More than a year after it bowed out, I’m still thinking about the deservingYoung Sheldoncharacter who will never have their own spinoff.The Big Bang Theoryended in 2019, but the universe it kickstarted lives.Young Sheldonran for five more seasons after its parent series wrapped up, but even after that, Chuck Lorre continues to grow the franchise.
TheYoung Sheldonendingeffectively launchedGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage— another prequel series that tackles the titular character’s ups and downs as new parents. While it barely has any ties toThe Big Bang Theory, older Georgie’s appearance before Sheldon’s wedding revealed some interesting information that makes the new spinoff more exciting.
Beyond CBS, Lorre is re-teaming withThe Big Bang Theoryco-creator Bill Prady to doStuart Fails to Save the Universefor HBO Max. UnlikeYoung SheldonandGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, it will take place in the modern era, albeit with some twists. It will also shine a light on some ofThe Big Bang Theory’s best supporting characters.
Depending on how successful Lorre’s new endeavors will be, it’s safe to say that there will be more spinoffs from the universe. Sadly, the oneYoung Sheldoncharacter who is primed for an offshoot will unlikely get their own show —McKenna Grace’s Page Swanson.
Paige Swanson Was One Of The Best Characters In Young Sheldon
Young Sheldonseason 2 introduced Paige who became a recurring guest star in the next several years. As Sheldon’s fellow child prodigy, the pair’s relationship was complicated thus far, at least for him. However, Paige’sCooper familyrelationship also extended to Missy, as the pair became better friends.
Smart, fun, and overall better adjusted than Sheldon, Paige had the ideal childhood until her parents split up. This led her down a dark path that involved rebelling and even quitting school altogether. Despite not being part of the main cast,Young Sheldonwas able to effectively craft a compelling personal story for Paige, and it did so in a handful of episodes.
Considering how neglected Missy was inYoung Sheldon, the fact thatThe Big Bang Theoryspinoff was able to give Paige a clear arc is impressive for her, but insulting George and Mary’s only daughter. Ultimately, Paige functions as a cautionary tale for both Sheldon and Missy. Unfortunately, however, Paige’s story still has so many questions waiting to be answered.
Paige’s Story Was Left Unresolved In Young Sheldon
BecauseCBS endedYoung Sheldonduring a shortened year due to the dual Hollywood strikes of 2023, it had limited time to tackle all the lingering storylines set up in its previous seasons.The Big Bang Theoryprequel didn’t even have enough time to properly address what was going on with every single member of the family.
The focus ofYoung Sheldonseason 7 was to set up two main plotlines —the unexpected death of Georgeand Sheldon’s move from Texas to California to start his post-graduate studies at Caltech. Both of those narratives were properly done and were the pillars of the show’s finale. However, this came at the expense of other storylines, including Paige’s arc.
Understandably,Young Sheldonwas focused on wrapping up narratives that had massive implications for what we know about Sheldon’s life inThe Big Bang Theory. While the prequel was lax at preserving continuity, the main driver of its ending was the writers' desire to stick to the established timeline in the nerd-centric sitcom.
So, ultimately,Young Sheldonwas not able to revisit Paige’s story again. The last time she was on the screen was during her and Missy’s daring attempt to drive to Florida from Texas. This was at the height of rebellion for Sheldon’s twin after feeling neglected by her parents for so long.
While the consequences of Missy’s actions played out on the screen, we never find out what happened to Paige. To make things worse, there was no mention of her whatsoever inThe Big Bang Theory. Sheldon claimed that he was the only child prodigy in Texas, whichYoung Sheldoneffectively debunked with Paige.
Why The TBBT Universe Won’t Give Her A Spin-Off (Even Though They Should)
Sadly, despite the narrative potential for Paige’s story to be resolved, it’s highly unlikely that this is in the cards for Lorre and his team.The Big Bang Theory’s Raj is also in a similar situation, and there’s an argument to be made that he deserves the much-clamored offshoot. However, the chances of that happening are also very little to none.
For Paige, specifically, however, other factors make her proposedYoung Sheldonspinoff almost impossible. Aside from the seeming lack of interest from the producers,McKenna Grace may not have the time to commit to a TV showwhere she’s the lead. The actor has been trying a lot of things in her career, including entering the music scene.
A Paige-centeredYoung Sheldonspinoff is just not a priority right now. While there’s always a possibility that it could be revisited in the next few years, the sad reality is, there’s a better chance that her fate will be revealed in a throwaway line than be tackled in a proper story.
Young Sheldon
Cast
A spinoff of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon follows the youth and coming-of-age of Sheldon Cooper during his childhood in Texas as he pursues science and academia. The show also follows his parents, siblings, and Mee-Maw, painting a picture of the world where Sheldon grew up.
