This ‘Young Sheldon’ Character Was Only Supposed to Be in 1 Episode, But Changed the Entire Franchise
One such character was only supposed to be in a single episode. But she ended up sticking around for much longer and eventually played a pivotal role in changing the entire franchise.
Iain ArmitageSheldon Cooper
Zoe PerryMary Cooper
Who Is Mandy and What Was Her Role Supposed to Be?
Amanda “Mandy” McAllister, played by Emily Osment, arrived on Young Sheldon in Season 5 as an older woman that Georgie (Montana Jordan) meets in Connie’s (Annie Potts) laundromat, a front for her secret gambling room. As Georgie often did, he flirted with her and tried to get a date. She says she’s 25 and Georgie lies about his age and says he’s 21, even though he’s really 17 and still in high school. He later learns that she is 29, but Georgie still doesn’t confess that he’s much… as well. As the two grow closer and continue dating, Georgie keeps up the ruse.
But then that one episode turned into two, and then seven, and before she knew it, Mandy was a regular character on the show. Once the pregnancy storyline was written in, it was clear that Mandy wasn’t going anywhere. It fit with The Big Bang Theory canon, after all, which might have also been a driving reason. How? In Jim Parsons’ narration of Sheldon in the first season of Young Sheldon, he mentions that Georgie marries his first wife when he’s 19, referencing how he never paid his father for their $1,000 bet that he wouldn’t get married before the age of 25. Thus, the timing was right for Mandy to be that person.
With a sizable shift to streaming services, it appears that sitcoms like ‘Georgie & Mandy’ are still consistent performers for network TV.
The pregnancy drives a wedge between Mandy and Mary (Zoe Perry) as Mary pushes for the pair to get married so they do not have a child in sin, but Mandy does not want to do so. In fact, she isn’t sure she wants to be with Georgie at all. But with Mandy pregnant and the pair unwed, Mary is ostracized from the church. While Mandy wants nothing to do with Georgie, he continues to try and show his support and desire to be involved in raising their child. She’s still angry about his big lie and can’t get over the drastic age difference. Not only is Georgie 12 years younger than her, he’s not even a legal adult yet! How could he possibly be ready for an adult relationship and to be a father?
After being unable to pay her bills, Mandy reluctantly moves into the Cooper garage with Georgie. As she grows closer to the Cooper family, she realizes that she fits right in. Missy (Raegan Revord) turns to Mandy for advice about boys, while Sheldon reminds Mandy of her older brother.
A Viable Spin-off Is Born
Thanks to Osment’s success as Mandy and the endearing nature of the storyline for Georgie, everything worked out in the best way possible because a spin-off was born. Prior to the conclusion of Young Sheldon, it was announced that a spin-off series centered around Georgie, Mandy, and baby Cece had been ordered. Both Osment and Jordan reprise their roles for the sitcom, called Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Also starring is Rachel Bay Jones as Mandy’s mother Audrey, Will Sasso as her father Jim, and Dougie Baldwin as her older brother Connor.
Thus, without Mandy, The Big Bang Theory franchise may have ended with Young Sheldon. Both those shows have been massively successful, and with almost half its first season aired to date, reception to Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage …The show has an 88% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score, with reviewers praising how well it handles emotional storylines with humor, the likable characters, and its relatability when it comes to family dynamics.
.
The oldest Cooper child in ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ is a far better protagonist than his genius younger brother in ‘Young Sheldon.’
Along with continuing the franchise, and…Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has become a vehicle for other fan-favorite characters to return as well. Already, characters like Mary, Connie, Missy, and Dale (Craig T. Nelson) have had cameos, with …appearing in a recent episode as well.
So, Georgie lying about his age, getting an older woman pregnant out of wedlock (and at the tender age of 17) worked out for the best in many ways. Mary finally got to see how judgemental the church and Pastor Rob could be (though she fell right back in after George’s death). Georgie was given a chance to show that he was more than just a girl-crazy, immature slacker. A beautiful baby girl was born to bring joy to the family at a time of tremendous loss. And, most importantly, The Big Bang Theory universe was able to expand even further, delighting fans for years to come. Thanks, Mandy, for doing your laundry that day.