Last Call for Young Sheldon to Make Up for Its Worst TBBT Finale Crime
Sheldon's Nobel Prize speech was disrespectful to one of his most loyal supporters.
Summary
- Dr Sturgis didn't get a mention in Sheldon's acceptance speech
- Young Sheldon must address this omission
- Adult Sheldon's narration offers the perfect opportunity to fix things
Who could forget Sheldon's acceptance of his Nobel prize? From the moment he set aside his 'somewhat long and self-centred speech' it felt like a moment that would define the future Sheldon. Sure enough, it did. But there was one glaring omission. Now Young Sheldon has one last chance to right this wrong.
Dr Sturgis Should Have Got a Mention
It was clear from pretty early on in The Big Bang Theory that Sheldon's dream was to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. As such, it made sense for Young Sheldon to take that particular ball and run with it. But for Dr Sturgis to not even get a mention in the speech was unforgivable.
Sheldon thanked his friends and family, acknowledged his wife's support – and even mentioned Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But he completely forgot to thank his original mentor – the man who ignited the spark that drove young Sheldon to forge that lifelong dream. It was Dr Sturgis who first introduced Sheldon to theoretical physics. It was also Dr Sturgis who helped him get the Germany study grant.
Aside from these two major events, Dr Sturgis was always there to support his young protégé. We can only assume that he wasn't thanked in the speech that Sheldon had prepared. It was never read out, but the fact its author labelled it as self-centred suggests it was almost entirely about himself.
While failing to recognise the support of Dr Sturgis in the speech, the writers dropped a clanger. It could be argued that Sheldon wasn't really comfortable speaking in front of an audience – particularly when it was so off-the-cuff.
But as it was a speech that rounded off his character arc, he really should have acknowledged what Dr Sturgis had done for him. As it is, TBBT is over and there is no way to change its finale. But there is a way back.
Surely, the Writers Realised Their Mistake
We all make mistakes. The trick is to not repeat the same mistake twice. So, let's hope the writers have recognised that they made an error and found a way to address it in the final season of Young Sheldon.
It doesn't need to be a major storyline. It doesn't even need to be anything more than a nod to Dr Sturgis' mentorship of the budding scientist who would go on to conquer the world of physics.
Ideally, many fans would probably like to see the pair team up for one more project that will be a reminder of their unique bond. But there is a lot to cram into the final season and this may not be possible. It's set to be quite an emotional last season, and one final adventure for these intrepid physicists would fit right into that while also helping make sure it doesn't all get a bit too morbid.
Adult Sheldon Can Atone for His Crime
Adult Sheldon's narration provides the perfect vehicle to seamlessly fix this mistake without shoehorning an apology into the story somehow.
Provided the two spend some time together in season 7, all that's necessary is for Jim Parson's Sheldon to explain that he still feels bad for not thanking Dr Sturgis while he was making his acceptance speech. It's that simple. And in a matter of a couple of sentences, Young Sheldon can make up for TBBTs mistake.