The Big Bang Theory isn’t just one of the biggest “geek” properties introduced in the last 25 years, but one of the biggest TV shows of that period as well. The show, which centered on a group of ultra-nerdy college professors navigating everyday life, became such an enormous hit for CBS that when it finally wrapped up, they immediately followed it up with a prequel — Young Sheldon — which explored the childhood of Sheldon Cooper, the show’s breakout character. Tonight, Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage debuts on the network, picking up shortly after Young Sheldon left off and serving a kind of mid-quel — a sequel series to Young Sheldon but a prequel to The Big Bang Theory.
Young Sheldon ended with Sheldon’s father, George Cooper Sr., dying unexpectedly, plunging the family into shock and mourning. In the new series, his eldest son Georgie will move in with his girlfriend and in-laws, dealing with a bit of culture shock while simultaneously still trying to get a grip on his life without his dad in it.
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“We’re not specific about it, but in my mind, this show picks up a month or two later,” showrunner Steve Holland told ComicBook. “We always knew that we wanted to continue their story, and that what Georgie had just been through with the death of his father was always going to be a part of this character. We also didn’t want to pick up right in the aftermath of the grief; we wanted a little bit of time to pass, because the show is a comedy. I think it’s a light-hearted, loving comedy, but we’re also trying hard not to shy away from the real, serious elements. His dad passing away is certainly one, but there’s a lot of rocky road going forward in this relationship.”
Even the title — Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage — is going to raise questions for some people. Will this be a show about an on-again, off-again couple? Will it be their journey to finding true love with other people? What, exactly, does that title mean?
“There’s a lot of love, but there’s also a lot of stress,” Holland explained. “Coming into this, we didn’t want to just do a sort of bright, shiny, throwback sitcom. We wanted to do something that had a lot of laughs, but also could be poignant and real, and especially coming off of Young Sheldon. We’re finding a show that sort of bridges [Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory]. This is a multi-camera show in front of an audience, which we’re very excited about, but we want to also respect the tone of Young Sheldon, even the look of Young Sheldon, so that it doesn’t feel totally different.”
That said, Holland told us that he and the writers are having a little fun watching fans speculate about the meaning of that title.
“I like that there’s a split” in the interpretation, Holland admitted. “I like that there’s discussions. I like that people might be arguing about it in, internally. I don’t know that I want to give my opinion about what exactly it means. I think there’s an interesting engagement that comes with that title.”
Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage debuts tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and Paramount+.