Young Sheldon season 6 features all of the family Cooper’s ups and downs but very little of Sheldon himself.
When I wrote about Young Sheldon season 6 as one of the Best TV Shows of 2022, I mentioned that the show has shifted from comedy to dramedy. The show has taken a darker tone compared to earlier seasons and especially compared to the original show “The Big Bang Theory“. In the 6th season, the darker tone comes to fruition.
George, Mary, and Brenda
In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon told the story where he found his father sleeping with another woman. Which is why he invented the 3x door knock with the name of course.
In Young Sheldon season 6, both Mary and George seem to be in a dull marriage, everything is such a routine.
While Mary fantasizes about being with Pastor Rob, George actually takes it a step further and is in a quasi-relationship with his neighbor and recent divorcee, Brenda.
Brenda and George keep meeting each other behind the house out of the sight of their families and nosy neighbors.
It wasn’t until Mandy, Georgie’s girlfriend, is in labor that Mary finds out about the two of them. The show handled it well but with Mary accompanying Sheldon to the University of Heidelberg in Germany for the summer, who knows what happens between George and Brenda.
The story isn’t over yet and I feel until George dies of a heart attack (as told by Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory), this not-so-secret secret will linger on for the duration of the show. This is too bad because I feel that the show can do better than this.
Conny’s gambling empire expands
Meanwhile, Meemaw’s illegal gambling empire continues to expand in Young Sheldon season 6. She wants to take over the empty store next door and add electronic slot machines with video on it rather than the old-fashioned ones she currently has.
She buys some from a shady seller but on her way home she and Dale notice that they are being followed. They decide to enter a restaurant in order to see who is following them.
It’s the same seller who is now looking for a shakedown. He wants more money or he will go to the police and report someone with gambling machines. Meemaw, being the street-smart person she is, slashes the man’s tires and she and Dale make a run for it.
In later episodes, the illegal gambling continues and she gets robbed. They never found the burglar, but I am hoping they will do one or maybe a couple of episodes to track down whoever robbed their illegal gambling house.
The money of the gambling is of course illegal but Conny is very generous with it. When Georgie needs money for an engagement ring, she just gives it to him. It’s out of love for her grandson.
I do wonder why she doesn’t give the money to Sheldon when he wants to go to Germany for the summer. She loves Sheldon as much as any of her grandkids. She is loaded… so, why not?
When the big tornado hits, Conny loses her house and the gambling money, and on top of that Pastor Jeff finds out about the illegal gambling. Although he vows to not say anything to anyone, I do wonder what Pastor Jeff will do when the church needs money.
Would he try and shakedown Conny for it? If so, then illegal gambling makes a very light character like Pastor Jeff, whose life is in service of the Lord and all above, pretty dark.
Oh, and Dale and Conny are back to being a couple after they broke up last season.
Missy Cooper hits puberty
Missy didn’t have the best of times in Young Sheldon season 6. First of all, she was ignored by almost all of the authoritative figures in her life. Like her father and mother. And then later Meemaw. But also by sister-in-law Mandy when she delivers the baby.
What Missy really wanted was to enjoy her life. Instead, she is continuously let down. The bubble completely burst when Mandy goes into labor and Missy is left at school with Billy. George completely forgot about Missy as he was waiting for Mandy to give birth and Mary just found out about him and Brenda.
Missy decides to run away and calls Paige, Sheldon’s gifted friend. Together they make plans to go to Florida but their plans go awol when the Coopers and Paige’s family inform the police of the two girls gone missing.
When the police pull over the girls, their story falls apart quickly. And they are dragged home. Missy promises her parents that she will do better but the grown-up Sheldon tells the audience that this was the start of Missy’s rebellious phase.
And rebellious it is. Missy has a friend in Pastor Jeff’s niece and together they watch R-rated movies like Point Break. They drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes. Pretty much puberty.
When Sheldon rats her out, she is incredibly upset. When she is forced to go to the airport to say bye to Sheldon, she still refuses to talk to him. It wasn’t until the tornado hit, that she sees the error of her ways and promises to do better.
