During Sheldon and his father’s talk in Young Sheldon season 5, George prepared explains why he cheated on Mary – a moment referenced throughout TBBT.
George (Lance Barber) revised the reason for cheating on his wife in Young Sheldon season 5, but season 6 has left viewers wondering exactly when George cheated on Mary as The Big Bang Theory established. Out of all the bad things Sheldon and Mary said on TBBT about George, Sheldon’s catching about his father having sex with a different woman was arguably the worst confession. Since then, viewers have been waiting for Young Sheldon to reveal what really happened, and answer the question of did Sheldon’s dad cheat. After years of skirting around it, the spin-off has finally started to lay the groundwork for the moment when the Young Sheldon dad cheats.
By the end of season 6, however, a certain conversation left viewers wondering if George had already cheated on Mary. The Young Sheldon dad cheats scandal is discussed openly in TBBT, and the spinoff does an excellent job of making sure that Sheldon’s father lives up to his reputation, despite sometimes being depicted as caring. Now that Young Sheldon season 6 is over, and the show is approaching the inevitable events of George’s affair and death, showrunners are finally getting to the details behind why the adult Sheldon Cooper has the compulsion to knock three times, the answer to does George cheat on Mary, and George’s justification for his adultery.
Young Sheldon Season 5 Explains Why George Cheats On Mary
Sheldon’s Dad Cheating Went On In The Background
Young Sheldon season 5 was particularly active in setting up when the Young Sheldon dad cheats and confirms that George did cheat on Mary. His budding relationship and obvious attraction towards his newly single neighbor, Brenda Sparks (Melissa Peterman), appears to be the beginning of his unfaithfulness. While the pair technically hasn’t done anything wrong, George seems well aware of his temptations. In Young Sheldon season 5, episode 8, Sheldon had a conversation with his dad about how East Texas Tech’s president bluffed about the existence of a so-called Grand Chancellor who oversees the school’s operations.
Attempting to make the experience a learning lesson, Young Sheldon’s George says that there are some instances where lying is acceptable, including when one wants to spare another’s feelings when the truth certainly hurts. But this still doesn’t explain why George cheats on Mary, but it does show how he rationalizes his lapses in loyalty.
Considering Young Sheldon ‘s George admits that he’s unhappy with his life, this could be interpreted as him justifying being unfaithful to his family, but it was also seen as proof by many that George did cheat on Mary by this point.
Considering Young Sheldon’s George admits that he’s unhappy with his life, this could be interpreted as him justifying being unfaithful to his family, but it was also seen as proof by many that George did cheat on Mary by this point. Since his big fight with Mary (Zoe Perry) in the Young Sheldon season 4 finale, the issue has never been discussed again. George doesn’t want to hurt his wife and kids by suggesting a divorce, despite his personal feelings.
However, he also can’t stand being miserable, which could also point to the fact that George had already cheated on Mary by season 5, with the affair a longstanding thing rather than a one-off incident interrupted by Sheldon. Instead of being truthful about what he’s going through, George ultimately decided to privately address his woes by finding solace in the company of another woman. The reason Young Sheldon hasn’t shown it directly is that Sheldon is still the audience’s primary window into the Cooper home, and since Sheldon wasn’t aware of it, the showrunners have been able to keep George’s affair ticking along in the background through many hints and allusions.
Obviously, this is still the wrong way to approach the matter. Despite his clear distress, George’s affair can’t be justified by Mary’s flaws. However, having this mentality implies that he believes lying, in general, can be rationalized. Whether George’s affair has something to do with his attraction to Brenda (and her proposition) is uncertain, though highly likely, in Young Sheldon.
How Young Sheldon Set Up George’s Affair
George has already been lying about his relationship with his neighbor for a while in Young Sheldon, suggesting that George did cheat on Mary. He has refused to divide what exactly happened between him and Brenda the night they met at the local pub. That night, Brenda proposed that George Cooper Sr. in Young Sheldon season 5, episode 1. After their night out, she suggests that they go back to her place because her kids are spending time with their estranged father.
Had Young Sheldon’s George not experienced a medical emergency at that very moment, he would likely have gone home with his neighbor due to growing worries within his household. In addition, life for Sheldon’s father spiraled as Young Sheldon season 5 showed the effects of George losing his job — something discussed in The Big Bang Theory. Considering that the Cooper family patriarch fell on hard times, coupled with the fact that he and Brenda’s flirtatious relationship is only heating up, it seemed like George’s affair was imminent.
As The Big Bang Theory spinoff series continues after season 6, audiences will inevitably get to see everything that the adult Sheldon and Mary revealed about the Cooper patriarch within the restrictions of the parent show. Young Sheldon’s George is going through changes that clearly mark his downward arc, starting with his health crisis, his job out the window, and ultimately ending with George’s affair. With Young Sheldon season 5 featuring the pair spending way too much time with each other, and season 6 putting further constraints on George’s marriage, perhaps the sitcom can finally make strides in terms of advancing what seems like a budding affair involving the couple.
