Summary
- Georgie and Mandy started their relationship with lies about age, leading to a complex dynamic with potential red flags.
- The show highlights their co-parenting bond but pushes a romantic relationship with problematic origins.
- Viewers root for the couple despite clear issues, but the upcoming
Young Sheldon
spin-off may focus on their doomed romance.
We’re down to the last few episodes of Young Sheldon, and the boy genius will soon be off our screens after 19 combined seasons with The Big Bang Theory. Fans of the Cooper family shouldn’t worry, though, as the universe will continue. Would CBS really let The Big Bang-verse go after a mere 420 episodes? Of course not. The untitled spin-off following Sheldon’s older brother Georgie and his fiancée Mandy will launch on CBS in fall 2024. Interestingly, this show will return to the multi-camera (laugh track) style of Big Bang after Young Sheldon utilized single-cam.
Since getting together under less-than-ideal circumstances in the fifth season, the show built these two and their baby into a happy family. But is everything that idealized? Let’s not forget they came together under somewhat problematic circumstances involving various lies about ages. While this was an issue in the early days of the relationship, the show primarily glosses over the problems now. However, this doesn’t mean they’ve gone away. There are some glaring issues with the show’s portrayal of Georgie and Mandy’s relationship that few people seem to be discussing. Let’s go over them now.
The Beginning of Georgie and Mandy’s Relationship in Young Sheldon
Georgie and Mandy first met in Young Sheldon‘s fifth season at Connie’s laundromat. The two sparked a friendship that soon turned romantic, with both lying about their ages. Mandy aged herself down from 29 to 25, while Georgie aged up from 17 to 21. Mandy eventually confessed her actual age, while Georgie wasn’t so quick to share. He ultimately did, and she was naturally disgusted and threw him out. That should have been the end of things right there. However, the relationship became all the more complicated when Mandy revealed her pregnancy.
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While initially angry at Georgie, the Cooper family did step up and offer a place to live for the future mother of their granddaughter. Mandy’s family was less welcoming, with her mother in particular shaming her for the circumstances. She warms up after the baby is born, but there’s still tension between the two.
To his credit, Georgie stepped up as a father. He accompanied Mandy to the doctor, gave her thoughtful gifts, took an active role in preparing for the baby, and was a present and involved dad after she was born. In that unplanned scenario, a strong co-parent relationship between the two is essential. They have that friendly bond, wanting what’s best for the baby despite the unplanned circumstances. The issue is the show is trying to push a deeper relationship between the two.
Young Sheldon‘s manufactured several scenarios to keep Georgie and Mandy physically together. Her mother doesn’t accept her, so she and the baby move in with Meemaw. Then Connie’s house is destroyed in the tornado, so she relocates to George and Mary’s house. The three of them essentially have their own family unit within the Cooper house.
Georgie and Mandy Develop a Problematic Relationship in Young Sheldon
Georgie’s devotion to her and the baby turned Mandy’s disgust with him into friendship and then even further into romance. The buildup is slow initially, with the pregnancy occupying most of their time. After the birth, Mandy pushes Georgie to date another woman he likes, though he leaves that date after missing her and the baby. She realizes she wants him around, too, and the romance grows from there. He proposes to her on his 18th birthday, and while she initially turns him down, she later accepts the offer.
3:08
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Let’s not forget the relationship began while he was a minor and she was nearly 30. Of course, the fault lies with Georgie, who lied about his age. However, Mandy still chose to resume the relationship just after he turned 18. If Mandy had not gotten pregnant, would the relationship continue? Absolutely not. Mandy would have kicked Georgie out, and the two would likely never have seen each other again.
The show uses his star qualities as a father to reignite those romantic feelings. The problem is that being a good father and a good partner are two very different things. Mandy could have recognized that he provides a good life for their daughter while understanding it’s best that they remain friends. Yes, he’s good to Mandy as well, but this all began when he lied about being underage. It’s not exactly the best foundation for a lifelong love and marriage.
The Result of Georgie and Mandy’s Relationship in Young Sheldon
Young Sheldon tackled this important age dilemma when the pregnancy was first announced. But since then, it seems to have forgotten about the issue. Georgie turned 18, so everything’s good now, right? Not exactly. It’s hard to deny that audiences would hardly be rooting for their relationship if the situation were reversed. Georgie would rightfully be accused of grooming a minor if he were 29 and she was 17, especially if they got engaged as soon as she turned 18.
So why do the majority of viewers root for these two? Of course, much of the reason stems from how they are portrayed in Young Sheldon. Both characters are good people who made mistakes and are trying to build a good life for their daughter, which is admirable. However, there’s no need to force a romantic relationship, which raises many red flags in this wholesome family show.
But their love will almost certainly be the central focus of their upcoming Georgie and Mandy spin-off. We don’t know that for sure, but that’s where everything seems to be headed. It’s too bad because they are strong co-parents who have mutual respect for one another. The series could instead focus on that element, especially when we already know the result of their marriage.
Per The Big Bang Theory and adult Sheldon’s narrations, Georgie has at least two ex-wives. This means his and Mandy’s upcoming nuptials are already confirmed to end in divorce. Why build a new series around two people who got together under such problematic circumstances and will divorce in the end? Another option would be to forget the romance and depict them leading their own lives while coming together for their daughter. Viewers seem willing to look past the red flags and root for them as a couple, so we should expect more of the same in the future, problematic history and all. Episodes of Young Sheldon Season 7 air weekly on CBS through May 16, 2024. Stream past seasons on Max and Netflix.
