One of the most popular sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory, was released in 2007 and spanned over 12 seasons. Owing to its massive success and critical acclaim, the franchise expanded, and a prequel called Young Sheldon was released in 2017. The prequel delved into the childhood of Sheldon Cooper in Texas, and it spanned across seven seasons. Young Sheldon finally came to an end on May 16, 2024.
From Sheldon being a young teen leaving for Caltech, to the Coopers finally accepting and moving on from George
Cooper Sr.’s death, the finale beautifully bridged it with The Big Bang Theory. Additionally, since Chuck Lorre is the co-creator of both shows, his insights, along with Jim Parsons’ role as the narrator, helped Young Sheldon’s finale connect with The Big Bang Theory. The series finale, titled “Memoir,” thus sets the stage for the TBBT premiere.
Even though the last seasons of Young Sheldon failed to delve into Sheldon’s education and career arc, while focusing on the family dynamics, the series’ finale proved otherwise. In the Young Sheldon series finale, the viewers finally see a 14-year-old Sheldon packing to go to Caltech. The episode ends with Sheldon standing with his bags, entering the prestigious California Institute of Technology sign as he confidently says, “I am exactly where I am supposed to be.”
Sheldon’s move to Caltech is crucial as it marks his arrival at the research institute, thus laying down the foundation for his future as a theoretical physicist, as shown in The Big Bang Theory. It sets the stage not just for his professional achievements but also for his “upcoming” friendship with Leonard, Howard, and Rajesh (TBBT’s characters).
Young Sheldon finale teases the reason behind Mary Cooper’s ‘staunch beliefs’ in The Big Bang Theory
The finale episode of Young Sheldon shows the Coopers adjusting to their lives without the patriarch of the family. Mary Cooper finds it quite difficult to overcome the grief and turns quite religious after her husband’s death. She frequents the church with her children, spends time weeping in her Faith Garden, and even asks the Cooper twins to get baptized. Even though Missy backs up, Sheldon gets baptized for his mother.
Thus, the Young Sheldon finale sets the background for Mary Cooper’s strong religious beliefs in The Big Bang Theory. After George Sr.’s death and Sheldon’s move to Caltech, Mary Cooper turned towards religion to find solace. This tragic backstory adds depth to Mary Cooper’s character arc in The Big Bang Theory.
The Coopers’ fractured bonds set up Sheldon’s TBBT loneliness
The finale of Young Sheldon leaves the Cooper family in an emotionally tough position, with Missy turning rebellious, Georgie focusing on his family, Sheldon’s move to Caltech, Mary barely coping with the grief, and Meemaw turning to her bad drinking habits. This explains why Sheldon in TBBT emotionally distanced himself from his “dysfunctional” family. Sheldon never lost his love for his family, but he found a different kind of belonging with Penny, Leonard, and the gang, not as replacements but a chosen family who truly understood him.
This laid the context for how Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory found solace in his friends, with Penny, Leonard, and the Pasadena gang.
Young Sheldon’s series finale drops clues about the future of TBBT
Jim Parsons, the narrator of the prequel series and the actor behind Sheldon in the TBBT series, appears in the finale episode. Turns out adult Sheldon and his wife Amy Fowler had moved out of the iconic Pasadena apartment that they shared with their friends to a cozy bungalow.
Sheldon reveals that the reason behind his lengthy narration of his childhood was that he was writing a memoir. Even though there’s no reunion with the TBBT gang, the couple mentions them a few times, meaning that they are still in contact with them. The series finale also reveals that the couple has two children – a son called Leonard (previously mentioned) and a daughter.
