Young Sheldon (2017)
It all started with a big bang—or rather, in East Texas.
The early life of child genius Sheldon Cooper, later seen in The Big Bang Theory.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 25 September 2017 |
| Status | Ended, last episode 16 May 2024 |
| Genre | Comedy, Family, Drama |
| Created by | Steven Molaro and Chuck Lorre |
| Starring | Iain Armitage, Zoe Perry and Lance Barber |
| Seasons | 7 seasons, 141 episodes |
| Episode length | about 20 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 47 hours |
| Rated | TV-PG |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes 84% · The Movie Database 80% · IMDb 7,7/10 · TMDB users 8.0/10 |
Where to watch Young Sheldon
Young Sheldon is streaming on Netflix ($17.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Max ($18.49 a month). At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 2 months of Netflix, or $35.98 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 12 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
Young Sheldon is a 2017 comedy-drama that takes the character played by Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory back to his childhood in East Texas. Created by Steven Molaro and Chuck Lorre, the show spans 7 seasons and 141 episodes. The total runtime is approximately 47 hours. It focuses on how a socially awkward child genius navigates a loving but baffled family. The humor arises from the gap between his intellect and his inability to read basic human cues. It is a dry, observational look at a boy who treats life like a physics problem that refuses to solve itself.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes reports an 84% audience score as of May 2026. The professional consensus was generally favorable, with Metacritic assigning a 63 based on 25 critics. Ben Travers of Indiewire called the initial season "surprising for all the right reasons." Entertainment Weekly noted the "brilliant casting," though the show remains "inoffensive." Not everyone was convinced. Margaret Lyons of The New York Times argued the series "isn't funny.
How it did with audiences
Young Sheldon settled into a steady 7.7 on IMDb as of May 2026. TMDB users give it an 8 out of 10. Those numbers suggest people watched, liked what they saw, and didn't feel the need to explain why. It earned its place without shouting.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Young Sheldon.
Sources
- Young Sheldon on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q30014613 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Young Sheldon” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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