young sheldon movie review

TV Review: ‘Young Sheldon’ on CBS

By Maureen Ryan

Maureen Ryan

Chief TV Critic

• TV Review: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Season 2 on Hulu 6 years ago
• TV Review: ‘Westworld’ Season 2 on HBO 6 years ago
• TV Review: Harlan Coben’s ‘Safe’ on Netflix 6 years ago

“ Young Sheldon ” is earnestly trying to do two things at once: function as a mainstream family comedy, and fit into the realm of single-camera half hours, which tend to be a bit more character-driven than most shows on CBS. “Young Sheldon,” which depicts “The Big Bang Theory’s” Sheldon Cooper as a precocious 9-year-old in East Texas, doesn’t quite gel in either arena in its initial outing. But the premise and a few performances are interesting enough to give the show some time to find its way.

Without question it was the right decision to avoid the multi-camera format with this project. The Sheldon that TV audiences have come to know over the course of 10 seasons of “The Big Bang Theory” can be a difficult person (which is partly the hook of both shows). Despite the fine work of Jim Parsons as the adult Sheldon, the physicist — given his genius IQ and his unwillingness to conform to many of the unspoken rules of social interaction — is prickly even when he’s in a good mood. If a very young, condescending and sometimes unkind Sheldon had been forced to unleash quip after quip on a traditional multi-cam, the results would have likely been unbearable.

Related Stories

Summer movie season testing 3d cinema’s recoverability, adam levine, kelsea ballerini join 'the voice' as season 27 coaches.

That said, “Young Sheldon’s” efforts to merge a warm, layered family-oriented half hour with the rhythms of a typical CBS sitcom are only partly successful. There are a number of attempts to humanize young Sheldon, who, in the first episode, begins attending the same high school as his football-playing older brother. A few times, the camera switches to Sheldon’s pint-size point of view, which reveals that everyday situations involving crowds are often frightening to him. Even a stuffed trophy animal in a glass case can make him feel anxious. Iain Armitage does a credible job of displaying the range of Sheldon’s emotions, from cool arrogance to naive obliviousness. But the younger version of the character is still a bit too stiffly written and pompous to be truly winning.

Popular on Variety

Sheldon’s siblings, who also include a twin sister, are one-dimensional and annoying, not just to Sheldon but likely to some viewers as well. The genius’ parents get more nuanced characterizations, ones that don’t rely as much on the set-up/joke structure that props up other aspects of the show.

It’s a stroke of luck that “Young Sheldon” was able to cast Zoe Perry as Sheldon’s long-suffering, loving mom, Mary. Perry’s mother, Laurie Metcalf, plays Mary on “Big Bang,” and the two actresses imbue the role with similar warmth and toughness. But adding to the ungainly hybrid feel of the show is an intermittent voiceover from Parsons, a “Wonder Years”-style touch that feels a little out of place, even if it helps establish the context in which this mismatched family operates. Mary and Sheldon function as one unit — and their scenes are often the best ones. The other kids seem as though they hail from an extremely conventional sitcom, and Sheldon’s dad (Lance Barber) is stuck somewhere in the middle.

Like an ambitious science experiment, “Young Sheldon” is a work in progress, but if it finds a way to meld the pathos of Sheldon’s existence — he is frequently taunted and misunderstood at school and at home — with gentle but reliably effective humor, CBS might be on to something with this prequel.

Comedy: 13 episodes (1 reviewed); CBS, Mon., Sept. 25, 8:30 p.m. (returns Nov. 2). 30 min.

• Crew: Executive producers: Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro, Jim Parsons, Todd Spiewak. 
• Cast: Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Annie Potts, Montana Jordan, Raegan Revord, Jim Parsons.

