Chuck Lorrehad two jobs when creatingYoung Sheldon. One was to make a funny show, and two, undo all the damage made to George Cooper throughoutThe Big Bang Theory’s run. George was dead whenThe Big Bang Theorystarted, but Sheldon and his mother revisited him occasionally. More times than not, they had negative things to say about him, making him seem like the worst husband and father. When he was cast,Lance Barberwas aware of the prevailing perception of George. In an interview with TV Line, Barber revealed that there were active efforts to change the character and make him more human instead of the butt of the joke. He and everyone in production overhauled the character to create a new person whom people could identify and sympathize with.
“It was clear that he was a bit of a cartoon. George was the punchline. He was described as a redneck Homer Simpson somewhere I read, and the jokes were kind of big. And so, there lay the challenge of grounding this person and making them a human being as opposed to a punchline.”
Why Did ‘Young Sheldon’s Inevitable Tragedy Happen Off Screen?
“We wanted to give George a win after all these years.”
‘Young Sheldon’ Made a Conscious Effort To Change George
Barber revealed he didn’t quite get what they were gunning for in the early days. He recalled a specific scene that changed everything when Lorre offered some notes, which helped him better understand the character. He shared what made the difference in how George was perceived, saying:
“It was very clear from the pilot all the way through in regards to how they grounded all the characters and the tone they were setting. It felt very clear that this was the direction we were going. And also, I recall this anecdote from Chuck Lorre early on. Getting some terrific notes during the brisket scene with Meemaw. And Meemaw won’t share her brisket recipe with George. And the script calls for George to get angry about it. And so I leaned into that angry a bit like as would be a little bit cartoonish, Homer Simpson style, and got the notes from Chuck that this… he pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re a big guy and are intimidating and that’s not what who this guy is. You need to be hurt, not just angry, right? And that really set the tone for me. Getting that note from Chuck really helped me establish where we were going from there.”
For the rest of the series, viewers interacted witha George they never knew existed. His sacrifice, attention to family, and navigation of life problems connected with fans, even when his relationship with Mary went through some hard times. His relationship with Missy struck a chord with fans as it was rare to see fathers connect with their daughters as George did.
What Is the ‘Young Sheldon’ Series Finale About?
The series finale of the long-running comedy is only a week away. Things will conclude with a one-hour finale on May 16 that will feature an appearance froman older Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and his wife Amy (Mayim Bialik). Not much else is known about the final episode, except that the characters are expected to saygoodbye to Barber’s charactersometime before Sheldon leaves for college. However this won’t be the last audiences see of the Cooper family as a new spin-off,Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriageis expected to premiere on CBS this fall.
Catch the final episodes of the final season ofYoung Sheldonon May 15 on CBS. Catch up on Paramount+.
Young Sheldon
This television series is a prequel to a popular sitcom, focusing on the childhood of a gifted young boy in East Texas. Navigating school and family life with a unique intellect far beyond his years, it humorously explores his early endeavors to be understood by his conventional family and classmates.
Watch on Paramount+
