Chuck Lorre always feared Young Sheldon might flop, dragging down the beloved legacy of The Big Bang Theory. When he first launched the spin-off, he worried audiences wouldn’t take to the show’s nostalgic charm or Sheldon’s backstory. After all, prequels can be risky—especially when they’re expanding on an iconic character like Sheldon Cooper.
But as the episodes rolled on, that dreaded scenario never came close. Young Sheldon held its own, bringing in fans and even deepening Big Bang’s world. Lorre’s worst nightmare? Never saw the light of day. Instead, Young Sheldon became a hit all on its own.
Chuck Lorre’s Concerns: How Young Sheldon Defied Expectations and Captured a New Audience
“There were lots of concerns,” but Chuck Lorre’s biggest fear about Young Sheldon tanking The Big Bang Theory legacy? Never came true.
When Young Sheldon first aired, Lorre faced a risky venture. With Big Bang a massive success, a spin-off about young Sheldon Cooper seemed promising. But stepping away from his usual laugh-track style and into single-camera territory was a leap.
Lorre and co-creator Steven Molaro had reservations about ditching a live audience, as sitcoms were evolving into moodier, single-camera productions. Molaro admitted,
At the time, there were lots of concerns — Chuck and I were just trying to figure out how a single cam worked.
Yet, despite the worries, Young Sheldon thrived. It drew over 16M viewers in its first season, proving it could hold its own. The show, which aired during Peak TV, became one of network TV’s last big hitters. But by 2020, traditional TV’s downfall was obvious. Audiences flocked to streaming, and Young Sheldon‘s ratings slipped.
Then, everything changed. Netflix picked up Young Sheldon. And suddenly, it became a hit with younger viewers—an age group Lorre hadn’t expected to capture. In fact, Netflix’s Young Sheldon audience averaged around 30 years old, compared to CBS’s much older crowd.
Even cast member Wallace Shawn became an unexpected fan favorite, drawing crowds on set. Lorre joked,
One of the cool things is, the median age on Netflix is 30. On CBS, it’s 65-to-cadaver.
With its Netflix success, Young Sheldon exited a TV industry worlds away from where it began, carrying Big Bang‘s legacy into a new era.
Chuck Lorre Got the Last Laugh with Charlie Sheen’s Funeral Roast on Two and a Half Men
When Charlie Sheen got booted from Two and a Half Men, it wasn’t just a typical goodbye. It turned into Chuck Lorre’s chance for a little payback in season 9. After Sheen’s crazy ride of addiction and trash-talking Lorre, the show pulled a clever move that fans didn’t see coming.
In the season 9 premiere, the spotlight turned to Sheen’s character, Charlie Harper, as everyone gathered for his funeral. But instead of tears, it was all about laughs as his exes showed up to roast him. They dished out some hilariously brutal lines, mixing Charlie’s character flaws with Sheen’s off-screen drama. It was Lorre’s way of getting the last laugh.
Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre buried the hatchet and reunited for How to Be a Bookie. The series premiered on Max on November 30, 2023, and was renewed for a second season in January 2024, according to Variety.
Watch Young Sheldon & The Big Bang Theory on Max & Apple TV.
