managed to allot enough time to focus on Georgie, Mandy and CeCe, setting up their story for the upcoming spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
Throughout both Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon always had trouble adapting to change. His reluctance to accept change did not disappear only because the change closing in was going to Caltech, something he welcomed. This became evident in the last storyline Sheldon shared with both Mary and George when he became incredibly agitated by the prospect of his family moving to Houston for George’s promotion. The storyline worked as a lead-in for George’s upcoming death, the biggest change the Coopers faced, but it also made a parallel possible between those comforting Sheldon in TBBT and Young Sheldon.
George & Mary Comforting Sheldon’s Was Reminiscent Of Leonard & Penny’s Big Bang Theory Role
Both Couples Supported & Comforted Sheldon In Times Of Crisis
The Young Sheldon episode preceding the two-part series finale had the last moments of the Coopers all together as a family, as season 7, episode 12’s ending delivered on Young Sheldon season 7’s great tragedy of George Sr.’s death. However, the episode also included Sheldon’s last meltdown on Young Sheldon, caused by the many changes happening in his life that were exacerbated by George’s potential promotion causing Mary, Missy and him to move to Houston. The Big Bang Theory previously established Sheldon’s aversion to change, with his Young Sheldon reaction mirroring another time Sheldon couldn’t cope with change in TBBT.
Sheldon’s meltdown in Young Sheldon season 7, episode 12 prompted Mary and George to follow him to his room to comfort him, even as Mary eventually called him out on his behavior by specifying the move would not have been about Sheldon. The trio’s interaction heavily mirrored one The Big Bang Theory season 7 storyline when Sheldon was overwhelmed by change, and established a direct link between George and Mary’s role in comforting Sheldon and Leonard and Penny’s similar role, as they constantly took it upon themselves to comfort him and help Sheldon understand when he was overwhelmed by something.
Sheldon’s last meltdown in Young Sheldon season 7, episode 12 prompted Mary and George to inhabit the same roles Leonard and Penny had throughout The Big Bang Theory .
Young Sheldon Finale’s Message Would Have Been Better With Leonard & Penny’s Cameos
Their Cameos Would Fit Better With Sheldon’s Admission Of Appreciation Of His Parents
By bringing back TBBT’s Sheldon and Amy, Young Sheldon’s series finale updated viewers on their lives after the Nobel Prize win. This even let Sheldon’s memoir prompt Amy to draw a parallel between how good George and Mary were as parents despite not understanding Sheldon and the opportunity for Sheldon to do the same with their children. While that was meaningful in how it tied both families’ stories and redeemed Sheldon’s family after his tales in The Big Bang Theory rarely described them as supportive, it could have been even better if Leonard and Penny had appeared for Sheldon’s admission.
Leonard and Penny had after all assumed the roles of Sheldon’s protectors, comforting and telling him off in a way very similar to Mary and George’s. Like them, Penny and Leonard knew when to follow Sheldon and when to let him go experience something for himself, like his train travels prompted by his feeling of being overwhelmed in The Big Bang Theory season 7’s finale. Having them witness Sheldon recognizing and appreciating that George and Mary did their best as his parents would have created a stronger connection between TBBT and Young Sheldon, and Penny and Leonard and Sheldon’s parents.
