The Young Sheldon Finale Solves A Huge Big Bang Theory Plot Hole
The two-part finale of "Young Sheldon" officially brings Sheldon Cooper's chapter to a close. Jim Parsons, who plays the adult version of Sheldon on "The Big Bang Theory," even returns to the screen to help tie up a few loose ends on the prequel. One plot hole he helps solve involves his on-screen dad George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber), who tragically dies in Season 7, Episode 12. George's death is a major blow for fans who have come to know and love the character. This is because he's nothing like the man Sheldon describes on "The Big Bang Theory."
Over the years, fans have tried to understand the continuity errors between both shows surrounding George's character. It was always known that Sheldon is 14 years old when George dies, but that is one of the very few things that remains accurate from the show. On the original sitcom, George is described as a skeet-shooting, beer-drinking "redneck Homer Simpson" and is often the punchline of Sheldon's jokes. However, "Young Sheldon" majorly humanizes the character, which makes Sheldon's narration look unreliable.
Sheldon (Parsons) essentially confirms this is the case in his voiceover in Episode 13's "Funeral." He says, "For a long time, I focused on my father's shortcomings. Now that I'm his age and have kids of my own, I realize he was just a person doing the best he could, and he did a lot. I didn't say it at his funeral, but I can say it now. I loved my father. I will miss him forever." These words come at the end of an emotional episode and feel like the ultimate tribute to George.
Sheldon Cooper is an unreliable narrator
Sheldon's tribute to George is fitting on multiple levels. Not only is it a fitting way to bring the funeral episode to a close, but it also feels as though he's acknowledging that he's been an unreliable narrator. Adult Sheldon hints at the reason for this earlier in the episode when he explains in a voiceover that he lacked the emotional intelligence to properly deal with his dad's death at the time. So instead of processing his grief in a healthy way, Sheldon suppresses many positive memories of George, leading to unflattering depictions of the character he gives on "The Big Bang Theory."
Prior to its finale, "Young Sheldon" slowly retconned some of the George-related continuity errors between the two shows. For example, when the sitcom finally reveals the truth about George's affair in Season 7, Episode 4, viewers get a glimpse into how Sheldon (portrayed by Iain Armitage as a child) was mistaken about what he saw. Oftentimes, he will have been narrating or telling stories from his childhood, believing that they are a factual account of what happened, but really, it's a subjective retelling from his perspective, and while he may be a genius, he's not always right.