More from Variety

Jane fonda and lily tomlin ‘eager’ to see jennifer aniston’s ‘9 to 5’ remake: ‘it’s a hard nut to crack’, xbox dominated summer game fest — but game pass remains tricky bet, jennifer aniston and quinta brunson on saying ‘f— it,’ no social media policies at work and why ‘friends’ is still ‘one of the best shows on tv’, how text-to-video models from veo to sora compare as hollywood production tools, more from our brands, brands are beginning to turn against ai, old forester dropped a new batch of its most coveted single-barrel bourbon, mlb’s rules on gambling: what happens when players bet, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, get 7-day max free trial before it’s too late watch house of the dragon, hacks and more, verify it's you, please log in.

Young Sheldon: "Pilot" Review

Sheldon in the middle..

Young Sheldon: Season 1 Photos

Young Sheldon shares little in common with The Big Bang Theory apart from its lead character, and that's okay. This series is immediately able to carve its own niche by taking a less humor-oriented, more sentimental approach to exploring Sheldon's world. The plot is largely formulaic, but the show has an endearing sweetness to it that should work in its favor over the course of this season.

In This Article

Young Sheldon: Series Premiere Review

More Reviews by Jesse Schedeen

Ign recommends.

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Young Sheldon’ Is One of TV’s Most Popular Shows. So Why Did It Just End?

The “Big Bang Theory” spinoff aired its last episodes Thursday night, but the franchise will continue on CBS this fall.

• Share full article

By Noel Murray

This article includes spoilers for the “Young Sheldon” series finale.

In last week’s episode of the CBS sitcom “Young Sheldon,” a laid-back, beer-drinking Texas high school football coach named George Cooper (Lance Barber) says goodbye to his family and goes to work. He never comes home: George dies of a heart attack later that day.

The tragedy sets up the series’s last two episodes, which premiered Thursday night on CBS. They are about what happens when someone so steady, so reliable and so unassuming is just … gone.

A spinoff of “The Big Bang Theory,” the long-running CBS hit, “Young Sheldon” has been steady, reliable and unassuming over its seven seasons. This warm family sitcom, which fills in the back story of the “Big Bang Theory” breakout character Sheldon Cooper — played by Jim Parsons in the original and Iain Armitage in the prequel — has quietly been one of TV’s most-watched shows since it debuted in 2017.

And now it, too, is gone. The series finale takes Sheldon from the small town of Medford, Texas, where he attended high school at 9 and college at 11 as his family tried to understand and accommodate his genius, to the California Institute of Technology, where “The Big Bang Theory” is set. The episode included appearances by Parsons and Mayim Bialik, whose character, Amy, marries Sheldon in the original show.

The franchise will continue this fall with another spinoff: “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.” It will follow Sheldon’s good ol’ boy older brother George Jr. (Montana Jordan) and his wife, Mandy (Emily Osment), as they raise their baby daughter.

“Young Sheldon” was a smash from the start, and while its network TV audience has shrunk (just like most every other show’s), its episodes elsewhere have drawn newer, younger viewers . Reruns air on the cable network TBS almost daily. Netflix licensed the show late last year, and it has since appeared regularly on that service’s self-reported Top 10 most-streamed TV series.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

Young Sheldon

• Iain Armitage as Sheldon; Zoe Perry as Mary; Lance Barber as George Sr.; Montana Jordan as George Jr.; Raegan Revord as Missy; Wallace Shawn as John Sturgis; Ryan Phuong as Tam Nguyen; Craig T. Nelson as Dale Ballard; Jim Parsons as the voice of older Sheldon

TV Series Review

All of us were kids once. Even us geniuses.

Take Sheldon Cooper, the smarty-pants know-it-all from CBS’s ludicrously successful sitcom  The Big Bang Theory . Sheldon didn’t always wear Green Lantern T-shirts and sputter about how many germs cluster on the average smartphone. No, he once was a little boy who wore bow ties and sputtered about how many germs cluster on the average dumb push-button phone—all the rage in East Texas back in 1989, y’know.

Granted, Sheldon’s growing up pretty fast in some respects. He may be years away from puberty, but he’s now in college—driving his professors crazy, embarrassing his older brother, and giving his mom and pops plenty to worry about. Which, I guess, makes him sound like a normal adolescent.

