It finally happened, Young Sheldon season 7, episode 4 tackles Sheldon’s infamous cheating story about his father, but not without changing The Big Bang Theory canon. Ever since it was revealed in The Big Bang Theory season 10, episode 5 “Hot Tub Contamination,” the Cooper patriarch’s affair became one of the most anticipated plots in the prequel. The revelation came after Sheldon attempted to explain to Penny why he developed his three-knock rule. In his story, Sheldon accidentally walked in on his dad having intimate relations with another woman. Unfortunately, they never got to talk about it before his death.
Young Sheldon has been teasing the story, with the season 4 finale setting up Sheldon’s dad’s infidelity when he started spending time with Brenda Sparks. The pair enjoyed each other’s company, with the Coopers’ newly divorced neighbor taking action and proposing the affair. For a while, it seemed like Brenda was going to be George’s mistress while Mary engaged in her borderline affair with Youth Pastor Rob. After their big confrontation while Mandy was giving birth, however, it seemed like the show was going to drop the cheating storylines altogether until it was revived in Young Sheldon season 7.
Jim Parsons will appear in the Young Sheldon series finale, but it would mean nothing if he isn’t joined by another The Big Bang Theory character.
Young Sheldon Season 7 Finally Shows George’s Cheating Scandal According To Sheldon
Sheldon finally walks in on his dad…but with a twist.
On the heels of spending the whole summer in Germany, the boy genius finds himself in a difficult position at home.
As previously hinted in the Young Sheldon season 7, episode 4 “Ants on a Log and a Cheating Winker” trailer, Sheldon finally walks in on his dad. On the heels of spending the whole summer in Germany, the boy genius finds himself in a difficult position at home. Due to the Medford tornado in the Young Sheldon season 6 finale, Georgie, Mandy, and Baby Cece took over his old bedroom, forcing him to sleep in the garage. When he returns to his dorm to get some privacy, Sheldon learns that someone else has also been living there.
Tired and defeated, Sheldon returns home from East Texas Tech to hear someone talking in a manufactured German accent. What he doesn’t know is that his dad and mom are having some alone time together, but his curiosity gets the better of him. He walks in on them in a compromising position, and after being stunned by the scene, he immediately flees the house. Jim Parsons’ adult Sheldon narration acknowledges that this is indeed the moment that he was telling Penny, saying that the incident is the reason why he added a few more knocks to his routine.
How Young Sheldon Changes Sheldon’s George Affair Story In The Big Bang Theory
It isn’t as serious as The Big Bang Theory made it to be.
It’s no secret that Young Sheldon has a lax approach when dealing with continuity, hence why it has created countless plot holes of varying significance throughout its run. Once the timeline established for the cheating incident lapsed, there was an assumption that the show was going to just fully ignore it. So the fact that the prequel is able to incorporate it in Young Sheldon‘s shortened final season is quite impressive. Admittedly, the way the scenario plays out is accurate with how Sheldon described it to Penny, it’s just that he didn’t get the full context of what is happening.
What Sheldon didn’t realize in his The Big Bang Theory story is that George is with Mary when he catches him at an awkward time. Before he walks in on them, the Cooper matriarch dressed up in a traditional German costume, which is the surprise she has been teasing his husband since they started writing letters to each other. Because Mary is wearing a wig, the boy genius doesn’t recognize her. Before he can process everything, he runs away from the room.
Since he never talked about it with George and Mary doesn’t know about him walking in, Sheldon never got any clarification from his parents about the incident.
Aside from finally clearing out George’s name against Sheldon’s cheating allegations, the Young Sheldon tones down the seriousness of the incident. When it was first revealed in The Big Bang Theory, it was presented as this heartbreaking experience for the socially inept genius. Granted that the encounter haunted him for life, Young Sheldon plays it more as a comedic bit. Since he never talked about it with George and Mary doesn’t know about him walking in, Sheldon never got any clarification from his parents about the incident.
In the most unexpected way, Mary (Zoe Perry) finally calls out the most glaring problem that Young Sheldon has been having for three years now.
Why Young Sheldon Can’t Stay True To Sheldon’s The Big Bang Theory Cheating Story
Young Sheldon finds a narrative loophole for George’s cheating story.
The creatives behind the prequel maintain it is part of the same universe as The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon’s impending move out of Texas and to California as mandated by the canon is the reason why Young Sheldon is ending despite still being popular. That being said, they also made it clear that they are not beholden to every childhood story. Since Young Sheldon‘s depiction of George has always been very different from the way he was described in the mothership series, it really doesn’t make sense for him to have an affair, despite the many attempts to suggest otherwise.
Young Sheldon deviating from the established canon for George’s affair is its way of prioritizing its own storytelling. The show has done this countless times in the past, but it mostly results in plot inconsistencies that change how The Big Bang Theory is perceived. This time, the writers found a loophole to maintain the established canon without totally breaking it, and that deserves praise.
