Young Sheldon Showed the Conniving Reason George Wanted an Affair With Brenda (2024)

On The Big Bang Theory, the Bazinga-loving Sheldon said George had multiple affairs before he died. Young Sheldon never showed that, but the series teased that George and Brenda had an affair. They clearly had feelings for each other, so it was only a matter of time before they crossed the line. That fact was emphasized in Season 6, Episode 2, "Future Worf and the Margarita of the South Pacific."

In this episode, things got even spicier in the ever-complicated Cooper family. While the episode ended with Mary and George having an intimate moment, it was bittersweet because fans finally came to understand whyGeorge wanted to cheat on Mary in the first place.

Updated on July 11, 2024 by Katie Doll: It's no secret that George and Mary have a rocky relationship on Young Sheldon. The two married so young and naturally grew apart as their children grew up and life presented new obstacles for them. But just because people grow apart doesn't mean they don't find their way back to one another. This article has been updated to expand on George and Mary's fallout following their emotional affairs with Brenda and Pastor Rob, and the truth behind George's infidelity.

Mary's Feelings for Pastor Rob Nearly Led to George's Affair

Mary Found a Friend and Possible Partner in Pastor Rob When George Was Emotionally Absent

Early in Season 5, Young Sheldon's true villain Pastor Jeff decided that the church needed a youth pastor. Pastor Rob was a great fit in the church, and because he worked with Mary, they spent a lot of time with each other. It was innocent enough at first, but it wasn't long before Mary started to have feelings for him. While she did her best to suppress those feelings, they became more evident in "Future Worf and the Margarita of the South Pacific."

After being kicked out of the church, Mary needed a new job -- so she applied at the bowling alley where Brenda worked. That was already awkward for Brenda, but it became awkward for Mary when Pastor Rob walked in with a date on his arm. It likely came as a shock to Brenda after she noticed that Mary was being "sweet on him," since she was supposed to be happily married. At the time, it was certainly possible for Mary and Rob to have an affair, which in turn may explain why Brenda put a move on George.

Did George Cheat on Mary With Brenda?

George and Brenda Nearly Crossed a Line as His Marriage With Mary Fell Apart

Brenda told Mary that she regularly saw Pastor Rob bringing different women out on dates. While that might be true, it might've also been part of Brenda's plan to get with George. She could've seen that Mary was eyeing Pastor Rob and saying something about Rob having multiple dates would make Mary jealous.

Brenda could've told George about Mary's feelings for Rob and start a fight. Between Mary's jealousy and George's outrage, he nearly did something irrational -- like having an affair. Brenda has always been quite the pot-stirrer, and knowing that there's a weak spot in the Coopers' marriage gave her an opportunity.

Sheldon Misunderstood George's "Affair"

George May Have Never Had an Affair, But Not in Sheldon's Eyes

Later in Season 6, both George and Mary find out that each of them have been getting emotionally attached to other people, leading them to believe they're having affairs with other people. This wasn't the case since neither of them had been physically intimate with their respective possible affair partners, but they both did contemplate the idea. Mary had frequent fantasies about being romantic with Pastor Rob, and George played with the idea of going home with Brenda in the Season 4 finale. Nothing physical happened, but that doesn't mean nothing happened -- emotional affairs can be just as devastating.

Thankfully, Season 7 seems to have nipped the affairs in the bud. Pastor Rob took a new job in another state, and Brenda hasn't made an appearance yet. George is very busy helping the Cooper family recuperate from the devastating tornado that ripped Connie's house apart, even if he's personally doing a poor job at it. With Mary in Germany, the spark had ignited in their marriage once again. They emotionally reconnect through love letters and bond over their children bossing them around. Maintaining a long-distance relationship seemed like a bad idea for the already troubled couple at first, but maybe it's just what they needed.

Things come to a head in Season 7, Episode 4, "Ants on a Log and a Cheating Winker," when Mary comes home with Sheldon. She's eager to step back into the role of the caretaker, but finds that Missy has everything taken care of. Nobody needs her anymore. Mary gravitates toward George at his football practice to cope, to which he gets slightly annoyed that she's smothering his players. At first, it seems like the couple are backtracking into bumpy territory again.

At the end of the episode, Mary surprises him during alone time, dressed in a blonde wig with a forced German accent. Sheldon's curiosity gets the better of him and walks in on the two and quickly leaves, believing his father is sleeping with another woman. George never cheated on Mary; he was just experimenting with Mary in the bedroom. It perfectly explains why George and Mary never divorced. Jim Parsons' adult Sheldon Cooper narrates that he never brought this incident up to his father, and learned to knock three times because of it. For the rest of his life, Sheldon's idea of his father was disparaged simply because of a misunderstanding.

Retconning George's Affair Saves His Integrity

George's Memory as a Loving Father and Husband Is In Tact After His Death

George and Mary's reconnection doesn't change the fact that George considered having an affair, but it does at least spare his reputation with fans. Throughout the entirety of the series, fans had been anticipating the eventual affair and who would be special enough for George to cheat on Mary with. It's a poignant moment in Sheldon's life, and one that would drastically shift the tone from comedy to tragedy.

But what the writers of Young Sheldon probably didn't expect was for people to adore George so much. He was a true sitcom dad, through and through. Sure, he was careless and lazy, but he loved his kids equally and with all his heart. He stood up for Missy and Georgie when Mary showed favoritism towards Sheldon. Even though he could never relate to Sheldon, George did everything to give the young genius the most normal life he could, so he didn't feel like a sore thumb. In addition to providing for his family with what little they had, love and support is all any child can ask from a father. It's no wonder the affair storyline didn't pan out as expected -- the writers didn't have the heart to make George the enemy after his ultimate death in the final season.

Young Sheldon is available to stream on Netflix and Max.

Young Sheldon

TV-PG

Comedy

Drama

Meet a child genius named Sheldon Cooper (already seen as an adult in The Big Bang Theory (2007)) and his family. Some unique challenges face Sheldon, who is socially impaired.

Release Date

September 25, 2017

Cast

Iain Armitage , Jim Parsons

Main Genre

Sitcom

Seasons

6

Creator

Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro

Number of Episodes

127

Network

CBS

Streaming Service(s)

Netflix , Paramount+ , Max , Hulu , Fubo TV , Prime Video