Warning: Spoilers for Young Sheldon's final season ahead
Steve Holland, a producer of Young Sheldon, has opened up about the death of George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber) in the final season. He discussed tackling the death and subverting the expectations of The Big Bang Theory fans.
Fan expectations
Fans were expecting George Sr.'s death to take place in the finale next week. However, it came earlier than expected. In an interview with Deadline, Holland first talked about the challenge of The Big Bang Theory's fans expecting the death to occur.
“I mean, it's a little bit of a challenge. There are some pieces of the lore and some pieces of the ending that people know,” he said. “But I think for us it's also about trying to tell those stories in ways that are still surprising. Especially since the show has gone to Netflix, I think there is an audience that is younger and less familiar with Big Bang.
“So I actually don't know the answer of how many people expect certain things to happen in the finale versus how many people will be surprised by them. It's a good question,” he continued.
The heart attack
Deadline then asked if it was established in The Big Bang Theory that George dies of a heart attack. “I don't remember if it was sort of an implied heart attack. I'm not actually sure if we actually ever said heart attack,” Holland recalled. “It's what we had always thought, internally. We know Sheldon's dad passed away when he was 14, but I don't remember if we ever specifically said heart attack.”
In the episode, George's death takes place off-screen. Apparently, this was always the plan. “We didn't want to witness that moment of his death,” Holland revealed. “We always knew we were going to deal with his death this season, but we never thought about seeing it on camera. So really the discussion was when it would happen in the course of the last few episodes and how the family would get the news.
A ladder twist
Before George Sr. dies, he goes on the roof to check something. The Young Sheldon episode builds suspense, making the audience worry that this may be where it happens. Holland revealed that they wanted fans to be “nervous.”
“You get nervous anytime he's wandering into traffic or going up the ladder,” he said. “You've got to be nervous about what's going to happen!”
When George's death takes place
He also talked about the death taking place in the penultimate episode instead of the finale. Holland did concede that discussions were had about having the death take place in the finale. However, creator Chuck Lorre didn't want to end the series on such a low note.
“We talked about it [having the death take place in the finale],” Holland said. “I think early on our thought was probably that it would be the final episode or that the funeral would be the final episode.
“As we were talking about it, I think Chuck Lorre said the show has been such a positive, loving family show. Let's not leave the audience wallowing in grief. Maybe there's a way to do that and then move past it and show the family starting to put itself back together and end on a little bit more of a moment of hope,” he added.
Young Sheldon's ending
Young Sheldon's final season will conclude on May 16 with back-to-back episodes. The seventh season premiered on February 15, 2024.
The series is a prequel to The Big Bang Theory and depicts the early life of Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage). In the series, he goes through high school and college at a young age.
Aside from Armitage, Lance Barber, Zoe Perry, Raegan Revord, Montana Jordan, and Annie Potts star in the series.
While Young Sheldon will come to an end, the universe will live on. CBS green-lit a spin-off, Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage, which will follow the title characters' journey as young parents. Montana Jordan and Emily Osment will return to reprise their roles of Georgie and Mandy, respectively.
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