S01.E01: Pilot

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

In the series opener, nine-year-old Sheldon Cooper, is a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science but learns that isn't always helpful growing up in East Texas.

[chitowngirl]

Does Jon Favreau have his finger everywhere this TV season? ?

I liked it. I think the format works for the stories they want to tell. The standard sitcom format wouldn't work here.

[SmithW6079]

Well, that was unfunny and painful to watch. Young Sheldon is as unpleasant and self-centered as old Sheldon.

We know he's exactly the same 30 years later, so what exactly will constitute character development?

Edited September 26, 2017 by SmithW6079

[ExplainItAgain]

I didn't expect to, but I really liked it. Very Wonder Years-esque. To me the standout was the mom - brilliant casting getting Laurie's daughter.

[jodie]

I don't get the reason for this show. We already know what Sheldon will be like. 

It's also very boring

[Browncoat]

I don't really get the reason for the show, either, but it was okay.  I'll watch for a bit before I pass final judgment.  Although if it were only available on All Access, nope.

[dungeonwriter]

That was painful to watch. 

Sheldon is insufferable, but he's also so clearly miserable. It's hard to watch his sensory issues go untreated, and how utterly alone he truly is. On the BBT, he has friends, a great career and a life of his choosing. This is just watching a little kid suffer without any relief.

The jokes weren't funny, and in fact, were also cruel. The young Sheldon actor is brilliant, but his material is just beneath him. Because you can't make a lonely, misunderstood, sensory overloaded kid seem like a barrel of laughs. 

[roamyn]

It's only The Pilot, so I don't expect it to come out guns blazing.  Unfortunately the funniest impact lines were Missy swearing.  But I'll give it a few more episodes to find its feet.

However, Zoe Ian and the girl who plays Missy were damn near perfect.  Esp Zoe.

The father isn't too bad, but where's the womanizing alcoholic Sheldon always talks abt?  The brother is TERRIBLE!  While I can emphasise with his having to deal with a socially awkward genius little brother, he's written as a bully and the actor isn't very good.

[Chit Chat]

46 minutes ago, ExplainItAgain said:

To me the standout was the mom - brilliant casting getting Laurie's daughter.

 I just thought the actress did a superb job in sounding like Laurie Metcalf, so that explains a lot! Thanks for the info!

I liked the episode.  It lets us see how Sheldon became so close to his Mom "she's my Christian soldier."  Then there's the explanation of his perfect pitch.  It's nice to be able to reference things we've seen on TBBT.  

2 minutes ago, roamyn said:

The father isn't too bad, but where's the womanizing alcoholic Sheldon always talks abt?  The brother is TERRIBLE!  While I can emphasise with his having to deal with a socially awkward genius little brother, he's written as a bully and the actor isn't very good.

As far as the Dad goes, maybe that aspect comes about later.    I felt kind of sorry for the brother.  That would be tough to deal with a younger sibling who is a genius and is in your same grade.  Awkward!  Between Sheldon putting his head on his Mom's shoulder in church and holding his Dad's hand for the first time, I liked that we saw that side of Sheldon.  He's young, a genius, and trying to navigate his way through life with a high IQ, but yet he's still a little boy inside.  Sign me up!  I'm hooked.  

[formerlyfreedom]

I think the casting is really good, with the exception of the brother, and even that, I can wait on a final judgement. It's hard to make everything work in 22 minutes.

The lead, the twin, and the parents really landed for me. I haven't watched TBBT regularly in years (why when it's rerun a zillion times a week?), so I'm fuzzy on the history with his dad, but I felt like they nailed what they were looking for with him.

[wknt3]

I thought it was great. And I am on record here as saying it was a terrible idea that could never work, there was.no way they could find actors to play Sheldon and his mom, no way to deal with the fact that we know where the story is going, no possible way it could work. But they really have done a great job for something I still believe was conceived as a cynical way to pay off Jim Parsons and get a couple more seasons of BBT. The casting is incredible, they've found a tone that works, and it fits in with what we've seen and heard while also being it's own thing. As an episode it was pretty good. As a prequel pilot it was great - it showed us that the stars can fill the shoes of Emmy winners and did a great job introducing us to the characters we didn't know yet and it demonstrated that it can work on it's own terms while respecting the source material. I'll definitely stick around.

