Young Sheldon's Season 5 Finale Featured An Awesome Nod To The Big Bang Theory

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Young Sheldon Season 5 finale, “A Clogged Pore, a Little Spanish and the Future.” Read at your own risk!

Young Sheldon’s Season 5 finale featured guest stars and an idea of what to expect from other characters as fans prepare for Season 6. Viewers even got a fun little nod to the spinoff’s parent series, which isn’t always a guarantee in big episodes. Young Sheldon referenced The Big Bang Theory in about the coolest way possible, as we saw Sheldon take a step forward toward the man he ultimately becomes down the road.  

Sheldon hit puberty in the latest Young Sheldon finale, and after conquering his first pimple with an assist from Missy, he decided to embrace puberty in the best way. Sheldon decided to update his look, and we saw him don his iconic Flash t-shirt. 

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This really feels like a huge step forward in Young Sheldon and a proud moment for the show. The younger actors are getting older, and Sheldon hitting puberty means more opportunities to introduce more mature storylines into the show and, of course, more Easter eggs that further meld him into the Sheldon Cooper of The Big Bang Theory. Who knows? Maybe by the end of this series, Paramount+ subscribers won’t know where Iain Armitage’s portrayal ends and Jim Parsons’ begins. 

For those wondering if Season 6 will feature Sheldon rocking Flash t-shirts all the time, Steve Molaro had some answers for TVLine. The showrunner explained the significance of Sheldon’s most iconic shirt coming into the story and how it’ll work going forward: 

No, it is not a permanent wardrobe change, but it is an addition to his wardrobe, which is why he says, 'I hope I don’t look too cool.' He’s covering his bases, and this way, we can [put him in a graphic tee] when we want. When he feels like cutting loose and experimenting with being a teenager, he’ll throw it on.

Young Sheldon won’t put Sheldon Cooper in a Flash or graphic t-shirt all the time, but it’s also going to be something that happens more frequently going forward. As with many things in Season 5, it feels like another deliberate move by the CBS series to advance in another direction and further differentiate itself from the earlier years.

Advancing the series forward in time is important, and not just because the characters are getting older. The series ultimately has to cover George’s illicit affair, as well as his untimely death. That’s some heavy stuff that the series might not have been in the right place to cover in Season 1, but after some of the heavier storylines of Season 5? The series is certainly on its way, though hopefully, there are some happy moments before the sadness.

Young Sheldon is coming back to CBS for Season 6. Be sure to check out the 2022 TV premiere schedule to find another show while waiting for the new season. 

Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.