Young Sheldon fans discover another huge Big Bang Theory plot hole

There seems to be a disconnect between Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory, and fans have spotted another plot hole that has never been addressed by the two shows.

Some inconsistencies are more forgivable than others; for example, only pedants care about Lance Barber playing Leonard’s grown-up high school bully and Sheldon’s dad George.

Others, while understandable, are still frustrating; why didn’t we find out what happened to Paige, and why didn’t Sheldon ever mention Dr Sturgiss and Dr Linkletter in later life? Also, Meemaw is completely different between Young Sheldon and The Big Bang Theory.

Now, fans have found another one: the mysterious whereabouts of the Cooper family’s cat, Lucky. In Season 2 Episode 4 of TBBT, Sheldon mentions that Lucky was run over and killed by a Montgomery Ward van.

However, in Young Sheldon, they never have a pet. In Season 1 Episode 4 of the original sitcom, Sheldon’s mother tells the gang she recalls him building a nuclear reactor when he was 13 (placing these events firmly in the timeline of the prequel). When the government informed him it was illegal, he locked himself in his room and built a sonic death ray, which apparently “p*ssed our dog off to no end” — but there’s no dog in Young Sheldon.

The canon-breaking cat (and subsequently, the dog) was shared on the show’s subreddit. “Good spot that,” one user wrote, but others think there’s a simple explanation: some things were retconned, and we just have to deal with it.

“There are just too many established details to make everything work seamlessly, especially given that adult Sheldon didn’t portray his family as very pleasant,” another user commented. “Different shows; different writers; YS wasn’t concerned about continuity with TBBT,” a third added.

Young Sheldon’s co-creator Steven Molaro confirmed this was the case in a past interview with TV Line. “We don’t have a precise roadmap in front of us — and to some extent, we don’t feel handcuffed to things that were said on Big Bang,” he said.

“I mean, there are some things that we will honor, but we also have to do what’s best for this series.”

With Young Sheldon ending, you may be curious to know more about Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage and whether or not there’ll be a Young Sheldon Season 8. We’ve got you covered, and you can also check out our breakdown of the show’s cast and how to watch Young Sheldon outside the US, as well as other new TV shows to stream.