McKenna Grace’s Paige Swanson is a no-show on ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ The character debuted on “Young Sheldon” after the flagship show aired its final episode, so his absence is completely understandable. However, Sheldon Cooper’s (Iain Armitage) intellectual rival (and First Crush) is a big part of his childhood, and it’s odd that she doesn’t show up in the final season for one last hurray. Unfortunately, bringing Grace back into the fold wasn’t possible at the time, and the creators of “Young Sheldon” no longer had plans for the character.
While talking to TVco-showrunner Steve Holland revealed that Grace was busy with her film commitments when the seventh and final season of “Young Sheldon” went into production. As such, his services were difficult to acquire, but Holland is happy with how his story turned out. In his own words:
“When we came into this season, especially with a shortened season, we never thought that [Paige’s storyline] was an arc that needed more closure than it was. There was a parallel; She was a bit of a mirror image of Sheldon – in a different way than Sheldon might have performed – and I think we saw that play out. “
While Paige’s arc is given a structured beginning, middle and end, some “Young Sheldon” fans were worried about her fate after the series ended. A final season cameo could have alleviated these concerns, as her final appearance sees her arrested for stealing a truck.
What happens to Paige Swanson on young Sheldon?
Paige Swanson flirts with the wild side in Season 6 of “Young Sheldon,” showing that she’s more of a regular teenager than fellow young prodigy Sheldon Cooper. In the episode titled “A Fraternity Party, a Sleepover, and the Mother of All Blisters”, she gets drunk and smokes at a party. Meanwhile, her latest outing, “Stolen Truck and LAM”, follows her and Missy Cooper (Raegan Revord) as they steal a vehicle, try to leave the state and get arrested – ironically, Revord got into a car accident before filming this episode of “Young Sheldon”, but she managed to get through.
Since McKenna Grace’s character was in her rebellious phase during her final “Young Sheldon” appearances, some fans theorized that she went down a dark path of alcohol, drugs and decadence. The show’s creators have since dismissed these claims, noting that people should not read too much into her life story. That said, Paige’s “young Sheldon” journey ends after Missy’s parents stop them from hanging out again, and we never find out what happens to him. Where is the closure in that?
Maybe this isn’t the end of Paige’s time in the franchise. The “Georgie and Mandy’s Mandy” spinoff could make for a fitting farewell, but that seems unlikely. Grace’s schedule is pretty full these days, so maybe it’s time to accept that her arc is over once and for all.
