Sheldon Cooper’s family and childhood were painted in broad strokes inThe Big Bang Theory, but their episodes offer a better idea about them as people. We knew Sheldon had a religious upbringing in Texas, adored his mother but disparaged her beliefs, and was generally the brilliant black sheep of the family. This left a lot of room to flesh out Sheldon’s family, especially his older brother Georgie and twin sister Missy, in the follow-up prequel spin-off series:Young SheldonandGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
The optimistic young man inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriagefeels like a different characterthan the estranged George we meet ahead of Sheldon’s wedding inThe Big Bang Theory. However, Missy’s character as an adult very much tracks with the spitfire young girl with a growing rebellious streak inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Revisiting the limited time we see of George and Missy as adults inThe Big Bang Theoryis an interesting exercise in guessing where the franchise still has to go to get them to where we know they end up decades later.
4Season 1, Episode 15, “The Pork Chop Indeterminacy”
Adult Missy Is Just As Self-Assured As Young Missy Ever Was
The adult Missy we meet inThe Big Bang Theoryseason 1 is just as self-assured as the sharp, spirited child we know fromYoung Sheldon. Missy may not shareSheldon’s scientific genius, but she’s whip-smart in ways that matter, quickly putting Sheldon in his place when he thinks he has a say in who she dates.Missy rejects both Leonard and Howard with a simple, straightforward, “no”— polite but firm without leaving an opening for negotiation.
The Big Bang Theory Is Finally Getting A Proper Spinoff After Young Sheldon’s Failure
Six years after it ended, The Big Bang Theory is finally getting a proper spinoff after Young Sheldon failed to stay true to its premise over time.
Sheldon shares a metaphor where he thinks of himself as a cuckoo baby bird, a parasitic egg placed in the nest of another bird who starves the other eggs. This carries a darker ring now, knowing how often Missy felt overlooked due to Sheldon’s special needs growing up. Missy invites Sheldon to be a more present brother, but she is self-sufficient without him.
3Season 11, Episode 23, “The Sibling Realignment”
Adult “George” Is Shockingly Different From Young, Sunny Georgie
The adult George we meet inThe Big Bang Theoryseason 11, episode 23 is far more bitter than the sunny Georgie we know fromYoung Sheldon.George’s resentment stems from feeling unacknowledged for the sacrificeshe made afterGeorge Sr.’s deathwhile Sheldon left to pursue his academic future. Sheldon remembers Georgie as a bully, but George reframes it as protecting Sheldon from himself, like throwing out his Marie Curie Halloween costume to shield him from the real bullies.
When the brothers finally air their grievances,George reveals the emotional weight he’s carried alone. Sheldon, unaware and moved, offers a rare and sincere apology, asking him to attend his wedding to Amy Farrah Fowler. While I’m sad the brothers spent a decade estranged, George’s pain is valid, and their bond, however fractured, can be salvaged.
2Season 11, Episode 24, “The Bow Tie Asymmetry”
George Is Still A Flirt With A Texas Drawl (Which Amy Farrah Fowler Loves)
Once George and Sheldon make up ahead ofSheldon’s wedding to Amy, George finally starts to feel like the charming, gregarious Georgie we know fromYoung SheldonandGeorgie and Mandy’s First Marriage. He’s funny, a little cocky, and quick with a quip, saying Sheldon got the brains, but he got “the bod… and the face… and the hair.” Amy is instantly charmed by his Texas drawl, even wishing Sheldon sounded more like his brother.
It’s interesting that George has seen all theStar Warsmovies, showing that perhaps there are some common interests between the two vastly different Cooper boys.
When Mark Hamill is the surprise officiant of the wedding, George asks a delightfully on-brandStar Warsquestion that even stumps Luke Skywalker himself:why aren’t there tires on any of the vehicles inStar Wars?It’s a perfect observation from a lifelong tire salesman, and a clever reminder that George has his own brand of curiosity and attention to detail. It’s interesting that George has seen all theStar Warsmovies, showing that perhaps there are some common interests between the two vastly different Cooper boys.
Missy’s Relationship With Her Mother Continues To Be Complicated
Stuart’s The Big Bang Theory Spinoff Already Has A Replacement For All Of The Original Cast (Except 1)
Now that the next The Big Bang Theory spinoff’s cast is confirmed, it’s clear that it has the perfect replacements for the Pasadena gang, except 1.
We don’t know howMissy’s life gets better after her finalBig Bang Theoryappearance, but the details are kept vague. Hopefully, we’ll be able to learn how her story continues in the upcoming spin-offStuart Fails to Save the Universe, set after the events ofThe Big Bang Theory.
1Season 12, Episode 4, “The Tam Turbulence”
George might be grown up, but his mischievous sense of humor and laid-back charm remain intact. Trying to help Leonard, Raj, and Howard figure out whoSheldon’s childhood friend Tamis, George fondly recalls “Sheldon’s little Vietnam buddy” but is clueless about their falling out, thinking he had an extended conversation he thought he had with Tam at the wedding. He points them toSheldon’s “enemies list” for answers.
George says if they find the enemies list, his name will be on there for peeing in Sheldon’s shampoo bottle. He laughs, saying to keep his name on the list, as it was a good prank. That playful spirit and big-brother energy are pure Georgie, making it easy to trace the line between the boy inYoung Sheldonand the man inThe Big Bang Theory.
