Having the same characters exist in bothThe Big Bang TheoryandYoung Sheldongives viewers the rare opportunity to see a character grow and mature, literally, from childhood into adulthood. Sheldon Cooper is the ideal candidate for such an experiment.
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Due to his incredible intellect, even from a young age Sheldon Cooper is capable of cutting observations and critiques of social behavior, even though he is sometimes oblivious to his own eccentricities. While he might not feel that he fits in with others, hearing Sheldon’s words of wisdom (and occasional jokes) at least helps viewers appreciate his astounding mind.
10Young Sheldon: Recognize My Intellect
In the “Pilot,” Sheldon’s mother Mary tries to steel him for the harsh realities of high school, warning that his intellect may intimidate some. “Or maybe they’ll recognize my intellect and make me their leader,” Sheldon replies.His response ismore than a great jokeabout the boy’s obvious naivete regarding high school acceptance and bullying.Sheldon is optimistic because he believes in the good of others, and why shouldn’t he? He has yet to step into high school and understand the random cruelty of others. To a boy so logical, it only makes sense that others would want to follow someone so bright. After all, it’s what he himself would do.
9BBT: No Reason To Cry
Sheldon struggles with empathy, as seen when he tries to comfort Penny in “The Gorilla Experiment.” When Penny tells him that she is crying because she is (or at least feels) stupid, Sheldon says, “That’s no reason to cry. One cries because one is sad. For example, I cry because others are stupid, and that makes me sad.” Yes, he misses her initial point, and takes a moment to find his way to an empathetic response, but Sheldon’s initial confusion is endearing.His confused answer shows compassion in its own way:it saddens Sheldon that others cannot share his illuminating brilliance, just as viewers learn Sheldon is sad that he does not share Penny’s social awareness. Both feel isolated and yet are therefore drawn together, proving Penny can count on more thanhaving stylish outfits.
8Young Sheldon: Adjusting To Earth
Librarian Ms. Hutchins tries to offer some comforting words to Sheldon when he first begins high school in “Rockets, Communists, and the Dewey Decimal System,” the series' second episode. When she suggests that Sheldon is having a hard time adjusting to high school, Sheldon retorts, “I’m having a hard time adjusting to earth.” His comment, though brief, isa cuttingly insightful summary of how some neurodivergent people feeltrying to navigate a society in which every neither institution nor daily social interactions accommodate them. Sheldon does not have to visit a faraway country for the “fish out of water” experience; he feels it every day simply by being himself. Little wonderaudiences love him.
7BBT: Love Parasite
For those that virtually deify logic and reason, love must seem a terrible and confusing thing indeed. For Sheldon, who aspires to be as calculating and stoic as his hero Spock,love is a troubling thing.In “The Prom Equivalency,” he comes to terms with his feelings for Amy Farrah-Fowler, saying, “I briefly considered that I had a brain parasite, but that seems even more far-fetched. The only conclusion was love.” This iswhat effective humor looks like.Of course someone with Sheldon’s logical worldview and fear of emotional engagement would sooner suspect a brain parasite to love. Though he ultimately comes to embrace his feelings, it is clear that at least early on in his budding relationship, Sheldon may have preferred the parasite.
6Young Sheldon: Brutalized By An Apple
When he is young, Sheldon is even less prepared to grapple with his emotions than his adult self, as he is just beginning to understand what those emotions are. In “Family Dynamics and a Red Fiero,“a conversation with his mother reveals Sheldon’s central emotional dilemma.“I’m a scientist,” he says. “You never hear about Newton crying like a baby when he got brutalized by an apple.” Here, as with his hero Spock, Sheldon turns to a scientific role model as a case study for why he, too, should remain objective and unemotional. His mother tries, as his friends inThe Big Bang Theorytry, to convince him that the best way to protect his heart is not to hide it but rather to let others in. It might not haveBBT’sgreat opening theme,butYoung Sheldonhas feeling.
5BBT: Navigating Daily Life
A line from “The 43 Peculiarity” captures much of Sheldon’s daily struggle,a struggle that he does his best to hide from others,even his closest friends. “You may not realize it,” Sheldon says, “but I have difficulty navigating certain aspects of daily life. You know, understanding sarcasm, feigning interest in others, not talking about trains as much as I want. It’s exhausting!”
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Even casual interactions that others take for grant are difficult for Sheldon who struggles to tease out the nuance of sarcasm and to identify others' emotions.Worse, most people don’t share his interests,be they in physics, mathematics, the Flash, or, yes, trains. All of this makes life tough for Sheldon, but at least it means that when he finds a like-minded soul like Leonard or Amy he keeps them close.
4Young Sheldon: Remove Ambiguity
In “Vanilla Ice Cream, Gentlemen Callers, and a Dinette Set,” Adult Sheldon offers insight on his younger self. “I had an epiphany,” he says. “I could draw up a contract for any social relationship. It was a helpful way to remove ambiguity in a world that was often hard to understand.” For viewers familiar with Sheldon’s social struggles,his decision is unsurprising.It isalso guaranteed laughsfor fans ofThe Big Bang Theorywho can easily picture Leonard’s face in any one of the thousand moments when the Roommate Agreement or bathroom schedule inconveniences him.
3BBT: A Greater Force
A conversation with Amy in “The Alien Parasite Hypothesis” shows just how much fandoms mean to Sheldon. “You know, in difficult moments like this, I often turn to a force greater than myself,” says Sheldon. Amy asks if he means religion. Sheldon’s response? “Star Trek.”
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It sounds like a joke, and it’s played for laughs, but it matters that Sheldon means it.The Big Bang Theoryis a celebration of fandoms, whetherStar Trek, The Lord of the Rings,or comic books. Again and again, Sheldon and his friends turn to their favorite fandoms, whether to relax with a video game after a hard day or bond while arguing about Thor’s powers.
2Young Sheldon: What Are The Odds?
In the beautifully titled “A Crisis of Faith and Octopus Aliens,” Sheldon tries to connect with his mother’s religion despite his own atheism. “It’s just that gravity is precisely as strong as it needs to be,” Sheldon says. “And if the ratio of the electromagnetic force to the strong force wasn’t one percent, life wouldn’t exist. What are the odds that would happen all by itself?” As he makes clear, this acknowledgment of life’s unlikely beginnings hasn’t led him to share his mother’s faith, butit has led him to at least appreciate the origins of that faith.Though the clash between his science and his mother’s religionserves as comedic fodderfor both series, inYoung Sheldonwe see that in some ways Sheldon’s perspective and his mother’s may be closer than either of them think.
1BBT: The Laws of Physics
Sheldon may be difficult, pedantic, and annoying, but almost no one would call him a villain. Despite his quirks and difficulty in understanding others, he is a caring and loyal friend. In “The Panty Pinata Polarization,” he highlights just how surprising that is, saying, “When you understand the laws of physics, Penny, anything is possible. And may I add, “Mwah, ha, ha.” If Sheldon wanted,there is no question he could use his great scientific mind for evil ends.Fortunately, neither money nor power is of any interest to Sheldon, and even if they were, Sheldon is too kind to pursue them.
