Unlocking Sheldon's Untold Journey: 6 Unlearned Lessons in Young Sheldon
Sheldon's stubbornness hindered his growth Discover the crucial lessons he missed in Young Sheldon: the power of collaboration, the challenges of solitude, appreciating family support, facing problems head-on, handling failure gracefully, and valuing his sister, Missy
Sheldon's journey in Young Sheldon has been filled with challenges, yet he often failed to grasp the lessons from his encounters. Serving as a prequel to The Big Bang Theory, this spin-off delves into the origin story of Sheldon Cooper, expertly portrayed by Jim Parsons. Growing up as a prodigious youngster in Medford, Texas, Sheldon faced numerous difficulties in his middle-class family. He frequently felt misunderstood, leading to a lack of stable support. While his mother Mary and the rest of the family made efforts to be there for him, Sheldon still found himself often alone and isolated. However, it is essential to note that his struggles were not limited to him alone.
Initially, Young Sheldon primarily focused on Sheldon's personal growth, relegating the rest of his family to supporting roles. However, as time went by, CBS recognized the immense appeal of the Coopers and gradually began to give them greater attention. In the sixth season of Young Sheldon, it became evident that the family's narratives were even more captivating than Sheldon's own. This is not to imply that the exceptional intellect of the young prodigy lacked compelling story arcs. He certainly had them. However, it seemed as though the show struggled to determine how to handle Sheldon's transition into adolescence. Consequently, as Sheldon grew more irksome and challenging, the series exposed the extent to which he failed to learn from previous life experiences.
6 Sheldon Didn't Learn How To Collaborate
Famously, Sheldon has always enjoyed flaunting his intelligence. One way in which he has accomplished this is by taking on projects single-handedly. If it were not for his friends in Pasadena, as depicted in The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon would have most likely remained aloof within the walls of Caltech. Fortunately, he had automatic collaborators due to his friendship with Leonard, Howard, and Raj. Besides them, he seldom collaborated with anyone else, and when he did, it was done begrudgingly. It is disappointing to observe that despite the numerous instances in Young Sheldon where he had to rely on others for a project, Sheldon never truly recognized the power of collaboration.
5 Sheldon Didn't Learn About The Difficulties Of Being Alone
Despite his initial preference for solitude, Sheldon's need for social interaction has become apparent in both The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon. For years, he grumbled about sharing a room with his sister, Missy, yearning for a space of his own. Yet, when Missy eventually moved out, Sheldon quickly realized he enjoyed having his sister around. Nevertheless, he has persisted in pushing people away, often through his insufferable behavior.
Aside from his relationship with Missy, witnessing Paige's downfall in Young Sheldon should have served as a wake-up call for Sheldon. Regrettably, he appeared resistant to absorbing any valuable lessons from the struggles of his fellow prodigy, someone who lacks a robust support system. In Young Sheldon, he consistently exhibits a mean-spirited demeanor towards his family, and in The Big Bang Theory, he can be downright repugnant to his friends.
4 Sheldon Didn't Learn To Appreciate George & All He Did For The Family
When comparing Young Sheldon to The Big Bang Theory, one of the notable contrasts lies in their portrayal of George, Sheldon's father. In the sitcom centred around nerdy characters, Sheldon often described his dad as an inebriated and neglectful figure. However, the most shocking revelation came when Sheldon disclosed that he caught his father in bed with another woman during spring break, when he was just 13 years old. This incident has garnered much anticipation regarding how Young Sheldon would address it. Surprisingly, despite setting the stage for this pivotal moment, the prequel series has mostly overlooked it.
3 Sheldon Didn't Learn That Running Away Never Solved Any Problems
Irrespective of whether CBS acknowledges the incident of cheating in Young Sheldon, it is evident that Sheldon never truly appreciated his father and his unwavering support for the family. Throughout The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon primarily focused on highlighting his father's imperfections while conveniently omitting the fact that George held his hand when he experienced fear during his inaugural plane journey. Sheldon also failed to acknowledge his father's relentless dedication to provide for him and the entire family.
After enduring years of neglect, Missy reached her breaking point and decided to take a stand against the way she was being mistreated. In a daring and courageous act, she made the audacious move of stealing George's truck in Young Sheldon season 6, with the intention of running away to Florida. However, her plan was foiled and she was eventually brought back home. Regrettably, this rebellious act did not resolve the underlying issues, leaving Sheldon oblivious to the fact that Missy's escapade proved ineffective.
2 Sheldon Didn't Learn How To Deal With Failure
: In The Big Bang Theory season 7 finale, Sheldon replicated the same ploy as his sister had done a few decades earlier. What is intriguing about Sheldon's choice is that fleeing is not typically his modus operandi. When considering the fact that Missy's audacious road trip failed to resolve her problems, it becomes truly perplexing that her twin brother believed it could be the solution to his own troubles.
Sheldon, with his exceptional intellect, always had the confidence that he was capable of accomplishing anything. However, when faced with a major setback in his and Amy's pursuit of the Nobel Prize in Physics on The Big Bang Theory, the socially awkward genius found it extremely challenging to cope with failure as he had never encountered such defeat before. Surprisingly, the sixth season of Young Sheldon shed light on the fact that this was not entirely true. During his childhood, Sheldon had experienced a similar situation when his controversial grant database failed. Strangely enough, Sheldon never truly learned the art of handling disappointment when things don't go his way in a healthy manner.
1 Sheldon Didn't Learn To Value Missy
The CBS family comedy introduced Sheldon's twin sister as a guest appearance on two occasions in The Big Bang Theory. Her first appearance took place in season 1 when she paid a visit to Pasadena and spent time with the socially-awkward genius. A decade later, during season 11, she returned to attend Sheldon and Amy's wedding. Despite her limited screen time, she made quite an impact, generating interest in her character. When she later debuted in Young Sheldon, there was already intrigue surrounding her backstory. It was eventually revealed that Missy had a challenging childhood, hindered by her brother's intellectual prowess, despite her own social skills.
Even so, Missy always maintained incredible patience and understanding towards Sheldon. Numerous times, the socially-awkward genius sought emotional advice and guidance from her. However, Sheldon rarely expressed appreciation for the support Missy provided. During her first visit to Pasadena in The Big Bang Theory, he was critical of her. Similarly, in Young Sheldon, he frequently dismissed Missy unless he needed something from her. Season 7 might present an opportunity for Sheldon to reconcile with his sister and make amends for his previous attitudes.
