Young Sheldon Fans Desperate for an Out, But There's No Way Around George Cheating
Ah, the trials and tribulations of family life.
While it's come in for criticism in some regards, one thing that Young Sheldon has managed to pull off is the basic truth that we're all flawed in some way. For George Cooper, that's currently playing out through his impending infidelity.
But aside from that, he's actually quite a nice guy. George's cheating has been signposted since season 10 episode 5 of the Big Bang Theory when Sheldon tells Penny why it is that he knocked three times before entering a room.
It was something we knew was coming. And sure, we might all wish there were some way out of it. But it's TBBT canon and any attempt by the writers to work around it would be disrespectful to the franchise.
But not everyone agrees. A recent discussion on Reddit centred around one user's suggestion that the Young Sheldon writers should instead retcon the whole situation in which George was found in bed with another woman by his teenage son.
Why?
Because in Season 3 episode 22, when Leonard was recounting his life living with Sheldon, he told Penny about the time Sheldon walked in on him and Joyce Kim in bed together. And the Redditor claimed this could be the reason for Sheldon's unique way of knocking and could get George off the hook.
But this simply doesn't stack up. Predominantly because Sheldon knocks three times and calls Leonard's name before eventually saying he'll keep knocking until he gets an answer. Sheldon then opens the door and begins relaying to Leonard how he has breached his tenancy agreement by bringing a girl back to his room. Hardly the actions of a man who is shocked by seeing the two of them in bed together – particularly as that was the whole reason he knocked in the first place.
Other users simply said (in hope more than expectation, no doubt) that they don't even need an out as there are already inconsistencies between the two shows – and that there were some in TBBT anyway.
And yet more want the writers to simply ignore the issue and have George and Mary separate while Sheldon and his siblings are away.
None of these are viable alternatives to just staying true to the story we all know. Ok, so a popular character will do something unpopular with fans. That's life. That's the story. That's what's going to happen whether we like it or not.
So, let's not get bogged down in trying to make George the perfect man, father and husband. 'Cos like all of us, that he ain't.