Edited September 26, 2017 by wknt3
autocorrect fail

[kat165]

I was disappointed that they didn't show Mrs. Reilly's chickens but some kid named Sparks.

[Rascotes]

I had reservations about this concept when it was announced.  Going by the pilot a lot of my concerns proved to be accurate.  I'll give it a few episodes to find itself but if this is any indication of what Young Sheldon will be I won't be sticking around long.

[babyhouseman]

Did anyone notice Bob Newhart's appearance? Big Bang Theory fans will appreciate that. It was pretty good. I'l give it a chance for a few more shows.

[anna0852]

That scene with the chicken made me recognize that this is either where Sheldon's ornithophobia began or what has made it so severe. And I think I recognize the name Billy Sparks as having been referenced on Big Bang previously.

[Dots And Stripes]

I found this to be very sad so I agree with @dungeonwriter. Mary being his protector and friend was sweet,  but also made me want to cry. I thought a live audience format would have helped to make the show livelier and less sentimental. This was too emotional for me knowing that Sheldon is going to continue to struggle to get along with other people. I hope they down play the social problems and play up his happiness. 

[kazza]

I surprised myself by liking it. Sheldon's completely annoying in BBT, but this show gives us some insight into how he became the person we see as an adult. I mean, a lot of it is innate, but the bullying and alienation must have had some effect on him. 

And I loved how his mom looked out for him - and his affection for his mom. Can't wait to see Meemaw with her Moon Pie. 

[dungeonwriter]

19 minutes ago, Dots And Stripes said:

I found this to be very sad so I agree with @dungeonwriter. Mary being his protector and friend was sweet,  but also made me want to cry. I thought a live audience format would have helped to make the show livelier and less sentimental. This was too emotional for me knowing that Sheldon is going to continue to struggle to get along with other people. I hope they down play the social problems and play up his happiness. 

Thanks, Dots and Stripes. 

Sheldon is fated to be alone for the next two years. There's no hope, we know that from the get go that we're going to watch him remain isolated and bullied and misunderstood. How can I laugh at that?

And when it showed how loud the world was for him? The dogs, the cars, the lawn mower? I teared up. 

[galaxychaser]

Ian is adorable and a good actor.  I wish he didn't wear lipstick. 

[Mystery]

I liked it much more than I expected to. Sheldon's character is my least favorite on the Big Bang Theory, but I thought the young character was sweet and the casting (with the exception of the older brother, whom I'm reserving judgment on) was perfect. 

I assume that the card at the end was written by Jim Parsons. But why would anyone let "....so gracious and helpful to Steve and I" go by? Surely one of the million writers knows grammar better than that. 

Edited September 26, 2017 by Mystery

[Utpe]

I thought it was cute, but also a wee bit saddening.  Kinda reminds me of The Wonder Years (1988 - 1993) and The Goldbergs (2013 - Present).

Great job on casting Laurie Metcalf's daughter, Zoe Perry.

[Kimmmmmm]

7 hours ago, saoirse said:

I think the casting is really good, with the exception of the brother, and even that, I can wait on a final judgement. It's hard to make everything work in 22 minutes.

The lead, the twin, and the parents really landed for me. I haven't watched TBBT regularly in years (why when it's rerun a zillion times a week?), so I'm fuzzy on the history with his dad, but I felt like they nailed what they were looking for with him.

I agree, except for the twin...she and the older brother are both miserable. The lead is a doll, but I have to make myself forget what an unpleasant creep he grows up to be.

[wknt3]

5 hours ago, Mystery said:

I assume that the card at the end was written by Jim Parsons. But why would anyone let "....so gracious and helpful to Steve and I" go by? Surely one of the million writers knows grammar better than that. 

