As Young Sheldon gears up for its final season, Season 6 has already drawn heated discussion among longtime fans — and it’s not just about Sheldon’s growing genius or George Sr.’s looming fate. The issue now sits squarely with Mary Cooper, and how the prequel has, once again, exposed a glaring inconsistency with her Big Bang Theory version.

Mary’s Church Fallout Deepens the Divide

Season 6 picks up right where Season 5’s explosive finale left off — with the Cooper family rocked by Georgie’s unexpected pregnancy with Mandy, and Mary facing intense judgment from her church community. Fired by Pastor Jeff and alienated by her congregation, Mary finds herself questioning the religious identity that once defined her.

And that’s exactly where the problem begins for longtime fans of The Big Bang Theory, who remember Mary Cooper (played by Laurie Metcalf) as a staunchly devout, no-nonsense Southern Christian mother whose values rarely wavered — even when challenged by Sheldon’s atheism.

In contrast, Young Sheldon Season 6 shows Mary (played by Zoe Perry, Metcalf’s real-life daughter) at her most conflicted and disillusioned, battling internal doubt, moral frustration, and growing resentment toward the church she once considered her second home.

“I don’t even know what I believe anymore,” Mary tells George in Episode 4, after bumping into former church friends who now ignore her.

A Plot Hole Too Big to Ignore?

This arc is powerful television — emotionally rich, thematically relevant, and grounded in Perry’s excellent performance. But for some viewers, it deepens the plot hole that’s been growing since Season 2: if Mary lost her faith so dramatically, how did she become the fire-and-brimstone Mary Cooper we met in Sheldon’s adult life?

“It’s a great story for Young Sheldon,” one Reddit user wrote, “but it directly contradicts the version of Mary we know in Big Bang. She never once seemed like someone who’d questioned the church.”

Others argue it’s a case of character evolution versus inconsistency — that grief, time, and George’s eventual death could have “re-radicalized” Mary’s faith by the time we meet her in The Big Bang Theory.

“Sometimes trauma doesn’t push people away from faith — it pushes them deeper into it,” tweeted one fan.

A Creative Gamble That May Pay Off

According to insiders, Young Sheldon’s writers are aware of the apparent contradiction — and they’re leaning into it intentionally.

“This isn’t about creating contradictions,” said showrunner Steve Holland in a behind-the-scenes interview. “It’s about exploring how a woman’s relationship with faith can shift when everything she’s built starts falling apart.”

Indeed, Mary’s arc in Season 6 is arguably the most complex she’s had yet. Fired from her job, shunned by her peers, and stuck in a strained marriage with George, she begins to redefine her role not just as a mother — but as a person.

“It’s the first time Mary is allowed to ask herself what she believes,” actress Zoe Perry said. “Not what the church says. Not what her husband thinks. Not what her kids need. Just… her.”

Fans React: “This Isn’t the Mary I Remember”

Online, the fandom is split.

“I love the realism,” wrote one fan. “This makes her more human.”
“They’re rewriting her to fit the story, not the canon,” argued another.
“If Big Bang Theory Mary was this layered, she’d have had an Emmy by Season 3!”

Still, viewership numbers remain strong, and Perry’s performance has been praised by critics for capturing both vulnerability and quiet resilience.

What It Means Going Into Season 7

With Young Sheldon heading into its final season later this year, many fans are wondering whether the writers will attempt to reconnect Mary’s younger, searching version with the stern matriarch we meet in The Big Bang Theory — or if the divergence is here to stay.

Either way, Season 6’s commitment to deepening Mary’s story — even at the risk of contradiction — has added emotional depth to a character who, for years, was more caricature than character.

“This is the most compelling Mary’s ever been,” said TV critic Janelle Marks. “If it creates a plot hole, so be it. At least now, we care.”

NOW STREAMING:
Young Sheldon Season 6 is available on Paramount+ and CBS All Access. New episodes air Thursdays at 8/7c.