Summary

Young Sheldon season 7 is officially delayed indefinitely due to ongoing strikes by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA.If the show returns during the mid-season, it will have fewer episodes, potentially leading to a rushed ending for the series.The delay increases the chances of a season 8 renewal, however, which would allow the show to properly wrap up ongoing plotlines and provide a satisfying conclusion for the Coopers.

CBS officially delays season 7, but there's one big upside to the longer wait for the Coopers' small screen return. Four years after ended, its spin-off has finally found its own identity.

Starting as an origins story for Jim Parsons' Sheldon Cooper has evolved into a family comedy, with an increased focus on the rest of the Coopers. Season 6 proved that this shift was a welcomed change, with the series posting show-high ratings in its latest year. There's an eagerness to know what's next for Sheldon and his family. Unfortunately, it will take a while before season 7 debuts.

season 6 was quite eventful for the Coopers. After the rocky end of season 5, which saw both Mary and George losing their jobs after word about Mandy and Georgie's unexpected pregnancy, Sheldon's family started to get back on their feet the next year.

Still, it wasn't an easy road. Mary and George's marriage almost crumbed after they found out about each other's infidelity tendencies, Sheldon struggled at East Texas Tech, and Missy started her rebellious phase. While the season 6 finale didn't end on a cliffhanger, several plot lines remain loose. However, although season 7 will be delayed, the longer wait has some actual perks.

Young Sheldon Season 7 Delay Explained

When the Writers Guild of America (WGA) started their strike in early May, CBS remained optimistic about the chances that they would maintain their fall TV schedule.

The network even released a timetable that reaffirmed their usual programming layout, with season 7 supposedly premiering sometime in late September. However, SAG-AFTRA following suit in July has made the 203 fall TV season really bleak. This has forced CBS to reverse course with their initial press release and wipe out all of their scripted series from their confirmed slate. This effectively indefinitely.

Considering that season 7's delay is dependent on external factors, it's difficult to predict when it will premiere. The negotiations between the writers/actors and studios continue, unfortunately, with no end in sight.

The strikes can go on for far longer if there's no fair deal is made for WGA and SAG-AFTRA who are fighting for fair pay and better overall working conditions. stars such as Lance Barber, Zoe Perry, Raegan Revord, Iain Armitage, and Wallace Shawn have all joined the protests, making sure that their stance on the issue is clear.

Young Sheldon Season 7 Midseason Return Isn’t Exactly A Good Thing

While it's tricky to predict when exactly season 7 will arrive on CBS, usual production timelines offer an idea about the chances of it debuting during the mid-season.

If the industry-wide work stoppage gets resolved before early September, there may still be a way to salvage the comedy's year by giving the writers, cast, and crew enough time to get some episodes ready for early to mid-January premiere. This seems like the best-case scenario at this point, considering that it's the earliest that it can return. However, that isn't exactly the case, because returning during the mid-season means that season 7 will have fewer episodes.

Having fewer episodes may not be that big of a deal for shows that are guaranteed several more years. For , however, it could be the reason for an unsatisfying ending to

prequel. Despite the family comedy's popularity, it has a pre-determined end thanks to its parent series' continuity. Unless CBS stretches out its storytelling or deviates from canon, then season 7 is the perfect time to wrap up the spin-off. Considering its multiple lingering plot lines, having fewer episodes in its possible final year risks a rushed ending, which would taint the show's rather great run.

Young Sheldon Season 7 Delay Increases The Chances Of Season 8 Renewal

If

season 7 ends up debuting during the mid-season with fewer episodes, CBS may be compelled to renew the show for at least one more year. This will allow prequel to stage a proper send-off for the Coopers. It may also give the network more time to figure out how to continue the series once Sheldon finally moves to Pasadena to start his post-graduate studies at Caltech. For context, Sheldon only has one more year at East Texas Tech, and after his college stint, he relocates to California he eventually settles for the long haul.

Returning to the small screen in January and having a 13-episode season 7 would allow

to simply deal with ongoing plotlines in the series. That includes the aftermath of Meemaw's house getting destroyed by the tornado, Mandy and Georgie getting started on their wedding plans, and Sheldon's summer abroad in Germany. Ordering season 8 means that the family comedy can devote season 7 to ongoing plot lines and start setting up the series' end when it comes back in the fall of 2024.

How Young Sheldon Season 8 Can Fully Complete The Coopers’ Story

has long outgrown its premise.

When it debuted, it was a way to further capitalize on ’s popularity, and putting the nerd-centric sitcom’s true lead at the center of its storytelling made sense. In recent years, however, there has been a shift in the prequel's narrative. It has started to diversify its plot, which means that . Had the show stuck to its roots, then wrapping it up with just 13 episodes in season 7 may be doable. After all, much of Sheldon's future has already been laid out in .

That being said, since this is no longer the case, Y will need more time to craft a satisfying finale. Aside from the boy genius, the comedy also needs to ensure that each Cooper family member's story has been properly tackled. For starters, it would be massively disappointing if Georgie and Mandy's wedding doesn't play out on the screen. The same goes for Missy's supposed redemption arc. More importantly, it's imperative that also tackles George's cheating story and subsequent death. Despite the sensitivity of the subject, both tragedies are integral to Sheldon's life and the Coopers' collective history.