There have been plenty of TV shows featuring precocious kids. Most are sitcoms, with the kids bringing plenty of laughs. Young Sheldon, which depicts the childhood version of the fan favorite character Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, takes things beyond the realm of precocious to quirky, arrogant, and awkward.
The show is unique in some ways, but also familiar in others. From the engaging and quirky mix of characters to the adult voiceover, funny situations, and more, there are plenty of other shows, both old and new, worth watching for fans.
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. Fans get a glimpse into the early years of Sheldon Cooper and the family he talked about so much on the show. This includes some family members who were seen in The Big Bang Theory, like his mother Mary, sister Missy, and even one time his Meemaw Connie.
Those who watch Young Sheldon will get a better understanding of the adult Sheldon from this show. The Big Bang Theory provides satisfaction in hearing adult Sheldon make subtle comments referencing to his childhood from moment that are then depicted on the show. The two shows go hand in hand.
One of the 10 smartest child geniuses on TV, and one of the earlier 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. But unlike Sheldon, T.J. is a very social child who wants to participate in everything at school. But while he is not socially awkward, he does often become the victim of bullying. In both cases, it's an interesting fish-out-of-water story with strong familial connections.
Fuller House was a sequel series to Full House centered around the life of the eldest Tanner daughter D.J. But 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 much into order and neatness. He loved correcting others and poking fun at his siblings who lacked the same level of intelligence as he. Max and Sheldon might have become friends had they existed in the same television world.
Taking place in Indiana, The Middle, one of the TV shows Reddit users believe aren't being watched enough, also 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 song Axl is popular and athletic, but lazy and not into school, while the daughter Sue is socially awkward. The youngest song Brick is a bookworm and introvert. His behavior suggests he might have Asperger syndrome, which is something fans have long theorized about Sheldon as well.
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.
Just like Sheldon, 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.
Despite the fact that he was actually a teenager in the late '70s and early '80s, Chris Rock developed this series, inspired by real-life moments from his own 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 I general without being one of the "popular kids."
However, the subjects of race and class are touched on more in this show than they are in Young Sheldon, offering a different perspective from a similar time period.
The newest series on this list, Young Rock also takes fans back to the '80s and '90s but flips timelines from present day to various timelines in the past. The show provides details about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson 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, including Johnson's own grandmother, Lia.
The only show on this list that isn't a sitcom, this action drama would perfectly suit fans of 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 simply a child genius and frustrated with not being able to relate to others.
Another middle-American family with three kids, like on Young Sheldon, each of the kids in Modern Family is different. Haley is the dimwitted, self-centered eldest daughter, while Luke is equally dimwitted, rebellious, and troublemaking youngest son. Trying to figure out how she fits in is the middle child Alex, a highly intelligent anxious young girl who is constantly frustrated with her goofy family. She is also quite sarcastic, just like Sheldon's twin sister Missy.
As with 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. Modern Family had one of the all-time greatest TV pilots, according to Ranker, a list Young Sheldon could easily appear on as well.
