Young Sheldon has become one of the most popular TV show spin-offs, but it isn’t the first like it, and there are similar shows fans will love.
There have been plenty of TV shows featuring precocious kids, but few have reached the level of shows like Young Sheldon. Premiering in 2017 on CBS, Young Sheldon acted as a prequel to the extremely popular Big Bang Theory and focused on the childhood of Sheldon Cooper from that hit sitcom. With Iain Armitage playing a young Sheldon and Jim Parsons providing voice-over as an adult looking back on his youth, it shows fans why Sheldon became the character he would be on TBBT, while also struggling to keep his continuity intact.
The show was a success, with Young Sheldon season 7 wrapping up the show. However, when wanting to find something similar to watch after finishing Young Sheldon, there are a lot of options with similar humor, setup, and characters. Most shows like Young Sheldon are sitcoms, with the precocious kids bringing plenty of laughs. The best comparisons are also TV shows that feature characters who go far beyond the realm of precocious to quirky, arrogant, and awkward. Looking at both old and newer shows, there is a lot out there for anyone looking for more of the same.
first
The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
12 Seasons, 279 Episodes
The most obvious show to watch for fans of Young Sheldon is The Big Bang Theory, for which the show serves as a sort of prequel. In Young Sheldon, fans get a glimpse into the early years of Sheldon Cooper and the family he talked about so much on the show. Young Sheldon offers viewers a better understanding of adult Sheldon from this show. The Big Bang Theory provides satisfaction in hearing adult Sheldon makes subtle comments referencing his childhood from moments that are then depicted on the show, although be warned that there are moments that go against what fans originally saw on TBBT.
2
Smart Guy (1997-1999)
3 Seasons, 51 Episodes
One of the smartest child geniuses on TV, and one of the earliest depictions of a child genius on television, is in Smart Guy. T.J. Henderson is a 10-year-old boy who, like Sheldon, is so intelligent that he gets transferred to a high school after skipping multiple grades. Also, like Sheldon, his older brother is not thrilled about having his little brother at the same school. Both shows are about young kids trying their best to fit in. Unlike Sheldon, T.J. is a very social child who wants to participate in everything at school. However, in both cases, it’s an interesting fish-out-of-water story with strong familial connections.
3
Fuller House (2016-2020)
5 Seasons, 75 Episodes
Fuller House is a sequel series to Full House centered around the life of the eldest daughter Tanner daughter D.J. However, her son Max stole every scene he was in. A precocious, highly intelligent student, Max loved to dress up in slacks and buttoned shirts with a vest, just like Sheldon. He even carried a briefcase to school instead of a backpack. He was also very interested in order and neatness. He loved correcting others and poking fun at his siblings who lacked the same level of intelligence as him. Max and Sheldon might have become friends had they existed in the same television world.
4
The Middle (2009-2018)
9 Seasons, 215 Episodes
Stream now on Peacock
Based in Indiana, The Middle centers around a lower-middle-class family struggling to make ends meet while dealing with day-to-day challenges involving work and children. There are three kids in the family like in Young Sheldon, each of whom is very different. The eldest son, Axl, is popular and athletic, but lazy and not interested in school, while the daughter, Sue, is socially awkward. The youngest son, Brick, is a bookworm and introvert. His behavior suggests he might be an autistic person, which is something fans have long theorized about Sheldon as well.
5
The Goldbergs (2013-2023)
10 Seasons, 229 Episodes
Also set in the ’80s with the later seasons moving into the ’90s, The Goldbergs has the same retro feel throughout each episode as the Goldberg family deals with challenges and various pop culture events surrounding those decades. Depicting another middle-class family with three kids, the protagonist and narrator is an adult version of the youngest son, Adam, a socially awkward, self-professed nerd who loves things like Star Trek and Star Wars and despises sports and gym class. The show is quirkier than Young Sheldon, with stories based on the creator’s real-life growing up.
6
Fresh Off The Boat (2015-2020)
6 Seasons, 116 Episodes
Just like Sheldon, the youngest son, Evan, on Fresh off the Boat, tries to fit in with his oddball family despite being very different from them: he’s very intelligent, performs well at school, and doesn’t like to break the rules. By contrast, his older brothers Eddie and Emery are goofy, athletic, and popular. But they always come together to help one another. The story was initially narrated by an older version of Eddie, with stories based on the childhood of the executive producer of the show, celebrity chef Eddie Huang. The show is also a period sitcom, set in the ’90s.
7
Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009)
4 Seasons, 88 Episodes
Although he was actually a teenager in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Chris Rock developed this series, inspired by real-life moments from his childhood, and has it set in the ’90s. While the main character Chris is older than Sheldon at the beginning of the show, fans see the same focus on the challenges kids face growing up in America and coming of age without being one of the “popular kids.” However, the subjects of race and class are featured more in this show than they are in Young Sheldon, offering a different perspective from a similar era.
8
Young Rock (2021-2023)
3 Seasons, 37 Episodes
Young Rock takes fans back to wrestling from the ’80s and ’90s but flips timelines from the present day to various timelines in the past. The show details facts about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson that many fans didn’t know since much of the content includes stories drawn from real things that happened to him growing up. Fans get to see his time as a young boy of 10, a 15-year-old teenager, and a college-aged student. The premise is that Johnson is running for president in the year 2032 and recalling moments in his life that help him relate to the average American. There are plenty of hilarious moments and memorable characters, similar to Young Sheldon.
9
Scorpion (2014-2018)
4 Seasons, 93 Episodes
This action drama would perfectly suit fans of shows like Young Sheldon thanks to its theme of a group of people who are highly intelligent but socially awkward coming together to help save lives. Lead character Walter O’Brien finds himself enamored with a beautiful young woman named Paige, and while she would not otherwise be interested, the way he manages to communicate with her child, Ralph, draws her to him. Initially thought to be troubled, Walter is the only one to be able to get through to Ralph, and he discovers that Ralph is a child genius and frustrated with not being able to relate to others, similar to Sheldon.
ten
Modern Family (2009-2020)
11 Seasons, 250 Episodes
Another middle-American family with three kids, each of the kids in Modern Family is different. Haley is the self-centered eldest daughter, while Luke is the rebelious, trouble-making, youngest son. Trying to figure out how she fits in is the middle child Alex, a highly intelligent, anxious girl who is constantly frustrated with her family. She is also quite sarcastic, just like Sheldon’s twin sister Missy. As with Young Sheldon, Alex loves her siblings and parents as well as her extended family dearly. But she doesn’t hesitate to point out their mistakes and correct them any time she can.
