TV SERIES
Young Sheldon
Producer Chuck Lorre
Reviewer Ray Chan
This week, viewers of the TV program Young Sheldon were
glued to their sets as the seven-season series ended with a much-anticipated
tear-wrenching finale.
And it was certainly some send-off for the coming-of-age
sitcom, a prequel to The Big Bang Theory (TBBT), both of which were created by
Chuck Lorre.
But hold on. It’s just another trademark American
milquetoast offering, you say? One with canned laughter and forced acting? Not quite, gentle reader.
Firstly though, let’s update those who have never watched
the TBTT franchise, or maybe just have a passing knowledge of the premise.
The focus of the original show explored the lives of a group
of friends, young scientists united by their brilliance and social awkwardness,
navigating life, work, and relationships.
Chief protagonist and former child prodigy Sheldon Cooper, now
in adulthood, continues to confound “normal” members of society with his
distinctive and often eccentric behaviour, moulded by high intelligence,
obsessive-compulsive traits, arrogance and superiority, and balanced by the
lack of social skills and empathy.
There were those who found TBBT eminently unwatchable, with
the story plotlines often rehashing plots and revolving around yet another
misunderstanding among the characters, dotted with frequent displays of
one-upmanship. Sceptics – and there were many, this reviewer included – did not
believe a spin-off would work. Surely it would be just a juvenile copy of the
dull TBBT format, itself a more-or-less nerdy version of the over-rated
Friends.
However! Young Sheldon is a far, far different beast. As the
title suggests, it shines the spotlight on Sheldon in his pre-teen days,
growing up in a fictitious Texan town, and trying to fit into a world of
people, including his own family and friends, who struggle to cope with his
intellectual capabilities and social ineptitude.
The tone is a world of difference away from the mundane
shows that spawned it. There are no sledgehammer jokes or ludicrous situations
looking for a laugh. From the very first episode of the very first series, the
viewer is hooked in by a mix of fresh comedy, truly funny and clever dialogue,
well-defined characters who are more fleshed out than the shallow TBBT
stereotypes, and an absolutely wonderful cast.
That’s no understatement. Iain Armitage pulls off the young
genius with aplomb and a fair amount of cuteness and cleverness, but equally
compelling to watch are Raegan Revord and Montana Jordan as his twin sister
Missy and older brother Georgie respectively. Revord in particular shines for
one so young (like Armitage, only nine in the debut season), and it has been a
pleasure to watch her acting prowess develop over the years. Jordan absolutely
steals some episodes with his lackadaisical attitude and innate goodness, and
his development into a more responsible adult as he comes to terms with
unplanned fatherhood.
Sheldon’s parents, played by Lance Barber (George) and Zoe
Perry (Mary), make equally solid contributions to the show, George with his
hardworking ethos and devotion to the family, and Mary devoting her life to
Christianity after pledging to the cause if she delivered the twins safely.
It’s interesting to note that Sheldon – and by default Lorre and his co-writers
– is clearly a follower of science and unapologetically atheist, a scenario
that becomes the subject of many discussions in various chapters.
And let’s not forget Constance, maternal grandmother of
Sheldon, Missy, and Georgie, whom they refer to as Meemaw, played superbly by movie veteran
Annie Potts, switching from Ghostbusters to grandma. Often mocking George and
sarcastic with others, she is a trustful confidante to an exasperated Mary, who
she advises that Sheldon will find his way despite his idiosyncracies.
This bedrock of lovable personalities intertwine with
genuine love, conflict and relationships that easily pulls audience members in,
making them eager with each show to find out what twists and turns lie beyond
the corner in Sheldon’s journey.
The beauty of Young Sheldon has been infinitely more than
skin deep. Initially riding in tandem with its elder sibling, it blossomed
beyond its roots into an independent exploration of family dynamics, tackling
everyday issues with empathy and amusement. A soap opera that mixed whimsy with
warmth.
Sadly, the longevity of the series had always been hamstrung
by retrospective revelations that had been made in TBBT, causing the scripters
to come up with imaginative ways to stick to canon.
But there was nothing they could do to delay the inevitable
or write out the biggest developments that had been foreshadowed for Sheldon’s
tumultuous 15th year: that he would leave Medford for Caltech University soon
after his father passed away.
Hence the finale, broadcast over two airings, and
spearheaded by an antepenultimate and emotional instalment in which George dies
of a heart attack.
We see the Cooper family struggle with saying goodbye to
George, with Sheldon revisiting his last moments with his father and thinking
of what he could have said to him but didn’t.
On a poignant note, the always faithful Mary rages at God at
the memorial service before Meemaw steps in to lighten the mood. Sheldon, still
lost in his own head, imagines the heartfelt eulogy he is too numb to give. Georgie
steps up to the plate and displays a responsibility to looking after the family
that betrays his oft-reckless attitude. Family and friends all react to the
tragedy in different ways, and it’s a nice tribute to the show to see so many
familiar faces return for the conclusion.
Indeed, it is a testament to the always excellent writing that
such a sensitive issue was treated with the seriousness it deserved, but
balanced by gentle lightheartedness and soft sentimental pangs.
There’s hardly a dry eye when someone like George, so
steady, so reliable and so unassuming, is just … gone. And metaphorically, Young Sheldon too has disappeared.
The series has been a joy to watch from the first season to
its 7th, with viewers growing along with the three Cooper kids as they went
through puberty (in real life as well as on the screen) and matured. We’ve seen
Sheldon attending high school at 9, enter college at 11, and then at 15, moving
to Caltex, where TBBT is set.
The final episodes were designed to hit many of the notes
that the show had played so well during its run, ending with a wrap that aimed
to have a little bit of humour with a little bit of hope. The series finishes
in an understated and touching way — going out just as it came in, and we will
probably never see the likes of it again.
The franchise will continue later this year with another adjunct: Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage, following Georgie his wife Mandy, as they
raise their baby daughter. It has a hell of a job to do to be even half as good
as its predecessor.
#youngsheldon
