Young Sheldon, a prequel series to The Big Bang Theory, follows 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper (Iain Armitage) living his everyday life in Texas with his family. As normal as one’s life goes, Sheldon experiences difficulties fitting in, primarily due to his extraordinary talents. Set in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the show depicts young Sheldon’s journey of learning and discovery — about himself, society, and its perception of him.
With a total of seven seasons, the time with Young Sheldon had to come to an end, but there are still many great episodes to revisit. Among its 141 episodes, here are Young Sheldon’s best ones.
17
“A Brisket, Voodoo, and Cannonball Run”
Season 1, Episode 7
The episode centers around the family feud over a top-secret brisket recipe, especially between George Sr. and Meemaw. The conflict becomes more serious than what meets the eye, so everyone gets together and tries to resolve the conflict, but to no avail. The feud gets more heated as Meemaw tells him a fake recipe that puts him on a long, meaningless journey to achieve the killer brisket. Upon finding out, George gets upset and tries to ban her from the household.
Sheldon then comes between them and states that he remembers Meemaw telling him the recipe when he was 23 months old. He uses this as his weapon to fight them, and they must try to make it before he reveals it. Of course, he succeeds. The episode is filled with a fun and seemingly trivial rivalry involving the characters that is quite relatable to many viewers, giving it an extra layer of pleasantness as the viewers watch their feud.
Related
‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ Just Made This ‘Young Sheldon’ Storyline Much Darker
Meemaw’s illegal gambling operation in ‘Young Sheldon’ returned in ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ and led to dire consequences.
16
“Pasadena”
Season 3, Episode 16
Following his big dream, Sheldon goes to the prestigious Caltech for the first time ever. Meanwhile, back home, the parents go about their duties as parents, showing their competence to their young children. While George Sr. seems to be a great father, his wife Mary feels the need to go above and beyond to be the best stepmother.
However, she accidentally overhears Georgie’s phone conversation with his girlfriend, which becomes an uncomfortable reality. With Sheldon leaving for college, other children back home are experiencing changes, and the parents are showing much effort to be their best parents. The episode is filled with heartwarming family love that extends beyond blood.
15
“Potato Salad, a Broomstick, and Dad’s Whiskey”
Season 1, Episode 14
Mary gets a job as a church secretary, meaning she isn’t home as much as she was previously. This leads to some days of Sheldon and Missy being home alone for the first time. Although crazily intelligent, Sheldon is still a young child, after all, making his experience of being home alone with his young sister a very humbling learning experience.
This episode is the epitome of growing up. Mary takes on a new job with more significant responsibilities, while Sheldon and Missy reach a new level of independence. Everyone is experiencing something new, which can be scary and exhilarating. They bravely face their new reality with plenty of mistakes and lessons to learn.
14
“Vanilla Ice Cream, Gentleman Callers, and a Dinette Set”
Season 1, Episode 22
A woman with outstanding features and personality attracts those with quality, which is what is happening to Meemaw. Meemaw is on a romantic journey with two men and has to decide which man is the most compatible with her. This causes quarrels between the three — be it a competition, an attempt at making up involving furniture, or making an agreement behind one’s back.
Among the chaos, Sheldon swoops in again and gives Meemaw a way out. He suggests the three of them have an agreement that all parties have agreed to. The idea brings young Sheldon to apply that to his future life — an agreement with his wife, family, and children. Though ending in a cliffhanger, the episode gives a huge hint and hope that Sheldon one day will have children, making the viewers root for more.
13
“Graduation”
Season 4, Episode 1
The young genius has reached a new peak: graduating from high school. As many high school graduates experience, Sheldon also feels like he isn’t ready for college, which makes the entire experience more scary but relatable. The highlight of the episode is when Sheldon gives his heartfelt valedictory speech, where he also honors his sister. This speech alone will always show how thoughtful and meaningful their relationship is.
The episode starts the new season with an emotional ride. Besides Sheldon graduating from high school, Meemaw is in contact with her ex-boyfriend, Dale Ballard. He is trying to make amends with her, showing his sincere heart to have a better relationship with her. The episode is filled with sweet moments that bring tears to the viewers’ eyes.
12
“A Nuclear Reactor and a Boy Called Lovely”
Season 2, Episode 13
Referencing a real-life event, the young Sheldon tries to build a nuclear reactor. Sheldon proves himself capable of doing so and shows how much potential, knowledge, and skills he has to change the world in his own way. Despite his extraordinary capabilities, Sheldon is still a minor, which calls for an adult to accompany him during his experiments. That is where Meemaw comes in.
As Sheldon focuses on his own thing, his mentor’s colleague, Dr. Linkletter, starts flirting with Meemaw during a cocktail party. Some lean towards accepting the situation, while others don’t. The lighthearted episode nicely depicts Sheldon’s personality as a young boy and as a genius.
Related
Every Season of Young Sheldon, Ranked
By ranking all the seasons of Young Sheldon, we aim to offer a fond recollection of the very moments that made the series such a beloved sitcom.
11
“An Eagle Feather, a String Bean, and an Eskimo”
Season 1, Episode 10
Sometimes, one has to disappear for those around him to understand how impactful one’s absence is truly. That is what the family experiences in this episode. Sheldon goes to Dallas to attend a school for gifted children, putting his family through many emotions, like happiness, concern, and excitement.
During his absence, the family now realizes how meaningful Sheldon is to their family. Then, he returns home and surprises them all — especially his sister, Missy. He brought a gift for her that included an eagle feather, a string bean, and an Eskimo. Their relationship only gets stronger when apart, with one always occupying the other’s mind. The family now has a stronger bond, with more appreciation for all.
10
“New Home and a Traditional Texas Torture”
Season 7, Episode 12
After George Sr. receives a job offer as a college coach in Houston that promises more money for the family, Mary and Missy throw their full support behind him. However, Sheldon struggles with the idea of moving homes while preparing to move to California for Caltech. However, Sheldon’s concerns are minimal when it is revealed to the family that George Sr. has died of a heart attack, leaving the family devastated and relying on each other to try to piece together the news and subsequent grief.
This was a heavy episode for fans of Young Sheldon. Not only did a beloved father figure die, but the news put the entire family in jeopardy at a time of great transition for everyone. Yet, the episode showcased the strong writing of the series, balancing humor with heart, tackling deep emotions, but still leaving having the Young Sheldon wit viewers had come to admire.
9
“A Computer, a Plastic Pony, and a Case of Beer”
Season 1, Episode 12
The parents are arguing about the family’s financial condition. It all starts when Sheldon asks for a computer to help him in school as well as with his learning. However, the parents aren’t on board with making the request a reality. The primary reason is, of course, their family’s financial condition.
In trying to help put out the fire between the parents, Meemaw tries to brighten up the mood and talks to a mouse, birthing one of the funniest scenes in the show. The disagreements continue, though, despite it being evident that the parents do love Sheldon and want to support everything he does. Thankfully, they reach a common ground, and everyone gets what they want.
8
“A Patch, a Modem, and a Zantac”
Season 1, Episode 6
One can argue that there’s nothing more insulting to a genius person when someone starts pointing fingers and saying one’s work is invalid. A NASA representative comes and does that very thing to Sheldon. The misjudgment urges Sheldon to do his best to prove that the NASA representative is wrong.
When outside forces attack Sheldon, the family is always there to cheer him up, which the episode manages to nicely show. Not only that, the episode ends with a surprise guest who fits nicely into the episode’s space theme, Elon Musk.
