So-so sitcom has insults/language but sweet family support.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
A preteen has crushes on teens. A teen reads adult magazines, constantly makes out with different people, and gets into a relationship with a 29-year-old woman; she becomes pregnant with their child and gives birth. Two people act out "the sin of lust" to entertain guests at a Halloween party (but one of the teens realizes she doesn't want to commit such sins). Rude jokes about body parts: "When we get home, I'm going to kick you in the balls." "You can't, they haven't descended yet."
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Cursing and language includes "hell," "ass," "son of a bitch" (uttered by a 9-year-old at the dinner table), "balls." Characters tell each other to "shut up" and call each other names like "doofus."
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Sheldon's dad is frequently shown with a beer in his hand; a child jokes about him drinking too much because he's depressed over his career. Meemaw constantly drinks and smokes cigarettes.
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Bullying is a big plot point in this show, with lots of verbal references to violence. A sister says her brother will get his "ass handed to him" at a new school and threatens to kick him "in the balls." A mother says she'll "knock out" the "lights" of a lady who says something rude about Sheldon at church. A bigger kid threatens Sheldon with a scary chicken. Siblings constantly fight, but their quarrels are resolved easily.
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Prominent mention of brands like Radio Shack and Eggos is integrated into plotlines.
Positive Messages
some
Positive messages about accepting and supporting loved ones just the way they are, even when they don't fit in. On the other hand, teasing and name-calling is normalized; jokes often "punch down" at Southerners, "hobos," and other disadvantaged groups.
Diverse Representations
a little
The show focuses on a White family in Texas in the 1980s and '90s. Female characters include Sheldon's sister, Missy, who holds her own during sibling fights; his empathetic mom, Mary; and his cool grandma, Meemaw. Sheldon's best friend, Tam, is Vietnamese American whose family immigrated to the United States on a boat and stayed in a refugee camp. But Sheldon's family has little knowledge of other cultures. They assume Tam must've eaten gross food and can't believe he's Catholic, while Sheldon looks down on Tam's family customs. Sheldon's dad also hesitates to acknowledge Sheldon's crush on a Black girl. But a supporting Black character Professor Boucher is intelligent and assertive and knows how to humble the arrogant Sheldon. A preteen boy in a larger body than the rest of his classmates is depicted as an unintelligent bully.
Parents are mixed role models; they're present and caring but also prejudiced against others. Sheldon's family understands how unusual their son is and supports him, but they also treat Black and Southeast Asian people poorly. In addition, viewers may not appreciate all the bickering they do. Family members tell one another to shut up, call each other "monkey," throw food at the dinner table, etc. Sheldon is arrogant and insults others for their lack of intelligence.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Young Sheldon is a spinoff prequel to The Big Bang Theory, and revolves around a precocious 9-year-old boy (Iain Armitage) who starts attending high school. Sheldon's family, particularly his strong-willed mom, accepts him as he is and provides steadfast support. Sheldon is also confident and considers himself brilliant, cool, a "special boy." He demonstrates courage by attending high school at an exceptionally young age. But some viewers may not appreciate the general insulting, "punching down" edge to the show's humor, which includes jokes that target people for their accents or intellect. Sheldon's dad drinks beer frequently (implied to be a coping mechanism), and grandmother Meemaw (Annie Potts) constantly drinks and smokes cigarettes. The cast is mostly White, and Sheldon's family treats the few supporting characters of color and their cultures with ignorance. Sheldon and his siblings constantly bicker and tease one another. Strong language includes "hell, "ass," and "son of a bitch" (said by a 9-year-old at the dinner table). Sheldon is often verbally threatened with violence, with his sister telling him he'll have his "ass handed to" him at school and bigger kids menacing him. Characters have crushes, teens make out and date, and there's a relationship between a 17-year-old boy and a 29-year-old woman that results in a pregnancy and birth of a child.
The first couple seasons are definitely ok for kids over 9, it just gets inappropriate in season 5.
In the first episode, the Meemaw gambles, smokes, and drinks. The 9 year old daughter swears a bit, and there is talk about balls.
There is a teenage boy who is constantly making out and having sex with other girls, and reading “dirty magazines”. He lies about his age and gets a 29 year old pregnant.
The dad always has a beer in his hand, and is considering to cheat on his wife.
The mom and dad always fight.
There is a lot of swearing, drinking, and explicit content. In season 5, a 13 year old smokes.
I think if you have a 10 year old watching it, they should stop at season 5, due to all the sex in season 5 and 6.
Overall, I loved this show. It was hilarious, and one of the best shows I’ve watched.
What's the Story?
Being 9 years old isn't easy, and YOUNG SHELDON Cooper (Iain Armitage) hasn't made it any easier by being 1) startlingly brilliant, 2) socially clueless, and 3) born to a humble sports-obsessed family in East Texas. In a town where Sunday church is mandatory and football is more mania than hobby, a kid who spends his mornings proving physics laws to himself with a Lionel train set is not destined to be voted Most Popular in the yearbook. But at least he has the staunch support of his mom, Mary (Zoe Perry), and the somewhat more grudging support of his football coach Dad (Lance Barber), his football-nut brother George, Jr. (Montana Jordan), and his acerbic twin sister, Missy (Raegan Revord). Sheldon will someday to grow up to be one of the heroes on The Big Bang Theory(which explains Jim Parsons showing up to do narration), but right now, he's just hoping to get through high school.
If a spirited sitcom about geeky characters is your family's show of choice, you'll want to at least peek at this one. Young Sheldon shares a similar vibe and tone with creator Chuck Lorre's The Big Bang Theory, and it doubles down on Sheldon's evergreen confidence and courage against people who bully and doubt him. That said, the show's problematic characterizations of people of color fall flat. And a romantic arc that involves a wide age gap might concern some viewers.
There are also a lot of predictable jokes -- not all bad -- and predictable plot twists, but surprisingly secure and quirky Sheldon does have his charms, and the show does, too. Chief amongst them is the sweet relationship between Sheldon and his mom. When Sheldon volunteers to go to church with his mother even though, as his sister says, he doesn't believe in God, he pipes up, "But I believe in Mom." And she believes in him. This mutual support only strengthens as Sheldon grows up -- and that's a lot of fun to watch, even if Young Sheldon breaks no new ground.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why "fish out of water" plots are common in sitcoms like Young Sheldon. What's funny about putting someone in a place they don't fit in? What dramatic possibilities does it offer?
How does Young Sheldon depict immigrants and other characters of color? Did you notice any stereotypes? Why are they harmful?
How does Sheldon show courage by attending school with much older kids? Why is this an important character strength?
This comedy is produced by Chuck Lorre, a creator known for producing a particular style of comedy. Have you watched any of his other shows? Can you see similarities between this show and these other shows?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
