Young Sheldon is a comedic spin-off of the Big Bang Theory (2007). The series was very well received by the audience and critics alike. But isn’t seven seasons a bit much, given the series’ quality is on a steady decline, especially in the last three seasons?
What is Young Sheldon, and how is the show related to The Big Bang Theory?
After the success of Big Bang Theory, people grew to love the quirky, fun, and brilliant Sheldon Cooper, portrayed by Jim Parsons. Jim suggested the idea of creating a show focused on the childhood of this beloved character. It was to be aired as a prequel to The Big Bang Theory. The show was developed by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro for CBS.
The program debuted as a special preview on September 25, 2017, and was picked up for an entire season, which began airing weekly on November 2, 2017. The sixth season started on September 29, 2022, and has been renewed for a seventh season.
The series is based around Sheldon Cooper as a 9yo genius who attends the high school. It is set in the town of Medford in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sheldon tries to navigate a world full of socially ordinary people, including his family and friends. It was initially focused on Sheldon, but the series gradually began integrating different plotlines for the other characters to give them more dimension.
The Cooper family consists of Sheldon Lee Cooper, his twin sister Melissa “Missy” Cooper, his older brother George Marshall “Georgie” Cooper Jr., their father George Cooper Sr, and his mother Mary Cooper and her mother or Seldon’s grandmother Constance “Connie” Tucker who they refer to as Meemaw.
Reviews
Season 1 received mixed reviews from the audience. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a Critic rating of 76% and an Audience score of 75%. Many fell in love with the characters in the show and took a special liking to Meemaw.
Done watching Young Sheldon Season 1. I’m praying can I have a MEEMAW please 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 #YoungSheldon pic.twitter.com/tYLZSUMHpU
— Nash Yusop (@nashieeboi20) June 20, 2020
Season 2 was liked more by the viewers, and Rotton Tomatoes gave an Audience score of 92% and is the best-rated season of Young Sheldon. Season 3 was also well-liked by the audience, scoring 91% on Rotton Tomatoes. However, the show’s quality started to decline consistently from Season 4. The fourth season scored 84%, the fifth had an audience score of 79%, and season 6 scored a sour 42%.
Decline in ratings
The decline in rating was due to a lack of humor and stale writing. The viewers didn’t like the slow pace and blamed the lack of growth in Sheldon’s character. Many people were unimpressed by the change of voice in Young Sheldon actor Ian Armitage. Though one cannot blame the actor for it, a deep voice for a 12yo seemed hard to digest and took away from the show’s ambiance.
The show also stopped showing Missy as one of the main characters. She was often portrayed as a supporting character, with the audience not knowing anything about her school life. This didn’t sit well with the viewers as Missy is one of the best-liked characters in the show so far.
The show is not getting canceled any time soon as it has already been renewed for Season 7. In the future, people are hoping for an improvement in the show’s writing. Hopefully, one can expect better character development for Sheldon as he grows up soon. His twin sister Missy may have a better role in the show’s future.
