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This Is Why Young Sheldon’s Funeral Episode for George Cooper Had to Be Re-Edited
The show’s creators made major edits to remove humor and emphasize the emotional weight of George Sr.'s passing.
As Young Sheldon evolved from a lighthearted sitcom into a heartfelt family dramedy, the show’s creators faced a pivotal decision in one of its most emotional episodes. The funeral of George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber) was originally scripted with the usual blend of comedy and drama. However, during editing, showrunners Steven Molaro and Steve Holland realized that humor felt out of place in such a deeply emotional moment. This led to significant re-edits to ensure the episode delivered the weight and realism that the story—and its audience—deserved.
In an interview with Parade, Holland explained that the initial version of the episode included standard comedic beats, but when the team watched it back, the jokes felt inappropriate. "We wanted to be very respectful of George as a character and what his passing meant to this family. We could treat it as realistically as we wanted to. We didn’t feel the need to just throw jokes in because it was a comedy show."
By stripping away unnecessary humor, the episode became one of Young Sheldon’s most powerful moments. The lack of jokes allowed the characters to fully express their grief, making it the highest-rated episode of the series on IMDb. The impact of George Sr.’s loss wasn’t just a pivotal moment for Young Sheldon—it also resonated into The Big Bang Theoryand the upcoming spin-off, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
From its early seasons, Young Sheldon followed the childhood of Sheldon (Iain Armitage), his twin sister Missy (Reagan Revord), and their older brother Georgie (Montana Jordan). When the show began, the young cast was just starting out, but as they aged, so did the show’s themes.
Holland noted that the cast was ready for this emotional challenge, saying, “We knew at this point that the kids were gonna knock this out of the park.” Their real-life emotions about the show’s ending made their performances even more poignant, especially Revord, whose portrayal of Missy’s grief was particularly devastating.
The decision to remove humor from George Sr.’s funeral episode allowed Young Sheldon to deliver one of its most heartfelt moments, proving that even a comedy can—and sometimes should—take itself seriously. However, there was one subtle nod to the show’s usual tone: Lance Barber, the actor who played George Sr., made a secret cameo as one of the funeral attendees. Even in the darkest times, a small reminder of levity remains.
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