Darren Michaels/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Young Sheldon
Thursday, Oct. 25, 8:30/7:30c, CBS
Jim Parsons’s Sheldon dressed as the Doppler Effect in The Big Bang Theory’s first season, but the character’s geek-out costumes didn’t begin there. “We were looking for something science-based, so why not Carl Sagan?” says exec producer Steven Molaro of the genius’s getup at age 10. For Sheldon (Iain Armitage, above left, with Wyatt McClure, Raegan Revord and Ryan Phuong), the candy haul is less of a concern than folks’ ignorance of the famed astrophysicist. Plus, Sheldon’s mom, Mary (Zoe Perry), asks drama teacher Mr. Lundy (Jason Alexander) to help with the church’s Hell House, which, Molaro notes, “depicts scenes of sin in an effort to lead people to God.” Holy sloth! —Jim Halterman