Young Sheldon is a spinoff prequel to the popular CBS sitcom television series The Big Bang Theory, meaning that viewers who watched the original show already know the fate of many of the second show’s characters. The newer series, which premiered in 2017, a couple of years before The Big Bang Theory ended, focuses on Sheldon Cooper’s childhood as a child prodigy. The character was originally played by Jim Parsons, while Iain Armitage portrayed the younger version of the well-known genius in the spinoff prequel.
Aside from Armitage as Sheldon, other Young Sheldon cast members include Zoe Perry as Mary Cooper, Lance Barber as George Cooper Sr., Montana Jordan as George Marshall “Georgie” Cooper Jr., Raegan Revord as Melissa “Missy” Cooper, Annie Potts as Connie “Meemaw” Tucker, and Emily Osment as Amanda “Mandy” McAllister. Thanks to The Big Bang Theory, the audience is aware of what the future holds for most of these characters, and if their stories are uncertain, viewers can get a sense of where they end up by watching the original series. Despite the narrative set by The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon has been a massive success for the network and is approaching its seventh season.
Sheldon Cooper
Young Sheldon began with Sheldon Cooper at nine years old and starting high school as a freshman, and The Big Bang Theory ended with the genius at 39 years old, so there are plenty of years to cover over the two television shows. As a child prodigy, Sheldon entered college when he was 11, graduated at 14, and received his first Ph.D. when he was 16 at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Following that massive accomplishment, the protagonist became a visiting professor at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. Sheldon was also the youngest person to receive the Stevenson Award (at the time).
By the time the first season of The Big Bang Theory rolled around, Sheldon was a senior theoretical physicist at Caltech, where he worked alongside his friends — Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, and Rajesh Koothrappali. Sheldon was roommates with Leonard, and he later met and fell in love with Amy Farrah Fowler, a neuroscientist. It took the couple a long time to become official, and then they married in the season 11 finale of The Big Bang Theory. The series ended with Sheldon and Amy being awarded a Nobel Prize for their Super-Asymmetry Theory. Narration in Young Sheldon also revealed that the couple eventually had kids, including a son named Leonard. Related: 10 Biggest Theories For Young Sheldon Season 7
Mary Cooper
Sheldon’s mother, Mary Cooper, is played by Laurie Metcalf in The Big Bang Theory and by Metcalf’s daughter in real life, Zoe Perry, in Young Sheldon. Following the spinoff prequel, Mary becomes a widow when her husband and Sheldon’s father, George Cooper, died in the mid-1990s. She frequently appeared in the CBS sitcom when she would visit Sheldon in California or when he would occasionally visit her in Texas. Plus, Sheldon would often talk about her throughout the series. Later in The Big Bang Theory, Mary starts seeing Leonard’s father, Alfred, much to Sheldon and Leonard’s dismay.
George Cooper Sr.
As mentioned above, George Cooper Sr., played by Lance Barber in Young Sheldon, died when Sheldon was 14 years old in 1994. He passed away from issues related to his weight, which left the family devastated. The CBS spinoff prequel series has yet to catch up to the year that George died. But if the network keeps on renewing the show for more seasons, it is possible that fans will get to see the patriarch’s death and the Cooper family’s reactions to losing their father and husband. Related: What Happens To Every Big Bang Theory Character After It Ends
Georgie Cooper
The eldest Cooper child, George Marshall “Georgie” Cooper Jr., is played by Montana Jordan in Young Sheldon and was portrayed by Jerry O’Connell in The Big Bang Theory. As seen in recent seasons of the spinoff, Georgie dropped out of school when he was 17 years old to work in sales, which set up his future as the owner of a tire store chain, Dr. Tire, as seen in the popular CBS series. Georgie also started dating Mandy McAllister when he was 17 and she was 29 (they both lied about their ages). She got pregnant, and he later proposed to Mandy, and she said yes.
As of the Young Sheldon season 6 finale, Georgie and Mandy were still together and raising their daughter, Constance Cooper. However, Georgie’s appearances in The Big Bang Theory allude to them getting married and splitting up sometime down the line. He also likely dated and married several other women following his (likely) divorce from Mandy. Georgie also resented Sheldon following their father’s death since Georgie was left to take care of the family while Sheldon pursued his dreams. However, they later settled their differences in the CBS sitcom series.
Missy Cooper
Sheldon’s twin sister, Missy Cooper, is the exact opposite of him, as seen in both Young Sheldon, where she is played by Raegan Revord, and The Big Bang Theory, where she is portrayed by Courtney Henggeler. Unlike her brother, Missy is not a genius and has a better grasp of social cues. Following the events of the spinoff prequel, Missy gets married twice and has four children. In the pilot episode, Sheldon mentioned that his twin sister worked as a host at Fuddruckers.
Meemaw
Sheldon’s grandmother, Connie Tucker, affectionately nicknamed Meemaw, is played by Annie Potts in Young Sheldon and by June Squibb in The Big Bang Theory. Meemaw is Mary Cooper’s mother and one of the people that Sheldon feels the closest to in the world. Thankfully, she remained alive throughout the course of the CBS comedy show. But Meemaw only appeared in one episode, and she did not attend Sheldon and Amy’s wedding in the season 11 finale of The Big Bang Theory. Related: Young Sheldon’s Most Watched Episode From Every Season
Mandy McAllister
Unlike every other character on this list, Many McAllister did not appear in The Big Bang Theory, nor was she mentioned by name. However, Emily Osment’s Young Sheldon character might have been indirectly referenced when the other figures in the CBS sitcom television show discussed Georgie’s long list of ex-girlfriends and ex-wives. Although the series never confirmed Mandy’s fate, it is more than likely that she and Georgie married (which will probably be shown in a future episode of Young Sheldon) but divorced sometime after the spinoff prequel.
The Big Bang Theory
The Big Bang Theory is a media franchise that has expanded from the original titular TV show that follows a group of friends who live near and with one another as they attempt to bridge social gaps due to their geeky nature and further their scientific pursuits. The show eventually spun off with a TV special and a prequel series, Young Sheldon, which follows the origins of Sheldon Cooper and how he rose to become the brilliant physicist he is.
Young Sheldon
A spinoff of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon follows the youth and coming-of-age of Sheldon Cooper during his childhood in Texas as he pursues science and academia. The show also follows his parents, siblings, and Mee-Maw, painting a picture of the world where Sheldon grew up.
