The Real Reason Why There's No Coming Back to TBBT After Young Sheldon

Summary

• Young Sheldon is a prime example of a successful spin-off.
• YS is better than TBBT in many ways.
• Sheldon Cooper is one of the reasons why TBBT is hard to watch after the spin-off.

It would be a stretch to call a spin-off that is more popular than its parent show a unicorn, because as a rule of thumb, spin-offs don't gain as much traction as original series. But it's not entirely impossible. For example, Young Sheldon could very well be considered better than The Big Bang Theory, on which it's based.

Released in 2017, Young Sheldon ran concurrently with TBBT for two years, until the latter's impressive twelve-year tenure came to an end in 2019. During that time, viewers had the opportunity to watch both shows, only to discover that they had very little in common.

In fact, YS proved to be very popular with viewers even though it barely resembled the iconic CBS sitcom. And apparently, this difference from The Big Bang Theory is Young Sheldon's main strength.

A Silly Sitcom vs a Nuanced Family Comedy

When The Big Bang Theory premiered in 2007, it wasn't an overnight hit. It took a few seasons for the nerdy, scientist-centric sitcom to win over audiences, as viewers initially didn't appreciate the humor. Young Sheldon, on the other hand, didn't have that problem when it premiered.

Narrated by TBBT's most famous character, Young Sheldon quickly endeared itself to viewers, which wasn't difficult given the show's warm, family atmosphere, clever one-liners and compellingly complex characters. In other words, as a brilliant blend of comedy and family drama, YS has a lot more substance to it, which audiences appreciate.

The Main Character's to Blame

Although both Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory feature many memorable characters, some likable and some utterly despicable, both shows revolve around Dr. Sheldon Cooper, whose antics are the main source of humor. At the same time, the character is none too likable, as his self-absorbed and arrogant demeanor turns off the audience.

In Young Sheldon, however, Shelly's flaws aren't as noticeable and irritating, perhaps because he's a child. Meanwhile, Dr. Cooper on TBBT comes across as an unnecessarily annoying person who should know better than to act the way he does – after all, he's a grown man with several degrees and tremendous genius. And that definitely affects the audience's perception of the sitcoms.

Still, it is the overall story and tone of Young Sheldon that makes it better in the eyes of viewers. So much better that The Big Bang Theory seems bland and impossible to watch after it.

Young Sheldon Season 7 will be released on February 15th.