Young Sheldon has been a fun show, funny and sweet in its way as it explores the childhood of Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory.
In the first few seasons, Young Sheldon has sort of tap danced around some of the darker edges of Sheldon's youth in Texas. In various episodes of Big Bang Theory, Sheldon has often painted a rather grim, unflattering picture of this time of his life, especially in regards to his father, George Cooper Sr.
The portrait of George Cooper Sr in Young Sheldon has for the most part been in pointed contrast to Sheldon's recollections in Big Bang Theory. George is a devoted husband and father. Yes, he's a bit clueless on how to deal with his kids, especially the precocious one with the super genius IQ.
But for the most part, George has been a genial soul who approaches the travails in the Cooper home with a sense of humor.
Young Sheldon has played a bit loose with some of the canon of Sheldon's younger days as relayed in Big Bang Theory. Is it possible that George is not heading for the fate we've heard from the older Sheldon, a man brought low by infidelity and ultimately death?
No, it isn't.
In the final moments of the next to last episode of season 4, young Sheldon is sitting in the living room with his father as older Sheldon's narration relates wistfully how he wished he had made it known how much his father meant to him before he was gone.
The last episode of the season sees George caught in the center of a storm of trouble in the household and Mary comes home all judgemental on how her husband has screwed everything up. For the record, Mary only makes things worse causing Missy to run away from home.
George also leaves home to spend some time nursing some beers and playing pool in the bar. Until he is approached by his newly single neighbor who asks if he would like some company.
His blonde neighbor.
In Big Bang Theory, Sheldon had explained his habit of knocking three times before entering a room began when he caught his father in bed with a woman who was not his mother.
A blonde woman.
It seems George Cooper Sr's fall from grace has begun.
It's hard to put my finger on exactly why but season 4 as a whole as seemed less fun in ways beyond George Sr's growing discontent. I think Sheldon's struggles with high school were more potent fodder for comedy than his new life as a college student. Except for his interactions with a couple of professors and the college president (played by the always funny Wendie Malick), Sheldon in college hasn't really been fully explored.
I think the restrictions for filming the show during the pandemic has fractured the show with everyone feeling kind of isolated. I think the next last episode of season 4 may have been the only episode with everyone gathered around the dinner table this season.
By the way, that episode really was a major experiment in storytelling as the discussion with a visiting Dr. Sturgis prompts a discussion of black holes and alternate dimensions , The various members of the cast ponder life in these alternate worlds including one where a black hole is about to engulf the whole world and the family finally opens up to one another about how they truly feel. Except for Mary who just wants to pray.
One problem with a show like Young Sheldon is having Sheldon learn lessons that he seems to have forgotten as grown man in Pasadena. In the season finale, Sheldon learns that as a brother, he has a responsibility of care for his sister. I'm pretty sure he didn't realize that until "The Porkchop Indeterminacy" in the first season of Big Bang Theory.
Another knock against Young Sheldon is that we know the arc of these characters' lives is not necessarily a positive one. On Big Bang Theory, the gang's future was not set and there was room for positive growth. Young Sheldon can only promise us a grim future. Mary will be betrayed and abandoned and George will cheat on her and then die.
And Sheldon has a life of bitterness and isolation before him, at least until Leonard and his friends at Cal Tech enter his life and he meets Amy.
Sheldon's entry into college at age 11 seems to be a line of demarcation from Young Sheldon being fun to being a bit less fun.
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Side note: last week, with the Supergirl mid season finale, Kara did and did not get out of the Phantom Zone.
OK, good news: her friends find her and bring her aboard their dimension spanning space ship. The last scene is the ship flying back towards a portal to get back to Earth.
Technically, the series enters a mid season break with Supergirl still in the Phantom Zone.
But she's rescued. So yay!
Another side note: the rotating hosts of Jeopardy continues to frustrate me. Bill Whittaker was a genial host but boy is he soft spoken and genial. Anderson Cooper before him was a bit more energetic host with a solid professional handle on the show.
Now we have Buzzy Cohen for the Tournament of Champions.
So far, the only guest host who has kept Jeopardy's ratings at Alex Trebek levels is Ken Jennings.
I am still on board for Ken to get the gig on the regular.
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Until next time, remember to be good to one another and to keep it down, would ya? I'm trying to watch TV over here.
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