There were always bound to be storylines that slipped through the cracks when *Young Sheldon* wrapped up in 2024. Despite careful preparations by the show’s producers to both launch *Georgie and Mary’s First Marriage* and tie up every loose end and mysterious timeline detail in *Young Sheldon*, some things were inevitably left behind.
With seven seasons under its belt and the narrative needing to focus on the death of George Cooper Sr. (Lance Barber), there wasn’t much room for errors—or even minor oversights. So, is it any wonder that little details faded into the background? For many fans, these weren’t just small things to overlook. These unresolved storylines continue to nag viewers years after the show’s conclusion, leaving them wondering what might have been.
It’s no surprise that fans still ask questions about certain events. Among the unsolved plot threads are several characters who go missing, an infamous storyline that shapes who Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage) becomes yet goes nowhere, and numerous forks in Sheldon’s path that were never explored. There are even jobs accepted by several characters that simply vanish without explanation.
While this list highlights just a few examples, the possibilities are endless. Want to learn more? Here are 10 storylines that remain unresolved from *Young Sheldon*.
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### 1. The False Story of George Sr.’s Affair
This is the big one. Sheldon spends his entire life assuming that his father cheated on his mother, but the show never reveals that this assumption was false.
Remember that infamous knocking pattern Sheldon applies to every closed door on *The Big Bang Theory*? It’s intended to give the person on the other side time to put their pants on—a behavior rooted in Sheldon’s trauma from his father’s supposed affair.
*Young Sheldon* teases this possibility with a depressed George Sr. getting closer to Brenda Sparks (Melissa Peterman), but the two never become romantically involved despite their shared temptation. Ultimately, the scene that haunted Sheldon both as a child and adult wasn’t an affair at all. The blonde woman George Sr. was seen with was actually Mary (Zoe Perry), dressed up in a bodice-enhancing dress and blond wig from Germany.
This revision was likely a decision by the writers who preferred portraying George Sr. as a nicer man, rather than the drunken jerk Sheldon called him in *The Big Bang Theory*. While this change helped maintain consistency, the falsehood continues to influence Sheldon’s feelings about his father decades later.
People who never knew George Sr. assume he was a cheater—all because Sheldon never learns the truth. It’s a story with far-reaching consequences, and a genuine shame it never gets resolved.
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### 2. The Disappearance of Bobbie Sparks
Bobbie Sparks (Ella Allan and Mia Allan) stands out as one of the local neighborhood kids who regularly bullied Sheldon. In the Season 1 episode “Jiu-Jitsu, Bubble Wrap, and Yoo-hoo,” she freaks Sheldon out so much that he tries physical violence—a rare move for someone so physically non-aggressive.
Despite Sheldon’s efforts at martial arts, Bobbie not only survives but gets injured in the process. Ultimately, Sheldon sends his tougher twin sister, Missy (Raegan Revord), after Bobbie. Unexpectedly, Missy and Bobbie become fast friends and even share a tea party witnessed by Sheldon with horror.
This is the only time fans see Bobbie. She disappears from the show despite her brother Billy (Wyatt McClure) and her parents becoming series regulars. Billy even mentions her once, saying she stabbed him with a fork, but beyond that, Bobbie never returns.
One could speculate that after her parents’ divorce, Bobbie moved away with her father, but the show never confirms this. Her sudden vanishing remains an unresolved plot point.
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### 3. Missy’s King Kong Comics Job
Missy’s short-lived job at King Kong Comics begins in Season 6’s “Future Worf and the Margarita of the South Pacific,” when she approaches Nigel (Jason Rogel) about organizing the store. She works there once more in “A Tougher Nut and a Note on File” but then disappears from the storyline.
Missy is about 12 or 13 years old at this point, making her working unsupervised in a comic book shop rather implausible. While it could be excused as an impulsive hire by an independent contractor, the lack of follow-up suggests the writers abandoned the plotline due to its impracticality.
This dropped storyline adds to the list of unresolved threads that once had potential but faded without explanation.
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### 4. The Vanishing of Sheldon’s Childhood Friends
*The Big Bang Theory* characterizes Sheldon as poor with social skills and understanding others. However, *Young Sheldon* offers a different perspective.
Besides his well-known friendship with Tam, Sheldon develops a circle of friends with whom he plays *Dungeons and Dragons*, including Tam and Billy Sparks. This social circle appears in “Demons, Sunday School, and Prime Numbers” but disappears before the show ends.
Fans are left wondering: Did Sheldon push these friends away in his unique manner? Did a fight break out? Or did he simply outgrow them?
Adding to the mystery, Sheldon attends parties where he’s surprisingly popular—significantly different from his adult persona on *The Big Bang Theory*. These inconsistencies highlight the contradictions that fans notice but often overlook.
