Love him or hate him, The Big Bang Theory wouldn’t be the same without Sheldon Cooper. Sheldon, the socially awkward theoretical physicist expertly portrayed by breakout star Jim Parsons, is one of the reasons that viewers got hooked on The Big Bang Theory for years. Despite all his annoying moments in the Emmy-winning CBS sitcom, viewers stuck around and watched Sheldon fall in love, win the Nobel Prize, and exclaim ‘bazinga’ over the years. And so, it made sense for showrunner Chuck Lorre to follow up The Big Bang Theory with Young Sheldon, a prequel about Sheldon’s life as a young genius living with his family in East Texas with Iain Armitage taking on the titular role. The cast includes veteran stars Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, and Emmy nominee Annie Potts, who plays Sheldon’s beloved Meemaw.
Like its mothership, Young Sheldon would become one of CBS’ most successful shows. Even as networks came under pressure from streaming, the sitcom easily reached the top of the ratings, even bringing in viewership numbers comparable to The Big Bang Theory week after week. Young Sheldon became the top network comedy after The Big Bang Theory ended, maintaining its top spot through the 2023 to 2024 season. Fans and cast members alike were blindsided when the show was canceled after being the number-one comedy for years.
