If there’s one thing Young Sheldon does better than most sitcoms, it’s sneaking up on you with profound life lessons wrapped in awkward pre-teen moments and bizarre science facts. Season 4, Episode 14—titled “A Philosophy Class and Worms That Can Chase You” —is a perfect example.
Sheldon, now in his first year of college, decides to broaden his horizons by taking a philosophy class. Why? Because he’s annoyed that the football players (and his nemesis, Pastor Jeff) are getting credit for “easy” classes. young sheldon season 4 episode 14
But look closer: The worms are unkillable pests. They represent the messy, persistent problems of life—the things you can’t simply cut away or solve with brute force. Much like the fear of death in Sheldon’s storyline, the worms keep coming back no matter what you do. Sheldon has always been portrayed as emotionally distant, but this episode gives Iain Armitage a chance to show real vulnerability. When Sheldon realizes that he—and everyone he loves—will eventually die, he doesn’t just shrug it off. He panics. If there’s one thing Young Sheldon does better
Predictably, Sheldon struggles with subjective concepts. He demands to know the meaning of life in a quantitative, provable way. His professor introduces him to the idea of existentialism and, more importantly, the inevitability of death. Sheldon spirals in the most Sheldon way: by creating a flowchart of existential dread and asking his family, “Do you ever think about how you’re going to die?” They represent the messy, persistent problems of life—the