Why Sheldon Didn’t Return For Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Thanksgiving Episode Explained By Creator

This article contains spoilers for Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 1, episode 5, “Thanksgiving.”

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage  co-creator Steve Holland reveals why Sheldon Cooper didn’t return for the spinoff’s Thanksgiving episode. The CBS sitcom switches up the formula from Young Sheldon, going from single camera to multi-cam and bringing in a live studio audience. But so far,,,,Missy (Raegan Revord), Mary (Zoe Perry), and Meemaw (Annie Potts) have all made regular appearances so far, but although he’s been referenced, Iain Armitage’s Sheldon Cooper has not appeared just yet.

In an interview with tv line 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.

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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.

“Thanksgiving”, which is directed by Mark Cendrowski, with writing credits shared by Holland, Molaro, Jim Reynolds, and Connor Kilpatrick, explains that Sheldon is away at university and can’t make it. His presence would have been more of a special occasion, shifting Mary’s feelings about the entire event. There will be a time when Iain Armitage should be brought into the… if only to confront the complicated relationship between Sheldon and Georgie. However, so far, his absence allows the spotlight to shine elsewhere, bringing other characters to the fore who weren’t the focus of 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.

It seems more likely that he would appear in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage  seasons 2 or beyond, giving the new show time to establish its own identity before yoking it back to the iconic Big Bang Theory character. As the first show in the universe not to feature Sheldon as a central character, it is important to let it develop its own sensibility organically. However, the show has not yet been renewed for any further seasons, and should the ratings struggle, it seems probable that producers will try to get Armitage to reprise his role sooner rather than later.

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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For more insight into the vast coterie of other characters from the previous spinoff who have yet to return in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, read about the…

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.