After 12 sensational seasons, the world said goodbye to Sheldon Cooper and his endearing group of friends in the juggernaut sitcomThe Big Bang Theory.Jim Parsons’ character became the comedy’s breakout star and audiences couldn’t get enough of the genius physicist’s zippy comebacks and hilarious hijinks.
Due to the show’s overwhelming popularity and success, a prequel series aboutSheldon’s early lifeand upbringing in Texas was swiftly greenlit, withYoung Sheldonmaking its highly-anticipated debut on July 27, 2025. Chronicling the everyday lives of the Cooper clan and the child prodigy’s wondrous origins, the sitcom captivated viewers and became a bona fide hit, running for 7 wholesome seasons.
Young Sheldon
To honor the sitcom’s admirable television tenure and recent final curtain call, let’s take a look back at the series and some of the comedy’s greatest moments. Here are 22 of the funniest quotes fromYoung Sheldon.
22“You talk to an invisible man in the sky who grants wishes. If anyone’s mental, it’s you!” - Sheldon
Season 3, Episode 1 - “Quirky Eggheads and Texas Snow Globes”
Always the contrarian when it comes to his mother’s religion and beliefs, Sheldon has never been one to shy away from vocalizing his skepticism when it comes to God. Throughout thesitcom’s seven seasons, the boy wonder has never understood how people have blind faith in an unseen divine presence, instead preferring to put all his trust in facts and science.
Despite Mary’s valiant efforts to change his mind, Sheldon refuses to entertain the idea of God because there is no tangible proof of such a being’s existence. Sheldon thoroughly enjoys challenging not only his mother, Pastor Jeff, and anyone else who will listen about the merits and concepts of a God, and he seemingly considers it a sport to poke holes in organized religion.
Being a child prodigy and a highly intellectual person, Sheldon and the devout Christian Mary never see eye-to-eye about religion, and this quote hilariously sums up his attitude about God while touching on his own eccentricities.
Season 2, Episode 14 - “David, Goliath and a Yoo-Hoo From the Back”
There’s no denying that Sheldon possesses more than a few interesting…quirks. He has to wear oven mitts to say grace, detests any form of change, lacks basic social skills, and has a laundry list of peculiar phobias. All of these idiosyncrasies could make one believe the brilliant boy is a tad bit kooky (an argument his siblings have made time-and-time again), yet he has repeatedly assured concerned individuals this is not the case.
Related:Is Young Sheldon More Popular Than The Big Bang Theory?
Being perpetually misunderstood is nothing new to Sheldon, and he thinks far too highly of himself to ever consider the idea that he could be crazy. Sheldon has used this witty comeback multiple times throughout the show, insisting that he couldn’t possibly be off-his-rocker because his mother has already tested him and therefore concerned minds can rest easy.
Growing up in a conservative small Texas town, Sheldon was bound to stick out like a sore thumb and make people speculate what was going on with him.
20“I don’t have a donkey. But if I did, I’d take my a** out of here.” - Missy
Season 4, Episode 14 - “Mitch’s Son and the Unconditional Approval of a Government Agency”
The polar opposite of her brother in almost every way possible, Missy is a feisty and sharp-tongued girl who constantly keeps her parents on their toes, and enjoys testing boundaries. Like most young and curious kids, discovering a swear word can be pretty exciting and she jumps at the chance of being able to use one properly without getting in trouble. When Missy reads the Bible and stumbles upon the word “a**” in a passage, her elation is amusingly through the roof.
Missy takes every chance she gets to drive herhyper-religious mothernuts by saying the word, reading passages aloud and pushing her luck over and over again. When Mary finally has enough and scolds her daughter for clearly taking advantage of the word, she sends her to her room as an act of discipline. The defiant Missy accepts her punishment and listens to her mother, but not before hitting her one last time with the sassy quip as her final parting shot.
19“I felt like Neil Armstrong on the moon. Alone and happy.” - Sheldon
Season 1, Episode 1 - “Pilot”
Audiences quickly learn right-off-the-bat that 9-year-old Sheldon would much rather enjoy his own company than that of others (which is also hilariously proven inThe Big Bang Theory). The idea of being surrounded by a large circle of family and friends simply had no allure for both the older and younger version of Sheldon, and in the pilot episode his overall disdain for others is on full display.
Adult Sheldon narrates how much he loves being alone and his fascination with train sets is also introduced in the first episode, with his fondness for the hobby stemming from his ability to enjoy it in solitary. While some may think that being completely alone on the moon away from all life would be terribly lonely, Sheldon relishes the idea because he values his private time so much, a trait that stays with him his whole life.
18“Sheldon’s fine. You know what he’s like. If someone took him, I’m sure they’ll bring him right back.” - George
Season 1, Episode 4 - “A Therapist, a Comic Book, and a Breakfast Sausage”
George is without-a-doubt the morelaid-back and easygoing parent, a stark contrast to his worry-wart wife Mary. Their conflicting approaches to life and the handling of Sheldon proved to be a sore spot between the two throughout their marriage, yet George always tried to be a loving and caring father to his children. After Sheldon disappears from his therapist’s office and winds up at the local comic book store, Mary is sick with concern over something happening to her little boy.
