One ‘Big Bang Theory’ Detail Makes Sheldon’s Missing Marriage Moment in ‘Young Sheldon’ Way More Heartbreaking

Sheldon’s absence from Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 1 helped the Young Sheldon spinoff find its footing, but it also set in motion one heartbreaking story that returned repeatedly in The Big Bang Theory. First Marriage sharing many of its characters with Young Sheldon made distancing itself from the parent series extremely necessary, especially in regards to Sheldon Cooper.

Sheldon’s centrality in The Big Bang Theory first and Young Sheldon later meant Georgie & Mandy would have been the first spinoff whose focus wasn’t on the socially-inept genius at all. This made Sheldon’s absence essential in First Marriage season 1, as the spinoff couldn’t have relied too heavily on the genius. However, this inevitably kick-started one sad TBBT story.

Sheldon Absence From First Marriage Season 1 Can Explain His Disdain For The Holidays In TBBT

The Big Bang Theory always attributed a different reason to Sheldon’s disdain for each holiday, with only Halloween being a happy occasion because of how acceptable for the gang to get dressed up as their favorite superheroes was, even doing so as a team. However, the reasoning behind Sheldon’s opposition to celebrating Thanksgiving becomes sadder after First Marriage season 1.

Sheldon’s initial refusal to celebrate Thanksgiving in Big Bang Theory season 7, episode 9 was motivated by his wish to keep to his traditions, which included complaining about Leonard’s food rather than a party at Mrs. Wolowitz’s. Young Sheldon season 2, episode 9, its only Thanksgiving episode, already showed how the holiday wasn’t necessarily a happy one for the Coopers.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 1, episode 5 kept this unfortunate tradition alive at the beginning, with Mary not wanting to celebrate Thanksgiving. However, the day ended heartwarmingly because of Georgie, Missy and Mary’s picnic by George Sr.’s tombstone, which let the Coopers mark the occasion in a way that also acknowledged their loss. Still, Sheldon couldn’t join them.

Sheldon’s absence from First Marriage season 1, episode 5 sadly highlighted his inevitable estrangement from the Coopers. While Mary kept being in his life, Georgie and Missy rarely appeared. Their disconnection is addressed repeatedly in TBBT, but seeing the Coopers grieve George together makes it especially heartbreaking, knowing that Sheldon never had the chance to experience that with his family.

Sheldon’s Prospective First Marriage Visit Is Doomed To Set Up His Separation From The Coopers

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage being set right after Young Sheldon makes seeing the Coopers grieve for George Sr. almost a certainty. First Marriage season 1 already showed Georgie taking so many steps forward in mourning the Cooper patriarch. However, this was something Sheldon couldn’t do with his family, and TBBT showed that he also didn’t alone.

George’s death in Young Sheldon revealed that the tragedy shook Sheldon to his core, with him rehashing his last conversation with his father repeatedly. Moving to California made dismissing the loss easier, as it projected Sheldon toward his future, and how Sheldon spoke of George in TBBT highlighted that he focused on their relationship’s less emotional aspects.

While Big Bang Theory’s timeline couldn’t show how the immediate aftermath of George Sr.’s death was for Sheldon, First Marriage can, whenever Sheldon returns in the Young Sheldon spinoff. Sheldon and the rest of the Coopers’ different approach to grieving George will likely be even more evident, along with Sheldon’s transformation in the TBBT version of the character.

This will sadly make Sheldon’s prospective visit to Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage even more heartbreaking, as the separation between him and the Coopers will have to be evident, or his finding his chosen family could not have happened as it did in The Big Bang Theory.