A comparison: Young Sheldon and Malcom in the Middle

I was just reading Wikipedia when I read a description of Young Sheldon, featuring the character of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, as a show similar in format to Malcom in the Middle.

The comparison struck me.

I can see immediately the striking similarities. With one enormous difference.

Young Sheldon is immensely more emotionally mature than Malcom from Malcom in the Middle.

Malcom in the Middle spends the entire show complaining about himself.

Young Sheldon, on the other hand, is unflappable.

And that makes me realize that although Sheldon from Big Bang Theory is quirky and socially inept, he is not emotionally immature.

Quite the opposite. He is almost unflappable.

You could not imagine Sheldon breaking down emotionally any more than Commander Data from Star Trek The Next Generation.

Sheldon simply goes his own way.

He goes his own way, does things differently.

But he shows great emotional maturity.

He does things his own way. He does not try to, or even wish to, fit in.

But you would not imagine Sheldon breaking down emotionally very easily.

If he were troubled emotionally, he would not break down but instead channel it logically in some logical way that makes sense to him.

He would never simply break down.

Although Sheldon is different and does things his own way, and does not try to fit in (not the least because he does not wish to fit in), he is very strong and mature and stable emotionally.

Where Malcom in the Middle spends all his time complaining about his crazy family, it is completely believable that young Sheldon, at a similar age and in a similar situation, is completely unflappable.

Just like Commander Data or Spock.

Just an interesting observation about one of the best-conceived and best-realized characters on television! (Not the least because he is so different!)

God loves you!

Sincerely,

David S. Annderson

P. S. I myself am like Sheldon in at least one way- I do not wish to fit in. I with to live a successful life as the quirky misfit that I am! I like being different!