The Big Bang Theory plot hole about the song "Soft Kitty." CBS' nerdy sitcom may have ended in 2019, but the universe it exists in continues thanks to its prequel spin-off that chronicles the life of Sheldon Cooper living in East Texas with his family. Young Sheldon offers a look at the childhood his adult counterpart used to talk about in its parent series, although in several instances, the offshoot contradicts what's been established, including one detail in its latest outing.
Aside from sharing a lead character, the connection between The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon wasn't initially as established as it is currently. Once it was announced that the long-running sitcom was wrapping up after 12 seasons, CBS made the conscious effort to tie the shows together, even doing a one-time crossover episode during The Big Bang Theory's final year. The idea was that for Young Sheldon to appeal to the massive fan community that its parent series was leaving behind. Unfortunately, the transition hasn't been easy for viewers, especially since Young Sheldon tends to contradict details from The Big Bang Theory.
This is once again the case in Young Sheldon season 4, episode 4, titled "Training Wheels and an Unleashed Chicken." In the outing, Sheldon plans his college schedule, but he gets caught up with how much time he needs to transfer from one classroom to another with extra time for a bathroom break. Once he realizes that he can't do it by simply walking, Missy floats the idea of him finally learning to ride a bike without training wheels. The twins take on the challenge, resulting in Sheldon panicking after he crashed into a flying chicken. He gets a cast for two weeks wherein Mary goes above and beyond to cater to every need. At one point, Sheldon wants to call his mom in the middle of the night just so she can sing "Soft Kitty" to him, but Missy reminded him that he needs to be strong and learn how to deal with his situation the same way Stephen Hawking does.
Overall, 11-year-old Sheldon did a great job soothing himself. Instead of calling his mother, he sang "Soft Kitty" to calm himself down. The problem with this is, adult Sheldon previously argued in The Big Bang Theory that "Soft Kitty" is only for when one is sick and he doesn't consider having an injury isn't considered being sick. In The Big Bang Theory season 3, episode 8, titled "The Adhesive Duck Deficiency," Penny was reeling from her dislocated shoulder and groggy from pain medication when she asked Sheldon to sing the infamous song. But instead of relating to his friend considering that he was once in a similar situation as revealed in Young Sheldon season 4, episode 4, adult Sheldon used this argument. He only heeded to the request, albeit still begrudgingly, when Penny argued back that "injured and drugged is a kind of sick"
ittedly, Young Sheldon is making a conscious effort to appeal to The Big Bang Theory fans with various Easter eggs and direct references to its parent show. In its season premiere, Amy made a voice cameo which made for a fun detail. But, if the writers truly want to tap into The Big Bang Theory's fan base, they need to be more careful with smaller details like this moving forward.