But it remains to be seen if she will keep her word. While Sheldon is in Germany, she sneaks out of the house 32 times while under the supervision of George, since Mary is with Sheldon.
Georgie Cooper and Mandy have a baby
Young Sheldon season 6 was a big one for Georgie and Mandy. Mandy was in labor and Georgie finds out what it means to grow up and be an adult. But that all by itself is a huge obstacle course.
Georgie struggles with things like installing a baby chair in the car for example. But also with baby food and everything baby related. I am sure for those who read this article and have kids, everything Georgie and Mandy do is pretty relatable.
His biggest issue is however that Mandy doesn’t want a relationship with him. In fact, she is even telling him to go out and date other women. And so he does. He meets girls at the video store and goes out on a date with them.
But Mandy has conflicted feelings about this as well, she does love Georgie but isn’t sure about a future with Georgie.
Eventually, Georgie comes home from a date and Mandy asks him why he is home so soon. And he tells her that he loves her and proposes to her. Mandy rejects the proposal, not because she doesn’t love him but because she is scared.
In the last episode of the season, Mandy takes Georgie with her for the weekend. He is reluctant to go, not because he doesn’t want to be with her but mostly because it’s his first time away from the baby. They start fighting at the spa but eventually get back together. When they drive home, Mandy asks Georgie to marry him. He kisses her and says yes.
Mandy’s mother was never happy with Georgie as Mandy’s boyfriend and won’t pay for any wedding. Her father, who owns a tire shop, is very happy for the two of them.
After the big storm, Mandy and Georgie are seen cleaning up Meemaw’s house. It is unclear what happened to Georgie’s inlaws.
Sheldon goes to the University of Heidelberg
In my opinion, the titular character had the least character development in Young Sheldon season 6. The only big event for this season was Sheldon’s failed database.
It was also the first time we saw something that was established in The Big Bang Theory: Sheldon doesn’t really care about money because he always has some. But on the other hand, it was huge because people tried to take advantage of him and his big brain.
But for most of this season, Sheldon was the character in the background while the rest of the characters went through major changes.
Yes, there were comedic scenes when Sheldon tried to run the dorm at the university. Like being taped to a wall, it was hilarious but for what purpose? Just the comedy? If so, then yes it worked. But did the plot of Sheldon having his own dorm room have much character development? No!
This is a point of concern because it is like the writers of Young Sheldon don’t know how to handle their titular character. Maybe the trip to the University of Heidelberg will give the character much of its needed impulses in order to grow a little more than he did this season.
But then again, I don’t envy the writers. Except for Sheldon, most of the characters on Young Sheldon are pretty much a blank slate. It is tough to write when you are a prequel and a lot of your character traits have already been established.
It is an issue in for example Star Wars. There is not much to add if you are writing a book that is in the same era as for example the first trilogy. The same goes for Young Sheldon.
What do I expect from Young Sheldon Season 7
After watching the tornado ruin the town of Medford, I expect that the inhabitants will come closer together. They will have to rebuild not only their houses but also their community.
Despite the pastor having given his word to Conny to not talk about the illegal gambling at the laundry-o-mat, you can never be sure. Because if it is one thing that the community needs, it’s money.
Missy promised to change but can we fully see her do that? I do hope so, yes. I hope that the tornado made a profound impact on her life to actually make a change. Be the change you wish to see.
For Mandy and Georgie and CeCe, it’s not going to be easy either. According to Sheldon, Georgie gets married 3x before Sheldon gets married to Amy in The Big Bang Theory. And I have about had it with the teasing of Georgie becoming Doctor Tire one day.
We all saw that in The Big Bang Theory where Georgie is the owner of an entire franchise called Doctor Tire. Mandy’s father owns a tire shop for cars and it is highly likely that Georgie will one day take over the family business.
But man, they have been teasing us ever since Georgie was shown to be a skilled mechanic and figured out what happened to a certain tire.
George and Mary will have to come to terms with their marriage and make plans on how to get it out of a rut.
What did you think of the current season? Did you like it? Dislike it?
