I’m not a fan of The Big Bang Theory for many reasons, including its misogyny, stigmatization of so-called nerds and ridicule of “less masculine” men, all of which it uses for cheap laughs. Young Sheldon brings this skewed perception of nerd culture to a completely new level of ridiculousness. Sheldon’s younger counterpart is shown mocking anyone he believes isn’t as good as him, which is essentially every person he meets, because he thinks he’s smarter than everyone. Most jokes are low effort and derived from mocking “dumb” people and being amazed by someone who knows random science/math facts.
Since you definitely shouldn’t waste the precious free time you have in college with Young Sheldon, here are some far better and more creative shows you should be watching instead.
1. The Deuce
This fall has been called one of the worst for new television series in recent years, but one stand out new show is The Deuce from HBO. The show is set in the 1970s as the porn industry is beginning and growing. James Franco plays twins, and the creators also worked on the hit TV show The Wire, so this should be one new show you can’t miss.
2. The Good Place
The second season of The Good Place just started, and its first season is on Netflix and Hulu, so it won’t be hard to catch up if you haven’t started watching yet. This show is consistently funny, has a creative premise and features an extremely unique cast of characters. The basic idea is Kristen Bell’s character accidentally ends up in “The Good Place” despite being a terrible person on Earth, and she has to figure out what to do about it, since her presence is causing huge problems, like garbage rain showers and giant shrimp!
3. This Is Us
If you’re looking for something heartwarming, This Is Us hits the nail on the head. It’s sentimental at times, but it has lots of humorous parts as well, and it follows the story of a family in the past, present and sometimes even the future. You can check out the first season on Hulu or the NBC website, so hop on the bandwagon and enjoy one of the best dramas to come out of the 2016 season.
4. The Mayor
The Mayor is ABC’s newest comedy show. If you’re looking for a new comedy to watch this fall, this is the one with the most promise, according to critics. It’s set to premiere on October 3, and it follows a hip hop artist who runs for mayor and wins. The cast looks strong, so it will be interesting to see if this show is successful in the long run.
5. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is one of the most innovative shows on television right now, with it’s zany plot and musical-style numbers woven throughout the episodes. It’s funny and crazy, but it’s also very real about mental illness, sexuality, infidelity and more. Season 3 starts on October 13, and you can binge watch the first two seasons before then on Netflix or Hulu.
6. Riverdale
Riverdale is cloaked in intrigue and mystery and brings back your favorite characters from the Archie comic book series. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch it quickly on Netflix so you can avoid any spoilers before Season 2 premieres on October 11. To give any more information would reveal too much, so just see for yourself what the crazy kids in Riverdale are up to.
Try watching something innovative this fall! The shows above are just a jumping off point. There are plenty more amazingly unique and creatively written shows on TV right now. Young Sheldon isn’t one of them.