Young Sheldon's Newest Episode Has All Fans Saying One Thing
Just how far will Paige spiral out of control?
It seems that every time we meet the young prodigy she's fallen deeper into a pit of self-doubt and self-loathing. There's no doubt her parents getting divorced had taken its toll on her.
But it seems unlikely that that's the whole reason for going off the rails. Indeed, this car crash of a lifestyle she's living is probably more of a reflection on the pressure she has been put under by her parents who seem to place little value on her mental wellbeing.
Now, this might all sound a bit deep for a sitcom primarily based on the lives of 12-year-old kids. And the showrunners are unlikely to want to take the story in too dark a direction. But having gone this far, questions are being asked about just where the story will end and what will become of Paige.
There has even been speculation online that Paige may commit suicide.
That would go some way to explaining she is never mentioned in The Big Bang Theory. And that level of trauma might help understand why adult Sheldon is the way he is – for example not being a fan of alcohol.
But even if they choose not to go down that route, there has to be a twist to this character arc at some point. We've kind of got the picture now that she is spiralling out of control.
And to simply continue on that trajectory would mean she needs to slip further. Which would mean some pretty adult content that really doesn't fit with Young Sheldon or TBBT.
We know, of course, that this is something of a coming-of-age story, but it's supposed to be a light-hearted one. Trying to make light of underage sex, drug abuse, anorexia or any other further fall from grace is not only going to be difficult to handle for the writers, it's also going to be a tough watch.
But there is another option. And it's one that is far more palatable. The events of this episode, combined with the support of Sheldon and Missy, could serve as the wake-up call that Paige so desperately needs.
So, maybe next time we see Paige, she'll be in a much better place. Or perhaps she'll be faced with some sort of dilemma that makes her realise she is at a defining moment in her young life – but she'll make the right decision this time.