But it’s the ways in which Sheldon causes all this worry, insanity and embarrassment that makes him a little different. His super-powered cerebrum has been paired with a bevy of neuroses and an utterly miniscule understanding of people—and that can make Sheldon seem very young indeed.

We know from the  Big Bang  that the kid did, somehow, make it to semi-functional adulthood. But just how many lockers was he stuffed into along the way?

It’s not easy being the smartest kid around. But if you think Sheldon has it tough, well, he makes it pretty difficult on the people around him, too.

The cash-strapped Coopers would’ve liked to have sent their son to a private school that could cater to Sheldon’s über-powered passion for knowledge. But they didn’t have the money. So Mary and George Cooper—the latter a coach for the high school football team—spent most of Sheldon’s high school career—and now into college—worrying about their young genius.

It doesn’t help when Sheldon calls out his fellow students for dress-code infractions or questions his instructors’ teaching qualifications. Back when Sheldon was in high school, the Cooper parents were called into the principal’s office so often that they might as well have had reserved seats.

A Big Bust?

Young Sheldon  creator Chuck Lorre is known for making crass, traditional comedies, from  Two and a Half Men  to  2 Broke Girls .  The Big Bang Theory  is his branchild, too—a kinder, gentler Lorre comedy that still can sometimes be quite problematic.

But  Young Sheldon  marks a departure for Lorre in a couple of significant ways.

First, the comedy is a one-camera show that doesn’t have a laugh track. That gives it a far different feel than the two-camera, setup-punchline-laughter template of  Big Bang Theory  (or any Lorre’s other programs).

Second, the show can be strangely sweet, and even sincere. Sure, it’s no  This Is Us  or  Parenthood . Still, we see how much Sheldon really cares for his parents, and how much they, in turn, care for him—even if they don’t always show that affection in the best of ways.

Moreover, Mary—arguably the show’s most sympathetic character—is a Christian. It’s not often you see such a multi-layered character who believes in God on TV these days. And even though young Sheldon has already departed from the faith, he still loves and respects his mother. He even volunteers to go to church with her.

“Why are you going?” Sheldon’s twin sister, Missy, asks. “You don’t believe in God.”

“But I believe in Mom,” Sheldon responds.

That said, in some other, more unfortunate respects,  Young Sheldon  follows the Chuck Lorre template a little too closely.

Language can be profane. And while certainly the show’s main characters don’t sleep around, references to sex and sensuality show up from time to time. Religion, despite Mary’s faith, can take a beating. Finally, though the Coopers are ultimately a loving family, the dynamics in play therein are hardly the stuff that any thinking familial unit would want to emulate.

With  Young Sheldon , Chuck Lorre seems to be growing up a bit. But like his youthful protagonist, he still has a ways to go.

Episode Reviews

Nov. 5, 2020: “graduation”.

Though just 11 years old, Sheldon is set to not only graduate from high school, but to be the school’s valedictorian, too. But while Sheldon knows that his brain will do just fine in college, he’s not so sure about the rest of himself.

He frets about how to schedule his classes around needed bathroom breaks. Most college students have “fully grown bladders,” he explains to his mother. “Mine is child-sized.” When he can’t find his safety goggles for science, he frets about using the ones provided by the school—worrying about eyebrow lice. (He barges into the principal’s office as the principal talks with an apparently newly pregnant student, bellowing “nothing’s more important than protection!” The female student bursts into fresh tears.)

Meanwhile, Sheldon’s Meemaw, Connie, and her gruff beau, Dale, patch things up after a fight, with Dale promising to mend his ways. At a Mexican restaurant, he passes on both margaritas and beer, preferring water. “I don’t do my best thinking when I’ve been drinking,” he says. (Connie eventually orders and drinks a margarita herself.)

Dale asks Connie if she goes to church. “Yeah, when I’m not hung over,” she says. Dale suggests that religion might do him good, and he says he’d like to come with her sometimes. Dale also shows interest in a Bible study that Sheldon’s mother leads, and he suggests that the family pray together during a graduation party.

