Young Sheldon series finale: EP on George’s death

It has been over twelve hours now since last night’s Young Sheldon episode, one that still feels fairly hard to swallow. Just think about what we saw! This story marked the death of George Sr., something that we knew was coming and yet, something that was still difficult to experience. Lance Barber’s character actually died off-screen, but you could see the impact written all over the Cooper family’s faces.

So much appreciation needs to be given towards Barber for taking this guy, who was characterized as a cheater and a buffoon on The Big Bang Theory, and giving him so much humanity. (Also, he wasn’t actually a cheater at all.) He may have had almost nothing in common with his son, but he still loved him and wanted what was best for him. It is so hard to see him go, and in his vanity card after last night’s episode, executive producer Chuck Lorre indicated that this was not a scene the writers ever wanted to put out there, necessary as it may have been:

Eighteen years ago, when we were writing and producing The Big Bang Theory, it seemed like a good idea to imagine that Sheldon’s childhood was deeply disrupted by the loss of his father. No one could have thought that someday we would regret that decision. That someday is now.

There were a lot of tears on stage when this episode’s last scene was shot. A reminder that we had all fallen in love with a fictional character. Which is, itself, a reminder to love the characters in our life who are real. To do otherwise is to live with regret.

Of course, a lot of the finale for the show now will be about these characters mourning George, but also being forced to prepare for the next phase of their lives, almost entirely at once. Sheldon is moving away, Georgie and Mandy are beginning their next chapter, and Mary has to figure out her own life now. It is all so difficult to balance.

Related – Go ahead and learn more leading into the Young Sheldon series finale

What did you think about how Young Sheldon handled the death of George Sr.?

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This article was written by Jessica BunBun.