Since the first season of Young Sheldon, fans have been analyzing every story and detail, calling back to episodes of The Big Bang Theory when Sheldon Cooper talked about his childhood and events that happened. Is there continuity, and do the stories match? Even when there are small things that don't add up, the Internet explodes with commentary.
While Young Sheldon is a prequel to The Big Bang Theory, designed for fans to pick up on clever Easter Eggs and callback references, it is also a show designed to stand on its own. Nonetheless, fans have picked apart certain things that don't quite jive with what the adult Sheldon has said, done, or implied.
Sheldon Saying He Didn't Have Friends
One of the biggest plot holes is Sheldon's repeated insistence throughout The Big Bang Theory that he didn't have, nor want, friends growing up. But throughout Young Sheldon, it's apparent that he had a handful of people who could be considered good friends. Most notable was Tam, Sheldon's closest friend in high school. This plot hole was resolved with an adult Tam appearing in an episode of The Big Bang Theory to address Sheldon cutting ties with him after being upset that Tam moved away.
But beyond Tam, there's also Paige, along with Sheldon's college dormmates who gathered with him often to play Dungeons & Dragons. Even if he always felt like he couldn't relate to his peers, he crossed paths with several people who fit the description of friend. This is precisely why Sheldon having friends in college is one of the things fans didn't see coming in Young Sheldon.
George Being An Alcoholic
Further to Sheldon's recollections of his father as being an absent one, he also painted his father as an alcoholic, making it sound as though he spent many nights in the bar, returning home intoxicated. In reality, based on the show, George did like to hang out at the bar and have a few beers now and then. He also drank beer quite often at home. But it didn't seem to be excessive and he rarely appeared to drink to the point of intoxication.
Again, this could be a product of Sheldon's perception: since he saw his father with a beer in his hand most of the time at home, he believed that his father drank far too much.
Sheldon and Missy's Bedroom
When the adult Missy visited Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory, she mentioned that he once created a robot just to keep her out of his bedroom. As fans of Young Sheldon know, however, as children, Sheldon and Missy shared a room. In fact, they did so until shortly after Missy hit puberty.
It is possible that Sheldon created this robot once he was a teenager, since his affinity for robots did not wane as he got older. It's also possible Missy did not remember the story correctly or meant he did it to keep Missy away from his side of the bedroom. Nonetheless, fans noticed the discrepancy.
George Being An Absent Father
While George didn't exactly present like the most affectionate and involved father, he also wasn't the absent father that Sheldon made him out to be. George loved to relax in his chair in front of the TV with a beer. He didn't help out much around the house and only dealt with the kids sparingly compared to Mary. But he had some shining moments with all three of the children.
It is possible that the bad moments overshadowed the good ones in Sheldon's mind since he was young and impressionable at the time. He might also have conjured up a skewed persona of his father as a method of self-protection against the hurt he felt for losing his dad so young. Nonetheless, while George Sr. did some bad things on Young Sheldon, the two versions of George Sr. don't mesh.
Lance Barber Played Leonard's Bully
In an episode of The Big Bang Theory, Lance Barber who plays George was cast as Leonard's childhood bully. Leonard decides to confront him as an adult along with his friends, including Sheldon. This moment happened long before Young Sheldon was developed and cast, so it makes sense that there was no mention that the bully Jimmy looked eerily similar to Sheldon's father.
Nonetheless, given that the same actor was cast in the patriarchal role, fans of the show have noticed that it isn't his first brush with Sheldon. And it makes the situations less believable.
His Parents Didn't Argue A Lot
While George and Mary had plenty of spats, they were typical ones any married couple might have about chores around the house, decisions surrounding the kids, finances, and more. The arguments became more heated following the knowledge about Georgie getting Mandy pregnant, though these fights were understandable given the pressure both were under. But overall, through particularly the first few seasons when Sheldon was in high school, they never really went at it the way Sheldon described.
These memories may come from a time that hasn't yet been depicted on the show, as fans know that George is eventually unfaithful and the marriage becomes more strained. With the toughest moments being the last ones Sheldon recalls about his parents being together, he might have forgotten about all the better moments prior, which would explain the plot hole.
No Mention Of Dr. Sturgis
It's clear from the events in Young Sheldon that Dr. Sturgis – one of the best characters introduced late in the series on Young Sheldon - played a pivotal role in Sheldon's life for many years. He was a close friend and a confidante during crucial years in Sheldon's life when he felt he had no one to communicate with on his level. He dated Meemaw and was close with the entire family.
It's possible the memories were too painful, since it remains to be seen what happened to Dr. Sturgis. But adult Sheldon never once mentioned this mentor and friend, which seems puzzling.
Sheldon's Safety Whistle
In one episode of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon reveals the contents of his backpack to his friends, which includes, among other things, a safety whistle. He mentions that his then-girlfriend and eventual wife Amy gifted it to him.
However, in an episode of Young Sheldon, he pulls out a whistle from his backpack that is identical to the one he had as an adult. It's possible Amy knew about the childhood one and found the identical one to gift him with. But what would not be possible is Sheldon forgetting the origin of the whistle, much less if he has owned it for decades.
Soft Kitty
In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon indicates that the precious song "Soft Kitty" can only be sung to someone when they are feeling ill. However, the song makes several appearances on Young Sheldon. In one scene, Sheldon's mother Mary sings it to him while he is recovering in bed, one of the times Young Sheldon dealt with serious issues.
But in another scene, while Sheldon is trying to soothe himself when learning to ride a bike, he sings the song quietly to himself. This might be before Sheldon devised the rule for the song, but it's inconsistent with what he suggested in TBBT.
Sheldon Meeting Stephen Hawking
Given that Sheldon has an eidetic memory, as well as the fact that he idolized Stephen Hawking, it would be unlikely that he would forget this happening. Yet when he meets the revered physicist in an episode of The Big Bang Theory, he is excited to do so "for the first time."
But in a season 3 episode of Young Sheldon, he actually meets the man. In the episode, he travels to Pasadena with his father after getting an all-expenses-paid trip to see Hawking's lecture. While he didn't technically meet the man face-to-face, he was in the same room with him so it should have been an event he recalled in adulthood.