5 Most Tear-Jerking Young Sheldon Episodes That Prove It's Not Just Another Sitcom

As a spin-off of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon was very different from its parent show from the start. No silly laugh track, more complex and nuanced characters, and lots of emotional dramatic elements, the differences were many. So it is no surprise that some YS episodes had the opposite effect on the audience – they made viewers cry instead of laugh.

These five episodes are prime examples of this.

A Virus, Heartbreak and a World of Possibilities – Season 4 Episode 15

In this episode, Mary and Connie go out with Brenda Sparks after her husband Herschel leaves her. While the girls are having fun, George and his friends, who have come to the Coopers' for a poker night, check on Billy. Seeing that Billy is lonely, George, in a very fatherly move, invites him to play poker with them, and the boy proves to be a good player, opens up and feels welcome and wanted, which is very touching considering his father left him behind.

A Swedish Science Thing and the Equation for Toast – Season 2 Episode 22

An avid lover of science, Sheldon has his own Super Bowl: the annual Nobel Prize ceremony. Wanting to share his excitement about the upcoming event, Shelly invites his schoolmates to a Nobel Prize party he is throwing. Mary helps him with snacks, but unfortunately no one shows up, and the boy spends the evening alone. To make matters worse, the scientist he's rooting for doesn't win, leaving Shelly heartbroken.

A Tornado, a 10-Hour Flight and a Darn Fine Ring – Season 6 Episode 22

The Season 6 finale is packed with events. Sheldon and Mary are off to Germany. Georgie and Mandy visit her parents to announce their engagement. Meemaw and Pastor Jeff take refuge in her illegal gambling room to wait out a tornado that sweeps through Medford. And George and Missy share an emotional, tearful moment when they are caught in the tornado, prompting the girl to apologize for her obnoxious behavior.

A Crisis of Faith and Octopus Aliens – Season 2 Episode 3

After a teenage girl from Mary's congregation dies in a terrible accident, Sheldon's notoriously devout mother begins to question her beliefs. Mary's crisis of faith is so severe that she won't even say grace before dinner, which frightens Sheldon. Although he's a staunch atheist, Shelly helps his mother regain her faith and feel better by explaining the basics of physics. And their heartfelt conversation can only bring tears to your eyes.

Funeral – Season 7 Episode 13

The most obviously tear-jerking episode of Young Sheldon is the one in which the Coopers deal with George Sr.'s untimely death. There are many reasons to cry in this episode, but the most emotional moment is when Shelly fantasizes about all the ways his last day with his father could have been different, all the things he could have said to make his dad feel appreciated, and all the things they would never be able to do together again.