After running for a total of 12 seasons, the sun set on The Big Bang Theory. But, luckily for fans, that wasn’t the complete end. Young Sheldon — now having wrapped up its seventh and final season — was already on the scene, documenting the childhood of the annoying yet endearing genius titular character. While the latter is generally derivative of the former, it’s clear that they couldn’t be more different. Some may even say it’s like comparing apples and oranges.
However, it’s not just the differences between them that stand out — Young Sheldon excels in some areas that The Big Bang Theory simply doesn’t. Looking at it from a holistic angle, Young Sheldon does not skimp on believability for its humor. On one hand, The Big Bang Theory offers a lot of ‘haha’ moments, so it’s not like it categorically got something wrong. In more ways than one, it delivered what it promised. But, its contrast to Young Sheldon is glaring and, dare we say, further reveals its shortcomings in a few areas.
Young Sheldon
This television series is a prequel to a popular sitcom, focusing on the childhood of a gifted young boy in East Texas. Navigating school and family life with a unique intellect far beyond his years, it humorously explores his early endeavors to be understood by his conventional family and classmates.
‘Young Sheldon’ Isn’t Afraid To Explore Darker Themes
To be honest, The Big Bang Theory is as light a show as they come. Sure, Penny (Kaley Cuoco) has to confront her fear of commitment, and Howard (Simon Helberg) has to deal with the loss of his mother — and father too. But while there are some genuinely sad moments, most are still skin-deep and simply just for laughs. Again, that’s not necessarily a failure on its part.
However, when placed side by side with Young Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory comes off as a caricature. While Sheldon (Jim Parsons) is still a “delightful” know-it-all in the future, there’s a measure of humanity injected into his younger self (Iain Armitage). His intelligence visibly alienates him from others, and under that pile of knowledge and unbridled opinions is a lonely boy in more ways than one. Perhaps what makes it sadder is how hard his mother fights in an ever-failing battle to “normalize” him in preparation for the outside world. Any parent, guardian, or caretaker can relate to that fear on some level.
There’s also the issue of his parents’ marriage, which is arguably one of the darkest storylines on the show. It’s already evident in The Big Bang Theory that Sheldon’s parents didn’t have the best marriage. A few comments here and there indicate that his father was a functioning alcoholic who also cheated on his mother. However, watching the story unraveling onscreen in Young Sheldon reveals different layers and numerous gray areas. Sheldon’s father, George Cooper (Lance Barber), is one of the most wholesome characters on the show. Seeing his actions play out makes it a lot harder to root against him — after all, he is only human and is trying to do his best with what he is given.
The crowning point when it comes to Young Sheldon‘s commitment to really go deeper than The Big Bang Theory is perhaps its examination of mental health. Dr. John Sturgis, played by Wallace Shawn, embodies everything Sheldon could have been if he never made friends — or had little to no air of superiority. Seeing his breakdown and recovery play into Mary Cooper’s (Zoe Perry) fears for Sheldon really drives things home.
‘The Big Bang Theory’s Humor Is One-Note, While ‘Young Sheldon’s Is Dynamic
Humor is subjective, but there’s no doubt that The Big Bang Theory inspires some genuine laughs. The premise alone puts a unique spin on a topic that most people consider alienating — humanizing science. In The Big Bang Theory, the scientists are the jocks, they’ve won at life, and they have all the cool jokes. Altogether, the show simply examines the human experience from a whole other angle, and that’s both humorous and exhilarating.
However, after a while, it gets pretty one-note. A major theme that the show leans into is the “geniuses” against the “common folk.” Needless to say, there are a ton of jokes that rely heavily on the fact that Sheldon is smarter than, well, everyone. And let’s also not forget the fact that the show slowly shifts its focus once Sheldon finds a girlfriend. Instead of alternating between their work and personal lives, the show ends up focusing on their relationships, or in Raj’s (Kunal Nayyar) case, the lack thereof. Needless to say, The Big Bang Theory sort of melded into every other sitcom about a group of friends braving it in the big city and finding love.
Then there’s Young Sheldon — at first glance, it’s simply an extension of The Big Bang Theory. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s grounded in such reality that the storyline could genuinely have happened to anyone. However, that’s woven in between witty one-liners, awkward situations, and natural impressions. In other words, Young Sheldon doesn’t try as hard to come across as funny — it simply is. Since the show isn’t necessarily formulaic, there’s always some new adventure or shenanigans to look forward to. Perhaps the fact that it finds humor in everyday situations that most people take for granted is what makes it so endearing.
‘The Big Bang Theory’ Relies Too Heavily on Its Laugh Track
Admit it, that laugh track got old really quickly. A whopping 12 seasons of being told what’s funny and what’s not is sure to grind the gears. Sure, there was a time when the track may have energized the watching experience. But, a few seasons in, that went down the drain. There’s a point where the laughs became more frequent than the funny aspects of the show. Sadly, it was more like they were telling viewers, “Hey, we’re still funny!” That amount of commitment being put into coming across as funny only ended up being awkward, especially when the jokes didn’t land.
Based on that, one of the best decisions made was keeping Young Sheldon laugh track free. Again, this further ensured that the show’s humor was genuine. It certainly stands out as the more grounded of the two shows. Needless to say, a laugh track would seem out of place on Young Sheldon. It’s a character-driven show that doesn’t need any additives or doodads to relay a loaded narrative — and that is what makes it so distinct, and some would even say superior, to a cultural juggernaut like The Big Bang Theory.
Young Sheldon is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S. Each new episode of the final season is available to watch on Paramount+ one day after it airs on CBS.
