Unlocking Sheldon's Brilliance: How Young Sheldon Breathes New Life into the Universe

Summary

The Young Sheldon spinoff benefited from its darker and more serious storytelling approach compared to The Big Bang Theory.

The family-oriented approach in Young Sheldon facilitated a more thorough examination of the characters and their poignant character arcs. Sheldon's talent for bringing humor to The Big Bang Theory gave the creators of Young Sheldon the assurance to tackle weightier themes and narratives.

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However, the show Young Sheldon made a smarter storytelling choice than its predecessor, The Big Bang Theory. Despite being spawned from The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon has gained equal popularity. While The Big Bang Theory is a hang-out show similar to Friends or Seinfeld, Young Sheldon takes the form of a nostalgic family sitcom like The Wonder Years or The Goldbergs. Despite these differences, Young Sheldon has built a strong fan base.

Moreover, by eliminating The Big Bang Theory's laugh track, Young Sheldon has been able to delve into darker storylines. The Big Bang Theory primarily focused on romance, work, and socializing, much like How I Met Your Mother or New Girl. However, unlike these shows, Young Sheldon's family-oriented approach allows for the exploration of more serious plots and deeper character development.

Young Sheldon’s Family Story Is Deeper Than TBBT

The heavier family drama in Young Sheldon surpasses even the most dramatic romances in The Big Bang Theory. In recent seasons, Young Sheldon has shifted its focus from Sheldon's childhood and expanded to include stories centered around Meemaw, George Sr., and Missy. Although all members of the Cooper family face their own challenges, these three characters exemplify Young Sheldon's superiority over The Big Bang Theory. In the latter show, they were merely one-dimensional guest stars, whereas in Young Sheldon, each character is given a poignant character arc that adds depth and authenticity.

While the friendship within the main group of The Big Bang Theory was strong, they never relied on each other to the extent that the Coopers do. As a result, The Big Bang Theory's central clique never faced issues as substantial as the hardships experienced by Young Sheldon's protagonists. The bullying jokes from The Big Bang Theory were dropped in Young Sheldon, replaced by narratives surrounding infidelity, unemployment, financial struggles, unplanned pregnancy, teenage rebellion, and mental illness. While The Big Bang Theory may have included quick-witted one-liners about these topics, the sitcom never approached them with the seriousness and depth seen in multiple episodes of Young Sheldon.

TBBT’s Hero Keeps Young Sheldon Fun

Young Sheldon is able to explore themes of unhappy marriages, the Church's influence over the Coopers, George's impending affair and death, and Missy's rebellion because the show's creators have extensive experience using Sheldon to bring lightheartedness to the darker moments in The Big Bang Theory. The success of Sheldon's ability to provide levity in even the most somber scenes in The Big Bang Theory gave the spinoff's creators the confidence to delve into more weighty topics. By adopting The Big Bang Theory's approach of broadening its focus, Young Sheldon also successfully treats its characters with greater depth.