How We Got Here: from The Big Bang Theory to Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage

How We Got Here from The Big Bang Theory to Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at how the universe of this hit sitcom expanded into a franchise, including its prequel “Young Sheldon” and its spin-off “Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage” — “and it all started with a big bang. (Bang)”

Imagine this: the year is 2007, and you’ve just flicked onto a new series called “The Big Bang Theory.” “A sitcom about physicists? That’ll never take off,” you might have thought. Fast forward 12 years, and there you are, wiping away tears as Sheldon delivers his heartfelt Nobel Prize speech, and you prepare to say farewell to the beloved characters you’ve followed for over a decade. But it’s not all goodbyes! You still have “Young Sheldon,” the prequel that’s been on air for two seasons at this point. It feels fresh and new, yet still wonderfully tied to the original show we all love. So, how did we get here?

It all started when Jim Parsons, who played adult Sheldon Cooper, was brainstorming ideas for a new show to produce. He thought of his smart, pre-teen nephew from Texas as a possible inspiration. But then, in conversation with his team, it hit them—they were basically describing a young Sheldon. He took the idea to “Big Bang” co-creator Chuck Lorre, and with so many childhood stories mentioned in the original series, they knew they had something to work with. At first, we were thrilled to see a young version of our favorite character, but soon enough, we felt like part of the Cooper family and became deeply invested in all of their stories.

“Young Sheldon” truly became an ensemble piece, with the narrative steering slowly away from its titular protagonist and focussing on his family both in their individual relationships and as a unit. The Cooper siblings, in particular, were great foils to their genius brother. Take Georgie: he started out as perhaps the most dim-witted of the three, more interested in chasing girls and playing football. But as the series went on, he discovered his entrepreneurial streak, which set him on the path to eventually running a tire empire.

If you’d asked us during the first half of the series who was most likely to get their own spin-off, we’d probably have said Sheldon’s twin sister, Missy. She’s a feisty kid with a sharp tongue, a wicked sense of humor, and maybe the most relatable of the Cooper kids. Even as she moved into her rebellious teen years, she kept that same fiery spirit. Considering where her story leaves off in “Young Sheldon” and the bits we hear about her from Sheldon in “The Big Bang Theory,” there’s a lot of untapped potential for her character to be explored further.

However, Missy, who was often presented as the perfect contrast to Sheldon, seemed to get sidelined once the writers appeared to run out of steam with his storylines. This was also when the show started to shift more focus onto their big brother, Georgie. A high school dropout, Georgie ended up going into business with Connie, eventually running several businesses simultaneously. During this time, he meets Mandy, and they quickly hit it off. Only neither is particularly honest about their age. While Mandy’s fib is more of a harmless white lie, Georgie’s is more problematic. Things take a turn when Mandy finds out she’s pregnant. From there, their rocky relationship and journey into parenthood quickly became the heart of the series. By the time their baby, CeeCee, is born, it feels like the show is setting the stage for a Georgie and Mandy spin-off.

Unlike “Young Sheldon,” which had its path pretty much set by “The Big Bang Theory,” the new spin-off gets to start fresh without those constraints. We don’t have a lot of details about Georgie’s life after Sheldon heads to Pasadena. What we do know is that Georgie took on the role of family caretaker after George Sr. passed away, grew apart from Sheldon, and his relationship with Mandy eventually fell apart. Since “Young Sheldon” established Mandy as Georgie’s “first wife,” that’s the only firm detail we have. Everything else is wide open.

For the die-hard “Big Bang” fans, you might remember Sheldon mentioning congratulatory texts from two of Georgie’s ex-wives, which raises even more questions. Will the spin-off explore Georgie and Mandy breaking up and getting back together a few times, or will Georgie find someone else before realizing Mandy is the one? Or could we be in for a complete curveball with a retcon? We imagine Lorre has learned from the past and would try to avoid writing himself into any tight spots. While they did a great job of reworking some of the “Big Bang” backstories, there were always some fixed elements they couldn’t change. As Lorre admitted in his Vanity Card, if he’d known George Cooper would become such a beloved character, he would’ve never let the Coopers lose their cherished patriarch. Talk about a lesson hard learned!

Showrunner Steve Holland said he was really drawn to this story because of the chemistry between the actors. Even though Georgie and Mandy’s relationship had its ups and downs, the connection between Montana Jordan and Emily Osment was undeniable. Holland said their on-screen chemistry was “so much fun to watch.” With such a strong dynamic and essentially an open book, it made perfect sense to include their story in the expanding “Big Bang Theory” universe. This time, Mandy’s family will have a bigger role, while the Coopers will take a backseat, although they’ll appear in at least one episode. From what we know, Sheldon won’t be around this time around—his future is pretty well set, as we know. But we’re sure he’ll get mentioned, especially as Georgie harbors some resentment for Sheldon not being around in his family’s time of need. Also, Sheldon going away to Caltech isn’t the only link between the two series.

Old cast members reunited on the set of the new spin-off for its first taping in July 2024, and thanks to social media, we got a peek behind the scenes, including some shots of the set! If those photos seemed familiar, you’re not imagining things—reportedly, “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” has taken over “The Big Bang Theory’s” old lot. But that’s not all; unlike “Young Sheldon,” which used a single-camera setup, the new spin-off is going back to the multi-camera approach and will be filmed in front of a live studio audience. Holland hopes this classic setup will help the series forge its own identity separate from the prequel.

Sure, the title might hint at where the story is headed, but Lorre insists there’s still room for hope as long as the audience is willing to give them a chance. He reminisced about the doubts people had about the multi-camera format and the “The Big Bang Theory” concept when it first aired. Given that the show ran for 12 successful seasons and won over critics, he joked, “All is forgiven.” It seems Lorre is ready to prove skeptics wrong once more. Here’s hoping they have the rule of three on their side!

What are you most hoping to see in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage”? Let us know in the comments!