The younger version of Sheldon gets so many things right!
That ‘The Big Bang Theory’ came out with a spin-off and that spin-off was focused on Sheldon Cooper, is not surprising. Sheldon is such an iconic character, it just had to have a TV show of its own. But what is surprising is that ‘Young Sheldon’ is arguably so much better than the show it took off from. All because of one Iain Armitage, who plays the younger version of the original Sheldon Cooper, played by Jim Parsons.
Highlights —
- ‘Younger Sheldon’ shows both heart and humour
- There is more interaction between Meemaw and younger Sheldon
Here are five ways in which Iain Armitage does Sheldon Cooper better than the original Jim Parsons.
1/5
Iain Armitage captures both humour and heart
‘Young Sheldon’ manages to capture both the funny side of the character and deals with him with the kindness not given to the original Sheldon. That’s because the spin-off has more emotional resonance and is darker, but that is also what makes it so much more fun. Meanwhile, the personality of Sheldon from ‘The Big Bang Theory’ is sometimes used as a punchline in itself. A lot of his quirks and behaviour are turned into jokes, only to gain more laughter, so that it sometimes feels a little mean towards the character.
2/5
‘Young Sheldon’ gives away a funnier experience
Even though ‘The Big Bang Theory’ definitely has more jokes, most of them delivered by Jim Parsons in some way, ‘Young Sheldon’ gives off a feeling of being funnier. Because it is rooted in empathy and seeks to form a connection with its audience, the jokes in ‘Young Sheldon’ ask for your engagement and emotional investment. The humour lies in the turn from emotion towards comedy in a swift instant.
3/5
Iain Armitage gets to play off a worthy competitor
In terms of Iain Armitage versus Jim Parsons, while both actors play their roles very well, it is Iain Armitage that gets to play a substantive, meatier role. That’s not surprising, since ‘Young Sheldon’ is Sheldon’s original story. But this also means that ‘The Big Bang Theory’ just doesn’t have the potential for more characters that are worthy to compete with Sheldon.
In ‘Young Sheldon’, Sheldon meets with a worthy competitor of his own in the form of Paige. Unlike other rivals of older Sheldon like Barry, Paige doesn’t tolerate him, doesn’t let herself get annoyed by him, doesn’t go down to his level of pettiness.
4/5
Armitage gets to interact with Meemaw more
Every ‘The Big Bang Theory’ fan knows that Sheldon has a favourite grandmother whom he calls Meemaw. But we don’t get to see much of an interaction between them on the show. In ‘Young Sheldon’, there is much more interaction, since Meemaw has had such an influence on Sheldon’s life. Interestingly, the Meemaw in ‘Young Sheldon’ is portrayed differently than in ‘The Big Bang Theory’. In the original show, she comes off as something like an overprotective grandmother. In ‘Young Sheldon’, she is much more lovable, quirky, and unconventional.
5/5
It’s just a more emotional show
It’s pointless arguing about whether ‘The Big Bang Theory’ has a better Sheldon or not. ‘Young Sheldon’ has just more emotional beats than the primary show. That means there is a lot more to play with, and that landing jokes is not what the show is about. ‘The Big Bang Theory’, on the other hand, focused on just delivering jokes and trying to be funny, without establishing a real emotional connection with the audience.
Do you agree with our list? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
