Big Bang Theory's spin-off is Bazinga-wesome, fans say

From Digital Spy

It was a very big night for Big Bang Theory fans on Monday (September 25). First they finally found out whether Sheldon Cooper will soon be a married man, before getting a glimpse back into his childhood.

The latter comes courtesy of new CBS spin-off Young Sheldon, starring Big Little Lies' Iain Armitage as the 9-year-old future King of Bazinga and Zoe Perry as his slightly frenzied mum Mary.

Given that Jim Parsons personally picked out young Iain to play Sheldon, expectations were out-of-this-world among the most rabid Big Bang Theory fans. Luckily, the gamble seems to have paid off.

First let's take a look at some of Young Sheldon's critical reviews, which have been mixed-to-positive:

Variety:

"Like an ambitious science experiment, Young Sheldon is a work in progress, but if it finds a way to meld the pathos of Sheldon's existence - he is frequently taunted and misunderstood at school and at home - with gentle but reliably effective humor, CBS might be onto something with this prequel."

Vox:

"The show really does make an attempt to deal with parenting and family issues, and somewhere inside of it beats the heart of a comedic tragedy. Whether it will get to tease out those elements, or whether it will become a broader, crasser version of itself, remains to be seen. (Oh, who am I kidding - it'll be the latter.) But for now, Young Sheldon exists as the rare spinoff that wants to say something, even if it's not quite clear what that is yet."

IndieWire:

"Young Sheldon is surprising for all the right reasons; so much so, it's hard to tell exactly where it will go next. And that's a great feeling for a pilot about escaping a box made of everyone else's expectations."

CNN:

"Young Sheldon taps into the inherent comedy in this dynamic, but with an underlying sweetness that permeates its core. Much of that comes from Perry -- as the daughter of Laurie Metcalf, who has guest starred as Sheldon's mom in Big Bang, an inspired choice all around."

USA Today:

"Armitage manages to be cute but not cloying, and just blunt and annoying enough to see hints of Parsons' version of the character nearly three decades older. Zoe Perry, as Sheldon's religious and protective mother, Mary, is also a strong addition to the series. Mary's character contains various familiar "sitcom mom" aspects, but Perry gives her enough edge and individuality to keep her from becoming a cliché. That Perry is the real-life daughter of the actress who plays Mary on Big Bang (Laurie Metcalf) only adds to her portrayal."

Entertainment Weekly:

"Although the humor - in the show's pilot at least - is less reliant on what most people would call 'jokes" and more reliant on'"a tiny child in a bowtie saying the word 'brassiere', as far as sitcoms go, it's inoffensive and as comforting as Mrs. Cooper's tater tots."

Los Angeles Times:

"Shot single-camera style, unlike its hectic, filmed-live progenitor, it has its own gentler, more naturalistic rhythms and pleasures. Chief among these is Iain Armitage as Sheldon, charming and believable and just suggestive enough of Parsons."

But it's really the fans that matter, eh? And they seem to be loving the birth of Bazinga right from the off: