Iain Armitage and Wallace Shawn recently reunited, months after Sheldon and Dr. Sturgis missed the chance to say goodbye in the Young Sheldon finale. The unexpected death of George was the key turning point that led to the ending of The Big Bang Theory prequel, with his funeral taking up most of the finale’s first half. Once the Cooper family said their final goodbyes to their patriarch, the episode shifted focus to wrap up Sheldon’s childhood in Texas. Unfortunately, it overlooked a few key figures in Sheldon’s life, including his most influential mentor.
New images shared by Armitage on his official X account revealed that he recently met up with Wallace Shawn, who played Dr. Sturgis, in New York. In the caption, Armitage mentioned that they had dinner together and sent a photo to Ed Begley Jr., who played Dr. Linkletter in Young Sheldon. In the show, Dr. Sturgis and Dr. Linkletter were both mentors to Sheldon, though Dr. Sturgis was his first and most significant advisor.
What a Farewell Scene Between Sheldon and Dr. Sturgis Could Have Added to the Young Sheldon Finale
The rushed conclusion of Young Sheldon due to its unexpected cancellation left Chuck Lorre and his writing team with limited time to wrap up key storylines. Among the many things they had to address were George’s cheating scandal, his death, the setup of Georgie and Mandy’s first marriage, and Sheldon’s journey in Texas. Given these constraints, it’s understandable why Sheldon and Dr. Sturgis didn’t get a moment to say goodbye.
However, including a final scene between the two wouldn’t have been too difficult. A brief conversation where Sheldon expressed gratitude to his mentor could have been a touching and fitting conclusion. Though the show skipped over Sheldon’s graduation, a farewell scene where Dr. Sturgis seeks out Sheldon as he packs up his room could have provided the closure fans were hoping for. It would have been a respectful send-off for Dr. Sturgis, a character who played a pivotal role in shaping Sheldon’s future.
Dr. Sturgis Deserved a Better Conclusion in Young Sheldon
Dr. Sturgis’ introduction in Young Sheldon was essential to understanding Sheldon’s origins, particularly his early interest in applied physics, which ultimately led him to his future success in The Big Bang Theory. In the early seasons of Young Sheldon, Shawn’s character was instrumental in nurturing Sheldon’s passion for science. The fact that Sheldon didn’t acknowledge Dr. Sturgis during his Nobel Prize acceptance speech in The Big Bang Theory was a missed opportunity. Many hoped that Young Sheldon would correct this oversight, but sadly, the prequel also fell short in giving the character his due.
Now that Young Sheldon has concluded, and with no further appearances planned for Sheldon on TV, it seems unlikely that Dr. Sturgis will receive the recognition he deserves for shaping Sheldon’s future. There’s a slim chance that he could appear in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, but as that spinoff will focus on other members of the Cooper family, it wouldn’t be the right platform to wrap up Sheldon and Dr. Sturgis’ story. Sadly, Dr. Sturgis will remain one of the characters in The Big Bang Theory universe who didn’t get a proper send-off.