The vanity cards are written/dicatated/whatever by Chuck Lorre. Speaking as someone who has done some editing and proofreading professionally and the son of an English teacher there are plenty of educated people who would probably get it right on a grammar test, but have been so conditioned that the construction "and me" is wrong and makes you sound stupid that they will go for "and I" when speaking or going for a conversational tone without really thinking. The vanity cards are Chuck Lorre's personal domain and don't seem to go through any sort of editing other than review to make sure that there is nothing too offensive or actionable contained therein. So they let it go by because it's not their job to say anything unless it gets Standards & Practice's panties in a bunch, offends Sumner Redstone, or could cost them boatloads of money if used in court. And because they know that a minor grammatical error is completely unimportant compared to the sentiment expressed in the card.

[Whimsy]

10 hours ago, SmithW6079 said:

We know he's exactly the same 30 years later, so what exactly will constitute character development?

I agree with this.  I almost want to pretend it's a separate show/character but it's obviously impossible with Jim Parson's voiceovers. 

10 hours ago, ExplainItAgain said:

I didn't expect to, but I really liked it. Very Wonder Years-esque. To me the standout was the mom - brilliant casting getting Laurie's daughter.

I'm mostly going to continue to watch, at least for a few more episodes, because of the actors.  I thought that the mom was spot-on and am very pleasantly surprised to learn it's because she is Laurie Metcalf's daughter.  I love the actor playing young Sheldon, too, but it is hard because we've seen where he was at the beginning of BBT.  He was just a miserable jerk.  He's barely any better now only having made teeny tiny progress.  It's hard to see that sweet boy and think that he's not going to grow or learn from these experiences at all.  I wish they had just made this about a different genius all together.  

[Runningwild]

I loved the premiere. Iain is adorable. Sure Sheldon can be a jerk but this show really seems to be playing up the autism spectrum  possibility. I wanted to cry when he couldn’t find his tie. And I did tear up when he took his father’s hand. But I’m waiting for the responsive blessing. 

Edited September 26, 2017 by Runningwild

[Gummo]

Unfunny and sad.

The problem is, Big Bang Theory has spent 11 years building a character. We've learned a lot about his background so we know his childhood was miserable -- an endless roundtable of bullying, loneliness, domestic quarrels, increasing isolation from father (because of his alcoholism) and his mother (because of her increasing religious fanaticism), alienation from his siblings, and from the world.

So to make a show about that period in the character's life, they can do one of two things -- make the saddest, most tragic half-hour sitcom in American TV history, or completely ignore 11 years of careful character building and suddenly make his childhood cute and quirky and betray everything they've worked so hard at on Big Bang.

Both approaches suck. 

Remember AfterMASH? No? Well, that's the fate of this show, too.

[jumper sage]

For me it all worked.  Had Sheldon been born in a metropolitan area with a diverse school system he would have gotten the help/education he needed.  Love that his parents are loving but at sea as to what to do.

[PradaKitty]

Loved it!  I thought his twin (Missy) was funny in the way she dealt with him, too. Also liked that they referenced Professor Proton and the potato clock!

[DrSpaceman73]

The dad plays Bill Ponderosa on Its Always sunny.....He is an alcoholic, drug addict, bad father on that show, so should be able to pull it off here. 

I only saw the first scene, will finish tonight. 

Someone mentioned the bow tie and look of Young Sheldon looks too much like the kid from problem child, just a bad and unfunny series of movies, which I agree.  Was a bad idea to make him look like that. 

[ILoveReading]

I'm disappointed this didn't start with Sheldon falling out of his mother at the K-Mart. 

[Traveller519]

Mary is a good egg. The church is obviously a central part of her life but she does not force it on her family, letting them choose their own paths, and she obviously loves her family in spite of all their unique traits. Everything is done with a measured calmness too.

She was the star of the pilot for me

[Indy]

I didn't absolutely love the Pilot, but it's just a pilot so I'll give it a few more episodes.

I loved Mary, she was so perfect based on what we know of Mrs. Cooper.  The little boy playing Sheldon is super cute and the two of them play off each other very well. I think the siblings are well cast too and the family dynamic is good.  I'm still having trouble with the casting of Mr. Cooper though, mostly because the episode of BBT that he was in was one of my least favorite ones ever so I'm having trouble separating him from that character. 

 

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman73 said:

Someone mentioned the bow tie and look of Young Sheldon looks too much like the kid from problem child, just a bad and unfunny series of movies, which I agree.  Was a bad idea to make him look like that. 

