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Despite being a sitcom, it’s no surprise that the final two episodes ofYoung Sheldonwere deeply emotional. Withthe death of George Cooperconfirmed in the third-to-last episode and the penultimate episode titled “Funeral,” fans were prepared to get through it with a box of tissues. And they were needed.
The ending toThe Big Bang Theoryprequel spinoff, delivered in two parts over an hour, offered just the right balance of humor and heartfelt emotion. It ends with a sweet lesson that adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) learned from his writing, with a little assistance from his wife Amy (Mayim Bialik).
The Balance of Humor and Heart in Young Sheldon’s Finale
Young Sheldon
The two episodes tug at the heartstrings, centered around George’s sudden death. But they also feature thefunny one-linersand sarcastic remarks for which the show has become known. From Dale (Craig T. Nelson) being chastised by Connie (Annie Potts) for playing guitar in his underwear to being kicked out of both George’s (Lance Barber) chair and Sheldon’s (Iain Armitage) “spot,” to neighbor Billy (Wyatt McClure) offering to console Missy (Raegan Revord) with a kiss, Connie’s wise-cracking funeral speech, and Sheldon walking into his Baptism with full scuba diving gear, these moments were desperately needed to lighten the mood.
That’s because they were juxtaposed with tear-jerking moments, like Missy breaking down at the memories of her father playing princess parties with her while saying her final goodbyes or Sheldon reliving his father’s last moments in his head again and again. Fans were gutted watching Sheldon imagine alternate realities of the fleeting final moment with his dad, each time saying something different than, well, nothing.
He went through a simple “bye” to a “Can I come with you?” He thought of aStar Trek-inspired phraseand even a heartfelt “I love you.”The regret Sheldon felt for not addressing his fatherwhen he left the house for what would be the last time is palpable. It’s relatable to anyone who has lost someone they loved and wasn’t able to say a proper goodbye.
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The episode showed a softer, more vulnerableside to Connieas well, who had been the hardest on George through the years. The scene where she pleads with Sheldon and Missy to get baptized to satisfy their mother’s wish because she is tortured by “watching her daughter fall apart” brought on the waterworks. Connie’s speech at the funeral was designed to shed positive light on the otherwise somber mood. But she also ended it by tearfully admitting that George had earned her respect over the years. “He was a good man, and I will always be proud to call him my son,” she said as her eyes welled up.
What’s most fitting is that the episodedidn’t try to make Sheldon into an emotional wreck, something his personality would suggest he’d never be. Instead, he remained stoic and logical and simply avoided the grieving process at all costs. It wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with it, clearly manifesting in his later resentment towards his father. But it was a way fans would expect Sheldon to handle such tragic news and major changes in his life. Even his speech at his dad’s funeral is revealed to only be what Sheldonhopedhe had said. In reality, Sheldon stayed seated in the church pew, quiet as a mouse, not able to find the words.
A Set-Up for the Young Sheldon Spinoff
Amidst all the heartache, the finale also served as a set-up for the upcomingspinoff centered around Georgie and Mandy, which is now confirmed to be calledGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Showing his tremendous growth and maturity through the seasons, the once rebellious, carefree Georgie (Montana Jordan) immediately steps up to the plate. He makes the arrangements with the funeral home and for the casket and offers to take care of smaller details for his mother, too, like gathering photos of George. As he peers into his father’s casket before it’s closed for the ceremony, he tells his dad not to worry because “I’ve got everything under control.”
Meanwhile, Mandy (Emily Osment) does her best to be there for Missy. She offers to take her out and do something “fun” to get her little sister’s mind off things. Mandy’s importance is amplified as she attempts to be a mother figure to Missy, at least during the time that Mary (Zoe Perry) is struggling to grieve the best way she can.
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It’s worth noting thatGeorgie’s actions presented here wereforeshadowed inThe Big Bang Theory.Adult Georgie, played by Jerry O’Connell, appears in one scene during a visit and argues with Sheldon about the aftermath of their father’s death. Georgie brings up how he was left to take care of everything with the family, including their mother, once their father died. The final episodes show Sheldon’s preparations for moving to Pasadena mere months later, and they fall perfectly in line with the story, proving one aspect of the tale Sheldon failed to recognize until that moment.
WhileYoung Sheldonwrapped up many of the main storylines, the George and Mandy spinoff is left with a tall task of potentially clearing up remaining loose ends.There’s no resolution about what happens to Dale or Dr. Sturgis(Wallace Shawn), where Missy goes from here (between now and when she gets married and has children), and Connie’s journey between now and her appearance onThe Big Bang Theory.
Lessons Learned in Young Sheldon
The penultimate episode, “Funeral,” focused mainly onthe Cooper family, but the final episode, called “Memoir,”centered around adult Sheldon in his home, sitting behind a computer finishing up his memoir. It’s presumed that all his narration and recollections through the last seven seasons were all part of this process. Sheldon does have an eidetic memory, after all. Amy is pressing him to get ready to attend their son’s hockey game, but Sheldon has no interest in going.
However, as the memories flood in through a series of flashbacks from the entire show and Sheldon reflects on his own adult life, he starts to view parenting in another way. Most importantly, he learns to give his father some grace. He recognizes the negative way he presented his father over the years, admitting he only focused on his father’s shortcomings. “Now that I’m his age and a father with kids of my own,” Sheldon narrates, “I realize he was just doing the best he could.”
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The most important lesson from all of this, arguably the entire run of the series, comes whenAmy learns that Sheldon got baptized just to please his mother. It leads to a conversation about recognition for how much his mother and father did for him. Amy slyly tells Sheldon he should be thankful to have had parents who, despite their differences, were always there to support him and what he wanted to do. It’s clear Amy is talking about more than just the past. Sheldon realizes how his parents must have felt with him and relents attending his son’s game. If watching his son hit a piece of rubber around with a stick while on ice is what will make his son happy, it’s worth the sacrifice. His parents taught him that much.
The most emotional moment is one that’s far more subtle. Sheldon learns toappreciate his childhoodand all its ups and downs, as well as all the people who were part of it. He’ll always be the same Sheldon – that will never change. But this emotionally matured version has grown leaps and bounds into a man his father, rest in peace, assuredly would be proud to call his son.StreamYoung SheldononNetflix.
