Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper had to be less ‘annoying’ in spin-off, showrunner reveals

‘We liked to lay Easter eggs from ‘The Big Bang Theory’ in ‘Young Sheldon’’

The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper had to be less “annoying” in his spin-off series, showrunner Steve Molaro has revealed.

Appearing on the I Saw That Years Ago podcast, Molaro discussed the differences in character between Sheldon as an adult (Jim Parsons) on TBBT and as a child (Iain Armitage) on spin-off Young Sheldon.

“When we were writing that pilot we didn’t want to just write him as adult Sheldon and have a kid just say it,” Molaro explained. “We liked to lay Easter eggs from The Big Bang Theory in Young Sheldon.

“As annoying as adult Sheldon can be, he can get away with it so we decided he’s not this person yet [and] we made him a lot more naive.”

First airing in 2017, Young Sheldon follows nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper, a child prodigy already attending high school due to his superior intellect.

The prequel series initially ran alongside The Big Bang Theory for two seasons.

A third aired in September 2019, just months after The Big Bang Theory wrapped after 12 years on air.