It was very recently that I waxed poetic about the second season of Young Sheldon, therefore I will not take up your valuable time rehashing the virtues of this incredibly heartwarming Big Bang Theory spinoff. If you need a refresher on character breakdowns and familial connections, please refer to that review then head back this way. The third season of Young Sheldon continues to build up its reputation as a series that can delicately handle weighty emotional issues along with delivering genuinely hilarious moments. This season picks up where the last season left off in the aftermath of Dr. John Sturgis’ (Wallace Shawn) hospitalization for his mental breakdown. While not a series that is typically hinging on major cliffhangers, this development has far reaching effects that lays the groundwork for one of the strongest seasons the show has delivered yet.
For better or for worse, Dr. Sturgis has been a figure that the Cooper family could look to for a glimpse of how Sheldon’s (Iain Armitage) life might eventually turn out. John is a bit of a lovable oddball, and those qualities are echoed back to him in his kinship with Sheldon, as a teacher and as someone who is dating his Meemaw, Connie (Annie Potts). Understandably, the fact that John had a break from reality really worries Mary (Zoe Perry). She has always loved her little boy and done her best to support him, even when his behavior goes against what might be considered “normal.” If a brilliant man like John could break, might it only be a matter of time before the same fate befalls Sheldon? While not a pervading issue throughout the season, the show continues to have Mary on guard against signs that Sheldon is getting too in the weeds. A more immediate effect of John’s episode is his unwillingness to let Connie be burdened by his mental illness, leading to a split for the happy couple. This comes as a huge blow to Sheldon, who has come to rely on John as one of the few people who he can communicate with on his level.
The third season finds the creative team embracing its ensemble more than ever before while injecting interesting narratives and pairings into the show. Much to the dismay of Connie, John strikes up an unexpected friendship with George (Lance Barber) that is totally endearing in its mix-matched greatness. John may not always know the social etiquette for a typical dude-hangout, but it does not take long for George to come around on his new, quirky buddy. As a bonus, George’s friendship with John helps him understand his own brilliant kid a little more, as well. Sheldon is not the only kid that George has the opportunity to get closer to throughout the season. In what may be the best decision of the season, the writers finally give Missy (Raegan Revord) a substantial storyline in which she learns the joy and heartbreak of baseball. There are some intensely emotional father-daughter moments this season that will have you tearing up. This baseball storyline also introduces a new coach, Dale (Craig T. Nelson), who also serves as a potential new love interest for Connie. I will not spoil who they get to play his ex-wife, but her episodes are a real hoot.
This season also finds Georgie (Montana Jordan) becoming extremely entrepreneurial, from selling snow globes to eventually working in Dale’s store. Georgie is trying to make some moves for himself while growing ever so slowly more mature. He once again finds himself on an interesting romantic journey that could be considered a success, if Veronica (Isabel May) was not still occupying a special place in his heart. This show may be a spinoff of one of the most successful sitcoms of this current millennium, but the way in which the story unfolds makes previously viewing the parent series unnecessary. Even when this show drops some breadcrumbs like Sheldon being introduced to The Lord of the Rings this season, it never feels like it is making frivolous connections. Young Sheldon is a show that has developed its own identity and a strong bench of characters that are fit to forge their own path out of the shadows of what has come before. This season ends in a place that promises more substantial changes for the future of the show, and I cannot wait to see how they tackle it.
