Warning! Spoilers ahead for Young Sheldon season 7, episode 10.
Summary
- Young Sheldon fixes its oldest The Big Bang Theory plot hole with Octavia Spencer's dual roles.
- Young Sheldon season 7, episode 10 establishes that there's no issue with an actor playing two different prominent roles in The Big Bang Theory and its prequel.
- Previously, Lance Barber played Leonard's bully in The Big Bang Theory before portraying George in Young Sheldon.
After seven years, Young Sheldon has officially fixed its oldest The Big Bang Theory plot hole. Throughout its run, Young Sheldon has been criticized for its lax approach to continuity. Whether that's as small as Sheldon and Missy sharing a room or George's contradicting behavior against stories about him. Having many creatives who worked on The Big Bang Theory also tackling its prequel makes it worse. At this point, however, Young Sheldon's storytelling should be focused on wrapping up the show, so it's surprising that somehow, it's still able to address its oldest The Big Bang Theory plot inconsistency.
In its latter years, Young Sheldon has relied on its original storytelling rather than leaning on its connection to The Big Bang Theory. However, as its finale approaches, the writers are re-establishing its ties to its parent series to reinforce the evolving TV universe. This is also the reason why the show is ending despite still being popular. Similarly, George's upcoming death is a way to stick to the established canon as well. As the prequel focuses on setting up its finale and upcoming sequel show starring Georgie and Mandy, it's still able to address a glaring plot inconsistency.
Young Sheldon’s Penny Replacement Can Be Better Than Kaley Cuoco’s Big Bang Theory Character
Young Sheldon season 7 sets up Penny's replacement and the new character can be better than Kaley Cuoco's beloved The Big Bang Theory role.
Octavia Spencer’s Young Sheldon Role Solves George Actor’s TBBT Plot Hole
Young Sheldon Brings Back Octavia Spencer To The Universe After 16 Years.
Overall, Young Sheldon season 7, episode 10, “A Fancy Article and a Scholarship for a Baby,” is disappointing for an outing that is late in the show's run. Ultimately, it is a filler episode that doesn't move any of the existing storylines forward because it has a contained narrative. Subtly, however, it is able to fix Young Sheldon's oldest plot hole because of the appearance of Octavia Spencer, who plays Meemaw's parole officer. Previously, the Oscar-winning actor portrayed a different role in The Big Bang Theory 16 years ago as a DMV officer that Sheldon pissed off.
If Spencer can play two prominent characters in both shows, then it's also okay for Lance Barber to have different characters in Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory. Previously, he portrayed Leonard's high school bully, Jimmy Speckerman, before becoming Sheldon's dad. Granted that there have been other actors who played different roles between the shows, but Spencer's situation is unique because she's the only one who has straightforward and prominent roles in both comedies the same way that Barber does. She reinforces that there's no alternate universe scheme, which has been used to potentially explain the casting snafu before.
Young Sheldon Season 7 Validates The Reason For The Coopers’ Big Bang Theory Finale Absence
As Sheldon decides where to go for his post-grad in Young Sheldon, it makes it clear why the Coopers didn't appear in The Big Bang Theory finale.
Can Lance Barber Still Return To The Big Bang Theory Universe After Young Sheldon?
The Big Bang Theory Franchise Will Continue Beyond Its Current Prequel.
With George's cheating scandal already retconned, his death is the only major Young Sheldon story left for him. After that, his story will be done. That said, considering the precedent, it's curious if there's a chance for Barber to play a different character beyond the prequel, especially since The Big Bang Theory universe is evolving with two new offshoots. Aside from Spencer, there have been other actors who played various roles in the Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady-created universe. Barber is a great comedic actor, and it is disappointing that the franchise may never be able to feature him again.
Because of how well-known the actor has become as George, however, the chances of this happening are very slim to none. Spencer's stints in Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory are the nearest to the level of prominence that Barber has had in both shows. That said, none of her roles are even remotely close to how synonymous he has become with the role of Sheldon's father. He could return as the Cooper patriarch, but it's unlikely that he will play a different role again in the franchise — unless it's an off-screen character.
The most distinguished one is Kaley Cuoco, who is best known for playing Penny in The Big Bang Theory. On the heels of the nerd-centric sitcom's end, the actor returned to the franchise when she voiced the pool water in Young Sheldon season 3.
For context, there have been actors in the universe that have had this treatment. The most distinguished one is Kaley Cuoco, who is best known for playing Penny in The Big Bang Theory. On the heels of the nerd-centric sitcom's end, the actor returned to the franchise when she voiced the pool water in Young Sheldon season 3. She was uncredited for the role, but viewers recognized her unmistakable voice, and the creatives behind the prequel subsequently admitted to recruiting her for the part.