The end is here. Young Sheldon will air its finale on May 16 at 8 pm ET. After seven seasons, the Big Bang Theory prequel is wrapping up.
That said, the final season has seen some of the show’s best work. Despite being the shortest season to date, Young Sheldon Season 7 packed a punch in those episodes.
So, ahead of the finale, we looked back on the five best moments from Young Sheldon Season 7.
Retconning that Big Bang Theory line (Episode 4)
In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon (played by Jim Parsons) talks about walking in on his father, George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber), having an affair.
This became an issue. Perhaps Chuck Lorre initially planned on having George cheat on Mary (Zoe Perry). However, Barber’s portrayal of the character became beloved as the series went on, and seeing his infidelity could have upset fans.
That’s not to suggest Young Sheldon didn’t tease it. In earlier seasons, George seemed to grow close to the Cooper family’s neighbor, Brenda Sparks (Melissa Peterman). Luckily, they never act on it.
In turn, Young Sheldon retcons that line. After Mary and Sheldon return from Europe, George gets caught up on the intimate time he was missing out on while his wife was away. At the end of the episode, Mary surprises George with a wig and roleplays as Helga, complete with a wig and outfit.
Sheldon unknowingly walks in and is instantly shocked to see a woman with bright blonde hair making love with his father. This also explains why Sheldon always knocks three times before entering a room. The retcon was able to kill two birds with one stone in a clever twist.
This prevented George from looking like a jerk ahead of his inevitable death — something Young Sheldon’s writers couldn’t retcon. But more on that in a moment.
Missy takes over (Episode 4)
Young Sheldon Season 6 featured Missy (Raegan Revord) going through her rebellious teenage phase. This culminated with her stealing her dad’s truck and running off.
In the Season 6 finale, it is time for Sheldon and Mary to go to Germany. After being silent for the car ride there, her life flashes before her eyes on the way home with her father. A tornado hits Texas and they end up surviving. This results in an epiphany for Missy, as she apologizes for her actions.
While Mary and Sheldon are gone, the Cooper household needs a leader. Missy ends up stepping up and taking charge, making sure everyone gets to work on time and creating a bathroom schedule.
Upon returning home, Mary is taken aback by this — the last time she saw Missy, she was going through her teenage phase, after all. She wakes up to an already-made breakfast and Missy doing laundry. It’s a great character moment for Missy, who got the kick in the butt that she needed.
Audrey shows some respect for Georgie (Episode 8)
It’s no secret that Audrey McAllister (Rachel Bay Jones) isn’t a fan of Georgie (Montana Jordan). Not only did he lie about his age, but he also impregnated Mandy (Emily Osment).
After George resists paying the plumber to fix the Cooper family residence’s toilet, Georgie and Mandy are met with no choice but to move in with the McAllisters. Audrey makes it clear that she wants Georgie to become a responsible adult — making him get groceries and pushing him to get a job.
Late in the episode, she watches Georgie as he takes care of CeeCee. Despite their differences, it humanizes him for her. Audrey can be seen sporting a slight smile as she watches her son-in-law.
Granted, Georgie ruins the moment with a poop comment. However, this shows that the jury isn’t fully out on Georgie.
5-star recruit (Episode 9)
In sports, high school athletes are recruited to join college programs. They roll out the red carpet for families as they attempt to get their children to sign on to their program.
Sheldon encounters the same treatment when his graduate school decision comes around. Not only does East Texas Tech want to retain their marquee student, but the likes of Columbia and MIT are all looking to secure the young prodigy.
George and Mary Cooper take over the responsibility of being pitched to knowing that their son could be easily manipulated. As the various schools come to visit the Cooper residency, it’s a lot of fun to see George and Mary get A-list treatment. It’s equally fun to see what sets them off, whether it’s a nondenominational chapel or their political leanings.
“We got two average kids, let’s cash in on the smart one,” George tells his wife to get her on board.
Big Bang Theory fans already know the outcome of the decision. However, in a twist, Young Sheldon’s episode ends with Sheldon deciding on MIT. This is until he arrives at the airport, which has frozen over, before looking at his father and saying, “Caltech?” His father quickly agrees.
George’s death (Episode 12)
Like Thanos, George Cooper’s death was inevitable. Young Sheldon was written into a corner with The Big Bang Theory revealing that Sheldon’s dad died when he was a teenager. When the seventh and final season was announced, it was clear that George’s death was the endgame.
It occurs in Episode 12 of the season. George was just offered a life-changing opportunity to coach at Rice University. Sadly, he never made it home for the Cooper family portrait and died of a heart attack at work.
The news rocks the Cooper family to the core. Even Sheldon, who isn’t usually emotive, is rattled by the news.
Some may argue that the death should have occurred in the final episode. It actually works better that George dies in the penultimate week of the show. This allows Young Sheldon the opportunity to end on a high note instead of going out with a melancholic episode.
Plus, the Young Sheldon crew handled George’s death well. It wasn’t shown on-screen, and he had a history of heart problems.
