Why Georgie And Mandy's Episode 1 Tribute To Young Sheldon's Death Feels Weird

Fan favorite "Young Sheldon" couple Georgie Cooper (Montana Jordan) and Mandy McAllister (Emily Osment) have returned to the small screen with plenty of enthusiasm and their very own show, "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage." The spin-off brings a much lighter tone to "The Big Bang Theory" universe, but it doesn't forget where it comes from, with the premiere featuring a sweet tribute to George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber), who tragically died at the end of "Young Sheldon."

The new series picks up just months after the finale of "Young Sheldon," and the death of Georgie's dad, George, is still fresh in everyone's minds. Because of this, there are a few emotional moments that, while nice, do feel somewhat weird and out of place due to the show's overall lighter tone and laugh track. The major one is a tribute to George Sr., which happens between Georgie and Mandy's dad Jim (Will Sasso) at the tire shop where he's worked since his father-in-law hired him in Season 7, Episode 8 of "Young Sheldon." Though the pair are not overly affectionate with each other, Georgie ends up giving Jim a sweet hug. When Jim asks him what it was for, Georgie replies, "Sometimes you remind me of my dad. I didn't really hug him when I had the chance." Visibly moved by this, Jim pulls Georgie in for another tender embrace.

As "The Big Bang Theory" viewers know, Georgie struggles to be there for his mom and sister while dealing with his own grief during this time. And thanks to this sweet — albeit slightly odd — moment between Georgie and Jim, it's clear this grief will still be a big part of the show.

Along with the tribute to George, "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage" viewers were treated to appearances by two other "Young Sheldon" stars, Connie (Annie Potts) and Mary (Zoe Perry). While Missy (Raegan Revord) isn't seen or mentioned in the episode, Sheldon (Iain Armitage), who is away studying at Caltech, does get a couple of mentions. Both times he's brought up, it's Georgie talking about his little brother, and he does so in a really positive way, basically saying, "Look how great he turned out." This is a bit of a contrast to what we know from "The Big Bang Theory," which shows that adult Georgie became resentful toward Sheldon, blaming him for not being around after George's death.

It's possible viewers may see some of Georgie's anger toward Sheldon begin to develop later in the series, especially as more members of the Cooper family make appearances on the show. Rachel Bay Jones, who plays Mandy's mom, Audrey McAllister, has teased a big reunion for the upcoming Thanksgiving episode. "We did a Thanksgiving episode with everybody and it was heaven," she told US Weekly, but didn't reveal whether this includes characters who are further afield, like Sheldon. If "Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage" follows through with "The Big Bang Theory's" plotline, which viewers see in Season 11, Episode 23, then it's possible Armitage's character won't be coming home from California to check in on the family all that often.