Young Sheldon's Dr. Linkletter deserved to be in Sheldon's Nobel speech, yet Big Bang Theory never acknowledged it

The (grand) finale of The Big Bang Theory was supposed to be a full-circle moment. After twelve seasons, Sheldon Cooper finally stood on stage, accepting the Nobel Prize in Physics alongside Amy Farrah Fowler. It was the culmination of everything he had worked for, everything he had sacrificed. And yet, for a moment that was meant to reflect his journey, it left out a key piece of the story.

Fans haven’t stopped talking about this. Across online forums and subreddits, one glaring omission keeps coming up: Dr. Grant Linkletter. Instead of giving credit where credit was due, the show lazily dropped the phrase "all the men in my life" — a vague, impersonal line that might as well have been a footnote in a physics paper.

It was a frustrating way to gloss over one of the earliest academic mentors who helped push Sheldon toward the very stage he was standing on. The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) never acknowledged Linkletter, despite the fact that Young Sheldon was airing at the same time and proving how crucial he was to Sheldon’s development.

Disclaimer: This article is based on extensive fan discussions and reactions from The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon communities.

While the author of this article is also a fan and shares this sentiment, the arguments presented here reflect the overwhelming consensus among viewers rather than just a personal opinion.

While some may see Linkletter’s omission as insignificant, the majority of discussions suggest otherwise — this wasn’t just a minor oversight, it was a missed opportunity to properly honor a character who helped shape Sheldon into the scientist we know.

Dr. Linkletter: The professor who shaped the young version of the Sheldon we met in The Big Bang Theory

Dr. Linkletter wasn’t just some professor Sheldon happened to cross paths with. He was a defining presence at East Texas Tech, one of the first people to truly see Sheldon as an academic rather than just a precocious kid.

While Dr. Sturgis was the first to take Sheldon under his wing, it was Linkletter who stuck around, guiding Sheldon through the messiness of higher education.

He was there for the big moments — the ones that mattered. He helped Sheldon secure a once-in-a-lifetime research opportunity in Germany, an experience that directly shaped his academic path. He entertained Sheldon’s relentless curiosity with actual scientific discourse, instead of dismissing him as a know-it-all child. And when Sheldon got in over his head, Linkletter wasn’t afraid to tell him so. He was tough, but fair. Strict, but encouraging. He challenged Sheldon, pushed him, made him better.

Without Linkletter, Sheldon’s rise to scientific prominence wouldn’t have been as seamless as TBBT made it seem. Yet, when the moment came to acknowledge the people who shaped him, Linkletter was nowhere to be found.

Why wasn’t Dr. Linkletter even mentioned in Sheldon’s Nobel speech in The Big Bang Theory?

Sheldon’s Nobel speech was a moment of reckoning — proof that he had grown, that he had finally learned to appreciate the people who stood by him. But in its attempt to focus on the friendships that carried The Big Bang Theory for twelve seasons (and his life), the show completely erased the academic influences that got him to that point. Instead of specificity, we got a generic, impersonal line:

"All the men in my life."

That phrase could mean anything. It could mean Linkletter. It could mean the guy who delivered his textbooks. That is the problem — it meant nothing.

From a real-world perspective, it makes sense why Linkletter wasn’t included. Young Sheldon introduced him retroactively — he did not exist in TBBT’s canon until Young Sheldon’s second season, which aired while TBBT was wrapping up its twelfth and final season. The writers probably did’t want to adjust the final episodes to accommodate a prequel character.

But from an in-universe perspective? It does not make sense. Sheldon may have left Texas young, but he never forgot a lecture, a physics theorem, or a minor slight from his childhood. Are we really supposed to believe that he forgot one of the most important mentors in his early academic career?

Young Sheldon did what The Big Bang Theory didn’t

While The Big Bang Theory overlooked Dr. Linkletter, Young Sheldon did not. The prequel made sure his role in Sheldon’s journey was acknowledged, showing how his guidance shaped Sheldon’s early academic career, and how his influence rippled through the years.

Young Sheldon actively worked to fix TBBT's plot holes, filling in the gaps that the original show either skimmed over or ignored entirely. It didn’t just expand on Sheldon’s backstory — it gave weight to the figures who actually mattered.

Now that Young Sheldon has wrapped up, the Big Bang universe has moved on to George & Mandy's First Marriage. But Young Sheldon’s legacy remains clear — it wasn’t afraid to go back and course-correct the things TBBT fumbled with. And in doing so, it gave Dr. Linkletter the recognition he deserved, even when The Big Bang Theory refused to (yes, they had the option to mention him and chose not to).

Final thoughts: He should have been there. However, what’s next?

Sheldon Cooper’s Nobel speech was meant to be the defining moment of his career, but it failed to acknowledge one of the people who got him there. While The Big Bang Theory sidelined Dr. Linkletter, Young Sheldon ensured that his role in Sheldon’s journey was told.

Now, with George & Mandy’s First Marriage continuing the legacy of the Big Bang universe, we have to ask: Will this new series fix more of the gaps left behind by TBBT and even Young Sheldon? Or, will it create even more plot holes along the way? If history has taught us anything, it’s that the Big Bang universe is never done surprising us.

At this point, ther ending of The Big Bang Theory is set in stone. We’ll never get the revised version of Sheldon’s speech that he should have given. But thanks to Young Sheldon, we at least know the truth: Sheldon didn’t achieve greatness alone. And Dr. Grant Linkletter deserved better than an afterthought.