To mark Young Sheldon's recent 100th episode, let's look at some inconsistencies in its plot, compared to The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular American sitcoms, which I too like many others, often enjoy re-watching. I remember being annoyed by Sheldon Cooper in Season one but somehow pushed myself to continue watching, only to fall in love with the character. And of course, Jim Parson's portrayal is impeccable. Sheldon and his Pasadena friends, Leonard, Raj, Howard, Penny, Bernadette, and Amy became a part of my daily life. So it was exciting when the makers announced the prequel series, Young Sheldon to show the growing up years of Sheldon in East Texas.

Though the prequel is about Sheldon, the show is shot completely differently with multiple cameras in the format of a film unlike the parent show, which was shot with a live audience. The way it is shot does not really matter much to me and definitely, not as much as the loopholes and inconsistencies in the stories of the two shows.

On the recent 100th episode of Young Sheldon, which is currently running its fifth season, here are some of the discrepancies between the two shows.

The whistle in Sheldon's backpack

In the third season of Young Sheldon, Sheldon tells his sister Missy and Paige about what he carries in his backpack. The list of items includes Earplugs, wet naps, a compass, a map of the mall and a whistle in case he gets lost or is approached by a woman with a perfume bottle. He particularly mentions the whistle in his bag, which the adult Sheldon does not mention in the parent show, The Big Bang Theory until he meets his love interest, Dr Amy Farah Fowler. In The Big Bang, Sheldon tells Leonard and Penny that Amy has gifted him a whistle in case any other woman tries to woo him as he is so handsome and according to Amy, someone who women can't keep their hands away from. So it could possibly mean that Sheldon did not use a whistle after his childhood, which is again unlikely considering how Sheldon is a man of habit and is so particular about his safety.

Depiction of Sheldon's father George Cooper

Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory mentions his father as someone who was irresponsible and alcoholic. He also runs away, feeling uncomfortable when Leonard and Penny fight with each other as he says it reminds him of his mother and father constantly bickering and fighting in his childhood. Of course, they do not have their share of arguments like any married couple but their fights aren't as ugly as Sheldon pictures them to be for us in Big Bang. His mother Mary also cribs about him and how much she hates him for not being around and cheating on her. But George Cooper does not seem to be all that bad in Young Sheldon. In the early years of Sheldon, he is portrayed as a regular guy who enjoys a glass of beer after a game. He is presented as a responsible father who is available for his children when they need him. He picks and drops them off at school often and tries to resolve issues that they face in the school. At least, that's how he's been presented until the 100th episode of Young Sheldon. Perhaps, he changes after he gets caught cheating on his wife.

Sheldon's father is Leonard's bully

While speaking of Sheldon's father, one of the other major plot holes is that Lance Barber, the actor who appeared on The Big Bang Theory as Leonard's bully acts as Sheldon's father in Young Sheldon. In one of the episodes of the Big Bang, Leonard receives an e-mail from a schoolmate who used to bully him. He decides to confront him and takes his friends along to a bar to meet him, along with Sheldon and it turns out to be Lance Barber. We understand that the two shows are quite different but Barber appearing as Leonard's Bully and later, as Sheldon's father in a flashback episode during the finale of The Big Bang Theory was kind of a setback.

Sheldon's childhood friends that never existed on The Big Bang Theory

Adult Sheldon often recalls being alone and bullied during his childhood in the show, Big Bang. He never mentions his childhood friend, Tam as well. Though that plot hole is corrected later in the parent show as it was still on the air, it does not mention Sheldon's dorm friends in college. Or maybe, he had a fallout with them too as he had with Tam. In Big Bang, Sheldon later admits that Tam betrayed him as he didn't move to California as he had promised. Perhaps, likewise, his dorm friends with whom he plays video games also got on to the list of his enemies.

Sheldon's love for comic books

It is a well-known fact that Sheldon's second love is comic books. He is often seen buying collectibles and comics at the local comic book store, owned by Stuart in The Big Bang. He is also seen wearing superhero t-shirts. In the show, he also talks about a Justice League of America membership card that he has owned since he was five years old and how he was tricked into believing that batman is coming to his sixth birthday. But in the prequel series, Sheldon is shown as someone who is not into comic books until and unless he was introduced to them by his best friend, Tam at the age of nine. According to the prequel, he developed the interest in comic books after reading an issue of X-Men, recommended by Tam.

Sheldon's bedroom situation

Sheldon does not like anyone entering his room and he makes it clear on several occasions in Big Bang. In one of the episodes, his sister Missy Cooper who comes to Pasadena to visit him, tells his friends how Sheldon had built a robot to keep her out of his room. Sharing a room with a sibling might not always go well but in Young Sheldon, he is shown sharing his room with Missy until Georgie leaves the house to live in the garage and Missy moves into his room.

Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty song

When Penny slips and falls in her bathroom, Sheldon is forced to take her to the emergency room as the rest of the gang are away on a camping trip. Penny dislocates her shoulder and in return, she asks Sheldon to sing her, 'Soft kitty, warm kitty'. Sheldon refuses, saying the song is only for people who are sick and technically, Penny is not sick but injured. But he, who is known for being a stickler for the rules, later caves in and sings her the song when Penny forces him to do so. His bending of the rules for Penny shows the growing bond between the two. But in Young Sheldon, the rule did not matter much at all as he is seen singing the lullaby to himself after he has a bicycle accident.

Sheldon being bullied in childhood

Sheldon does get picked on in school a few times but the show does not him being tortured and bullied as much as he describes in the Big Bang to his Pasadena friends. The series has so far only shown high schoolers rolling their eyes and giving him weird looks.

Debate Club in college

Those who are familiar with the Big Bang can vouch for how much Sheldon enjoys debating and proving other people wrong. Mr. Smarty Pants enjoys belittling others a lot but somehow, he didn't quite find it interesting to be a part of the debate club in college, which is shocking. Though he does not participate in any formal debates at Caltech University in Pasadena, he always ensures that he does not miss an opportunity to argue over things he strongly feels about - science and nerdy movies. He can also go on and argue about any mundane things, backing up with data. In Young Sheldon, he is shown as someone who takes a stand on certain topics but is still volatile considering his age. He does end up forming his own club focussing on his favourite TV show character Prof. Proton but the club is nullified as he finds no members.