Although Sheldon is famous for being The Big Bang Theory’s unashamedly contrary protagonist, rewatching the pilot revealed a shocking truth about him. By The Big Bang Theory’s finale, it was clear who the show’s true hero was. Jim Parsons’ Sheldon had unequivocally stolen the hearts of the show’s large fan base and became its de facto lead character.
The very fact that the show’s first spinoff was Young Sheldon should clue viewers into this fact, as Sheldon was the one character whose past viewers wanted to explore further. However, this makes The Big Bang Theory a bit of an anomaly among hangout sitcoms, compared to Friends, How I Met Your Mother, or New Girl.
Like The Big Bang Theory, all the shows listed above followed a group of thirtysomething professionals as they navigated life, love, and work in the big city. Like The Big Bang Theory, they also all featured a central couple who got to know each other throughout the show, got together, broke up, and had a “Will they, won’t they” character dynamic.
The big difference is that Friends’ Ross and Rachel, How I Met Your Mother’s Robin and Ted, and New Girl’s Nick and Jess were all central to the finales of their respective shows. These couples were the main focus of the show, just like The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard and Penny were initially the main characters of the series.
Sheldon Isn’t As Unreasonable As You Remember In The Big Bang Theory’s Pilot
Sheldon Did A Favor For Penny Long Before She Offered The Same
Over time, Leonard and Penny ended up taking a backseat to Sheldon as Parsons’ character proved to be the show’s breakout star. Viewers wanted more from Sheldon and less from his roommate, perhaps because some of the best episodes of The Big Bang Theory’s early seasons centred on Penny and Sheldon’s unlikely acquaintance.
Revisiting The Big Bang Theory’s pilot 18 years later, it is striking to see just how many of Sheldon’s defining characteristics are missing. The character’s general neuroses are much, much less intrusive, as he thinks nothing of the moral, ethical, or even health implications of donating sperm in the show’s first episode.
The Sheldon of a few seasons later would be worried about the implications of fathering a child without meeting them, the questions of which prospective parents would gain access to his donation, and even the cleanliness of the facility itself. This is an early hint at just how much the pilot’s Sheldon isn’t the character viewers come to know and love.
However, it is actually one unexpectedly kind deed that really underlines how much Sheldon changed after the pilot. He didn’t always display his defining characteristic of obstinacy, as he helped Leonard try to get Penny’s stuff back from her intimidating ex, despite knowing this plan was doomed to end in failure.
The Big Bang Theory’s Pilot Proves Sheldon Was Surprisingly Supportive
The Sitcom’s Hero Supported Leonard’s Seemingly Bad Ideas
In The Big Bang Theory’s first episode, Penny mentions that her boorish, hyperaggressive ex still has her television, and she can’t get it back from him. Leonard immediately sees an opportunity to step in and impress Penny, so he offers to retrieve the TV with Sheldon’s assistance.
It’s hard to imagine a version of The Big Bang Theory without Sheldon, so it is doubly striking to see just how much the character differs from his future self in this storyline. Sheldon sardonically notes that the plan is sure to fail, but he still stands by his friend and gets pantsed and beaten up for his troubles.
Sheldon always remained a loyal friend throughout the show’s 12 seasons, but his stubbornness becomes much more pronounced as the show goes on.
Sheldon is shockingly supportive of Leonard’s seemingly bad ideas in the pilot, from Leonard’s decision to confront Penny’s ex, Kurt, to his later decision to keep pursuing Penny romantically. Admittedly, this second choice turned out to be a much better idea, but it is still striking to see Sheldon go along with these ideas out of loyalty to his friend.
Sheldon always remained a loyal friend throughout the show’s 12 seasons, but his stubbornness becomes much more pronounced as the show goes on. Part of the reason The Big Bang Theory’s success will likely never be replicated is that the show’s antihero can be surprisingly blunt and rude, even to his friends, and he often shuts them down.
Sheldon doesn’t suffer fools gladly in the later seasons of the series, and, for a genius like him, that category includes rocket scientists and accomplished engineers. As such, it is notable when he goes along with Leonard’s foolish plan in the pilot, since he can see that his lovesick friend is too determined to be swayed.
Sheldon Changed A Lot After The Big Bang Theory’s Pilot
The Show’s Opening Sperm Bank Scene Was Infamously Out of Character
This proves just how much the series needed Sheldon’s obstinacy since, without this character trait, he wouldn’t have come to shape the action of the series. Seeing Sheldon follow Leonard’s lead could have made for a boring show, since his roommate was so single-minded in his pursuit of Penny. This relationship came to define Leonard’s entire arc, in contrast with Sheldon.
Sheldon’s visit to the sperm bank in the pilot was deeply out of character, but so, in retrospect, was his decision to risk getting beaten up for Penny’s television. As the show continued, long before Young Sheldon’s best episodes illustrated how he sees the world, the show’s creators realized he needed to be more unreasonable.
Typically, this is a character trait that would make a protagonist unlikable. However, in Sheldon’s case, it ensured that the show had a character to follow who wasn’t obsessed with Penny.
As Raj, Howard, and, most notably, Leonard rearranged their lives to impress the new neighbor, Penny and Sheldon became the show’s most proactive characters. As such, Sheldon’s refusal to go along with anyone else’s plans was unexpectedly pivotal to the eventual blockbuster success of The Big Bang Theory.
