Young Sheldon will connect even more directly with The Big Bang Theory in Season 12. Set in 1989, Young Sheldon is, of course, a prequel to the long-running sitcom, focusing on the childhood of the parent show's breakout character: Sheldon Cooper. Already renewed for a second season, Young Sheldon has proven to be a hit in its own right, earning on average around 11 million viewers per episode. It's also received its share of acclaim for remaining distinct while also connecting to the original.
So far, the connections have mostly been minor. Whilst this iteration of Sheldon is played by Iain Armitage, Jim Parsons reprises the role in a Wonder Years-style voiceover. Characters also previously seen in The Big Bang Theory appear, such as Sheldon's mother Mary (Zoe Perry), his twin sister Missy (Raegan Revord), and his brother Georgie (Montana Jordan). Georgie was the most recent Cooper family member to appear in the main show, played in adult form by Jerry O'Connell. Mostly, the prequel was content on providing origins for some of Sheldon Cooper's more famous quirks. Things were turned on its head in the season 1 finale, however, when the show dropped the bombshell, courtesy of the adult Sheldon's voiceover, that he would one day have children of his own.
Related: 15 Behind-The-Scenes Secrets About The Big Bang TheoryThough fans will have to wait and see that future plotline unfold, they won't have to wait long for more direct connections between the two shows. Speaking at the Big Bang Theory writers panel at Comic-Con 2018 (as reported by Cinema Blend), showrunner Steve Holland revealed at least one special Young Sheldon crossover is planned for Season 12:
"There's an episode we're writing now where we're going to be introducing Tam, who is his best friend on Young Sheldon. We're going to learn what happened to them and why Sheldon's never mentioned Tam in the 11 years he's been on Big Bang. It's going to be a bit of a mystery."
Tam (Ryan Phuong) appeared regularly in season 1, serving as Sheldon's Vietnamese-American classmate and only friend. It was because of him that Sheldon discovered some of the non-scientific passions that would carry over into his adult life, such as comic books and role-playing games. Unfortunately, the prequel arriving after a decade of Big Bang Theory episodes meant that audiences were left to wonder, retroactively, why this important element of Sheldon's childhood was never mentioned or even referenced. Had he not been seen sharing a frequently awkward dinner with The Coopers, one might even wonder whether he was imaginary.
Despite its success, Young Sheldon hasn't always succeeded in preventing hilarious plotholes from emerging. Therefore, it'll be pleasing to fans with a Sheldon-esque passion for continuity that this one, at least, will be addressed, especially if Season 12, as has been repeatedly speculated, turns out to be the last. Given that he didn't even seem to receive an invitation to Sheldon and Amy's wedding, as seen in the season 11 finale of Big Bang Theory, it had to have been a truly epic falling out between the two, or maybe just another result of Sheldon's infamously compulsive behavior.
More: CBS Announces Fall 2018 Premieres For Big Bang, Young Sheldon, & More
The Big Bang Theory season 12 and Young Sheldon season 2 premiere September 24 on CBS.
Source: Cinema Blend
