Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage is on its way to CBS as part of the Fall TV schedule, following a Young Sheldon finale that was more than a little depressing. The death of George Cooper Sr. was powerful and emotional despite fans knowing it would happen from the start of the series, and those tuning in for the new comedy might wonder how the upcoming sitcom will address that tragic event. Fortunately, executive producer Steve Holland shared some positive news about how it will be addressed.
As audiences prepare for the potential reveal that Georgie and Mandy's marriage may not last until their own deaths part them, Holland talked to EW about whether George Sr.'s passing will have an impact on the spinoff series. The EP noted that the show will acknowledge how that sudden change will affect his eldest son, Georgie, but made it clear the tone won't be quite as heavy as it was in the previous show. In his words:
It's definitely a piece of the show and a piece of his character — he's still this bright, sunny optimist, but he has this little bit of pain that's still hanging in there.
I'm glad to hear that update as a Young Sheldon fan, since it's exactly what I hoped and expected. Georgie doesn't exactly wax philosophical, and has never lingered in his sadness for too long. Plus, he has his own family to provide for, so I'd imagine we'll see him try his best to follow in his father's footsteps as a provider while slowly moving toward his future job running a successful chain of tire stores in Texas.
Of course, Georgie has more on his plate than just taking care of Mandy and CeeCee. His mother and sister Missy are off on their own with George Sr. gone — the latter seemed to be entering a rebellious streak near the end — and MeeMaw is still working on rebuilding her house after it was destroyed.
Steve Holland noted that, as the oldest sibling, Georgie will also feel obligated to help his other family members however he can. As he put it:
I think he promised his dad in the Young Sheldon finale that he would take care of everyone, and I think he takes that responsibility seriously. So he has a new wife and a baby and in-laws, but he also has a teenage sister who might be not handling her situation very well and needs some looking in on, and a mom who's grieving, and a grandmother who's still in town. So there's a lot on his plate.
While it sounds like Georgie will have to juggle a lot in the Young Sheldon spinoff, it's great to hear we can expect appearances from others in the Cooper family during Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage. That said, we already had the heads up that Missy would be along for the ride when Raegan Revord posted a photo from the set. Even so, I'm happy to hear Annie Potts' Connie might have more appearances, especially due to her close bond with Mandy when she first became pregnant.
There's still no word whether or not Iain Armitage will reprise his role as Sheldon in Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, but even writers for the show are relieved to take a break from the character. It will be a bit odd to watch a series set in The Big Bang Theory universe that will, presumably, have little to no science talk involved, but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon enough.
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage makes its big debut on CBS on Thursday, October 17th at 8:00 p.m. ET. Keep an eye on the 2024 TV schedule to see what else pops up on television between now and then, and get ready for more fun and tender moments with the Cooper family.
