Young Sheldon Showrunner Explains Series Finale Ending and Reveals a Hidden Easter Egg You Likely Missed
Additionally, discover what scenes were removed from the final two episodes to properly honor the significant character death.
By the end of Young Sheldon, Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage) is right where he belongs.
The prequel to The Big Bang Theory concluded on Thursday night, culminating in the young genius's arrival at Caltech, where he would eventually meet his closest friends and surrogate family. However, the journey to this point was challenging: Sheldon faced the profound loss of his father, George Sr. (Lance Barber), and struggled with the emotional weight of the experience. He imagined redoing his last moment with his father to create a more satisfying farewell and fantasized about delivering the perfect eulogy. In reality, he remained silent at the funeral.
"We still had to allow Sheldon some room to grow before reaching the end of Big Bang Theory, where he stands at the Nobel Prize ceremony and delivers an emotional speech thanking his friends," showrunner Steve Holland tells Entertainment Weekly. "We felt he wasn't quite there yet. It was true to his character that there were things he wanted to say but couldn't, which also ties into how George Sr. is portrayed in Big Bang Theory. Sheldon found it easier to focus on his dad's faults to cope with the pain and regret of those moments."
Acknowledging this now, with an older Sheldon (narrator Jim Parsons making his onscreen debut in Young Sheldon) writing his memoir as his wife, Amy (Mayim Bialik), watches, allowed the prequel to emotionally honor the original series. "The older Sheldon can now look back and realize what he was doing," Holland explains. "But the truth is, he loved and missed his dad."
Getting Big Bang stars Parsons and Bialik to reprise their roles in the series finale was an easy task. "Honestly, we asked, and they said yes," Holland shares with a laugh. "We always had in the back of our minds the idea of having Jim appear on screen, and as we were discussing the finale, [creator] Chuck [Lorre] pitched the idea of bringing back both Jim and Mayim, which seemed really exciting. Jim has always been a part of the show, but he mostly lives in New York, so he does his voice-overs and we usually see him on Zoom. It's been a while since we've been in the same room with him. It was a nice little reunion to be with them both again."
Holland adds that the revelation of Sheldon's series-long narration being part of his memoir felt perfectly fitting. "The memoir aligned with our vision of the show, portraying adult Sheldon recounting his childhood stories. It was a natural fit. Additionally, it created a meaningful connection: Sheldon, who struggled to understand his own children, realized that although his parents didn't fully understand him, they were always supportive. This offered a significant lesson—one Sheldon overlooked while writing his memoir, until Amy pointed it out to him."
Having Parsons and Bialik back felt "a little bit" like remaking The Big Bang Theory. "But it was in a different environment without an audience and with a single-camera setup, so it also felt different, which might have been a good thing," Holland says. "Maybe that helped it feel less like we were trying to chase or recapture something."
The final scene of the finale, where Sheldon arrives on the Caltech campus, was always intended as the show's conclusion. "Sheldon starting his new life was always our idea for a hopeful and upbeat ending," Holland says. "We know his new life is filled with family, friends, and good things, so it always felt like the right final moment."
Even the sharpest-eyed Big Bang aficionados are likely to overlook the Easter egg cameo in that particular scene. "It's really for nobody, as no one would likely pick up on it," Holland chuckles. "There's a brief interaction with a professor on campus, and that's actually David Saltzberg, who has been our science consultant since the inception of Big Bang Theory, all the way through Young Sheldon."
While the producers toyed with the idea of casting a real scientist or a familiar face from Big Bang, they ultimately opted against it. "We didn't want it to detract from the scene," Holland explains. "And we realized that Saltzberg, aside from Chuck [Lorre] and Jim [Parsons], has been associated with this character the longest, having worked on the very first Big Bang Theory pilot. So, it's a lovely gesture on our part to acknowledge David and the immense contributions he's made to both these shows over the past 16 years."
"The penultimate episode, 'Funeral,' underwent revisions as the writers and producers sought to pay tribute to George Sr.'s passing appropriately. This involved toning down some of the comedy. According to Holland, there were originally more humorous attempts and jokes in the script that were filmed but later removed during editing. This decision was made because upon review, the team felt that maintaining a comedic tone would have been insensitive given the gravity of the situation. Recognizing the significance of allowing the family a moment of genuine grief, they chose to prioritize honoring George Sr. and portraying the authentic emotions of the characters. They realized that humor wasn't always necessary and that the sincerity of the moment deserved respect without constantly resorting to jokes."
Balancing comedy and drama in that episode posed quite a challenge. "We aimed to maintain some lightness and moments of laughter, but overall, achieving that delicate tone was a journey that extended into the editing phase," Holland explains. "We had to allow ourselves the freedom to not always opt for humor and instead embrace moments of sincerity. This family is going through a grieving process, and it's natural for both them and the audience, who have grown attached to this family and George Sr., to feel that grief. It's acceptable for people to experience those emotions, and we didn't feel compelled to constantly insert comedic relief."
Some scenes left on the cutting room floor involved a recurring gag where Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy's (Emily Osment) infant couldn't cease crying during the funeral, and Sheldon's professors attempting to divert his grief with scientific distractions. "It was a tough decision to axe those moments, but we felt it enhanced Sheldon's introspection," Holland remarks. "Ultimately, the edits contributed to a more impactful episode."
As Young Sheldon draws to a close, it's not the final chapter for the Big Bang extended universe. CBS has greenlit a sequel series for the 2024-2025 TV season, focusing on Georgie and Mandy as they navigate the trials of adulthood, parenthood, and marriage while raising their family in Texas. However, Holland emphasizes that the upcoming spinoff didn't influence the conclusion of this series in any way.
"We prioritized concluding this show in a manner true to its essence," he explains. "You see, certain storylines were already set in motion: Georgie and Mandy tying the knot, a pivotal part of this season, along with their journey into parenthood and moving in with her parents. However, we were adamant about ensuring that the finale remained focused on this show's narrative and the dynamics of the family. Our intention was to pay homage to the journey we've taken together and not veer off into setting up a spinoff."
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