Young Sheldon Makes Sheldon’s Second Darkest TBBT/George Story Worse
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Young Sheldon season 5, episode 16.
CBS' Young Sheldon just made Sheldon's second darkest story about George on The Big Bang Theory more tragic. The Cooper patriarch's year gets so much worse as he also now has to deal with problems at work. Unfortunately, it could even get worse as Sheldon's (Jim Parsons) story about his father stealing from his job might be more serious than initially perceived.
George (Lance Barber) started Young Sheldon season 5 on rocky footing. After his borderline inappropriate night with Brenda Sparks (Melissa Peterman) in the local pub, he had to be rushed to the hospital for a mini heart attack. Since then, he has been trying to keep his dalliance with his neighbor a secret, afraid that it could ruin his marriage. Unfortunately for him, it seems like he has also developed an attraction with Brenda; it doesn't help that his marriage with Mary (Zoe Perry) is also having some issues. But now, it appears as if George's woes aren't ending anytime soon as he also has to deal with problems at work.
After the poor performance of Medford High School's football team, the Cooper patriarch is in danger of losing his job as head coach, which understandably frustrates and worries him. He hasn't been fired yet, but in anticipation of that, he has started working at Dale's (Craig T. Nelson) sporting goods store during nights and weekends. This effectively sets up Sheldon's story on The Big Bang Theory about catching his dad stealing money from his cashier job, resulting in George's firing. The fact that George got his new part-time gig because Dale offered it as a way to help Meemaw's (Annie Potts) struggling son-in-law, as well as a means of retiring, makes George's possible crime worse.
Young Sheldon is confirmed to run until season 7, with an option for CBS to renew the show beyond that. However, considering the established timeline of events on The Big Bang Theory, the spin-off needs to actively set up George's fall from grace and eventual death. At this point, Sheldon is already 12 years old. By the age of 13, he will have caught George cheating, and the following year his father will have died.
It's possible that Young Sheldon could go on a different narrative tangent, but chances are that fans of The Big Bang Theory won't appreciate such a major change to important moments in Sheldon's life. The offshoot has already turned off a segment of its parent series' base for its lax approach to continuity. George's cheating and death were significant to Sheldon's arc that Young Sheldon can't just dance around it.
It's still uncertain how Young Sheldon can reconcile its version of George with The Big Bang Theory's. But, given where the spin-off is now, the Cooper patriarch's spiral should be quick and unexpected. Perhaps there would be an inciting incident for his fall from grace. Losing his job and deciding to steal from his friend could very well be that.
Young Sheldon season 5 airs every Thursday on CBS.