Young Sheldon Just Made a Huge Decision About His Big Bang Future
It’s official: Young Sheldon is leaving Medford, Texas, to pursue his Big Bang Theory future in Pasadena, Calif.
In the sixth-to-last episode of the prequel series, a recently published paper co-authored by the future Dr. Cooper led to a frenzy of grad school recruiting. Harvard, M.I.T., Princeton, Stanford and the University of Toronto all came a-knockin’ with generous offers. But the 14-year-old scientist, who hates change, strongly considered continuing his education at East Texas Tech.
Ultimately it was Sheldon’s mentors, Drs. Sturgis and Linkletter, who told him that he couldn’t stay; he’d already outgrown them, and he owed it to himself — and to science — to spread his wings and go where he’d receive the best education possible.
That night, Sheldon returned home and told George and Mary that he’d reached a decision. That fall, he’d attend… M.I.T., in Boston, Mass. As in… Howard Wolowitz’s future alma mater! And that’s when our narrator chimed in…
“I know what you’re thinking,” Jim Parsons’ older Sheldon said. “Wait for it….”
In the following scene, Sheldon and George Sr. arrived at Boston Logan International Airport. Upon stepping foot outside, they were greeted with face-pummeling snow. Suddenly, Sheldon wasn’t feeling M.I.T.
“Caltech?” he asked.
“Caltech!” Sr. answered.
And that’s the story of how Dr. Sheldon Cooper decided to attend Caltech.
Sheldon’s choice shouldn’t come as much of a surprise — even if you never watched Big Bang. He previously expressed interest in Caltech in Young Sheldon Season 3, Episode 16, when he visited his the university to attend a lecture given by his scientific hero, Stephen Hawking.
“Imagine all the stimulating conversations that must go on at these tables,” Sheldon said at the time. “I can see myself going here one day.”
“I think you’d fit right in,” Dad replied, before the camera panned out to reveal the iconic cafeteria set from Big Bang.
As previously reported, Young Sheldon’s one-hour series finale (airing Thursday, May 16 at 8/7c) will feature cameos by Parsons and Mayim Bialik, who will reprise their on-screen roles as Drs. Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler for the first time since Big Bang Theory’s 2019 series finale.
The Big Bang franchise will then continue in the fall with the first of two planned spinoffs: CBS’ as-yet-untitled Georgie and Mandy spinoff starring Jordan and Emily Osment. Series co-creator Chuck Lorre is also developing a Big Bang Theory offshoot for streaming service Max.
What did you think of Young Sheldon Season 7, Episode 9: “A Fancy Article and a Scholarship for a Baby”? Let us know in Comments.
Dr. sturgess and linkletter are so good! When you watch this show you realize how good of a job the casting director did!
I wonder if that was the final appearance of those three characters (including Wendie Malick). They (and the high-school teachers) were all a lot of fun to watch.
We need to see Paige one more time.
We really don’t.
We still need to know why Sheldon never mentioned her as an adult.
It’ll either be heartbreaking (She’s on a bad path) or she’ll have used her math skills to become rich in some non physics arena, like tech or finance. Shel never admits anyone else is successful, so I could see him not mentioning her out of jealousy.
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Either way, getting her back will be hard. The actress works a lot now.
Paige needs to appear one more time.
Georgie and Mandy spin off is a GREAT idea !!
Three things.
1. This was the best episode in years. All three stories were funny and well done. The comparison to Missy was especially good as it set up the line about childish maps and children out of wedlock.
2. For all the crap Sheldon gives Howard for going to MIT, it is funny that Sheldon would have but for the weather.
3. In TBBT Sheldon is on the other side of this with Dennis Kim, a young boy whose family escaped North Korea. It would be great if he goes to Cal tech for a visit and we see the previous child genius react to him.
Great episode. However, would Sheldon really pick going to MIT for graduate school, something he has referred to as a “trade school” in the TBBT?
Well, he clearly suffers from revisionist history. By which I mean, older Sheldon revised his own history, he never wanted to go to MIT because it’s “just a trade school”, it had nothing to do with the weather, nope, nosiree.
Yes it was a good episode but I wouldn’t call it a great one. Loved the Georgie scenes with his adorable daughter, and Sheldon’s grad school dilemma. But would someone PLEASE explain to me why Sheldon continues to speak in that rapid-fire, robotic manner? It is SO annoying! Half the time I have trouble what the hell he’s saying! The adult Sheldon doesn’t, so I just don’t get it! He was particularly irritating in this episode.
You left out the whole story of Georgie being corrected in how he speaks.
I find it weird that Sheldon was mad at Tam for not going to CalTech with him as they agreed to but yet, Tam hasn’t been shown for awhile and Sheldon seemed very okay with going to California by himself.
Tam is in an upcoming episode
I love “So Help me Todd”. Sad to see it go.