Why Jim Parsons from “The Big Bang Theory” got a new look for his cameo as young Sheldon

The Big Bang Theory was one of the most popular television shows during its 12 seasons, but some of the viewers who most enjoyed the show’s nerdy gags – which went beyond boring pop culture references to include scientifically accurate gags about non-mainstream disciplines like theoretical physics – were turned off by the tired Chuck Lorre sitcom formula and over-the-top performances by Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons.

When the series finally came to an end, Lorre and “The Big Bang Theory” showrunner Steven Molaro knew there was an appetite for more stories in this universe that had become quite crowded over the course of its many seasons. The duo could have gone the route of “Cheers” and found their “Frasier” from that massive cast, but they took a different approach that paid off in unexpected ways. Like “The Big Bang Theory,” “Young Sheldon” was initially viewed as a derivative piece of pandering middle-of-the-road television. With its single-camera approach and winning narration from Parsons (reminiscent of the nostalgic “The Wonder Years”), it was seen as a fan-only endeavor.

And yet, when the series finale of “Young Sheldon” aired last May, many prominent television critics admitted they would miss the genuinely funny and emotional comedy show. The series stayed true to itself throughout, becoming something many consider far better than “The Big Bang Theory.”

The series even managed the difficult task of bringing Parsons back to play the modern-day version of Sheldon, changed by marriage and fatherhood.

In the final episode, titled “Memoir,” Lorre and Molaro reveal that Sheldon and Amy now live in a house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, where they are raising their son and daughter. Sheldon has been writing memoirs about his childhood all this time, and while he’s by no means a perfect father, he’s grown into the role.

This also means that Sheldon has actually changed his look. In an interview with Glamour, Molaro explained this style decision as follows:

“I remember thinking we didn’t want Sheldon in the typical comic book store shirts. He’s a dad now and we wanted him to be a little more mature. We thought Amy might have encouraged him to stop wearing that or hide them all. It was nice to have him wear a long-sleeved sweater with the sleeves rolled up a little bit to kind of evoke the old Sheldon vibes from ‘Big Bang.’ That was intentional. Mayim was happy with what Amy wore and thought it was right. And those were Mayim’s personal glasses.”

As an unmarried 50-year-old currently wearing a Prince of Darkness t-shirt, I’m not sure how personally to take this. We all grow up differently, but very few of us are as brilliant as Sheldon. I wear sweaters in the fall, so I’m not a complete lost cause. But I have I’ve given up on my dream of becoming the next Kip Thorne. Sheldon has come a lot closer to that goal than I have.