Warning! SPOILERS for Young Sheldon season 6, episode 10.Young Sheldon season 6 heavily suggests that George is Brenda's secret boyfriend, and there's a good chance that he really is. Thanks to Sheldon's stories on The Big Bang Theory, George already got a bad reputation even before he debuted on Young Sheldon. However, arguably his biggest transgression as a family man was having an affair. Young Sheldon season 4 floated the idea that George's mistress could be the separated Brenda Sparks. After sidelining the interesting plotline for a while, Young Sheldon season 6's "Textbook Flirting and Sunday Pancakes" episode revisits it and doubles down on the idea that Sheldon's father is having an extramarital relationship with their neighbor.
According to the boy genius, Sheldon accidentally walked in on his dad while being intimate with another woman who remains unnamed. Young Sheldon makes Sheldon's George cheating story impossible, but that doesn't mean that CBS isn't planning on following through with the character's claims. As the family comedy moves forward in the established The Big Bang Theory timeline, there's increasing anticipation to see this incident play out on the small screen. However, between Georgie's unexpected pregnancy news and Mary's possible own affair, George's cheating scandal has been sidelined —that is until Young Sheldon season 6 effectively revives it.
Young Sheldon Set Up & Then Forgot George & Brenda’s Relationship
Brenda and George first got together in the Young Sheldon season 4 finale. On the heels of his big fight with Mary, the Cooper patriarch stormed out of the house and went to the local pub where he encountered his neighbor. The pair chatted, but their conversation quickly turned flirtatious. Nothing happened between them, but both realized their mutual attraction to each other. However, Young Sheldon season 5 eventually dropped the whole plotline to instead focus on Mary's own possible affair with Pastor Rob. Brenda's subsequent Young Sheldon appearances have become sporadic, making it difficult to assess her budding romance with Sheldon's father.
For a while, it seemed like CBS has just forgotten about the intriguing plotline, especially since Mary and George have found ways to reinvigorate their marriage in Young Sheldon season 6. Being forced out of the church not only separated Mary from Pastor Rob, but also allowed her to re-focus her energy on her family. It somehow made her more agreeable and fun, which the rest of the Coopers appreciated, including George. So, it's a surprise that Young Sheldon season 6, episode 10 has suddenly revived George and Brenda's potential affair storyline.
George and Brenda May Already Be Having An Affair In Young Sheldon Season 6
Prior to the release of "Textbook Flirting and Sunday Pancakes," there was no indication that the episode will be focused on George. Instead, official marketing for the Young Sheldon season 6 outing centered on Mary's finding a new social circle and Mandy and Georgie's dynamic getting increasingly complicated. It was unexpected when the episode's biggest reveal is the possibility that George and Brenda's affair has already been going on for a while now. The idea came from Brenda's friends giddily discussing her having a secret boyfriend, who may be married, which is why she wouldn't talk about it.
Between Brenda giving Mary nervous looks and her friends' suspicions, it's heavily implied that her "secret boyfriend" is George. However, Young Sheldon made things complicated when Sheldon's dad had to confront Brenda about seeing someone — as if he isn't her mysterious lover. Regardless of their official relationship status, the fact that George was compelled to have a secret meeting with Brenda establishes that they have maintained communications all this time. It's possible that Brenda and George's Young Sheldon affair has already started long ago. If this is the case, it makes Mary's attempt at mending their marriage more tragic, because George isn't truly interested in fixing their relationship.
Why George Having An Affair With Brenda In Young Sheldon Season 6 Makes Sense
As heartbreaking as it is that George has been carrying out an affair while Mary has been making an effort to reignite their romance, this actually makes sense for a couple of reasons. CBS has tried to delay George's infidelity, but as it moves up The Big Bang Theory's timeline, they don't have any choice but to finally tackle the controversial plotline. Laying the groundwork for it as early as possible is imperative, but considering everything that's happening with the Coopers, doing it now would railroad all other ongoing plots. Their best bet is to go back to Brenda as the mistress in George's long-delayed Young Sheldon cheating scandal.
Handling the delicate narrative this way is beneficial to Young Sheldon's storytelling. Now, The Big Bang Theory prequel is no longer forced to explicitly show George engaging in an extra-marital affair because the family comedy already established that it's happening primarily offscreen. Young Sheldon is sparing viewers the gory details of the Cooper patriarch's infidelity to maintain its mostly lighthearted tone. That's until it finally tackles Sheldon's infamous story about walking in on George having sexual relations with her mistress in his parents' bedroom. Given how much the incident impacted the socially-inept genius, it's mandatory that Young Sheldon shows exactly how it all played out.
What Brenda and George’s Potential Affair Means For Young Sheldon Season 6
It's no secret that Young Sheldon has created TBBT plot holes. For a while now, it seemed like Young Sheldon was going to once again ignore established continuity by skipping George's cheating scandal, especially after his budding relationship with Brenda was sidelined. However, now that it's confirmed that they continue to interact with each other without other people's knowledge, Young Sheldon season 6 can get away with not further exploring it for a while. If the past is any indication, CBS isn't going to lean on this narrative, especially since there are plenty other plotlines for the show to focus on.
In any case, Young Sheldon season 6 still has a long way to go from being over. Beyond that, The Big Bang Theory prequel is already guaranteed for season 7, giving CBS some wiggle room in pacing the Cooper patriarch's cheating scandal narrative. It's also worth noting that the affair leads to the George's tragic Young Sheldon death, which further dissuades the network from actively tackling the complicated plotline yet, as losing George could ultimately spell the end of Young Sheldon.
Young Sheldon season 6 airs Thursdays on CBS.