Why Sheldon Didn’t Return For Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Thanksgiving Episode Explained By Creator
In an interview with tvline co-creator Steve Holland opened up about why Sheldon doesn’t appear during Georgie & Mandy’s Thanksgiving episode, even though the holiday premise allowed it a natural avenue to prominently feature other returning Young Sheldon characters. Holland, who created the multi-cam comedy with Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, explains that the inclusion of Sheldon could have ended up hurting the story because “it made sense for the story we were trying to tell.”
Because the family is “splinter[ing]” after the death of Georgie and Sheldon’s father George Sr. (Lance Barber), the story of the episode involved their mother Mary (Zoe Perry) not wanting to get together with her family and celebrate Thanksgiving, something that likely would not have happened if Sheldon had come home from Caltech that year. Read Holland’s full quote below:
Initially, when we were talking about the episode, it was certainly part of the discussion — like, “Should Sheldon be a part of this?” There are certain occasions where you could bring him back, but as we were breaking the [episode], it just felt like it was actually going to hurt this story. Often, when a matriarch or a patriarch passes away, the family can splinter, and that’s what is happening here. And as fun as it would have been to see him, it felt like there is no world where that family doesn’t get together, and Mary doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, if Sheldon is coming back from California. So, it seemed to make “Sheldon sense” that he didn’t come back, and it made sense for the story we were trying to tell.
What Sheldon’s Absence Means For Georgie & Mandy
It’s Given Space To The Supporting Cast
“Thanksgiving”, as it’s simply titled, tells a similarly simple story. Mary is struggling to move forward following the death of her husband, George, in the Young Sheldon finale. Georgie (Montana Jordan) wants the family to spend the holiday together, but it brings up too many memories for Mary. In the end, a middle ground is reached and the episode ends with Georgie, Mary, and Missy visiting George’s grave. However, this story would indeed have played out very differently if the entire cast had reunited.
Sheldon Cooper is notably absent from Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage ep 1 & there is a good reason for that, already established by Young Sheldon.
The Odds Are Unlikely In Season 1
Ultimately, it seems likely that Iain Armitage will follow the lead of his fellow former Sheldon Jim Parsons and refrain from appearing onscreen in the new spinoff until a pivotal moment. However, the star is not currently attached to any upcoming projects that have been officially announced. While it is possible that he could appear in his original role as Ziggy Chapman in HBO’s rumored Big Little Lies season 3, that project has not yet come to fruition.
Although Parsons reprised his role by narrating Young Sheldon, he did not appear onscreen until the prequel’s series finale.
Our Take On Sheldon’s Absence
His Story Has Already Been Told
Sheldon Cooper has already been the focus of two series. The Big Bang Theory – in which the iconic character is played by four-time Emmy winner Jim Parsons – began this journey, and Young Sheldon continued it, though it took a step back chronologically. Although Sheldon could appear later on, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is much more about Mandy (Emily Osment), Audrey (Rachel Bay Jones), and Jim (Will Sasso). Their stories are not yet fully told, so this is the chance for the show to give its full attention to them, even though the previous main characters are still important.
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While the character has moved from Texas to Pasadena as of the events of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, learn about … at a later point in the timeline before the events of The Big Bang Theory, potentially complicating Armitage’s ability to reprise his role even further.