It was unclear how well Young Sheldon would perform once it launched as a prequel sitcom. But given how attached fans had become to The Big Bang Theory, it makes sense that they'd want to get the inside scoop on the life of Sheldon Cooper that shaped him into the man he eventually became. That's precisely what happened as the series has become tremendously popular.
Plus, who doesn't love a good '90s-set sitcom? The characters are fun, the stories hilarious, and the Easter Eggs keep fans interested in the story that tells effectively the making of Sheldon Cooper. The show is also a fun one to watch with the entire family, and it has gotten better over time.
Sheldon Dealing With More Relatable Issues
In the beginning, it was all about Sheldon's struggle to fit in with typical high schoolers given not only his much younger age but his much higher intellect. He also often butt heads with the teachers, who he was constantly questioning.
But as the show progressed, Sheldon dealt with more relatable issues, such as trouble fitting in, needing help to get acclimated to college, and even trying to figure out if he had a crush on a girl (Paige) or not.
More Focus On The Siblings
As the show continues on, there are more compelling stories with the siblings, Georgie and Missy. Fans get to see more of Georgie and his girl chasing as well as his desire to find a clever venture to make money. They also get to see more of Missy as she grows into a teenager, starts dating, and inquiring about boys.
Both characters have become more developed over time, with Georgie holding down a job and even buying his own car and Missy going on her first date and getting relationship advice from Meemaw. It's nice that the entire show isn't solely focused on Sheldon.
Side Stories With Connie (Meemaw)
Meemaw is one of the best characters on the series, always there with witty one-liners to slyly insult her son-in-law or take a jab at her daughter Mary. But when the chips are down, she is always there for Mary and her grandkids, especially Sheldon.
But she also has her own life, and the story of her trying to finally move on following the death of her husband by eventually dating other men, going out with friends, and doing things she loves, is a sweet one about grief and moving forward.
Depiction Of Real Marriage Troubles
Not only do fans see real marriage troubles with Mary and George beginning to brew, but also with the neighbor Brenda Sparks, who became a single mother after her husband left her.
There's also Connie's boyfriend Dale, who is divorced from his ex-wife June, who Connie becomes friends with. And Pastor John encounters his own series of marital issues, even seeking consolation from Mary when his first marriage ends.
Sheldon Became More Endearing
Sheldon might initially come across as arrogant and annoying, but the more fans get to know him, the more they begin to like him. They get to see situations through his eyes, as a child this time versus an adult.
Sheldon believes that the way he acts and the things he says are perfectly reasonable, even if they aren't to the "average" person. But there are moments that humanize him. One, for example, is when he discusses the possibility with Paige that he might have a crush on her and they even come close to kissing. Another is when he sulks after Dr. Linkletter tells him he doesn't want to hang out at lunch and doesn't listen to his advice about his research, which turns out to be right.
More Easter Eggs For The Big Bang Theory
As the series progresses, there are more and more references to The Big Bang Theory and things that Sheldon mentioned on that series about his childhood, or things that might have happened after. For example, in the high school graduation episode, Amy's voice is heard talking to Sheldon about their first child, who they have named Leonard.
Then, there was that time Sheldon was sick and his mom sang Soft Kitty to him to make him feel better, along with the relationship contract he devised for himself, Meemaw, and Dr. Sturgis to ensure that their romantic relationship didn't get in the way of his friendship with the professor.
Seeing Sheldon Grow Emotionally
Even though fans already know what Sheldon was like as an adult, and that he didn't quite grow as emotionally as they might have hoped, there are twinkles of growth through the series that show that, even at a young age, Sheldon was making progress.
There was the time he explored his feelings for Paige, when he overcame his fears to attend college on his own without Dr. Sturgis being there, and when he was able to admit he was wrong, like when he purchased a bootleg version of a popular video game that ended up installing a virus on his computer.
Mary Becoming A More Three-Dimensional Character
Mary began as a simple housewife who worked with her church and had strong religious values. She ran the household and did what she could for the family. But as the show progressed and she watched Pastor John pursue a new relationship and heard about Brenda's unfortunate divorce, she began to question not only her own marriage but her personal journey.
She started to do things for herself, including going out for drinks with girlfriends and Connie, buying materials to start making clothes, which was once a passion of hers, and doing things she wanted to do versus things that were for everyone else.
Becoming Truer To Sheldon's Adult Recollections
Fans were initially confused about how Sheldon's life was portrayed on the show versus how he recalled it as an adult, noting some discrepancies. Mainly, these had to do with his father George, who Sheldon often referred to as a drunk and mean man who was generally a bad father.
While George was definitely the typical jock dad who drinks beer and watches sports, he seemed far from mean and often showed a great deal of care and compassion for the kids. With that said, as the new season progresses, it's clear that things are beginning to change and Mary and George are fighting a lot more.
More References To The Time Period
There are more fun references to the time period relating to all of the characters, which helps to keep viewers on top of what time in the past this is all taking place, such as Sheldon's computer or references to movies or TV shows of the time period.
It's a nice way for fans who grew up in the '90s to recall their lives at that time while kids of later generations can understand what was popular and part of pop culture back then, whether it was scrunchies, video games like The Quest for Adeera (a clear parody of The Legend of Zelda) or shows like Saved By The Bell.