Young Sheldon ending its seven-season run with a cameo from The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons could make the plot holes from the latter even more obvious. Despite Parsons being an off-screen part of the Young Sheldon cast so far,the upcoming series finale is set to up the ante by having him appear in the flesh in the iconic role he originated. Despite distinct differences between the two shows, bringing the aged-up Sheldon Cooper into the mix as part of some of the most obvious stunt casting could do the franchise more harm than good.
When The Big Bang Theory ended, interest in Young Sheldon was on the rise because the character of Sheldon was ingrained in pop culture, but there have been many questions about where the spinoff would end. Parsons’ biggest role remains the one he originated on The Big Bang Theory, so his return will be watched even by those who said goodbye to the franchise with The Big Bang Theory‘s series finale in 2019. With so many variables thrown in for good measure, it’s hard to tell how this big development will pan out.
Young Sheldon is ending with season 7, which means that CBS hasn’t learned from its biggest crime when The Big Bang Theory ended four years ago.
Jim Parsons’ Young Sheldon Cameo Means Season 7 Will Directly Tie Into TBBT
Jim Parsons has had a significant impact on Young Sheldon
As a prequel to The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon has been slowly filling in the blanks about the lives of Sheldon and his family, and it’s done a very good job of setting it apart from the original series. There are some concerns about Parsons returning as TBBT‘s Sheldon, but it’s hard to imagine it not being for a final scene that shows Sheldon going from a teenager to an adult. An ideal scenario involves a transition between the two eras of Sheldon’s life, which would canonically bring together The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon.
An ideal scenario involves a transition between the two eras of Sheldon’s life, which would canonically bring together The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon .
Despite being set in the same universe, Young Sheldon has many key differences that set it apart from The Big Bang Theory, with the biggest being the single camera setup that wouldn’t have worked on the original series. It has allowed for more personal and mature storylines while expanding upon TBBT’s George Sr. cheating on Mary and why Meemaw differs between the two shows. The setting and time period are also different, with The Big Bang Theory charting the trials, tribulations, and comical moments of five friends living in Pasadena, California.
Young Sheldon Risks Making Its Plot Holes More Obvious With Jim Parson’s Return
There are too many plot holes to have The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon connected
The biggest flaw in Young Sheldon is its inconsistencies with the lore established in The Big Bang Theory, such as Sheldon having the whistle in his formative years that Amy gifted him several years later. This is a plot hole until the universe establishes a context that tells viewers otherwise, and without answering them, it leaves more questions than answers. Another big plot hole is Howard’s complaints about his overbearing mother and how she installed safety rails on his bed, only for it to be retconned on Young Sheldon.
Both shows contradict each other, breaking the illusion that they’re set in the same universe, which is a slippery slope because it makes them feel like they’re only loosely based on each other. Making these plot holes more evident with these highly-publicized cameos could tarnish the good that Young Sheldon has done during its seven-season run and also make it one of the most polarizing series finales. It could also negatively impact the George and Mandy Young Sheldon sequel series that is in development for the 2024-25 season on CBS.
How The Prequel Can Use Its Big Bang Theory Cameos To Its Advantage
Tying Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory together could secure the future of the franchise
With Parsons appearing alongside TBBT co-star Mayim Bialik, it certainly seems like the scene will be set in the present, possibly giving the show the opportunity for Sheldon to reveal he’s been an unreliable narrator all along to explain some of the plot holes. Admitting such a thing would be controversial, but Sheldon has proven to have a colorful personality across the combined 19 seasons of The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, so it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise. It’s one of the few ways the cameos could establish a connective tissue between the two shows.
Another way to use the cameos to the series’ advantage would be to have present-day Sheldon give advice to his younger counterpart.
Another way to use the cameos to the series’ advantage would be to have present-day Sheldon give advice to his younger counterpart. It would allow the series to have Iain Armitage and Parsons share the screen and create a moment that will be remembered by fans of the universe for the years to come. The Sheldon of Young Sheldon season 7 and the Sheldon of the present-day following The Big Bang Theory finale would have a lot to say to each other, and most of it would be infused with wit.
How this can be achieved is yet to be determined, but hopefully, the creative team wouldn’t have pressed forward had they not had an excellent idea to bring these two shows together. Finding a logical way of explaining the inconsistencies would give the sense that those associated with Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory know the importance of tying things together. With care and creativity, the connection between the two shows could be brought tighter than before, or it could be blown apart, depending on what the creative team is going for.
