The news that The Big Bang Theory’s next spinoff won’t arrive anytime soon is great for Young Sheldon’s follow-up, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Much like The Big Bang Theory’s finale set up Young Sheldon, Young Sheldon’s ending established the sitcom franchise’s next spinoff. Young Sheldon left some plot holes unfixed when the prequel never explained Meemaw’s character change before The Big Bang Theory or the cause of Georgie and Mandy’s eventual separation. The latter decision effectively set up the upcoming Young Sheldon spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which will focus on Sheldon’s brother and his failed first marriage.
When Georgie was introduced in The Big Bang Theory season 11, episode 23, “The Sibling Realignment,” he made a passing reference to his “Ex-wife.” This sets in stone the fact that Mandy and Georgie eventually get divorced, but Young Sheldon does little to explain this. Throughout the sitcom’s final season, Emily Osment’s Mandy and Montana Jordan’s George seem like a great couple who sincerely want to make their marriage work. As such, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage was necessary to explain what happened to the pair, and whether they ever fixed their romantic relationship after the eventual separation occurred.
The news that Young Sheldon’s spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is recasting an existing character could make a Big Bang Theory feud worse.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Won’t Have To Compete With Another TBBT Spinoff
The Big Bang Theory’s Second Prequel Won’t Have In-Franchise Competition
In early 2023, The Big Bang Theory’s co-creator Chuck Lorre announced that a second spinoff of the original series was in development. In July 2024, Lorre clarified that The Big Bang Theory’s third spinoff show was still in the “Pre-natal” stages, admitting that the series was unlikely to enter production anytime soon. Ironically, this is great news for Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage since it means that there won’t be two shows in The Big Bang Theory universe airing at the same time. This risky approach could easily have seen the franchise spread itself too thin and lose viewers as a result.
While The Big Bang Theory’s next spinoff sounds exciting, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage deserves an opportunity to make an impression first. Young Sheldon’s sequel has a tenuous connection to The Big Bang Theory, so Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage could easily have been overshadowed by another spinoff that was more closely linked to the original show. Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage will bring back The Big Bang Theory’s traditional multi-camera setup and laugh track, both of which were missing from Young Sheldon’s more grounded storytelling style. However, the show will mostly share characters with Young Sheldon, rather than The Big Bang Theory.
The Third Spinoff Should Be Totally Different From Young Sheldon & Georgie & Mandy
The Big Bang Theory’s Fourth Show Shouldn’t Be Another Prequel
The Big Bang Theory’s next spinoff should be nothing like Georgie and Mandy’s Young Sheldon sequel, as a third prequel would be unoriginal and uninteresting. Although Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage fleshing out Georgie’s backstory does sound promising, the show is more of an extension of Young Sheldon’s story than The Big Bang Theory’s universe. In contrast, The Big Bang Theory’s next spinoff could be set in Pasadena and take place in the current day. These details alone would make the third spinoff feel more like The Big Bang Theory and less like Young Sheldon or Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
