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Brokaw: Goodbye to Cooper family as ‘Young Sheldon’ comes to an end

By Francine Brokaw - Special to the Daily Herald | May 8, 2024

Courtesy image

The final episode of "Young Sheldon" will air Thursday, May 16, 2024, on CBS.

On May 16, viewers will say “goodbye” to the popular sitcom “Young Sheldon.” This hit spinoff of “The Big Bang Theory” brings the character of young genius Sheldon Cooper up to the time when he moves to California, which is the setup for the prelude of “The Big Bang Theory.” But wait, there is another spin-off of this spinoff coming; however, it does not center on Sheldon Cooper.

When the cast and producers of the show met with the media, they had a lot to say about the show, their characters and the end of their time together as the Cooper family.

The cast gathered together to speak with the media. Iain Armitage has played young Sheldon and has brought his persona to viewers in a fun way. When thinking about the end of the show, he stated, “I’ve had the best time getting to grow up and be here with all of the cast, and I love everyone here so much. I am so sad that this is coming to an end but, honestly, I could have asked for nothing better. And I think as hard or sad as it is ever, it’s so important to remember that the only reason it is (is) because this is such a wonderful group of people that we get to work with and such a cool and crazy and weird thing we get to do. So, yeah. I’ve had a great time. I love all of you guys so much.”

Sheldon’s twin sister Missy (played by Raegan Revord) stated, “It’s been great because I’ve been on the show since I was 9. Like, I watched back a video the other day that I sent to Iain whenever we started the show, and I was in a car seat. And I’m now learning how to drive. And that is wild. But I feel like having the knowledge that this is the last one makes it even easier to cherish and kind of be able to hold onto those moments and be grateful for them.” Viewers have seen this girl grow up before their eyes.

Fans of “The Big Bang Theory” know that Sheldon’s father, George, died when he was young. Lance Barber, who plays George Cooper in “Young Sheldon,” said: “I had fingers crossed from the beginning knowing the history of the character that I would make it to the end whenever that came. I always felt I had the luxury of being emotionally prepared for this from day one. We knew the history of George, and I think that it’s personally, for me, as an actor, to have a character like this who has become, I think, fair to say, somewhat beloved or enjoyed at the very least (and) to have him have this legacy as part of an incredible legacy in television history and to have a memorable thing like this happen for this character to be remembered that way is a big deal for me personally, to get to see that to fruition even though it’s what all life brings.” We all die, and we all know George dies, but viewers have held their breath for this event. When will George die?

Executive Producer Chuck Lorre spoke about how, although the show was conceived to focus mainly on the young genius, it was in fact a story about his whole family. “I think, from the very beginning, we knew this was about an extraordinary young boy. But we … knew where he was going because of ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ But it also was an opportunity to explore how he affects this family around him, and how the family affects him. So it was almost immediately an ensemble show.”

“Young Sheldon” has been on the air since 2017 and has entertained viewers of all ages. Those who had previously been fans of “The Big Bang Theory” have enjoyed watching the origins of one of those characters. While a spinoff will deal with another member of the Cooper family, it might behoove the producers to think of shows about some of the other “Big Bang” characters. Perhaps a show about young Howard Wolowitz or Leonard Hofstadter. After all, “Young Sheldon” has proven to be a popular sitcom.

In the meantime, viewers will most likely be treated to a spinoff about Georgie and Mandy. More information will be announced later in the year.

“Young Sheldon” will end May 16. It’s time to say “goodbye” to this little genius.

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