What happened to Dr. John Sturgis on Young Sheldon? Character arc and storyline, explored

Dr. John Sturgis on Young Sheldon played the role of a mentor and advisor to the genius young boy Sheldon Cooper. The role of Dr. John Sturgis is portrayed by Wallace Shawn in the series. Dr. Sturgis is a physics professor who has dedicated his life to science but after failing to get recognition, he goes to question his abilities and consequently spirals into a state of depression.

Young Sheldon was a 2017 hit sitcom, which ran on CBS for seven seasons. The series created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, was a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory.

It follows a young and intellectual Sheldon Cooper in a town called Medford in Texas as he tries to fit in the world with his brilliant mind and emotional setbacks. Dr. John Sturgis plays a vital role in shaping Sheldon Cooper’s future.

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Who is Dr. Sturgis in Young Sheldon?

Dr. John Sturgis is a physics professor at the University of East Texas Tech. Dr. Sturgis gets acquainted with Sheldon Cooper through letters that the latter writes to him frequently. Wanting to learn more about the subject, Sheldon goes on to join Dr. Sturgis’s quantum chromodynamics course at the University of East Texas Tech.

Dr. Sturgis and Sheldon have several similarities, including their love for trains and fascination for the famed theoretical physicist Richard Feynman.

Dr. Sturgis becomes an important part of Sheldon’s life both in the academic field and off it. As they get personally familiarized, he meets Sheldon’s grandmother, Connie.

Dr. Sturgis and Connie form a relationship, which reveals the vulnerable aspects of his personality away from the classroom and textbooks. Despite the emotional drawbacks Connie finds in Dr. Sturgis, they form a genuine connection.

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What happens to Dr. Sturgis in season 2 and 3?

After the Nobel Prize in Physics is announced in the season 2 finale episode titled A Swedish Science Thing and the Equation for Toast, Dr. Sturgis feels defeated and realizes that he may never win a prestigious award like that.

Connie notices that he is having a mental breakdown and tries to help him through his self-doubt. Unable to cope with the dejection, he is admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Mary Cooper, Sheldon’s mother, initially shields her son from the truth behind Dr. Sturgis' sudden absence and tells him that he is just unwell. However, she later takes him to a therapist and reveals the truth about Dr. Sturgis' mental state.

In episode 5 of season 3 titled A Pineapple and the Bosom of Male Friendship, Dr. Sturgis is discharged from the hospital and meets the Cooper family. He has a heartfelt conversation about his mental health journey with the whole family.

He reassures them that he is now doing better and is all set to return to his regular life. Nonetheless, Dr. Sturgis ends up breaking up with Connie as he did not want to drag her through his mental state.

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Dr. Sturgis' future in Young Sheldon

In season 4, Dr. Sturgis joins another university. He gets fired from the supercollider project because he misspeaks in an interview. In season 5, he temporarily works in a grocery store from where he ends up getting fired.

Dr. Sturgis and Sheldon’s relationship strains when the former refuses to help him in season 6, episode 18 episode titled Little Green Men and a Fella’s Marriage Proposal. In the series finale titled Memoir, it is revealed that Sheldon was gifted an IBM ThinkPad as a graduation gift by Dr. Sturgis and his colleague.

Young Sheldon is available on Hulu and Netflix.

Read More: Why didn't we see Dale from Young Sheldon appear on The Big Bang Theory? Details explored

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