Her husband, on the other hand, knows that Sheldon will be just fine at the end of the day. When they hop in the car to go searching for Sheldon, Mary is appalled that George isn’t more frightened for their son’s safety.
George defends his nonchalance regarding the situation and accurately points out that evenifsomeone did take Sheldon, a few minutes with the kid would have them quickly reversing their decision and he’d be back at home in no time. As much as his words ring true, Mary was not amused by George’s comical flippancy.
17“I don’t need to be good at Math, I have beautiful hair.” - Missy
Season 1, Episode 2 - “Rockets, Communists, and the Dewey Decimal System”
As previously mentioned,twins Sheldon and Missyare truly night-and-day and perhaps the only thing the siblings have in common is their shared DNA. While Sheldon loves immersing himself in the world of academics, Missy would much rather be outside tossing the baseball or playing dress-up.
She knows that she will never be able to be as smart as her brother and doesn’t even bother trying to push herself too much when it comes to school, fully understanding her strengths lie elsewhere.
When the twins are getting ready for bed, Sheldon preaches the importance of knowing how to successfully excel in Math, an idea Missy swiftly shoots down. She confidently declares that since she has good looks and beautiful hair, there’s no reason for her to master the subject of Math. Missy’s self-assurance and delightful wit is a stark contrast with Sheldon’s, who simply doesn’t understand her lack of interest in academics.
16“You know, I hear you say things like that, and I wonder if maybe I did have a few too many whiskey sours when you were in my belly.” - Meemaw
Season 1, Episode 9 - “Spock, Kirk, and Testicular Hernia”
The sarcastic, fun-lovingConnie “Meemaw” Tuckerlights up every scene she’s in, and her zest for life and rapid-fire sassiness is truly a sight to behold. A major fan of drinking, gambling, and all around shady shenanigans, Meemaw couldn’t be more different than her Bible-loving, religious daughter Mary. Despite their abundant differences, the duo still love one another deeply even if they may not understand each other fully.
Always one to tell it like it is (no matter the circumstance), Meemaw just can’t comprehend how her daughter can be so unlike herself, and after Sheldon forges Mary’s signature to get out of P.E. class, she finds the situation utterly amusing. In true Mary fashion, she references the Bible and preaches about the importance of honesty, prompting her mother to comically ponder where she went wrong and tease Mary that she may have drank too much when pregnant with her.
15“In Texas, the holy trinity is God, football and barbecue. Not necessarily in that order.” - Sheldon
Season 1, Episode 5 - “A Solar Calculator, a Game Ball, and a Cheerleader’s Bosom”
Growing up in the small southern town of Medford, Sheldon learns pretty quickly that there’s truly nothing Texans love more than their faith football, and some good old-fashioned barbecue. After using his extensive knowledge about statistics to help his high school football team win their games, Sheldon andhis coach fatherbond and the school goes on a major winning streak thanks to the child prodigy.
However, the newfound attention is something the young boy detests and he begins to find himself exhausted after trying to keep the team (and his dad) happy. Sheldon feels put on the spot to continue helping the team win games, as he acknowledges the fact that along with God and barbecue, the sport is a part of the holy Texas trinity and means the world to the town’s passionate residents.
It’s a funny and deeply accurate observation that further highlights just how much of an outsider Sheldon feels in the community.
14“I’m not good at keeping secrets. That’s why I don’t have any.” - Sheldon
Season 2, Episode 4 - “A Financial Secret and Fish Sauce”
It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that Sheldon doesn’t have a strong poker face and therefore can’t keep a secret to save his life. Any time he is asked to keep his mouth shut by his siblings, parents, or Meemaw, the boy is extremely uncomfortable and feels as though he is guilty simply by being privy to the secret.
After doing his parents' taxes and stumbling upon a $300 discrepancy, Sheldon is forced to lie for his dad and grandmother and hilariously comes undone by doing so.
Throughout the entertaining episode, Sheldon gets progressively worse and worse as he struggles with keeping the secret, and it causes him to eventually resent his father and view him differently.
In the end, George ends up confessing the truth about where the $300 went to Mary: her mother got a DWI after having a then-underage Georgie drive her home from the bar. Meemaw, never one to tap out from a fight with her son-in-law, reveals her own secret about George: that he peed in the church garden after drinking too many beers.
13“Scooby-Doo lived in a van and he turned out fine.” - Georgie
Season 4, Episode 4 - “Bible Camp and a Chariot of Love”
Known for his glorious mane of hair and easy-going attitude, Sheldon’solder brother Georgieundergoes a pretty serious transformation by the conclusion of the series and ends up becoming a mature, well-rounded father and partner. That doesn’t mean he didn’t have his extremely amusing moments growing up, with his rebellious nature and happy-go-lucky nature causing some problems and making him learn some tough life lessons along the way.
When Georgie finally saves up enough money to buy his own car, he ends up purchasing a van instead of a vehicle his father deems safe and practical. The two engage in a heated stand-off and Georgie ends up living in his van outside the house in a stubborn act of defiance, determined to prove that it was indeed a worthy investment.
He declared to his skeptical dad that even Scooby-Doo lived in a van and turned out okay, so by that same logic he too would come out on top in the end (because if a cartoon can do it, so can he).