We learn that Sheldon aced high school P.E. after snitching on kids smoking behind the equipment shed. “I don’t have to buy cigarettes for a year,” the principal says. Sheldon’s parents speculate about whether their other children, Georgie and Missy, might be in line to go to prison or get prematurely pregnant. When Sheldon learns that his best friend in high school, Tam, is eating with the school jazz band now, he says, “I’m glad I knew you before you became a heroin addict.” Someone eats a lunch dessert without permission. We hear how Connie and Georgie egged Dale’s store. Characters say “a–” and “b–tard,” once apiece.

May 2, 2019: “A Proposal and a Popsicle Stick Cross”

Sheldon’s older brother, Georgie, has a crush on a girl named Veronica, who comes to stay with the Coopers for a spell. Meanwhile, Sheldon’s grandmother, Meemaw, goes out to dinner with her beau, Dr. John Sturgis, where the good doctor pops an unexpected—and unwanted—question.

Veronica has moved in with the Coopers because her mom’s new boyfriend has a drinking problem and is, it’s suggested, abusive. When said boyfriend comes to take Veronica back home, Sheldon’s dad, George, steps in: We hear, but don’t see, George punch the guy. He comes into the kitchen with bloody knuckles and tells Mary to call the police because of the “bum sleeping on our front porch.”

We also hear more details about Veronica’s home life: Her birth father left the family when Veronica was very tiny and she’s never heard from him since. Also, a meal around the Cooper dinner table (complete with family prayer) feels wonderfully unusual for Veronica, who admits she never eats at the table with her family.

Faith makes several appearances in this episode. Veronica pours out her heart to another character at a church. And when Georgie vacates his room for Veronica, he hangs up a popsicle cross above the bed—a gesture that makes Veronica cry. Mary also scolds Meemaw for not wanting to marry Dr. Sturgis, given that they’re sleeping together. “You shouldn’t be sleeping with someone you’re not married to,” she says.

And indeed, Meemaw and Dr. Sturgis are sleeping together. In fact, the doctor says that their lovemaking has become “very efficient.” Georgie, meanwhile, removes several girlie magazines from of his room from various hiding places before Veronica moves in. (They feature buxom, scantily clad women on the covers.) Missy, Sheldon’s sister, goes out for some girl-time with Veronica, and she wears makeup for the occasion—even though her mom has forbidden she wear any until she’s 16. “This is as hot as I get,” the little girl tells Veronica. Veronica dreams about kissing Georgie.

Characters say “d–n” three times. George drinks a beer or two. Meemaw and Dr. Sturgis drink margaritas at a Mexican restaurant. We hear about a female relatives’ beard. Georgie puts on some overpowering cologne. Missy suggests trading a family member for Veronica.

Young Sheldon: Sept. 25, 2017 “Pilot”

Nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper heads off to high school, imagining it to be a haven for higher learning. He’s quickly disabused of that notion: Stepping out of the boys’ bathroom, Sheldon turns to his mother and says, “Well, that was revolting.” But if the first day of school is hard on Sheldon, it’s no picnic for Sheldon’s family—or his teachers—either.

The Coopers pray at the dinner table while holding hands (though Sheldon wears mittens to prevent him from coming into contact with germy fingers). Sheldon’s Christian mother, Mary, prays elsewhere, too (“Lord look after my son, don’t let him get stuffed in a gym bag”), and she takes him and his twin sister, Missy, to church, where they listen to a sermon on “impure thoughts.” Sheldon begins talking during the sermon, explaining that since he hasn’t hit puberty, “I just don’t think this part applies to me.” He calls Mary his own “Christian soldier,” and when Missy accuses Mom of lying, Sheldon defends her. “Mom doesn’t lie,” he says. “Sure, she thinks the Earth was made in six days, but that’s because she’s gullible, not a liar.” Sheldon apparently has a low regard for Oral Roberts University as well.

