‘Big Bang Theory’ prequel show ‘Young Sheldon’ confirmed

The network officially picked up Young Sheldon, a prequel series for The Big Bang Theory. Big Bang remains the biggest comedy on television and the two series are said to be designed in a way that, according to Deadline “allows them to co-exist”.

Zoe Perry (“Private Practice”, “The Family”) will play Sheldon’s mother Mary. The half-hour single camera series, now with an unspecified number of episodes ordered, will premiere in the 2017-2018 season. The adult character is being portrayed by Jim Parsons in TBBT.

8-year-old Iain Armitage has been cast to play the younger version of Jim Parsons’ famous theoretical physicist.

Variety adds that the pilot script was written by “The Big Bang Theory” showrunner Steven Molaro. Parsons will serve as the narrator on the show and is also an executive producer. She’s the daughter of Emmy-winner Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne”), who plays Sheldon’s very religious mother Mary living in Houston on “Big Bang Theory”.

Young Sheldon is slated for broadcast in the 2017-2018 season.

Jon Favreau is directing/executive producing the first episode of the series, but there’s no word on how many episodes have been ordered just yet.

Basically, if there’s any hope of bringing Sheldon Cooper’s early years to life, it’s best down with Armitage doing the work.

It should mean that female co-stars Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch, who joined in the third series of the hit show, will get a raise in their pay. “I think it will be very different than Big Bang, but in a good way”.