Young Sheldon Season 7 Needs to Make Some Big Changes to Sheldon Cooper

This spring, the almost 20-year journey of Sheldon Cooper will come to an end when Young Sheldon wraps its run. Since The Big Bang Theory‘s debut in 2007, viewers have been captivated by the life (and later childhood) of this self-admitted prodigy. No one would deny that Sheldon Cooper is a genius. He literally won a Nobel Prize in Big Bang‘s series finale. However, that intellect comes at a cost to his emotional intelligence. Sheldon is arrogant, insufferable, self-centered, and lacking in empathy. The adult Cooper knows his genius places him at a level above his colleagues, and he never misses an opportunity to remind them of this fact. His friend group tolerates this because he supposedly doesn’t know any better. He doesn’t mean to insult them; that’s just “Sheldon.”

On Young Sheldon, his intelligence is even more striking when compared to his age and “average” family. There are certainly traces of the adult Sheldon’s traits, primarily that feeling of superiority. But there are some striking differences as well. Behind his hubris, Sheldon genuinely cares about his family in a way we did not see in The Big Bang Theory. While this is character progression, it also means he will naturally have to devolve into his eventual Big Bang adult self. What might that look like on Young Sheldon‘s last outing?

The Adult Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory

Who is Sheldon Cooper? We were first introduced to Jim Parsons’ self-centered, funny, and often-quotable genius on The Big Bang Theory in 2007. He was the most “gifted” member of the friend group, which included Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, and Raj Koothrappali.

It didn’t take long for viewers to pick up on the fact that Sheldon was exceedingly proud of his accomplishments. Everyone around him had to know how proud he was as well. Howard, in particular, suffered the most degradation as the only member of the group without a PhD. The others – primarily Leonard – don’t hesitate to knock Sheldon off his pedestal when he truly deserves it. However, they continually put up with him and his antics because he supposedly doesn’t know any better. This justification seems more appropriate for dealing with a dog or toddler versus one of the world’s best minds.

As the show progresses, Sheldon’s character softens slightly. His empathy increases when he meets and falls in love with Amy Farrah Fowler. However, the core of his “I’m-better-than-you” mindset remains the same. His most significant growth does not come until the end of the series finale. He throws out his gloating, self-congratulatory Nobel Prize speech and thanks his friends for their contributions to his life and career. It’s a true, heartfelt moment that allows for the closure of adult Sheldon’s chapter on a high note. He truly does love his friends and family, even if his pride prevented him from admitting as much.

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Growing Up With a Younger Sheldon

Young Sheldon

Release Date

September 25, 2017

Seasons

7

So, how did Sheldon get this way? Unlike in The Big Bang Theory, where he was surrounded by other geniuses, Sheldon’s the only bright mind in east Texas in the early ’90s. His upbringing did nothing to prepare him for the real world, with his mother Mary’s coddling only reinforcing how “special” he is. He knows he is superior to his family, who lack formal intelligence but are more well-versed in empathy and street smarts than Sheldon. While the Coopers hear about how they don’t measure up to Sheldon, it’s a different tone than Big Bang.

Sheldon’s an annoying teenager, big deal. The difference in that annoyance is the intention behind it. In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon’s arrogance came from a competitive academic atmosphere. He needed to prove he was better than his colleagues at Caltech. In Young Sheldon, he has no peers who are similarly gifted. As such, there’s no one with whom to compete. However, he wants to stand out and find his identity, which is typical for most teenagers. Most of his boasting comes out of a need to find that identity.

Younger Sheldon also possesses more empathy than his adult counterpart. He enjoys close relationships with his mother and grandmother Meemaw, and his time sharing a room with his sister Missy strengthened their twin bond. However, she’s not afraid to knock him down a peg.

George Sr. is an almost entirely different character from the neglectful and lazy alcoholic we heard about in The Big Bang Theory. He doesn’t coddle his son like Mary, but Sheldon still recognizes and appreciates the sacrifices George Sr. makes for the family. As a child, Sheldon had a strong support system that encouraged him and wanted what was best for him. He was able to understand and reciprocate that support, resulting in a more well-rounded individual.

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From Young Sheldon to The Big Bang Theory

Typically, when a long-running show approaches its end, we expect some significant growth for the main character. Young Sheldon must do the opposite. The teenage Cooper has to regress into that stuck-up genius from The Big Bang Theory. While this is frustrating for fans who’ve enjoyed the sweeter, family vibe of Young Sheldon, it’s a necessary evil.

First, we know that George Sr. has to die shortly after Sheldon catches him cheating. This is not ideal, but the writers are stuck with what was established in Big Bang. Young Sheldon has strayed from its predecessor’s continuity, but this event is too life-changing to alter. Sheldon goes away to college at Caltech after his father’s death. He’s still only 14 or 15 at this time, and so many traumatic events would have a devastating impact on any developing teenager. After the move, he loses that familial support system and is primarily on his own until he meets Leonard some time in his early 20s. Even then, his friends cannot match the love and care provided by his now fractured family.

After going through all that, the only thing Sheldon can count on is his intelligence. It’s what sets him apart from everyone else. What if he uses those smarts to build a security wall around himself? If he doesn’t let himself get close to people again, he won’t be hurt if they leave him. Acting superior lets him lean on the only constant he knows while keeping loved ones at arm’s length. This isn’t a very cheery end to a sitcom, but it’s what has to be done if the crew wants to remain faithful to their parent show. Who knows, maybe that spin-off with Georgie and Mandy will fill in some more gaps. Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory are available to stream on Max.