Sheldon notices a pregnant teen at school. There’s a reference to “dirty magazines.” We hear lots of discussion about when Sheldon’s testicles are due to drop. Mary finds a pair of dirty underwear on a bookshelf. Sheldon tells one of his teachers that she sports a mustache, and he apparently suggests to another teacher that he’s violating the school’s hygiene standards. (When the adult complains to the principal, the principal tells the teacher that he probably should shower more often.)

Sheldon’s dad. George Sr., drinks a bottle of beer. Sheldon asks his dad if a sad moment from the man’s past prods him to drink as much as he does. When a music teacher realizes that Sheldon has perfect pitch, she suggests he study music. “No thank you,” he says. “Musicians take drugs.” George Jr. fights with someone during a football practice. Mary threatens to beat up a church congregant for insulting her son. Sheldon lobs a few insults at his siblings. We hear “a–” and “h—” three times each, along with singular uses of “b–ch” and “d–n.”

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

Latest Reviews

Amazon’s dark and cynical homage to superheroes is neither super, nor heroic.

Mayor of Kingstown

Violence, profanity and explicit content reign king in this mob-like series that’s crafted to show the worst of society.

Becoming Karl Lagerfeld

Petty rivalries and sexual dalliances might make for good drama, but they don’t make much for wholesome viewing.

Fantasmas, like the crayon Julio hopes to make, has no clear message—but plenty of clear issues.

Weekly Reviews Straight to your Inbox!

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

“people always related to how personal it felt”: ‘thr frontrunners’ q&a with the cast and creators of ‘young sheldon’.

Stars Zoe Perry, Lance Barber and Annie Potts joined co-creators Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro and executive producer Steve Holland to discuss the show's final season.

By Tyler Coates

Tyler Coates

Awards Editor

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

In this edition of THR Frontrunners , the cast and creatives of CBS’ hit comedy series Young Sheldon joined Tyler Coates for a conversation about the seventh and final season at a live event hosted by the San Vicente Bungalows in Los Angeles. Stars Zoe Perry, Lance Barber and Annie Potts appeared with executive producers and co-creators Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro and executive producer Steve Holland.

Related Stories

Miles teller to star in 'an officer and a gentleman' remake for paramount, russell crowe at 60: "i've got a sh** ton of regrets".

Perry’s casting as Sheldon’s mother, Mary, was a fortuitous one — her mother, Laurie Metcalf, had played the same character in guest appearances on The Big Bang Theory . “I was the lucky one there,” said Perry, recalling stepping into the role. She also spoke of recognizing Young Sheldon’s appeal with audiences, which she believed was rooted in the ensemble-driven family dynamic of the show. “What people always related to, when I would hear from viewers, was just how personal it felt to them,” said Perry. “That message was universal, because I would hear it abroad. I would hear it everywhere. I’d hear it from different cultures.”

For Barber, the final episodes of the series were particularly poignant, as they depict the death and funeral of Sheldon’s family, George — a foundational moment in the young man’s life that was mentioned several times in The Big Bang Theory , meaning die-hard Sheldon fans knew the patriarch’s death would take place by the end of the prequel series. He remembered jumping at the chance to lay in the casket during the funeral scenes — “I’m going to ruin so many takes. … I’ve got a fart machine and a fake mustache” — but quickly realized how emotional the experience was. 

Quipped TV legend Annie Potts, who played Sheldon’s grandmother Meemaw: “I started to wish that it had been my funeral so I could just lay there and hear all the lovely things that people thought about me. I started to really dislike Lance because he’d stolen my thunder. I thought I was the oldest character. I should have died.”

