Why New Sheldon Creator Chuck Lorre Regrets Killing George Sr. in The Big Bang Theory

“Young Sheldon,” an offshoot of “The Big Bang Theory,” which ran for seven seasonsis mostly pretty standard light network comedy. The main exception to this rule is that thanks to all the snippets of Sheldon Sr.'s childhood history on The Big Bang Theory, viewers knew that tragedy would eventually befall the Cooper family. George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber) would die sometime in Sheldon's youth, we just didn't know how or why. (His cause of death was briefly listed on one of Sheldon's charts as “SBL” whatever that means.)

After seven seasons, the sword of Damocles hung over George Sr.'s head, and the foreboding was even worse as “Young Sheldon” portrayed George Sr. in a much kinder way than expected. Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory” talks about his father like he was a clueless drunk who cheated on his wife and never cared for Sheldon, but throughout “Young Sheldon” George Sr. was portrayed as a pretty nice guy. . Yes, he often has a hard time relating to his nerdy, unathletic son, but honestly, it's more Sheldon's fault for being annoying.

The creative choice to make George Sr. likable is certainly more of a reflection on the grown-up Sheldon (who now seems to have been unduly disrespectful of his father's memory for 12 straight seasons), but it also made the final episodes of the series. uniquely heavy for this type of comedy. Season 7's “Funeral,” in which young Sheldon (Iain Armitage) has to deal with the aftermath of his father's passing, is especially sad, especially since it's an episode that was pretty big for the show at one point. its run. Because of this, The Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre, who later created Young Sheldon, expressed some regret about the foolish decision to establish that Sheldon's dad had died before the events of the show.

After season 7's “A New Home and a Traditional Texas Torture”, which ends with the Cooper family hearing about George Sr.'s death, written toilet card Lorre read: “18 years ago, when we were writing and making 'The Big Bang Theory,' it seemed like a good idea to imagine that Sheldon's childhood was profoundly disrupted by the loss of his father. No one could have imagined that we would ever regret that decision.”

Card continued: “When the last scene of this episode was shot, there were a lot of tears on the stage. A reminder that we've all fallen in love with a fictional character. Which in itself is a reminder to love the characters in our lives who are real to act differently is to live with regret.

In an interview with Glamour published to coincide with the end of Young Sheldon in May 2024, co-creators Steve Molaro and Steve Holland explained that they were quite happy with the note on which the series ended. “I think it gave the show a really strong emotional ending, and death is so important to Sheldon as a character,” Holland said. “I think looking back at that death as an adult has really defined what the show has been about.” Molaro added: “I agree. I don't regret it happening. It's a strong ending and part of life.”

The only real problem was the inconsistency with how George Sr. was portrayed in “The Big Bang Theory,” in which “Young Sheldon” partially addressed Jim Parsons' cameo as the older Sheldon in the series finale. The scene didn't quite explain the dissonance, especially since Sheldon's mother Mary also speaks for George Sr. on The Big Bang Theory (where she was played by Laurie Metcalf), but Holland explained how it needed a makeover to make. spinoff show work:

“As Chuck (Lora) has always said, you have to give these shows room to grow and become their own thing. You can't box them in. As the show went on, Lance brought (so much) to the character. He was such a nice person and a loving dad, and that was what the show became.

Perhaps the best thing about George Sr.'s death is the way it helps set “Young Sheldon” apart from its competition. If it weren't for this one huge tragedy looming over the series, “Young Sheldon” would feel very much like a standard network sitcom in an era where sitcoms seem less relevant than ever. Yes, it has a “Big Bang Theory” connection that helps it stand out, but George Sr.'s impending death is a major tonal swing that the series likely wouldn't have taken if its parent show hadn't unwittingly forced their hand. . George Sr.'s canonical death meant that “Young Sheldon” had to be really brave in his final moments, and the result is a show with one of the most interesting, most willing final seasons in years.