10 Smart TBBT Callbacks You Might Have Missed in Young Sheldon

The Big Bang Theory and its prequel, Young Sheldon, are certainly quite different in terms of their plot, characters, and humor, but the shows share the same universe and feature a lot of common details.

Here are 10 TBBT callbacks made in Young Sheldon.

1. Bazinga!

Sheldon Cooper is a truly unique character whose genius and nerdy antics make him very different from all the other sitcom protagonists out there. The character's language is also quite special, and his catchword 'Bazinga!' is just one example of that. As Episode 10 of Young Sheldon reveals, the word originates in Sheldon's childhood, connecting the two series.

2. Soft Kitty

It's no secret that Sheldon is very needy, especially when not feeling well. When he falls ill in Season 2 Episode 21 of TBBT, Sheldon asks Penny to sing him a kids' song, 'Soft Kitty,' to help him to sleep. In the prequel series, it is Sheldon's mother Mary who comforts him with the lullaby when he comes down with flu in Episode 13 of the premiere season.

3. Hot Tea

Sheldon's favorite drink is hot tea, and he frequently uses the beverage to comfort himself and other characters in TBBT. In Season 3 of Young Sheldon, we actually get to see what affected the boy's preference — in the 12th episode of the season, George Sr. sees his son make tea for his friend Paige, who is distressed due to her parents' divorce, and says he is proud of him.

4. Love for Educational TV

In the prequel series, Sheldon often has fights with his father and siblings, opting to watch his beloved Professor Proton while the rest of the family have other ideas. He also has an autographed poster of the science guru, and as TBBT fans, we know that his love for Proton and educational TV shows doesn't fade away. In his adult years, Sheldon often mentions the man who inspired him to pursue science.

5. Penchant for Agreements…

The character's other obsession is formal agreements and contracts. In TBBT, he makes Leonard sign a Neighbor Agreement several times, and in one of the episodes, the gang makes use of his reverence for written documents, so they make one to oblige Sheldon to be respectful and polite.

In Episode 22 of Young Sheldon Season 1, we see the protagonist compose one of his first agreements — a relationship contract for his grandmother Meemaw and Dr. Sturgis.

6. …and Schedules

In addition to agreements, Sheldon is also a fan of schedules and timetables. In Young Sheldon, he has strict guidelines to regulate his and other family members' bathroom routine and fights with his siblings whenever they encroach on his bathroom time. Adult Sheldon also terrorizes his friends/flatmates and their girlfriends with strict household rules, which often leads to certain tension between them.

7. CalTech

Much of the action in TBBT takes place at the California Institute of Technology, as all four men of the Pasadena gang work there. Young Sheldon is largely set in East Texas, where the Cooper family lives, so the California location is not as prominent in the prequel.

In Season 3 Episode 16, George Sr. takes his son to CalTech to attend a lecture by Stephen Hawking, which is probably the first time Sheldon sees the university that will later become a significant part of his life. At age 14–15, Sheldon studies at CalTech to receive his bachelor's degree.

8. The Nobel Prize

In the heartfelt finale of Young Sheldon Season 2, we see the boy moved to tears when Frederick Reines, the man who detected neutrinos, doesn't win the Nobel Prize in Physics. Fortunately for Sheldon, he scores a victory himself when he grows up, as Sheldon and Amy are bestowed with the award for their contributions to science at the end of TBBT.

9. Shamy's Married Life

Although Sheldon is a very difficult person and doesn't seem to be made for romantic relationships, he becomes close to Amy in TBBT and eventually marries her in the finale. Mayim Bialik, who played Sheldon's wife, made cameo appearances in several episodes of Young Sheldon as a co-narrator, revealing that Amy and Sheldon are still together and have a son named Leonard.

10. George's Lot

If you followed TBBT, you know that Sheldon had a complicated relationship with his father, who died prematurely when the boy was 15. George Cooper Sr. is one of the most beloved characters in the prequel series, but unfortunately, he'll most likely die from heart complications in the upcoming Season 7.

Fans are hoping that the writers will diverge from the canon this time, leaving the character alive and well in the finale, but George's chances of survival are rather slim.