Why Young Sheldon Isn't In The Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Thanksgiving Episode

Audiences really love "The Big Bang Theory." So much so, in fact, that the prequel spin-off series "Young Sheldon" now has its own spin-off, "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage." The latter show follows Sheldon's older brother Georgie Cooper (Montana Jordan) as he navigates young adulthood and the early years of marriage with his wife Mandy (Emily Osment) and their infant daughter Cece. Like "Young Sheldon," it's more of a dramedy than the flat-out sitcom that was "The Big Bang Theory," which means the show takes some of its emotional beats pretty seriously.

"Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage" is set in 1994, starting only two months after the death of Georgie and Sheldon's father, George Sr. (Lance Barber). By the fifth episode, it's Thanksgiving, which is a chance for the Cooper family to reunite and deal with their grief together ... sans Sheldon (Iain Armitage). Though Raegan Revord appears as younger sister Missy and Zoe Perry shows up as their mother Mary, both of them trying their best to celebrate the holiday, young Sheldon himself is nowhere to be seen. What gives?

Look, if Meemaw (Annie Potts) and her boyfriend Dale (Craig T. Nelson) could make it to the Thanksgiving festivities, what was stopping Sheldon from coming home to visit? In an interview with TVLine, executive producer and series co-creator Steve Holland explained that while the show's creatives considered bringing Armitage on for a cameo as Sheldon, it just wasn't the right time yet:

"Initially, when we were talking about the episode, it was certainly part of the discussion — like, 'Should Sheldon be a part of this?' There are certain occasions where you could bring him back, but as we were breaking the [episode], it just felt like it was actually going to hurt this story. Often, when a matriarch or a patriarch passes away, the family can splinter, and that's what is happening here. And as fun as it would have been to see him, it felt like there is no world where that family doesn't get together, and Mary doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, if Sheldon is coming back from California. So, it seemed to make 'Sheldon sense' that he didn't come back, and it made sense for the story we were trying to tell."

After George Sr. died from a heart attack, it seems the Cooper family has fractured a little bit. Not only that, but with Thanksgiving not being important to Mary outside of seeing her family, it's easy to see why Sheldon wouldn't exactly be fighting to get back to Medford. There's also the fact that he would be forced to interact with Mandy's family, too, and since when does Sheldon enjoy big social gatherings? 

In an earlier interview with TVLine, Holland explained that he's definitely open to the idea of bringing Armitage's Sheldon in for an episode, but that it would have to have a good reason since he's in California. "If we can find a story where he is used to inform our characters, then that's great," as Holland put it, though it's best to not hold your breath. On his end, Armitage told TVLine that he's interested in returning if asked, but he's also just as content to enjoy the characters and storytelling on "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage" as a viewer, stating, "If I got a call to go back, that'd be so much fun." So, if Holland comes up with the right story, it could absolutely happen.

These conditions sound a lot like Barber's, who has said that he would return as George Sr., most likely in a flashback unless there's some weird zombie nonsense going on. For now, however, there are still plenty of great Coopers on "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage" played by a wonderful cast of actors. Again, Craig T. Nelson, folks! That's Coach from "Coach"! As far as sitcoms go, that's pretty much royalty.

"Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage" premieres new episodes Thursdays on CBS and the next day on Paramount+.