Lance Barber had all sorts of tricks planned for filming George’s funeral in Young Sheldon, but he ultimately ended up not being able to do any of them. Preceded by George’s death from an unexpected heart attack, Young Sheldon’s final hour was devoted to two main storylines, starting with the Cooper patriarch’s send-off. It was an emotional half hour, as the family grappled with the loss of George while also making decisions for his funeral. In reality, filming the episode was also highly emotional for the cast of The Big Bang Theory prequel.
Wanting to defuse the tension and also bring some levity to the set, Barber tells The Hollywood Reporter in an interview that he had pranks ready when they filmed George’s funeral. However, when it came down to it, he wasn’t able to do any of them because he was taken aback by the emotions of his castmates. Read his full quote below:
I’m going to ruin so many takes. … I’ve got a fart machine and a fake mustache — but quickly realized how emotional the experience was.
These actors walked up in succession to talk to George and had their moments with him. I didn’t do any of my funny bets, I laid there and [had] tears in my ears the entire time. It hit me pretty hard in the way it didn’t anticipate.
George’s Funeral Is The Big Bang Theory Franchise’s Best Episode
It Surpassed Anything That The Big Bang Theory Ever Did
At its core, Young Sheldon was a family comedy, although it never shied away from tackling darker themes. Throughout its run, it did mental health storylines involving Dr. Sturgis and Paige, as well as, relationship woes like infidelity and teenage pregnancy. What made it more equipped to do all these storylines than The Big Bang Theory was its single-camera format. Without the canned laughter, it was able to lean on dramatic moments that made Young Sheldon a better show overall. At the very least, it didn’t have The Big Bang Theory’s problematic humor, which haunted it for years.
Young Sheldon’s handling of George’s final fate is a masterclass in balancing drama and humor.
The crowning jewel of Young Sheldon, however, was George’s death and funeral. It is better than anything that The Big Bang Theory ever put out just in terms of storytelling. It did have some poignant moments, but nothing compared to what its prequel was able to accomplish. Young Sheldon’s handling of George’s final fate is a masterclass in balancing drama and humor. It had comedic bits, but they were never done to undermine the seriousness of the Coopers’ situation. Meemaw’s funeral speech epitomized that in a way that was both funny and heartbreaking as she celebrated George’s life and legacy.
Despite a rushed final half hour, the Young Sheldon finale is one of the better TV endings in a while. It had heart and humor — two of the prequel’s best assets. Georgie And Mandy’s First Marriage has its work cut out for it, considering the bar that its parent series has set in terms of The Big Bang Theory franchise’s storytelling.