5 Reasons Why George Cooper Sr. Will Break Your Heart on Young Sheldon

When Young Sheldon first aired in 2017, few people expected The Big Bang Theory spin-off to grow into the big hit that it is today. Of course, one of the main reasons behind the show's success is its fun and relatable characters.

The Coopers may not be the most happy family, but they do their best to keep their relationships friendly and supportive, and the family's loving and awkward father is definitely one of the funniest characters on Young Sheldon. But while his jokes and actions serve as the source of humor on the show, George Cooper's story is indeed quite sad.

Here are five reasons to feel sorry for Sheldon's father.

He isn't duly rewarded for his work.

In Young Sheldon, we learned that George Sr. used to have a better, more well-paying job that he was fired from. After he discovered that his colleagues were recruiting professional players to boost their school's football scores, George was sacked from his job instead of being celebrated for reporting the corrupt scheme. Consequently, Sheldon's father had to take up his current job at a Medford school that makes him miserable.

He perseveres in an unhappy marriage.

George is a decent man and always wanted to do the right thing, so when Mary got pregnant with Georgie, he married his girlfriend even though the two were quite young and not ready to tie the knot yet. Now, the two are still not happy in their marriage, and George seems to suffer the most, drowning his problems in alcohol.

His own family doesn't recognize his efforts.

Perhaps the main reason behind George's unhappiness is the fact that the rest of the Coopers don't feel grateful for what he does for them. He does a job he hates so that the family can make ends meet and tries to keep the marriage afloat, but in return, George is looked down upon and scorned by his own family.

He dies prematurely.

On The Big Bang Theory, we learned that George died when Sheldon was around 15. Given his constant stress, unhealthy eating habits, and the drinking problem resulting from all the above-mentioned factors, George's untimely death seems logical, but it's still tragic at the same time.

Sheldon doesn't remember him fondly.

Sheldon is a difficult child, but George tries hard to find common ground with him and never gives up on his son. However, the boy doesn't appreciate his father much, and in his adult life, Sheldon remembers his father as a crude man with a drinking problem, not as the fun and great dad that George really was.