This edition of THR Frontrunners is sponsored by CBS.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Producer ben winston talks grammys, ‘kardashians’ future and ellen degeneres special, charles barkley says he will retire from tv after 2024-25 season, kenya moore suspended indefinitely from ‘real housewives of atlanta’, ‘big mouth’ star nick kroll voices 79 characters in netflix’s longest-running show. where’s his emmy, “netflix, bring it on”: fiona harvey’s lawyer on how he can win the ‘baby reindeer’ battle (exclusive), ‘house of the dragon’ review: season 2 of hbo’s ‘game of thrones’ prequel nails the spectacle but fumbles the intimacy.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Screen-Free Activities for Kids and Teens to Enjoy Over the Summer

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Young sheldon.

• Parents say (48)
• Kids say (134)

Based on 48 parent reviews

I loved this, but…

This title has:

• Educational value
• Great messages
• Too much sex
• Too much drinking/drugs/smoking

Report this review

A great family watch, no idea why it is a 15.

• Great role models

The only series in the last two years our children have watched in full

Too much sex and cussing.

• Too much violence
• Too much swearing

It should not be rated PG it should be at least PG-13!

Edgy jokes,yet still very funny and relatable..

Screen Rant

Young sheldon’s most ambitious episode made the big bang theory so much sadder.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Young Sheldon’s Series Finale Killing Off Leonard Would Ruin My Favorite Big Bang Theory Spinoff Idea

Meemaw actor's young sheldon cancelation criticism is proven right by new cbs data, young sheldon stars reunite after their characters missed out on a finale goodbye.

• Young Sheldon 's penultimate episode showcased ambitious storytelling, focusing on Sheldon's internal struggle with the tragic loss of his father.
• The episode revealed a deeper side to Sheldon, highlighting his unique way of processing grief and showcasing his struggle with reality.
• "Funeral" was a poignant reminder that Sheldon's behavior wasn't just arrogance, but a coping mechanism for navigating a chaotic world.

While Young Sheldon 's penultimate episode was arguably The Big Bang Theory 's spinoff's most ambitious outing, its experimental style was in service of a tragic character detail. Broadly speaking, Young Sheldon was not particularly interested in formal experimentation. Some sitcoms, like 30 Rock and Community , are stuffed with meta-gags that lean on the fourth wall, acknowledge the show’s status as a TV show, and play with familiar television conventions to subvert audience expectations. In contrast, Young Sheldon ’s cast of characters provided most of the show’s laughs, and, broadly speaking, the series was a traditional single-camera family sitcom with the usual tropes.

There was an adult narrator recalling their childhood, a dysfunctional but loving family, and an older character who was comically brazen and outspoken. Young Sheldo n’s stories were original and fun, but their formula was familiar thanks to shows like The Wonder Years , Everybody Hates Chris , and Malcolm in the Middle . That said, Young Sheldon ’s series finale subverted expectations by playing with the show’s formula. The final episode, season 7, episode 14, “Memoir,” introduced the show’s narrator as an onscreen character, but it was the preceding episode that pushed Young Sheldon ’s boundaries and showcased the spinoff's surprising ambition.

My favorite idea for a Big Bang Theory spinoff would never be able to happen if Young Sheldon's series finale really did kill off Leonard for good.

Young Sheldon’s “Funeral” Was Unusually Ambitious

George sr. and sheldon’s conversations were perfectly staged.

Whenever Young Sheldon cut back to his grieving family, who grew increasingly frustrated with him staring into space, the title character’s plight became more tragic and moving.

Young Sheldon ’s penultimate episode “Funeral” focused on the funeral of Sheldon’s father, George Sr. The event impacted the entire Cooper family, but “Funeral” was particularly invested in how Sheldon coped with the tragedy internally. “Funeral” proved just how much Sheldon struggles with reality , as the show’s title character spent the entire episode replaying his final conversation with his father in his mind. This was an atypically risky, ambitious storytelling gambit for such a conventional series, but it was one that paid off in an outing that could rival Young Sheldon ’s best episode when it comes to heartbreaking storytelling.

