Summary

• George Cooper's affair was one of the most anticipated moments on Young Sheldon since learning about the affair from Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory.
• All signs pointed to George cheating on Mary with their neighbor Brenda, who seemingly planted doubts in Mary's mind in order to make the moves on George.
• In a surprising twist no one saw coming, Season 7 of Young Sheldon reveals the truth behind George's affair to save one character's reputation.

On The Big Bang Theory, the Bazinga-loving Sheldon said George had multiple affairs before he died. So far, Young Sheldon hasn't shown that, but the series has hinted that George and Brenda have an affair before everything is said and done. They clearly have feelings for each other, so it's only a matter of time before they cross 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 may finally know why George wanted to cheat on Mary.

Updated on March 12, 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 Could Lead to George's Affair

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. It's certainly possible for Mary and Rob to have had an affair, which in turn may explain why Brenda puts a move on George.

Does George Cheat on Mary With Brenda?

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

Brenda could tell George about Mary's feelings for Rob and start a fight. Between Mary's jealousy and George's outrage, he might do 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 gives her an opportunity.

Sheldon Misunderstood George's "Affair"

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 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 airs Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. on CBS.