Summary
- Young Sheldon's popularity is enough to keep the show going for another season.
- Shelly is supposed to leave for CalTech at the end of Season 7.
- Another major event is the more likely reason why Season 8 is impossible.
As hard as it is to believe, Young Sheldon is ending in just one week after seven seasons on the air. The prequel to The Big Bang Theory became an instant hit when it premiered in 2017 and a fierce competitor to its parent series, which it ran concurrently with for two years.
Following TBBT's most famous (or infamous) character, Dr. Sheldon Cooper, through his childhood, Young Sheldon tells the story of his growing up as a genius in the small, fictional Texas town of Medford with a more-than-ordinary family. Over the course of seven seasons, YS has become CBS' flagship comedy show, attracting millions of viewers. With that in mind, it would seem natural to continue the spin-off for at least one more season. But apparently there could never be an eighth season of Young Sheldon.
Sheldon's Departure
Every fan of The Big Bang Theory knows that Sheldon left Medford for CalTech when he was about fifteen, shortly after his father's untimely death. Since each season of Young Sheldon covers about a year of the characters' lives, and the show began when Shelly was about eight, there could only be about seven seasons of the spin-off before it was time for the main character to leave.
However, even though the spin-off is titled after Shelly and he is supposed to be the main character, he hasn't been for quite a while now, as the focus of the show has shifted to the other Coopers. Season 7, for example, barely focuses on Sheldon at all, with Meemaw and Georgie being the more prominent characters.
Given that, it wouldn't be a disaster if Shelly left the picture and YS continued to follow the rest of the Coopers in Medford throughout an eighth season. So the reason it cannot be is different.
A Fan Favorite's Death
The Cooper household simply won't be the same without George Sr., who will sadly pass away this season in accordance with TBBT canon. Sheldon's father is by far the most beloved character on the show, thanks to his easy-going demeanor, great sense of humor and kind heart. Without him, the Coopers will lose their charm and most of their dynamism, as there will be no one to lighten their seemingly dull daily lives.
Even Connie, as funny as she is, can't make up for George's absence. She needs him, and so does the rest of the family and the audience. In other words, Young Sheldon simply won't be the same without George, and Season 8 would be a waste of time without him.
Episodes 11 and 12 of Young Sheldon's seventh season premiere tonight, May 9.