The Plot Twist That Broke Young Sheldon – And Why Fans Never Forgave It

After 1 plot, not only was Young Sheldon never the same, it also factored in its cancelation a few years later. Motivated by The Big Bang Theory‘s popularity, the franchise’s very first spinoff put the spotlight on Sheldon and his backstory in Texas. In the end, however, Young Sheldon became more than his origins story.

In The Big Bang Theory, Jim Parson’s Sheldon used to share anecdotes about his experiences growing up in Texas as a child prodidy. While the majority of his stories ended up being accurate, many of them were either inaccurate or straight-up wrong. Besides the plot inaccuracies, however, Young Sheldon was a solid offering for CBS.

So, it was surprising when it was announced that Young Sheldon was ending with 7 seasons. At this point, the show was posting high ratings, and was network TV’s top comedy. Its wrap-up is often associated with George’s inevitable death and Sheldon’s move from Texas to California. That said, the path to its end actually started way earlier.

Sheldon Graduated High School In Young Sheldon Season 4, Episode 1

The Cooper Twins Both Finished Their Respective Levels

It was long-established that Sheldon didn’t experience the traditional educational timeline because he was so smart. When The Big Bang Theory prequel started, he jumped to high school leaving Missy and becoming Georgie’s classmate instead. Just a few years later, he also breezed through that level, graduating as the valedictorian in Young Sheldon season 4, episode 1, “Graduation.”

Arguably one of the most touching episodes of Young Sheldon in terms of Missy and Sheldon’s sibling arc, “Graduation” is also monumental in other ways. Besides the Cooper twins graduating in their respective classes, it also featured Mayim Bialik’s first voice cameo as Amy, which confirmed that she and Sheldon have a son sometime after The Big Bang Theory ended

Beyond those storytelling revelations for Chuck Lorre’s comedy franchise, one overlooked thing that Young Sheldon season 4, episode 1 did was function as a turning point in The Big Bang Theory prequel comedy. After “Graduation,” the CBS spinoff was never the same, at least in terms of how it handled its storytelling approach.

How Sheldon’s Graduation Drastically Changed Young Sheldon

Sheldon Subsequently Started College

After Sheldon’s graduation, Young Sheldon spent several episodes in the summer before he started college at East Texas Tech. In terms of The Big Bang Theory canon, the boy genius deciding to go to a local school for his undergraduate was controversial, considering how much he mocked his friends for going to Ivy Leagues such as MIT and Princeton.

Once Sheldon started college, however, things gradually changed for the Cooper family and Young Sheldon, in general. Firstly, it effectively phased out stories at Medford High School where Missy and Georgie were still at. The majority of narratives in that setting were about George’s work. This contributed to Missy feeling left out, both as a meta-criticism and an in-universe plot.

Secondly, it separated Sheldon from the rest of his family. At first, the boy genius would come home every day, thanks to Meemaw driving for him. As things progressed, however, he got his own special dorm room that he eventually stayed overnight in more often than not. This created a divide with regard to Young Sheldon‘s storytelling.

Whereas most episodes in its first three seasons included a dinner scene with the whole family, Sheldon’s separation made this a rarity. Narratives became two-pronged — one about whatever was happening with Sheldon at East Texas Tech and the other was about the crisis of the week back at home. At some point, however, the Coopers’ arcs became more interesting than Sheldon’s.

This can be chalked to Sheldon’s school adventures weren’t exactly new. The Big Bang Theory spent a lot of time on this part of his story as he worked on various projects with his friends at Caltech. Simultaneously, the more grounded issues and stories of a regular American family in Texas were just more relatable and compelling.

Sheldon’s Move To College Factored In Young Sheldon’s Ending

The Coopers’ Story Became More Interesting

Young Sheldon wrapped up because it reached the organic endpoint of its story. However, Sheldon starting college in season 4 fast-tracked the process. For most of its run, CBS kept the exact dates of the show’s events vague, allowing them to stretch out certain segments of Sheldon’s childhood. However, Sheldon’s graduation marked a point that signified that the end was near.

Couple that with the declining interest in Sheldon’s story, and the writers didn’t really have any extra motivation to continue the divided story set-up for much longer. Unfortunately, the end of Sheldon’s childhood in Texas went hand in hand with George’s demise, which was saved until the final episodes of Young Sheldon.

In an ideal world, Young Sheldon could have just rebranded into The Coopers — the same way that the Roseanne revival did when it had to become The Conners. This way, all the remaining Cooper family members that are still left in Texas can properly continue their story.

While Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage somehow does that, Mary, Missy, and Meemaw are no longer the focal point of the new show. Young Sheldon ended Sheldon’s prequel story, but the Coopers could have continued their narrative without being relegated to side characters had the rebrand happened.