The upcoming Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage will be the first Big Bang-verse show without Sheldon Cooper. How exactly will this work?
It’s officially the end of the Sheldon Cooper era at CBS. After a combined 19 seasons and 420 episodes between The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, the genius is no more. But CBS isn’t letting their highest-rated comedy franchise go so easily. This fall, the net will launch Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage revolving around the eldest Cooper child. It’s a sequel to a prequel, yet is still itself a prequel. Make sense?
This third entry in the Big Bang franchise will also be the first one not to feature Sheldon himself. With Jim Parsons noting he’s likely played the role for the last time and Iain Armitage’s younger version off at Caltech, a guest appearance by Sheldon at any age seems unlikely. Let’s be real, Sheldon is one of the most polarizing characters in all of sitcom TV, with most viewers either loving or despising him. Yet he’s also the face of the franchise, and the only character who’s appeared in all episodes of both series. How will a Big Bang-verse show without its leading man work? And will audiences embrace Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage?
The Polarizing Character of Sheldon Cooper
We were first introduced to the roller coaster of a character that is Sheldon Cooper when The Big Bang Theory premiered on September 24, 2007. The socially inept genius quickly became a household name, catapulting himself into sitcom icon territory. It’s thanks to Sheldon that Big Bang could still pull in up to 15 million weekly viewers in its final seasons. His reminiscing about growing up in the “backwoods” of Texas proved popular enough for a prequel series in Young Sheldon following the character’s teenage years and adolescence.
There’s no denying that Sheldon is a pop culture staple. But that doesn’t translate to being universally beloved. For as many fans as he has, just as many can’t stand the character. And for good reason. He’s arrogant, prideful, and regularly dismissive and outright hostile to those who he considers as less intelligent than himself. This category includes nearly everyone he knows, including his friends and family. It’s explained away as “Sheldon being Sheldon,” who doesn’t know any better, but watching a character act like this for nearly two decades could get grating. To Dr. Cooper’s credit, he does have his share of humorous traits, and he is the butt of jokes on several occasions. That helps to take the edge off some of his more caustic qualities, though all these years of Sheldon are still a bit much for all but the most diehard fans.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
So with Sheldon’s less-than-beloved reception, would a Big Bang series without him be a guaranteed hit? Not necessarily. In Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Montana Jordan and Emily Osment are set to reprise the titular roles they originated on Young Sheldon. Will Sasso and Rachel Bay Jones, who recurred as Mandy’s parents Jim and Audrey on YS, are on hand as series regulars too. No additional characters from Young Sheldon are currently set to appear, even though the new series picks up just a few months after YS ended.
The creative team emphasized that they did not want to have too many returning cast members appear regularly, as Georgie & Mandy is intended to stand on its own. It’s possible that YS alumni like Zoe Perry (Mary), Annie Potts (Meemaw), and Raegan Revord (Missy) could show up from time to time, as they’re still residing in Texas. However, Iain Armitage’s Sheldon began his career at Caltech, and we know from both series that he rarely called or visited home while away. It’s unlikely that the boy genius would ever stop by to visit his brother, sister-in-law, and niece. In all likelihood, Georgie & Mandy will be the first Big Bang series to have no involvement whatsoever from Sheldon Cooper.
A Sheldon-less Big Bang-verse?
As for the earlier question, would the absence of this polarizing character be a net positive or negative for the new outing? Sheldon Cooper is basically synonymous with The Big Bang Theory franchise at this point. Yes, both series did feature other supporting roles, but he was still at the center. The vast majority of viewers tuned in each week to see Sheldon and whatever wacky social situation he’d gotten himself into. But now he’s gone. Viewers who watched TBBT and YS for the supporting cast will likely tune in any way. Georgie and Mandy’s marriage and baby was a core focus of the final two seasons of YS, and this new series is carrying that story over.
Plenty more viewers who associate Sheldon with Big Bang might not enjoy the third show. Yes, it is its own program with its own cast and story. But it’s still in that world, and that world has Sheldon Cooper in it. The Sheldon devotees may struggle to root for his brother, especially when it’s confirmed by TBBT that both his marriage to Mandy and a future second wife ultimately end in divorce.
So can The Big Bang Theory survive without Sheldon? It’s too early to say for sure, but there are encouraging signs. Both The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon were the highest rated comedies on TV at one point, so the love for this world is there. Also, Georgie & Mandy could be a welcome reprieve to those that followed the Cooper family yet weren’t sold on Sheldon himself. However, just as many more may not tune in solely because of his absence. In any case, we’ve likely seen the last of Sheldon Cooper, at least until Michael Keaton takes on the role in Old Sheldon.