YES! That's it! That's who he looks like, with that blue shirt and bow tie. And yeah, terrible movies so why in the world would they go there. Still a cute kid though. 

[highway61]

Agree with most of the comments - show is sweet, casting is very good. But young Sheldon is already wiser and more empathetic than grown-up Sheldon might ever wind up being. 

[iMonrey]

I didn't think it was very good. I didn't hate it, but I'm not sure what the show is supposed to be because it definitely wasn't very funny. And while casting Laurie Metcalf's daughter as Mary was brilliant, the casting of Lance Barber as Sheldon's father is kind of baffling because he played Leonard's former bully from high school in an episode of Big Bang, so it's really distracting to me to see him playing Sheldon's father here. Like, literally any other actor who has not already had a role on the parent show should have been cast instead. 

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, highway61 said:

Agree with most of the comments - show is sweet, casting is very good. But young Sheldon is already wiser and more empathetic than grown-up Sheldon might ever wind up being. 

I think all the bullying and the deaths of his father and grandfather warped his personality in a very destructive way.

[wknt3]

6 hours ago, Gummo said:

Unfunny and sad.

The problem is, Big Bang Theory has spent 11 years building a character. We've learned a lot about his background so we know his childhood was miserable -- an endless roundtable of bullying, loneliness, domestic quarrels, increasing isolation from father (because of his alcoholism) and his mother (because of her increasing religious fanaticism), alienation from his siblings, and from the world.

So to make a show about that period in the character's life, they can do one of two things -- make the saddest, most tragic half-hour sitcom in American TV history, or completely ignore 11 years of careful character building and suddenly make his childhood cute and quirky and betray everything they've worked so hard at on Big Bang.

 

Or they could explore how Sheldon and his mom developed such a close bond despite their differences, how an outcast finds escape in various hobbies and delving into various subjects (something I think many viewers can relate to) and how the different elements of his personality developed. Plus we have additional characters like Sheldon's siblings that we don't know as much about to explore, develop, and grow. It definitely has a shelf life and limitations on where it can go with the main characters, but if they keep it up they can probably get 4-5 seasons and maintain respect for the source material.

Edited September 26, 2017 by wknt3

[Destiny007]

I hope to see Sheldon's brother on the BBT.  I would love to know what their relationship is like now.

[backformore]

5 hours ago, Gummo said:

The problem is, Big Bang Theory has spent 11 years building a character. We've learned a lot about his background so we know his childhood was miserable -- an endless roundtable of bullying, loneliness, domestic quarrels, increasing isolation from father (because of his alcoholism) and his mother (because of her increasing religious fanaticism), alienation from his siblings, and from the world.

Yes, but we only know about the childhood history from Sheldon's viewpoint. Maybe this show will portray other points of view of events. 

I liked it.  But, even with Sheldon's obvious Aspergers/Autism spectrum disorder, his parents should have told him long ago that he is not in charge of making people follow rules.  

[ashleylm]

I loved it--and I don't watch The Big Bang Theory (well, I saw the first season, so I know who Sheldon is, but that's about it). This was gentle, and touching--it felt very Wonder Years to me--and young Sheldon basically reminded me of me, young Ashley, and I don't get to see myself represented on TV very often. (I told my first grade teacher I must be in the wrong class because she was evidently teaching Kindergarten ... and got sent to the cloakroom (our form of punishment) for that.

I smiled, I cried--what more could one want?

[jumper sage]

6 hours ago, ILoveReading said:

I'm disappointed this didn't start with Sheldon falling out of his mother at the K-Mart. 

OMG!  Maybe they will have a flashback.

29 minutes ago, ashleylm said:

I loved it--and I don't watch The Big Bang Theory (well, I saw the first season, so I know who Sheldon is, but that's about it). This was gentle, and touching--it felt very Wonder Years to me--and young Sheldon basically reminded me of me, young Ashley, and I don't get to see myself represented on TV very often. (I told my first grade teacher I must be in the wrong class because she was evidently teaching Kindergarten ... and got sent to the cloakroom (our form of punishment) for that.

I smiled, I cried--what more could one want?

roflmao!

