Do you miss The Big Bang Theory? Well, there’s probably a support group for that. But in the meantime, you can get your Big Bang fix with the spin-off/prequel series Young Sheldon. Season five of Young Sheldon is now available to rent or buy from Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Microsoft and Google Play, while season six is exclusively available via Amazon Prime.
Set in small town Texas in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Young Sheldon charts the formative experiences of socially inept genius Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage, with OG Sheldon Jim Parsons providing narration in the style of The Wonder Years).
While his family, including dad George (Lance Barber), a high school football coach and Vietnam veteran; devout mum Mary (Zoe Perry—her mother, Laurie Metcalfe, played the same character in The Big Bang Theory); jock older brother George Jr (Montana Jordan); and twin sister Missy (Raegan Revord) are salt-of-the-earth type folks, and have trouble coping with Sheldon’s big brain and boorish manners. But support comes from his irascible grandmother Connie (Annie Potts). And so we proceed from there.
One thing that stands out about Young Sheldon is it attracts some absolutely ridiculous talent for guest and supporting roles, with Wallace Shawn, Ray Liotta (RIP), Jason Alexander, Mckenna Grace, Rebe McEntire, Wendie Malick, Ming-Na Wen, Lance Reddick (again, RIP), Diedrich Bader, Melanie Lynskey, Penn & Teller and many more cropping up at one time or another. Sadly, Elon Musk also cameos in one episode, although that’s easily skippable.
The Big Bang Theory, one of the most popular sitcoms in recent memory, ended four years ago, and Young Sheldon struggled to define itself initially, suffering in the shadow of its progenitor. It quickly found its feet, though, becoming a smart comedy about the struggles of a working-class family as much as it’s about the titular prodigy. If you have fond memories of Roseanne, you should definitely give Young Sheldon a spin.
