“Young Sheldon” Fans Slam Show’s “Bizarre” Cameo Stunt as a Major Misstep!
Although Young Sheldon pulled off a weird cameo trick to bring back one of The Big Bang Theory’s stars, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage can’t replicate this approach in season 2. From the title of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage onward, the show has always been closely linked with the story of Young Sheldon.
While Young Sheldon’s ending depicted Georgie and Mandy as a happy young couple navigating parenthood and marriage, The Big Bang Theory season 11, episode 23, “The Sibling Realignment,” saw Georgie’s older self reference an “ex-wife” in passing. Now, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage must somehow bridge the gap between these two divergent depictions.
In contrast, Young Sheldon was much less closely linked to the events of The Big Bang Theory. The sitcom franchise’s first spinoff was a prequel, whereas Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is a direct sequel to Young Sheldon that picks up where its predecessor left off. This makes it tougher for the new show to pull off one type of playful cameo seen in Young Sheldon.
Young Sheldon Featured TBBT’s Kaley Cuoco In An Uncredited Cameo
Penny’s Actor Played The Talking Pool In Sheldon’s Nightmare
In Young Sheldon season 3, episode 10, “Teenager Soup and a Little Ball of Fib,” Sheldon claimed he was ill so he could avoid swimming in a school pool. Sheldon was horrified by the thought of taking a dip in water that was shared by dozens of other swimmers, resulting in a surreal nightmare sequence where sentient pool water spoke to him.
The pool tried to convince Sheldon to take a swim, telling him that it wasn’t as gross as he feared. Hilariously, Young Sheldon’s talking pool was voiced by The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco, who played Sheldon’s neighbor, nemesis, and eventual dear friend Penny. Like the talking pool, Penny was always trying to convince Sheldon to lighten up and try new things.
Cuoco voicing Sheldon’s fear years before he even met Penny was an ingenious gag, and it made sense that Sheldon’s subconscious would lend her voice to his nightmare’s projection of peer pressure.
Although Young Sheldon’s finale didn’t bring back Cuoco’s Penny onscreen, this moment was a fun nod to fans of the sitcom franchise. Cuoco voicing Sheldon’s fear years before he even met Penny was an ingenious gag, and it made sense that Sheldon’s subconscious would lend her voice to his nightmare’s projection of peer pressure.
After all, Penny’s attempts to get Sheldon out of his shell often involved getting him involved in group activities, social experiences, and even a romantic relationship. Penny wanted Sheldon to fit in more, and the pressure to attend swimming lessons despite his misgivings was another instance of the adolescent fearing the weight of unwelcome societal expectations.
Why Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Can’t Copy Young Sheldon’s TBBT Cameo Trick
Young Sheldon’s Spinoff Isn’t As Zany As Its Franchise Predecessor
Since this gag worked so well and bolstered the episode it appeared in, it seems obvious that Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage should repeat Young Sheldon’s cameo trick. Since Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage does change The Big Bang Theory’s canon from time to time, it wouldn’t be surprising for an original series star to play a new, unrelated character on the show.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Cast
Actor
Character
Montana Jordan
Georgie Cooper
Emily Osment
Mandy McAllister
Will Sasso
Jim McAllister
Rachel Bay Jones
Audrey McAllister
Dougie Baldwin
Connor McAllister
Jessie Prez
Ruben
Not only could Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 2 technically feature The Big Bang Theory cast cameos, but this wouldn’t even be the first time the show’s universe pulled this off. As well as Cuoco voicing the talking pool in “Teenager Soup and a Little Ball of Fibb,” Young Sheldon reused actors from The Big Bang Theory in other roles.
Famously, Lance Barber played Leonard’s bully before he became George Sr. in Young Sheldon.
Medford High School’s music teacher, Ms. Fenley, was played by Melissa Tang in Young Sheldon, who had previously played a colleague of Leonard’s in The Big Bang Theory. Famously, Lance Barber played Leonard’s bully before he became George Sr. in Young Sheldon and Althea Robinson played an impatient nurse in both shows.
Octavia Spencer played unrelated minor characters in Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory, namely a DMV clerk and Meemaw’s stern parole officer Rhonda. Meanwhile, Michael Trucco played Dr. Dave in The Big Bang Theory, while he was Mary’s imaginary romance novel star Rusty in Young Sheldon. Clearly, this was a recurring approach in the prequel’s casting.
However, although Young Sheldon’s story is closely linked to the plot of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, this doesn’t mean the series can simply copy this casting trick. The nature of some of the above cameos alone explains why. From Sheldon’s immersive nightmare to Mary’s fantasy story, Young Sheldon constantly drops viewers into the internal worlds of its heroes.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 2 can’t borrow Young Sheldon’s surprise comebacks because the spinoff has a more conventional, straightforward sitcom tone than its predecessor. The newer show is not prone to flights of fancy like Young Sheldon‘s talking pool nightmare, meaning any returning actors from The Big Bang Theory would need to play in-universe characters.
It is already strange that Sheldon never noticed the resemblance between Leonard’s bully and his father, or the striking similarities between his high school teacher and the woman Leonard cheated on Penny with.
This would be a lot weirder. It is already strange that Sheldon never noticed the resemblance between Leonard’s bully and his father, or the striking similarities between his high school teacher and the woman Leonard cheated on Penny with. Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’s traditional sitcom setup makes fantasy segues and nightmare sequences less common, thus limiting these casting opportunities.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Doesn’t Need Any The Big Bang Theory Cameo Anyway
The Spinoff Still Hasn’t Even Brought Back Sheldon Himself
Fortunately, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 2 doesn’t necessarily need this Young Sheldon casting trick. The show has fared fine without any comebacks from The Big Bang Theory stars in season 1, and even made it through a successful first season without bringing back Sheldon himself for a cameo.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage season 2 can’t avoid its biggest Young Sheldon cameo forever, but the fact that the show functions without Sheldon proves it wouldn’t necessarily benefit from appearances by minor stars of The Big Bang Theory. Whatever about anonymous voice cameos for the original show’s cast, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage‘s biggest priority should be finally getting Sheldon back.
While The Big Bang Theory’s focus shifted from Leonard to Sheldon over the years, the show always maintained a straightforward, traditional sitcom style. Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage brought this back, thus limiting the show’s ability to pull off fantasy sequences like those found in Young Sheldon.
The Big Bang Theory Franchise Project
Release Years
# of Seasons
The Big Bang Theory
2007-2019
12
Young Sheldon
2017-2024
7
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
2024-Present
1
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe
N/A
N/A
While this does mean that the spinoff can’t pull off the same type of hidden voice cameos as its predecessor, it also proves that the show doesn’t need to. Like The Big Bang Theory, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage functions as an old-fashioned multicamera sitcom, meaning it doesn’t need Young Sheldon’s casting gags that shake the show’s fourth wall.
