Young Sheldon is coming back for Season 7 on CBS - here's everything fans know so far about the release, cast, story, and more.
Following 12 seasons of hit nerd comedy The Big Bang Theory, creator Chuck Lorre returned to that world with Young Sheldon. The spin-off stars Iain Armitage as young genius Sheldon Cooper growing up in Texas in the late 20th century.
At the time Young Sheldon started out, the Cooper prodigy was just nine years old and beginning his time in high school. Six seasons later, Sheldon is already in college and continuing to advance his career as the show moves into Season 7.
When Will Young Sheldon Season 7 Release?
CBS issued a three-season renewal for Young Sheldon in 2021, thus confirming The Big Bang Theory spin-off would continue through to, at least, Season 7.
Work on Young Sheldon Season 7 is believed to be largely on hold at the moment due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes plaguing Hollywood as writers and actors across the industry campaign for better wages and other guarantees.
Even throughout the pandemic, CBS has managed to maintain an annual fall TV premiere for Young Sheldon's latest seasons, however, the ongoing strikes make it increasingly unlike Season 7 will arrive this fall.
As of now, due to the strike-induced hold-ups, Young Sheldon Season 7 does not have a premiere date. But, as per a schedule from Deadline updated after the writer and actor strikes began, The Big Bang Theory prequel is still listed for CBS' fall 2023 schedule on Thursday nights.
It's unclear whether production has yet begun on Season 7, but unless a significant amount of footage was already taped prior to the strike, it seems unlikely the series will manage to reach its annual late September premiere window.
In November 2023, CBS, via Variety, announced that Young Sheldon Season 7 will premiere on the network on February 15, 2024, which is the same week as next year's Super Bowl.
TV Line also reported afterward that Season 7 will consist of 14 episodes. This came after Missy Cooper actress Raegan Revord let it slip that "filming these last 14 episodes will be so hard" on her latest Instagram post:
“I will say more later, but right now I am feeling so, so heartbroken, but also so grateful. Playing Missy Cooper for the past seven years and getting to be a part of this beloved franchise has been life-changing. Filming these last 14 episodes will be so hard, but I am excited to get to opportunity to share this story with the fans and our 'Young Sheldon' family.”
Who Will Return in Young Sheldon Season 7?
The whole main cast of Young Sheldon is currently expected to return for the upcoming Season 7, including the narrator Jim Parsons, the whole Cooper family, Georgie's new fiancé Mandy, and other recurring stars:
- Iain Armitage - Sheldon Cooper
- Raegan Revord - Missy Cooper
- Montana Jordan - Georgie Cooper
- Zoe Perry - Mary Cooper
- Lance Barber - George Cooper Sr.
- Annie Potts - Connie Tucker/Meemaw
- Emily Osment - Mandy McAllister
- Matt Hobby - Pastor Jeff Difford
- Wallace Shawn - John Sturgis
- Melissa Peterman - Brenda Sparks
- Wyatt McClure - Billy Sparks
- Jim Parsons - Sheldon Cooper (adult narrator)
What Will Happen in Young Sheldon Season 7?
After the Young Sheldon Season 6 finale, Georgie and Mandy, following the birth of their first child, are now engaged, meaning fans may be in for a Cooper wedding in the upcoming Season 7. However, as fans of The Big Bang Theory will know, Georgie will go on to have several failed marriages over the years that follow.
The finale also saw Sheldon and Mary jet off to spend a summer in Germany as part of the young genius' path to Caltech. The pair only landed safely at the end of the episode, so it's unclear whether Season 7 will spend any time in the European country or time-skip through that period altogether - as seems more likely.
Before the flight, Sheldon and his sister Missy parted on tense terms after he ratted her out to their parents for sneaking out. The reconciliation of the pair will likely be an important storyline in the early episodes of Season 7.
Meanwhile, back in Medford, a tornado hit the Texas town, ravaging Meemaw's home, which will likely come into play in Season 7 as she moves in with her boyfriend Dale and experiences the newfound strains of being a cohabiting couple.
At the same time, Mandy, Georgie, and their daughter Cece will be moving into Sheldon's old room in the Cooper household. This may be a gesture George comes to regret as he settles into life with a young child in the house again.
How Many Seasons Will Young Sheldon Have?
As discussed earlier, at the time of Young Sheldon's last renewal, CBS picked up the show for three more seasons, which will close out with Season 7.
The network and the team behind The Big Bang Theory spin-off have yet to give any indication that Season 7 will be the last. But at the same time, there hasn't been any suggestion the show will continue into Season 8 either.
Creator Chuck Lorre was recently revealed to be developing a new Big Bang Theory spin-off for Warner Bros. streaming service Max. Variety stated the project, which is early in development, is expected to be "an hour-long series featuring a mostly new cast with potential for known" characters to appear in guest roles.
As Young Sheldon nears a turning point in Sheldon's life with the death of his father as it hits the seven-season mark, perhaps Lorre may be developing the new Big Bang Theory spin-off as a replacement for the prequel show.
If Young Sheldon is coming to an end with Season 7, an announcement will likely be made in the next few months ahead of the premiere to allow the upcoming batch of episodes to be marketed as the "final season."
In November 2023, CBS announced, via TV Line, that Season 7 would be Young Sheldon's final season.
CBS entertainment president Amy Reisenbach shared the following statement to announce the show's emotional ending:
“As a prequel to one of the biggest comedies, Young Sheldon proved lightning can strike twice. It set itself apart with a remarkable cast that felt like a family from the first moment we saw them on screen and brought characters to life with unique heartfelt stories that drew audiences in from the start. We extend a sincere thank you to executive producers Chuck Lorre, Steve Molaro, and Steve Holland and the entire writing and producing teams for six wonderful seasons. We look forward to seeing their final season unfold and giving it a proper send-off with the best episodes yet for their fans to enjoy.”
Young Sheldon executive producers Chuck Lorre, Steve Molaro, and Steve Holland expressed their gratitude in an official statement as well:
“Being able to tell the origin of Sheldon Cooper, and expanding the story to include the entire Cooper family has been a wonderful experience. We are grateful to our fans for embracing this chapter of the Coopers these past six seasons, and on behalf of the entire Young Sheldon family, we’re excited to share this final season with you.”
Will Sheldon's Dad Die in Season 7?
Sheldon revealed in The Big Bang Theory that he was just 14 when his father, George Cooper, tragically died. Young Sheldon has already revealed problems with the Cooper patriarch's health as he suffered a heart attack early in Season 5 amid a series of marital and family stresses.
Having started off the CBS prequel series at just 9 years old, Sheldon is believed to be 12 or 13 years old and in his second year of college during Season 6. As such, Young Sheldon may not be far away from the death of George Cooper Sr.
George Sr. still has some unfortunate events to go through before his death, including an affair that will culminate in Sheldon walking in on him having sex with another woman - which has been heavily teased to be neighbor Brenda Sparks.
However, as Young Sheldon has already differentiated from The Big Bang Theory canon in several ways, it stands to reason that the series creators may stray away from the pre-defined timeline if they so wish to serve the plot.
In theory, Young Sheldon could continue pushing back George's death in order to keep actor Lance Barber around on the show. But as the child actors continue getting older, the task will only become tougher as the years go on.
If Young Sheldon were to end with Season 7 or in the not-too-distant future, the show could swerve the tragic event to avoid finishing on a somber note. But if that story is to be explored in the prequel, it will likely come in the final season.
Young Sheldon Season 7 is set to premiere on CBS on February 15, 2024.
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