[hatchetgirl]

Another non BBT watcher so although I've seen a few episodes, I know a bit about it. I liked it for now.

[PradaKitty]

I do love the Sheldon refused to have a Texas accent.  I have a friend from South Carolina who also "refused".

[2727]

I enjoyed it a lot! I don't find present day Sheldon to be annoying or horrible, so maybe that colors my perspective. I thought Young Sheldon displayed many of the personality traits that will follow him to adulthood: (over) confidence, blunt talk, and rule-following persnicketyness, to name a few. It made me grin that the opening scene was him playing with his beloved trains, using principles of physics to boot.

I just wish the Cooper house had been on cinder blocks! Perhaps that's coming if the family experiences financial setbacks.

I liked all the actors and thought making George a high school football coach was perfect. ("All right, Poindexter, sit down, shut up, and listen.")

I promise not to reference future Sheldon so much in my future comments! I know it's boring for non TBBT watchers.

Edited September 27, 2017 by 2727

[madpsych78]

Definitely a Wonder Years vibe - right down to George Sr. channeling Jack Arnold!

[DrSpaceman73]

I finished it, not that impressed. 

Didn't find it that funny.  Most of the jokes centered around a 9 year old saying precocious things like "testicles" and "brazierre". 

Comparisons to The Wonder Years I just don't see other than it being set in the past and the voiceover.  The Wonder Years, even the pilot, was far superior to this. 

Its not that it was bad, it was just kind of blah, plain, to me. 

I also thought the house and set seemed more early/mid 80s than late 80s. 

It was a pilot, will give it a chance.  But the pilot didn't do much to change my mind of low expectations

[LoneHaranguer]

I found it hard to get a feel for the show, having already seen so many key points of this episode in the ads.

 

3 hours ago, ashleylm said:

This was gentle, and touching--it felt very Wonder Years to me--and young Sheldon basically reminded me of me, young Ashley, and I don't get to see myself represented on TV very often. (I told my first grade teacher I must be in the wrong class because she was evidently teaching Kindergarten ... and got sent to the cloakroom (our form of punishment) for that.

I wouldn't have dared to be so outspoken, but I did get to examine the corner of my second grade classroom a few times before I learned to feign attention as the teacher seemingly dragged out lessons. Sheldon's lucky he isn't stuck going through school with everyone else his age; public schools are reluctant to make exceptions.

[mojoween]

I told my 19 year old son while we were watching that The Wonder Years pilot is the greatest pilot in the history of television.  While I like this show, and still love BBT proper, this is not The Wonder Years to me.

I was a sophomore in 1989...and seven years older than Sheldon, heh.

I felt for young George because it had to suck, just like he said.  All the attention went to Sheldon.

I'm having a hard time reconciling this George Sr. with canon George Sr. so I'm going to have to suspend disbelief on this one.

Doesn't Jim Parsons have brown eyes?

[hoodooznoodooz]

I liked Sheldon fulfilling his mom's request to play outside by pushing the tire swing once. 

[Sarah 103]

23 hours ago, roamyn said:

The father isn't too bad, but where's the womanizing alcoholic Sheldon always talks abt?  

My guess is that will come later. 

11 hours ago, PradaKitty said:

Loved it!  I thought his twin (Missy) was funny in the way she dealt with him, too. Also liked that they referenced Professor Proton and the potato clock!

I thought Missy was fantastic. I hope we see more of her. Aside from dinner table fights over silly stuff, I wonder what the relationship/dynamic is like between George and Missy. 

[OtterMommy]

On 9/25/2017 at 5:58 PM, SmithW6079 said:

Well, that was unfunny and painful to watch. Young Sheldon is as unpleasant and self-centered as old Sheldon.

We know he's exactly the same 30 years later, so what exactly will constitute character development?

This is the biggest obstacle of the show, but I don't think it is an insurmountable one.

I enjoyed this, but Sheldon was the least interesting part of it for me--mostly because there is very little that is new to discover about him.  However, I did enjoy seeing his adoration of Mary.  I also thought his sister stole the show.

For this show to work, I think, they need to focus less on Sheldon and more on the rest of the family.  Let Sheldon be the hook, but let the family be the story.