Young Sheldon Continues to Shine on Netflix: A Streaming Triumph Explained by Experts
While CBS recently announced the impending conclusion of “Young Sheldon” with its upcoming seventh season, the CBS sitcom is experiencing a remarkable surge in popularity on Netflix.
For the second consecutive week, Seasons 1 and 2 of “Young Sheldon” secured positions on Netflix’s Top 10 television chart in the U.S. and the Global Top 10 chart for English-language shows.
During the week of Dec. 4-Dec. 10, Young Sheldon Season 1 accumulated 13.9 million hours viewed globally, and Season 2 garnered 10.3 million hours during the same period. Netflix data revealed that Season 1 had 19.3 million hours viewed worldwide, and Season 2 had 12.1 million hours for the week of Nov. 27 to Dec. 3. The show debuted on the streaming platform on Nov. 24.
This achievement is particularly noteworthy as “Young Sheldon” is currently airing on CBS, a departure from other shows that experienced similar streaming spikes after concluding their runs on network TV.
Young Sheldon Continues to Shine on Netflix: A CBS Hit and Streaming Sensation
“Young Sheldon” is the prequel series to the CBS hit “The Big Bang Theory,” both created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro. Premiering on CBS in 2017, the show delves into the childhood of Sheldon Cooper, portrayed by Jim Parsons in “The Big Bang Theory.” Parsons lends his voice as the adult narrator, while Iain Armitage plays the younger Sheldon.
Set in the late 1980s and early ’90s, the series follows Sheldon’s early life in East Texas as a child prodigy with a genius-level IQ and a profound interest in science and math. The show, praised for its clever casting, boasts an 82% average audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Throughout its CBS run, it garnered an estimated 11 million viewers per episode in live and multi-platform viewings.
Despite varying critical reviews, “Young Sheldon” is described as an old-school, half-hour comedy that is easy to watch, consumable, and suitable for multitasking.
Streaming Transition and the “Young Sheldon” Effect
In 2020, HBO Max acquired the streaming rights to “Young Sheldon.” On Nov. 24, Netflix commenced streaming the first five seasons, marking a collaboration between streaming giants.
The final season of “Young Sheldon” is set to return to CBS on Feb. 15, with the one-hour series finale scheduled for May 16. The last season will be shorter due to the 118-day actors’ union strike, concluding on Nov. 9.
Distinguishing itself from other streaming successes, “Young Sheldon” is unique in its simultaneous broadcast on CBS. Few shows have achieved such a feat, according to Robert Thompson, a professor of TV, radio, and film at Syracuse University.
The phenomenon of shows gaining popularity in streaming, exemplified by “Breaking Bad,” is not entirely new. However, “Young Sheldon” stands out as it doesn’t require viewers to seek it out; its existing fanbase ensures genuine affection and success on streaming platforms.
As “Young Sheldon” continues to shine, experts predict a potential trend where streaming platforms seek to acquire the libraries of popular cable or network shows, capitalizing on their fanbases even after the series concludes. While the “Young Sheldon effect” is happening, the unpredictable nature of show business suggests that a formula for success remains elusive.
Young Sheldon Continues to Shine on Netflix: The Young Sheldon Effect
Moving to streaming creates a snowball effect, says Thompson. It allows young fans to rediscover characters years later — just as they did with classics like Star Trek and The Brady Bunch, which were not widely successful in their original run. It was only in reruns that they started to build a following.
