Young Sheldon Season 7’s Mary Villain Arc Ruins Her George Sr Story

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Young Sheldon season 7, episode 5.

Although Young Sheldon has a good reason to bring back Mary’s darker side, this comes at a high cost to The Big Bang Theory spinoff’s heroine. In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon’s mother Mary is depicted as a pious churchgoer. This was her defining characteristic and her faith made her stand out among The Big Bang Theory’s cast of characters. However, in Young Sheldon season 6, the spinoff moved away from this character trait. Mary was kicked out of the church when Georgie had a child out of wedlock, and she seemed happier as a result of her newfound freedom.

Despite this, since Young Sheldon’s season 6 finale, the spinoff has done everything possible to get Mary back into church. One episode after she arrived home from Germany, in season 7, episode 5, “A Frankenstein’s Monster and a Crazy Church Guy,” Mary donated $50 to a megachurch scam artist. This led George Sr to ask Pastor Jeff if she could return to church, resulting in the Coopers attending service again. Now, the upcoming episode 6 will make Mary’s faith a central plot point again. Unfortunately, this element of the Young Sheldon character’s story gets in the way of another plot.

Mary’s Religious Struggles In Young Sheldon Season 7 Detract From Her & George Sr’s Story

Mary will soon lose her husband in Young Sheldon season 7

Young Sheldon’s focus on Mary’s return to religion makes sense, but it is still misguided given the big twist that is coming down the line. Season 7, episode 6, “Baptists, Catholics and an Attempted Drowning,” will center on a feud between Mary and Mandy’s mother, Audrey, over Georgie and Mandy’s wedding. Judging by the episode’s title, this fight will likely be related to their differing religious views, and thus promises to keep this trend alive. Whether it’s an argument with George Sr over her donations, a fight with Pastor Jeff, or this feud with Mandy’s mom, Mary’s religious convictions often lead to battles.

Admittedly, Young Sheldon season 7 focusing on Mary’s religion and church attendance makes sense, since George Sr’s impending death gives her a reason to rely on the church. She was so busy focusing on the church that she failed to prioritize spending time with her husband, and then she lost him suddenly. As such, it is understandable that she doubled down and became even more devout. However, this comes at a cost to George Sr and Mary’s sweeter storyline. The pair reignited their romance while Mary was in Germany with Sheldon, but arguments over church put them at odds again.

Young Sheldon Season 7 Is Focusing So Much On Mary’s Return to Religion

George Sr’s impending death makes Mary’s faith an important plot point

Since George Sr will die soon, it seems cruel for The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff to focus on Mary’s religious battles more than her time with her husband. Mary and George Sr’s Young Sheldon season 7 plot ended too soon after she returned from Germany. It would be a shame if viewers didn’t get to see the pair enjoy any more happy times solely because the series is setting up Mary’s future persona. Viewers know why The Big Bang Theory‘s Mary was so ardent about her beliefs, so Young Sheldon can let her have some fun before it’s too late.