Watching Lance Barber’s George Sr. and Iain Armitage’s Sheldon repeatedly go through new iterations of the same scene was trippy by Young Sheldon ’s standards, but it was also a perfect illustration of Sheldon’s unique grief. Whenever Young Sheldon cut back to his grieving family, who grew increasingly frustrated with him staring into space, the title character’s plight became more tragic and moving. “Funeral” proved something that The Big Bang Theory avoided acknowledging, and Young Sheldon danced around for years. Namely, Sheldon isn’t a thoughtless or callous person but rather someone who sees the world differently and can’t help that fact.

Young Sheldon’s Second-Last Episode Illustrated Sheldon’s Internal World

Sheldon replayed his last conversation with george sr endlessly.

Sheldon’s unique grief alienated him from his sister Missy when his looping thoughts made him appear distracted during George Sr.'s funeral planning.

Sheldon couldn’t contend with the fact that a bland exchange of pleasantries was his last interaction with his father, so he was stuck in a loop coming up with new endings for their conversation. Young Sheldon ’s finale made Sheldon's character arc sadder by confirming that much of the character’s supposed arrogance was rooted in a need to control his surroundings and feel a sense of order in his world. “Funeral" saw Young Sheldon invite viewers to see how Sheldon’s way of processing the world impacted his relationships with family and friends, and it was surprisingly poignant to watch.

Sheldon’s unique grief alienated him from his sister Missy when his looping thoughts made him appear distracted during George Sr.'s funeral planning. His inability to understand the sentimental significance of his father’s empty chair led to awkward, angry confrontations with Georgie, much like Missy’s inability to understand the jokes at Young Sheldon ’s George Sr. funeral resulted in her feeling like his memory was being insulted. Sheldon’s struggles with looping thoughts made him more sympathetic than ever before. They proved that The Big Bang Theor y’s hero wasn’t intentionally acting obstinate, but trying to make sense of the world around him.

Young Sheldon’s Penultimate Episode Illustrated A Tragic TBBT Truth

Sheldon’s obstinacy wasn’t born out of arrogance.

While Sheldon was certainly conceited, it was arguably unfair for The Big Bang Theory to treat this as a straightforward character flaw. Judging by the events of “Funeral,” he was seemingly genuinely unable to see things from another point of view. Seeing him struggle to accept his last conversation with his father was a poignant reminder that he had a hard time contending with reality when it failed to meet his expectations. Meemaw and Sturgis’s Young Sheldon relationship touched on similar themes when the theoretical physicist’s years of work in abstract academia resulted in a breakdown and period of mental ill health.

It is tough to finish watching “Funeral” without feeling like Sheldon was somewhat misrepresented throughout both shows. Sheldon’s demanding attitude was generally portrayed as a character flaw and his heart-warming Nobel Prize acceptance speech was moving precisely because it saw the self-centered character acknowledge how much gratitude he owed to his family and friends. However, “Funeral” used a formative tragedy to prove that Sheldon’s demeanor wasn’t a result of petty stubbornness or self-aggrandizement. These were factors, but the root cause was his struggle to accept a disordered, chaotic world that was apt to break his heart without warning.

Young Sheldon Made The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon More Sympathetic

George sr’s death shaped sheldon’s future friendships.

Far from being a thoughtless, emotionless character, Sheldon was as deeply affected by his father's death as the rest of his family and simply unable to communicate this in the same terms as them.

Sheldon’s inability to let a small slight go and his conviction that seemingly random things like his “ Spot ” needed to be safeguarded were both mirrored in his attempts to rework his last conversation with George Sr. Young Sheldon ’s series finale didn’t justify every detail of the Cooper family’s future, but it did offer a meaningful justification for Sheldon’s behavior throughout both shows. Where he was previously portrayed as a lovably annoying intellectual with delusions of grandeur, “Funeral" proved Sheldon was just an ordinary kid trying to make sense of a tragedy with the tools he had to hand.

Sheldon is often spoken of in euphemistic terms, with Penny comparing him to a child, his mother doting on him, and his friends making excuses for him. “Funeral” justifies this by giving viewers more insight into Sheldon’s internal world than ever before. Far from being a thoughtless, emotionless character, he was as deeply affected by his father's death as the rest of his family and simply unable to communicate this in the same terms as them. Seeing Young Sheldon ’s hero sitting unmoored among his grieving family, it was hard not to feel for The Big Bang Theory ’s misunderstood antihero.

