A long-running TV show can take years to pay off its storylines, and The Big Bang Theory is no exception. When Penny first moves into the apartment across from Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, the building’s elevator is broken. This forces the characters to climb several flights of stairs every episode—a frustrating but creative setup that leads to many memorable and meaningful conversations. The elevator remains out of order all the way until the show’s second-to-last episode, meaning the series waits 278 episodes to resolve this running gag.
But the show doesn’t stop there. From Season 1, it plants a deeply emotional storyline centered on Sheldon that unfolds over more than 400 episodes and even extends into the spin-off Young Sheldon. This storyline revolves around Sheldon struggling to keep his story straight about a significant part of his past, leading to one of the most powerful arcs in the entire Big Bang Theory universe.
Sheldon’s Dad Gets the Short End of the Stick in The Big Bang Theory
Although Sheldon rarely shows much interest in other people’s lives, he often talks at length about his own. In Season 1, Episode 4 (“The Luminous Fish Effect”), Sheldon loses his job at Caltech after clashing with his boss. To help, Leonard brings Sheldon’s mother, Mary Cooper, to California. Mary pushes Sheldon to get back on track, but her visit also reveals a major truth: Sheldon’s father, George Cooper Sr., has passed away.
As the series progresses, more details about George’s death emerge. Sheldon explains that his father died of a heart attack just before Sheldon was about to start college. Losing a parent is tough for anyone, but it affects Sheldon deeply—especially since he openly admits that he never had a good relationship with his dad. The stories Sheldon shares paint George as a man who was often argumentative and prone to outbursts.
However, by the end of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon’s perspective begins to shift. This change aligns with the spin-off Young Sheldon, which offers a deeper look into the realities of life in the Cooper household and sheds new light on Sheldon’s complicated family history.
The Truth About George Cooper Sr. Finally Revealed in Young Sheldon
The Big Bang Theory spin-off, Young Sheldon, follows the early life of the genius scientist. A big focus of the show is Sheldon’s family and what it’s like to grow up with someone so brilliant. Among them, George, Sheldon’s dad, stands out as his biggest supporter—even if he doesn’t always understand his son’s world. Their bond strengthens over the seasons, especially in Young Sheldon Season 7, when Sheldon prepares to leave for college. George helps him find the perfect school and even considers relocating for a job nearby. Sadly, this plan is cut short when George passes away in Season 7, Episode 12, “A New Home and a Traditional Texas Torture.”
Without his father, Sheldon immerses himself in his studies while his family deals with the loss back in Texas. This explains why, when The Big Bang Theory begins, Sheldon keeps his distance from his relatives—still grieving and struggling to process the pain. But after more than 400 episodes, Sheldon finally comes to appreciate his family, especially his father, giving them the recognition they deserve in Young Sheldon’s final episode.
