Yes, the popular CBS sitcom 'Young Sheldon', created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, is a prequel to 'The Big Bang Theory'. The spin-off prequel to The Big Bang Theory, which is set in the late 1980s and early 1990s, opens with Sheldon Cooper, then nine years old, living with his family in East Texas and attending high school. The cast consists of Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, Raegan Revord, and Annie Potts. Iain Armitage plays the young Sheldon. The Big Bang Theory's adult Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons, narrates the show and serves as an executive producer.
Jim Parsons shared the initial concept with the makers of The Big Bang Theory, and its creation began in November 2016. The series was ordered by CBS in March of the following year, and Armitage and Perry were cast. Young Sheldon made its debut on September 25, 2017, as a special preview, and was subsequently renewed for a full season, which started airing on November 2, 2017. CBS renewed the show for a fifth season in October 2021 and the launch day for the sixth season was September 29, 2022.
What is the plot of Young Sheldon?
In 1989, Sheldon Cooper, then nine years old, skipped four grades in order to enroll in high school with his less intelligent older brother. His mother gives him the best weapon she has to fight off bullies by reminding them that his dad is the football coach and that his brother plays for the team.
Meanwhile, he struggles to communicate with his family, classmates, and neighbors. Although his twin sister lacks his amazing intelligence, she is a master at people reading and has a far clearer idea of what the future holds for the young genius.
How did the prequel come to be?
According to a report from November 2016, CBS was negotiating to develop a spin-off of The Big Bang Theory that would focus on Sheldon Cooper when he was a young boy. The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady is anticipated to be associated in some capacity with the prequel series, which is described as "a Malcolm in the Middle-esque single-camera family comedy." The prequel series planned to air in 2017–18 along with The Big Bang Theory. It was executive produced by Steven Molaro and Chuck Lorre, who also co-created The Big Bang Theory.
CBS renewed the show for a third and fourth season on February 22, 2019. The start of the third season was on September 26, 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. Television halted production on March 13, 2020, leaving the third season with just 21 episodes. The fourth season's filming got under way on September 22, 2020, but it was also put on hold for a month on October 9, 2020, due to a positive COVID-19 test. The start of the fourth season was on November 5, 2020. On March 15, 2021, the fourth season's filming came to an end. The show was renewed by CBS for a fifth, sixth, and seventh season on March 30, 2021. On October 7, 2021, the fifth season officially began, and the sixth season began on September 29, 2022.
What is the critical reception of Young Sheldon?
Rotten Tomatoes, a website that compiles reviews, reported a 76% approval rating for the first season with an average rating of 6.6/10 based on 46 reviews. According to user reviews, “Young Sheldon's appealing cast and relatable themes give its central character's well-known story a new and generally enjoyable perspective.” Based on 25 reviews, the weighted average review site, Metacritic, gave the series a score of 63 out of 100, classifying it as having "generally favorable reviews."
In 2018, Young Sheldon won the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series: Leading Actor. It was nominated for Teen Choice Awards, Critics’ Choice Television Awards, and Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022, respectively.
FAQs
Q. What was the inspiration behind Young Sheldon?
A. Young Sheldon, which is set in the 1980s, draws inspiration from two 1980s television programs: "The Wonder Years" and "Malcolm in the Middle."
Q. Who directed Young Sheldon’s pilot episode?
A. Jon Favreau directed Young Sheldon's pilot episode. This frequently occurs in TV shows, where a renowned director is selected to direct the pilot for both promotional and aesthetic purposes.
Q. What shows has Ian Armitage been in before Young Sheldon?
A. He had previously made appearances on Big Little Lies, Impractical Jokers, Little Big Shots, and Law & Order: SVU before this show.
