No pop culture character has ever been analyzed as much as Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory. The gifted theoretical physicist who, quite unbelievably, goes on to win a Nobel Prize on the show is one of the most interesting characters on in sitcom history and a huge fan favorite.
However, there are plenty of things about Sheldon that didn't always make sense to the fandom, including the fact that he used Internet Explorer (among many other things that have popped up over the years). Sheldon grew a lot as a character and was relatable to some, but he didn't always make sense.
Updated on September 6th. 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: Sheldon Cooper seemed like an easy person to understand on The Big Bang Theory because he was always upfront, honest, and blunt about everything he was attached to. His transparency made living and working with him quite challenging at times, but deep down, he had a big heart and truly cared for his close friends and loved ones. As virtuous as Sheldon was, there were a few inconsistencies that popped up throughout the show. As much as fans loved Sheldon, he didn’t always make sense. And the more fans rewatch The Big Bang Theory, the more they realize there were more irregularities than they thought.
How Old Was Sheldon Anyway?
Sheldon’s age hasn’t been discussed often on TBBT, but it’s been noted that he was born in 1980. An eagle-eyed fan on Reddit, Dgiannak, however, realized something odd. “Something [Sheldon] said in season one, episode four is really bugging me,” they wrote.
After explaining numerous examples where Sheldon referenced his age and studies, the Redditor continued writing, “Sheldon was an older fifth grader at 11 years old, and spent four years in college (could possibly be six before his Ph.D. but who knows).” This would mean Sheldon was around 22 or 23 years old at the start of the series — the same age as Penny.
Did Sheldon’s Spot Matter To Him Or Not?
One of the first things fans learned about Sheldon was that his home was his oasis, and part of that oasis was his “spot” on the couch. His spot on the couch was special to him and deemed the best place to sit in the apartment. Whenever someone sat in his spot, he threw a tantrum and let them know he was sitting there.
Sheldon saying “That’s my spot!” was a quote that hilariously summed up his character. However, after a few rewatches, it was evident that Sheldon didn’t always care about his spot. There were times when Leonard, Howard, and Penny were all seen sitting in his spot playing games, eating, or watching a movie. Knowing how ionate Sheldon was about his spot, it didn’t make sense that he’d allow others to sit there.
If Sheldon Had Money Stashed Away, Why Did He Need A Roommate To Afford His Apartment?
Fans have pointed out this rather interesting aspect of Sheldon’s financial status. Sheldon seemed to have saved up quite a bit of money because he revealed that most of the things he wanted to buy have not been invented yet. But he also said that if he could afford their apartment alone, he would have never taken a roommate (even though Sheldon would be lost without Leonard's bromance).
This begs the question, if he had extra money saved up then why did he have a roommate? One might argue that he had grown attached to Leonard, but he made this point after living with him for almost a decade.
Didn’t Sheldon Have A Cat Allergy?
Sheldon and Leonard had one of the best friendships on TBBT because the other had strengths that the other lacked. They ed each other in times of need and gave each other great advice. This was shown early on when Leonard wanted a cat but was shut down when Sheldon told him he was allergic.
Oddly enough, episodes later, Sheldon had a minor breakdown when he and Amy broke up and adopted over 20 cats. Leonard and his mom were concerned about his behavior, but never once was his allergy mentioned by his loved ones, which didn’t make too much sense.
Sheldon’s Underrated Fear Of Nets
With so many episodes under The Big Bang Theory’s name, it’s understandable that a few details about Sheldon’s personality were forgotten about or brushed under the rug.
One of these details was Sheldon’s fear of nets. In season 3, Sheldon had Howard install a security net in his apartment to protect him and Leonard from intruders. But just two seasons later, Sheldon said in ‘The Ornithophobia Diffusion’ that he was afraid if nets. Either Sheldon’s fear developed from season 3 or the writers forgot about one of Sheldon’s many fears.