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### 5. Veronica, Georgie’s First Crush
George Cooper Jr.’s (Montana Jordan) first crush is Veronica (Isabel May), a rebellious girl who receives tutoring from Sheldon. Despite her wild child image, she joins the Cooper family’s faith and asks to be saved after experiencing Mary’s “heck house” exhibit one Halloween.
Veronica joins Mary’s Bible study group, where Georgie expresses interest in her. Torn between her newfound beliefs and feelings for Georgie, she claims to be fine with him dating others but clearly struggles with jealousy.
Veronica reappears once more when she serves Georgie and his date Jana (Ava Allan) at a restaurant, leading to visible tension. After that, Veronica vanishes without resolution.
Did Veronica become Georgie’s first wife? Did they ever address their feelings? Fans never get answers, leaving this storyline frustratingly incomplete.
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### 6. The Fade-Out of Dr. Sturgis
Dr. Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) is a key early mentor for Sheldon and dates Sheldon’s Meemaw (Annie Potts) for a while. Their relationship includes many adventures, helping shape Sheldon’s scientific ambitions.
Yet, Dr. Sturgis fades out in later seasons. While he appears at George Sr.’s funeral in the series finale, his role diminishes over time. The show never explores the potential of an older Sheldon reconnecting with him or integrating him into his Caltech life.
Strangely, adult Sheldon never mentions Dr. Sturgis on *The Big Bang Theory*. Whether Sturgis died or simply disappeared remains unanswered, making his storyline one of the more frustrating loose ends.
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### 7. Dr. Linkletter’s Quiet Exit
Dr. Linkletter (Ed Begley Jr.) also vanishes from Sheldon’s life without explanation. Known for his frankness, his disappearance is surprising.
Dr. Linkletter was critical in securing Sheldon’s summer research position at Heidelberg University, a pivotal step toward his future career. Yet Sheldon never mentions him on *The Big Bang Theory*, and the show offers no insight into his fate.
Linkletter’s departure leaves Sheldon without mentorship during the crucial years, adding to the unresolved character exits in the series.
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### 8. Paige Swanson’s Unfinished Arc
Paige Swanson (Mckenna Grace) is introduced as a female foil and rival to Sheldon, a fellow genius. Their rivalry turns into a friendship that hints at a possible crush when Sheldon nearly kisses Paige, only to be foiled comically.
Paige’s character struggles with her parents’ divorce, transitioning from golden girl to college rebel considering dropping out and running away. She befriends Missy based on their shared desire to escape tough circumstances, even running away together briefly.
However, Paige’s story never fully develops. Her rivalry with Sheldon doesn’t lead anywhere significant, and her friendship with Missy fades. Fans never learn what becomes of Paige after the show ends.
Actress Mckenna Grace’s burgeoning film career—such as her role in *Ghostbusters: Afterlife*—likely contributed to Paige’s limited screen time, but narratively, she deserved better closure.
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### 9. Unexplored School Subjects and Teachers
Sheldon’s academic interests aren’t limited to physics and science. Early on, characters like his philosophy teacher Dora Ericson (Melanie Lynskey) and Professor Boucher (Lance Reddick), who teaches civil engineering, introduce new facets to his education.
These characters broaden Sheldon’s worldview and encourage personal growth, contrasting with the show’s focus on pure science. Yet, over time, these storylines and characters disappear.
We never see Sheldon grappling with English, history, or other disciplines, nor do these subjects meaningfully shape his character. It would have been interesting if the show expanded this aspect of his education, but the focus remained strictly on his physics pursuits.
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### 10. The Unresolved Friendship Between Brenda and George Sr.
The question of George’s supposed affair is partially resolved but leaves gaps, especially regarding his close friendship with Brenda Sparks. They bond after she saves George during his first heart attack and spend significant time together.
Though the friendship deepens, the show never explores the emotional fallout of their closeness. Brenda and Mary even fight over the near-affair, while Mary also experiences, but does not pursue, an attraction to Pastor Rob (Dan Byrd).
Brenda later attends George’s funeral, suggesting the women salvage their relationship, but the friendship between Brenda and George fades awkwardly without closure.
Given Brenda’s divorce was mainly used to tease a potential affair that never happens, the storyline feels wasted. Brenda ends up with little agency or clear narrative purpose—a common criticism of several female characters in *Young Sheldon*.
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### Final Thoughts
*Young Sheldon* gave audiences a rich look into the formative years of one of TV’s most beloved characters, but its seven seasons couldn’t answer every question or tie up every loose end. From missing characters and unexplored relationships to dropped plotlines and contradictory characterizations, these unresolved storylines leave room for fan theories and, possibly, future storytelling.
Whether these threads will ever be picked up again remains uncertain, but for now, they continue to interest and frustrate *Young Sheldon* fans alike.
https://www.looper.com/2020037/young-sheldon-storylines-never-paid-off/