Dear Chuck Lorre
I have been nice to Sheldon, in fact I developed a real soft spot for him. New episodes of Young Sheldon were something I looked forward to … that was until this season.
Something happened this time that hadn’t before. The show wasn’t about Sheldon. In fact, despite going through puberty, Sheldon seems to be having a great time. Friends, little insecurities and knows exactly the path he’s on, with no real hesitation.
Does that resonate with anyone who is autistic?
What makes it worse is that its become about his family which are an important part of the show, but a part of the show. By reducing Sheldon’s role in the episodes it changes the dynamic. It becomes a show about a neurotypical family that just happens to have an autistic child in college.
It’s no longer tackling the subjects that drew me to it in the first place. Sensory issues, bullies, trapped thoughts, being singled out as the weird kid... that spoke to me. Unfortunately I can’t say a single episode of Young Sheldon series 5 spoke to me, not one.
The last few minutes of series 2 is the most touching and heartfelt scene I’d seen on TV. Sheldon was alone but it reminded us he wouldn’t always be... I miss that. A show about an autistic character, stated or not, but that actually covered subjects that the community face. Without that I don’t get the point of Young Sheldon. We have plenty of shows about neurotypical families already, don’t we?
All my best and love
Ross
Words – Ross A Fraser
Graphic Design App – Canva
Young Sheldon without Sheldon’s story, that’s not a step forward.