The best episode from each season of Young Sheldon

Comedy is arguably the best genre of TV to watch when someone needs to cheer up and laugh. Friends, The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Big Bang Theory are among the best comedy shows. But the show that now has a special place in my heart is “Young Sheldon.”

The show keeps some of the similar humor from The Big Bang Theory while adding a lovable family, which is increased by some addictive family drama storylines. Drama can be a downer, but this series makes it work thanks to the chemistry between the members of the Cooper family. Now that the series has concluded after seven seasons let’s look at the peak of each season.

Seasons 1-6 are available on Netflix. Season 7 is available on Paramount+.

A Brisket, Voodoo, and Cannonball Run (Season 1, Episode 7)

George and Meemaw’s love-hate relationship never gets old, especially when they try to outsmart each other over brisket. The length that he goes to get the ‘Best brisket in Texas’ is impressive, but the reveal that Connie conned him is even better. This feud ends with the two working out their differences, which makes for a heartwarming end to the episode.

Sheldon discovering his eidetic memory and using it to tell his dad the recipe was genius. Let this be a lesson: Don’t even tell a baby your biggest secret, because you never know if they end up being a Sheldon.

An 8-Bit Princess and a Flat Tire Genius (Season 2, Episode 8)

Georgie or Missy could’ve been the ones to introduce Sheldon to video games. But when it turned out to be Meemaw, she became more likable than before, especially when she pulled her grandson out of school to save the princess in a Zelda-like video game. This was the highlight of the episode, and seeing them complete the game together was fun and touching. I love my grandma, but she can learn from Connie.

Georgie ends up running a successful car tire business, as shown in “The Big Bang Theory,” and this episode reveals the origins of his repair talents. In previous episodes, George Jr. was shown as immature and mostly lazy, so when he finally showed interest in tire repair, it felt like he was becoming a new man. Georgie can be a handful, but when he works hard and fixes any mistakes,  he becomes more likable.

A Secret Letter and a Lowly Disc of Processed Meat (Season 3, Episode 21)

Young Sheldon is a gripping family drama from which no one can escape. Sheldon finds an acceptance letter from Caltech in his mother, Mary’s drawer, and it leads to an argument between the family. It is understandable why a mother does not want to send her son away to college at 11, but Sheldon is in the right about going to college early since he is smarter than Albert Einstein. It felt relieving when she allowed the future Dr. Cooper to go to college and graduate early.

Sheldon is fortunate to have a father like George, who puts his time and effort into ensuring his kids get what they deserve. He is 100% right. As Sheldon’s father, he should have known about the letter, not just Mary. If it wasn’t for George, Sheldon may never have graduated early. Seeing George grow as a character and a father is always satisfying.

Graduation (Season 4, Episode 1)

Missy and Sheldon have their differences, but they become closer when they bond or have a moment. When they comforted each other over possible changes after graduation, it was really sweet, especially when Sheldon dedicated his touching valedictorian speech to her.

Seeing Sheldon freak out over changes after graduation was expected, except for how he handled it. He never changed well in “The Big Bang Theory,” but putting all the worry aside to follow his dreams is an excellent development for him.

This episode has one of the best jokes. As a desperate Sheldon searches for his safety goggles, he tells the principal, “Nothing is more important than protection!”—such a poor yet hilarious choice of words since the principal was speaking to a pregnant student. 

The Grand Chancellor and a Den of Sin (Season 5, Episode 8)

One of the best storylines in this series is Meemaw’s illegal gambling operation in the back room of a laundromat. Georgie’s working with her makes it even better with his genius business ideas and loopholes. So when the religious Mary Cooper found out about this ‘den of sin,’ it was a worrying sign that she would put an end to the arc, which did not happen to everyone’s relief.

Sheldon always assumes people tell the truth, but when he discovers a lie, he never takes it well. It is a thrill watching him try to stop the reduction of science course requirements, but what follows is even better. When he learns that people often lie, he thinks everything is fake, but when he sees wrestling on TV, he says, “It’s nice to know something is real.” With pro wrestling being notoriously scripted, that was a very clever joke.

A Tornado, a 10-Hour Flight and a Darn Fine Ring (Season 6, Episode 22)

Georgie getting a girl named Mandy pregnant is a very gripping storyline in season 5. The two of them getting married was just as unexpected, but their lovable chemistry developed through the past two seasons.

George Jr. has gained likeability numerous times, and seeing him spending much of his money on a diamond ring for her takes the cake. Even if most of that money could have gone towards their wedding instead, then again, Mandy’s pregnancy was not planned, so the same will go with their marriage.

This episode nearly made me tear up by the end. George Sr. continues to win over my heart as he protects Missy during a powerful tornado. Missy was crying in the rain as she apologized for being so angry at everybody for getting grounded got to me. They hug in the rain, which is a tear-inducing shot.

Funeral (Season 7, Episode 13)

The last two episodes serve as a one-hour finale event for the series. The final episode is exceptional the way it is, especially with Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik returning as Adult Sheldon and his wife Amy. However, Their presence can not compare to George Cooper’s farewell in the second to last episode.

George’s death was expected to happen near the end of the show, as it was hinted at in “The Big Bang Theory.” However, it was still so unexpected because the last time we saw George, he was casually leaving for work like he always did.

The funeral was a fantastic send-off for the best character in the series. Hearing Missy, Georgie, Mary and Meemaw pay their respects was heartening and soothing. Sheldon should’ve paid his respects and given a speech to say goodbye to George. Even though it did not happen, hearing Jim Parsons’ narration on how much he loved him made up for it. The final shot, which zooms into George’s photo during his narration, was enough to shed some tears.