“The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon” -- The Top 25 Programs of 2017, No. 7
All hail Chuck Lorre for continuing to supply CBS with its only reliably funny sitcoms, most notably the much-loved nerdgasm The Big Bang Theory -- now in its 11th season and still mindboggling in its complete absence of creative fatigue -- and the marvelous Mom. Plus the new kid on the block.
The success of TBBT has a lot to do with Lorre’s willingness over the years to add new characters to the mix, and with the fantastically well-modulated performance at its center by Jim Parsons (pictured at top with co-star Johnny Galecki) as Sheldon Cooper, a child genius who never quite grew up but has nevertheless managed to establish a career, form close adult friendships and find true love (with his beloved Amy, played by the invaluable Mayim Bialik).
Clearly the millions of people who have embraced TBBT for 11 years, also making it a smash hit in syndication on the level of Seinfeld and Friends, have developed a deep interest in Sheldon’s problematic past. What made him the peculiar genius that he is today? Has he always been so odd? Those questions and others sparked the first-ever prequel to an existing series in television history -- the delightful and insightful Young Sheldon.
Lorre has outdone himself once again, boldly choosing to make Young Sheldon a single-camera comedy without a laugh track -- the complete structural opposite of TBBT -- and having Parsons narrate it as the adult Sheldon. The entire concept is almost as scary smart as Sheldon himself. And then there is the casting of Iain Armitage (pictured above) as the nine-year-old title character. Where did they find this kid? He's the breakout star of the season.
Parsons’ narration is the best of its kind since Sarah Jessica Parker made Sex and the City sing by giving off-camera voice to her on-camera character, Carrie Bradshaw. The talented Parsons is doing the same thing with his own iconic character, but on a different show, with magical results.
And just like that, Young Sheldon has become the best new broadcast series of the 2017-18 season to date.
Previously in the Top 25 Programs of 2017
Crosswalk the Musical -- No. 15
Dancing with the Stars -- No. 18
Carrie Underwood's Performance at the CMA Awards -- No. 19
House Hunters and All Things HGTV -- No. 20
Live with Kelly and Ryan -- No. 22
The Graham Norton Show-- No. 24
The Mary Tyler Moore Show -- No. 25
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Ed Martin
Ed Martin is the chief television and content critic for MediaVillage. He has written about television and internet programming for several Myers publications since 2000, including The Myers Report, The Myers Programming Report, MediaBizBloggers a…