The Discrepancy Of Sheldon's Dad's Age & Death
There are numerous life lessons that fans learned from Sheldon and co. on The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon learned most of his life’s lessons by trial and error as a child in Texas. But even as an adult genius, Sheldon still had a lot to learn — especially since his dad wasn’t around to help.
Sheldon said early on that his dad died when he was just 14 years old. Strangely, episodes later, Sheldon said how sick he got when he was 15, but his mom wasn’t able to tend to him because she had to help Sheldon’s dad. This discrepancy creates a pothole in Sheldon’s story, including what’s to happen in the spinoff Young Sheldon.
His Ability To Accommodate A Myriad Of Hobbies Seemed Impossible With His Job
It could be because The Big Bang Theory is a TV show, but it seemed strange that two brilliant physicists had nearly as much time as Sheldon and Leonard had. Sheldon and his friends had ironclad weekly schedules to play video games, go to the comic book store, play Klingon Boggle, and indulge in quite a few fantastic activities. In fact, Sheldon even invented his own games with the amount of free time he had.
But any working physicist who is working relentlessly to get papers published or score a tenure position will probably say, it’s not as easy as Sheldon and Leonard put on.
His Method Of Concluding A Study Didn't Match His Character
the nasty trick that Leonard, Raj, and Howard played on Sheldon when they were in the North Pole studying magnetic monopoles? This was a study that, as claimed by Sheldon, could have earned him a Nobel Prize. The stakes were super high and everyone knew that.
The guys may have manipulated the first positive data with static from an electric can opener, but it was implausible that Sheldon would not repeat the experiment repeatedly to confirm the data. Moreover, this was Sheldon’s research project and it was hard to believe a perfectionist like Sheldon would have been tricked so easily during the most important project of his life. Perhaps Sheldon wasn't the smartest in the group...
His Inconsistent Germophobia
This was one of the most acutely obvious plot holes in the entire series; Sheldon made a huge deal about his germophobia in the first couple of seasons. However, his obsession with staying clean and healthy dwindled as the series went on – proving that his germophobia wasn't as bad as he let on.
There are also certain behavioral ticks a germophobe usually possesses, like sanitizing hands after touching anything or anyone, and wiping off a surface before sitting. An example of this is that fans have never seen Sheldon wash his hands before or after dinner. What it came down to is that Sheldon just didn't like being around others when they were sick or in close with someone who was sick.
His Love For Internet Explorer
One thing fans could not make peace with was the fact that Sheldon used Internet Explorer to browse Facebook, especially because it's widely considered the worst browser for social media. Sheldon was seen looking at Amy’s social media pages and the browser he was using was shockingly Internet Explorer.
Although most things on The Big Bang Theory were done intentionally, this could have been one aspect of computers and the Internet that production got wrong. Knowing how smart Sheldon was, this browser choice didn't match his personality.
His Shocking Ignorance As A Genius
For someone who was perhaps one of the smartest men in the world, Sheldon was shockingly ignorant about basic issues like race, culture, and history. Just because he was socially inept and did not gauge the tonality of humor does not mean he would not know how to talk to People of Color or women in science.
Sheldon's ignorance got him in trouble with Caltech's human resource director, Janine Davis, on more than one occasion. He was also reprimanded for talking about the female reproductive system with his assistant Alex. While these moments became memes of Sheldon's character, they were in a negative light. Sheldon learned his lesson from these instances, but it was shocking they even needed to be addressed by someone as smart as Sheldon.
He Rarely Mentioned His Childhood Friends
Sheldon made a few comments throughout The Big Bang Theory that he didn't have much time for friends because he was always too busy working on his studies. But Young Sheldon revealed that Sheldon made quite a few meaningful connections as a kid, especially with Tam (who was shown in later seasons of TBBT).
Considering Tam was a name that popped up in both TBBT and Young Sheldon, it's possible the writers incorporated the name and character into TBBT so that Young Sheldon viewers saw a familiar character. However, there were more friends and interactions that Sheldon had as a kid that were conveniently left out.
