While The Big Bang Theory was still on the air, the idea of a spinoff felt odd. The appeal of the show was the group of friends it focused on, all going through life together, growing and changing. It didn’t feel like any one character could stand on their own. Young Sheldon took that sentiment personally, with its first couple of seasons being a masterclass in prequel storytelling. And the best thing about the show was that Sheldon didn’t have to do all the heavy lifting because his family and his fellow residents in Medford, Texas, were just as entertaining as he was.
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Young Sheldon beat the odds, running for seven seasons on CBS and being successful enough to have its own spinoff, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Part of what made it work so well was that it always worked smarter, not harder, coming up with great running gags that made keeping up feel like a reward.
1) Intro Changes
The original intro for Young Sheldon is iconic, featuring the titular genius walking in the Texas wilderness. A cow shows up to interrupt his moment, but he pushes through until the title card shows up. As the seasons progress, more members of the Cooper family start to show up, and a bull eventually replaces the cow, making the get-together a bit more dangerous.
2) Family Dinners
While the Cooper family has their fair share of problems, they always find time to sit down for a meal. However, the dinners in Young Sheldon are a lot like the ones in The Big Bang Theory in that jokes are always flying. Whether it’s Sheldon poking fun at his siblings for not being as smart as him or Mary giving George the business, it’s hard not to crack a smile during a scene at the dinner table.
3) Teachers Hating Sheldon
It’s strange to see Sheldon in a school setting in his solo show because he’s always the smartest one in the room in The Big Bang Theory. Well, things aren’t all that different in Young Sheldon because Sheldon’s teachers constantly get lessons from him. Every season, the educators have to suffer, with Sheldon being unable to help himself while in a classroom setting.
4) Connie vs. George
Battles between men and their mothers-in-law are legendary in sitcoms. George and Connie take things to a different level, though. Connie consistently makes fun of George for his weight, while he gets her back by pointing out all of her bad decisions. When it comes down to it, they love each other, but their exchanges never disappoint.
5) Connie’s Illegal Activities
Part of what makes Connie such an easy target is that she likes to bend the rules. In the later seasons of Young Sheldon, she’s running an illegal gambling operation and ropes Georgie into it. Despite having a daughter who’s all about doing the right thing, Connie can’t help but do whatever helps her win.
6) Georgie Surprising His Parents
While participating in sketchy business is pretty bad, it’s not even close to the biggest bombshell Georgie drops on his parents. He drops out of school because he’s just not feeling it and wants to start making money, and not too long after that, he lies to a woman, Mandy, about his age and gets her pregnant. After the initial shock, his parents are ready to support him, but there’s never a dull moment in the house when Georgie is home.
7) Missy Misbehaving
With Georgie being the screw-up and Sheldon being the genius, there’s not much room for Missy to have her own thing. Well, she makes her parents pay attention by acting out whenever she gets the chance. She sneaks out and attends parties and even steals her dad’s truck at one point. While her actions come from a dark place, as she feels overlooked, it’s hard not to laugh when Mary and George catch wind of their daughter’s latest escapade.
Young Sheldon is streaming on Netflix.
Which of the Young Sheldon running gags on this list is your favorite? Is there another bit from The Big Bang Theory prequel that you think deserves a spot? Let us know in the comments below!
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(Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic)
