Young Sheldon has officially said goodbye to the family patriarch George Cooper. The Big Bang Theory fans knew that Sheldon’s dad died when the boy genius was 14-years-old. With the spinoff in its final season, there was the question of when and if the producers would handle George’s death. Many viewers assumed it wouldn’t happen until the series finale on May 16th. However, last night’s episode had the Coopers reeling from the tragedy.
Young Sheldon Cast Discuss the Dread of Filming George’s Death
Last night’s episode of Young Sheldon saw the Coopers adjusting to upcoming changes. Sheldon was going away to college at Caltech. Meanwhile, George, Mary, and Missy were preparing to move to Houston for his new coaching job. Before everyone went their separate ways, however, Mary planned one last family portrait.
That morning George left for work saying the final words, “see y’all later.” Later that afternoon, the family was awaiting George’s arrival for their family photo. When there was a knock at the door, Mary opened it expecting her husband, but instead found Principal Tom Petersen and Wayne Wilkins. They delivered the sad news that George had a heart attack and didn’t make it. Mary, Missy, and MeeMaw broke into tears, while a solemn Sheldon slumped into a chair.
The scenes were emotional for fans and for the cast. In an interview with TVLine, Young Sheldon stars Lance Barber and Zoe Perry discussed George’s death.
Barber who played the Cooper patriarch braced himself for the inevitable:
I was emotionally prepared for this from the pilot, you know? At least the potential of it. I was just thankful for every day, and every season, and every episode, I got to be on, knowing that potentially they could explore that before the show ended. So, mostly, I was grateful to get to the end. It was only in this last season where we discovered – and very close to shooting it – did we know details about how it was going to play out.
Barber also agreed with the way the writers wrote George’s death:
I think that the writers are really leaning into something with this that I think is a gamble. But from my perspective, it’s a really beautiful way to do it, regardless of how challenging and potentially polarizing it might be.
Perry recalled filming the scene in which Mary learns of her husband’s passing:
I mean, this was intense. I do vividly remember filming it. We had shot the beginning of that scene, leading up to the door. We wrapped that, then we were like, ‘OK, now we’re going to approach this moment.’ Because I’m standing a bit in the foreground, I’m totally not privy to what’s happening behind me with Annie (Potts, who plays MeeMaw) and Reagan (Revord, who plays Missy), although I can feel it. I don’t know that I was planning it, but I was angry. I was angry at the news or even the threat of the news.
The final season of Young Sheldon has been filled with lots of tears. Next week’s two-part series finale is also bound to be bittersweet. The first episode is titled “Funeral” and will deal with the aftermath of George’s death.
