Georgie and Mandy’s spinoff will have a key difference from Young Sheldon for an important reason. Just before Sheldon and the rest of his family begin their final year in Young Sheldon season 7, it was announced that their Texas narrative would continue via Baby Cece’s parents. Specific plot details about the Georgie and Mandy offshoot are still unclear, but it’s confirmed to have a different format compared to Young Sheldon.
Deadline reports that instead of being a single-camera show, Mandy and Georgie’s Young Sheldon offshoot will be a multi-camera project. This means that like The Big Bang Theory, the Cooper/McAllister series will have a live audience and likely a traditional laugh track. The report states that it has to do with the show’s budget. It’s uncertain how much CBS is saving from this alteration, but it sounds significant enough to take that modification.
Why Young Sheldon Spinoff’s Multi-Cam Format Is A Risky Move
It may not sound like a big leap, considering that it would still exist in the same universe as Young Sheldon, but changing the format of Mandy and Georgie’s show can change the overall feel of the series. While the original prequel successfully did it when it broke away from The Big Bang Theory‘s multi-cam set-up, the shows are set in different periods, making it easier to adjust. Meanwhile, Georgie and Mandy’s offshoot will technically be a continuation of Young Sheldon, only without Sheldon and potentially George.
George and Mandy’s in-development Young Sheldon spinoff will worsen a disappointing trend that The Big Bang Theory started 16 years ago.
Young Sheldon‘s single-cam format has allowed it to diversify its storytelling. While it’s still a comedy, it has morphed into a family comedy-drama that tackles the day-to-day struggles of Sheldon’s family in Texas. This paved the way for some of the more emotional moments in the series, including the brilliantly done Young Sheldon season 2 finale that pays homage to The Big Bang Theory finale, as well as George’s few near-death experiences. In a multi-cam setting, these will be difficult, if not impossible to pull off.
There’s also the divisive nature of a laugh track, which the new Young Sheldon spinoff may have, considering its format. Over the years, canned laughter has become less and less popular, especially with the rise of single-cam shows that prove that the viewers don’t need to be coached about when to laugh. Unfortunately, Georgie and Mandy’s show may have to feature it as part of CBS’s cost-cutting endeavor.
