Mckenna Grace reunites with Missy actor Raegan Revord months after Young Sheldon season 7 ignored Paige Swanson. Pulling the plug on its premier comedy was controversial, but ending Young Sheldon wasn’t CBS’ decision. Instead, it was dictated by The Big Bang Theory canon. There were so many storylines that the prequel could still have done if it continued. Young Sheldon‘s shortened final season meant certain arcs were left unfinished. That included Paige’s storyline, which didn’t get a proper ending.
A few months since Young Sheldon ended, Grace and Revord make a joint public appearance, reuniting the Young Sheldon co-stars for the first time since season 6 of the prequel. Check out the image from fellow actor Cailey Fleming via Instagram below:
The image is from the Kids’ Choice Awards 2024, which is also attended by other Young Sheldon stars, such as Montana Jordan and Iain Armitage. Joining Revord and Grace in the photo is Fleming.
Why Paige Wasn’t In The Young Sheldon Season 7 Finale
Paige’s Story Needed A Proper Ending
Introduced in season 2, Paige’s original role was to be Sheldon’s rival as a fellow child prodigy. As Young Sheldon evolved, however, her story became more linked with Missy, especially in the latter years of the prequel. Paige was last seen at the height of Missy’s rebellion, which lasted until George and Mary’s only daughter came to her senses after a near-death experience in the Young Sheldon season 6 finale. The fallout from their reckless joyride to Florida was tackled from the Coopers’ end, but it remains uncertain what happened to Paige as she never appeared in season 7.
When asked why Paige was never brought back for the Young Sheldon finale, producer Steve Holland cited several reasons. Firstly, Grace was simply busy, considering her work on the big and small screen, they couldn’t get the schedules to line up. Secondly, the writers believed that there was really no strong reason to bring Paige back, considering where the show left her story. This received some pushback from fans of Young Sheldon because the character had become an important part of its storytelling, primarily as a cautionary tale for George and Mary’s twins.
Paige’s Young Sheldon story was one of the show’s best original arcs, which is why it needed a proper ending, as she neither appeared nor was mentioned in The Big Bang Theory. Now, the universe no longer has an easy way to give the character a proper send-off — unless CBS is able to find a way to bring her back in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which is still set in Medford, Texas.
Paige’s Young Sheldon Season 7 Absence Leaves A Major Big Bang Theory Question Unanswered
Sheldon Never Talked About His Fellow Child Prodigy In Texas In The Big Bang Theory
Sheldon had a penchant for sharing stories about his childhood. This was the primary inspiration for Young Sheldon‘s premise. Admittedly, he didn’t share every single detail about his time in Texas before coming to California, and the prequel wasn’t always faithful to the canon. At some point, it would even directly contradict it, which was the case when Young Sheldon retconned George’s cheating scandal. That said, Paige was a major player in his young adulthood, so there’s interest in knowing where she was during the events of The Big Bang Theory.
Now, however, it’s highly unlikely that this question will ever be answered. Though she can still return in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, there won’t be any chance to properly address her whereabouts in The Big Bang Theory. For starters, the upcoming show doesn’t have narration from the future like Young Sheldon did, meaning it cannot reveal additional information via voiceover. Secondly, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage doesn’t have strong ties to Paige, so there’s not much motivation to feature her regularly. At best, she may only appear once or twice.
How Young Sheldon Could Have Easily Given Paige A Proper Send-Off
George’s Funeral Would Have Been The Best Way To Bring Back Paige
Young Sheldon had a way to easily give Paige a proper ending. George’s death led to his funeral, which took up the first half of the show’s finale. Aside from celebrating the Cooper patriarch’s life, it also doubled as a comeback for many supporting characters that the show hadn’t seen in a while, including Reba McEntire’s June. Considering the Swansons’ ties to the Coopers, it shouldn’t have been difficult for Paige and her family to show up at the church service.
Paige and the Swansons could have easily walked into the funeral hall and expressed their sympathies to George’s family. From there, Jim Parsons’ adult Sheldon could have revealed additional information as to what really happened to his child rival in Texas. Leaving Paige’s story without a proper resolution is controversial because fans were invested in the story that the Big Bang Theory prequel gave her. Having questions about her future is understandable. More than anything, this is a compliment to Young Sheldon‘s ability to create a compelling side character.