Young Sheldon

*Availability in US

Not available

Nova temporada de Young Sheldon, spin-off de The Office; confira essas e outras dicas de cultura

• Podcast Episode

Add a plot in your language

User reviews

• June 14, 2024 (United States)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

Young Sheldon Stars Reunite Following Lack of Closure in Series Finale

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Young Sheldon might be over, but the stars of the series are still spending time with one another. A new image shared on social media reveals a special reunion that came after a lack of closure for their characters in the finale of the Big Bang Theory spinoff series.

In the comedy series, Iain Armitage starred as the younger version of Sheldon Cooper, Jim Parsons' character from The Big Bang Theory . Annie Potts was also one of the stars with her role as Meemaw, Sheldon's grandmother. On Instagram, Potts shared a new image of Armitage reunited with her, telling her followers, " Look who stopped by! " Armitage also shared the same photo to his own account and added, " When I got back to town last week my very first stop was MeeMaw’s house! Love you, Ms Annie ." The posts can be seen below.

Young Sheldon's Mandy Joins The Big Bang Theory's Adult Georgie in Fun Video

Emily Osment and Jerry O'Connell unite in a fun video ahead of the premiere of Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.

There was only so much time to wrap things up in the series finale, and that left Sheldon and Meemaw without a proper farewell in the last episode. However, there's still a good chance that the characters will reunite on-screen once again. It's known that a sequel series, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage , will be moving the story forward. However, the series will focus primarily on Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) as the two move into a new home to start their new lives as a family.

Will Other Young Sheldon Cast Members Appear in the New Spinoff?

As of now, it hasn't been announced if other members of the Cooper family will pop up in the spinoff series. While they may not be returning as series regulars, it still seems more likely than not that there will be some special appearances. Several cast members have already made it clear they'd be up for returning for the new show if they're invited . As for Potts, she is still trying to understand why the series had to end.

Why Young Sheldon Didn't Include the Major Big Bang Storyline Fans Expected

The latest episode of Young Sheldon surprises Big Bang Theory fans by completely skipping over a defining moment in Sheldon Cooper's life.

As Potts said during an AssignmentX interview, "It’s sad, because I didn’t expect it. We’re the Number One show on network TV, and the Number One show on Netflix. Who cancels this?"

“I mean, I love the cast. Wonderful character to play ,” Potts also said during an interview for The Talk , hinting that Meemaw could be her last big role. “But hey, I'm old, this could be my last rodeo. I mean, I thought about that though, panicked me a little bit. These things are hard to come by, I've had a couple, but they were all tough, so yeah."

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage will debut on CBS in the fall.

Source: Instagram

Young Sheldon

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.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Inside Out 2 Link to Inside Out 2
• Hit Man Link to Hit Man
• Thelma Link to Thelma

New TV Tonight

• The Boys: Season 4
• Bridgerton: Season 3
• Presumed Innocent: Season 1
• The Lazarus Project: Season 2
• The Big Bakeover: Season 1
• Camp Snoopy: Season 1
• How Music Got Free: Season 1
• Love Island: Season 6

Most Popular TV on RT

• Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• Eric: Season 1
• House of the Dragon: Season 2
• Dark Matter: Season 1
• Sweet Tooth: Season 3
• Evil: Season 4
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• The Boys: Season 4 Link to The Boys: Season 4
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Best Shark Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

All 28 Pixar Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Hacks Creators Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs Discuss That Scene from the Emotional Season 3 Finale

Hotel Cocaine : A Look Behind the Scenes at “The Studio 54 of Miami”

• Trending on RT
• 1999 Movie Showdown
• The Boys First Reviews
• Best Movies of All Time

Young Sheldon: Season 6 Reviews

No All Critics reviews for Young Sheldon: Season 6.