Young Sheldon is almost done, and it's… good?
The Young Sheldon Finale Resolves a Major Big Bang Theory Plot Hole
When Young Sheldon was first announced, I remember the reaction of my closest friends: disgust, horror, confusion. The Big Bang Theory is a tired and poorly aged sitcom about a bunch of nerds who suddenly end up with a hot lady friend. The breakout protagonist, Sheldon Cooper, is an obnoxious know-it-all, and the last thing I expected to enjoy is an origin story for the character. Years later, my social media feeds are filled with Young Sheldon clips and content, enough for me to start watching the show out of morbid curiosity, only to find out: It's actually pretty good. Now I understand why there is a second spinoff related to the deep knowledge of the Cooper family. I understand why fans are clamoring for an Old Sheldon series starring Michael Keaton. Young Sheldon is downright heartwarming, and one of the few sitcoms I actually love.
Young Sheldon revolves around the childhood of Sheldon Cooper, who skips elementary school and starts high school before starting college at the age of 11. While Sheldon is intellectually gifted, he struggles with even basic social cues. The main challenge Young Sheldon faces is that Sheldon himself is absolutely impossible, and we know for a fact that he can never really go through character growth, because he has to stop being the character he is throughout The Big Bang Theory. But Young Sheldon has two ways around Sheldon's self-centeredness, aggressive refusal to take no, and other unpleasant traits.
It helps that everyone else on the show hates Sheldon, and we know that he's constantly being punished with everything from low-grade bullying to sophisticated webs of deception constructed by professors and university presidents. Sheldon still sucks, and while actor Iain Armitage does an admirable job imitating Jim Parsons' original portrayal of Sheldon, the show doesn't try to forgive his flaws.
