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While it was never explicitly explained if Sheldon was on the spectrum or not, there were several instances throughoutThe Big Bang Theory‘s 12-season run that alluded to it. Reflecting on this subject, Chuck Lorre, showrunner of the Jim Parsons-led sitcom, explained his reasoning for being against putting that label on the character.
Although the writers of the acclaimed sitcom had their fair share of reasons to leave things ambiguous, according to the lead, Sheldon most probably had Asperger’s Syndrome.
Jim Parsons Shared His Viewpoint on Sheldon’s Potential Asperger’s Syndrome
One of the reasons whyChuck Lorrewas against putting a label on Sheldon Cooper was because of the responsibility that came with it. Leaving things ambiguous allowed them to interpret the character more freely, as officially incorporating a developmental disorder would have required the writers and Parson to be more authentic toa “very-real syndrome that can be difficult.”
InThe Big Bang Theorybook (viaUS Weekly), he said:
We did not want to put a label on Sheldon, because with that comes a responsibility of authenticity … which should be respected. I think not having a label gave Jim a great deal of more freedom to play the part as he wanted to play it, as opposed to how we might have been pressured to do for a very-real syndrome that can be difficult.
However,Jim Parsonsdoesn’t share the same viewpoint as Lorre, as upon reading more on Asperger’s, theYoung Sheldonstar found“Sheldon sure has a lot of the same traits.”
The more I read up on Asperger’s, I was like, Well, the writers can say no, but Sheldon sure has a lot of the same traits.
According to the actor, while the writers of the sitcom were eager to“celebrate and utilize certain aspects of someone on the spectrum”, they didn’t want to take full responsibility.
Chuck Lorre Didn’t Want To Do a 90-Degree With Sheldon’s Sexuality
During the sitcom’s initial seasons, Chuck Lorre championed the idea of Sheldon being asexual, stressing science was the only thing he was interested in, stating“Science was his mistress”. However, this eventually changed upon Mayim Bialik’s inclusion, who not only allowedParsons to take a breatherfrom delivering scientific monologues but also served as his eventual love interest.
“It gets old and you have little time for other projects”: Jim Parsons Abandoning The Big Bang Theory for Young Sheldon isn’t Hypocrisy, It’s a Brilliantly Calculated Move
Speaking of their relationship, the writers made sure to proceed gradually, as they didn’t want it to feel like a complete 90-degree turn. Lorre noted:
[When we] … eventually did enter Sheldon into a relationship … we did it very slowly, and in a way that made us feel like we hadn’t done a 90-degree turn at all.
As for Parsons, he wasn’t against the inclusion of a love interest in Sheldon’s life, stating that he easily accepted this aspect like he initially accepted Sheldon’s asexuality.
“It’s a genuinely legitimate form again”: After Making The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, Chuck Lorre is Done With One Criticism about Sitcoms
The Big Bang Theorycan be streamed on Max.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
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Chuck LorreJim ParsonsMayim Bialik
