Sheldon Cooper is the smartest person in the room... sometimes. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times when young Sheldon lived up to his child genius status and times he was knocked off his perch.
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00:00If you're always the smartest, you're never learning anything.
00:03Interesting.
00:04Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the times when young Sheldon lived up to his child genius status,
00:12and times he was knocked off his perch.
00:14If you're not caught up with the series, you might find some spoilers ahead.
00:18Alright, call me when you catch up.
00:21Okay.
00:22We can go now.
00:24Number 5. Smartest.
00:26Being a team player with sports analytics.
00:29Sheldon isn't an athlete by any means, but that doesn't mean he never engages in the world of sport.
00:35The other team still has a 77% chance of scoring, but since they convert on fourth down 50% of the time,
00:42the math says they should never punt again.
00:46In this episode, George realizes that his son's unique talents are quite handy when strategizing game plans.
00:53After his team's success, Connie tries to get in on the action,
00:56getting her young grandson to help her beat the odds on her sporting bets too.
01:01As everyone's winning streak soars, so does Sheldon's popularity.
01:05It was a nightmare.
01:08Hugging, hair tousling, high fives, and as my popularity grew, so did my time aloft.
01:16Only this is one of those times when his intelligence gets too much even for him.
01:21We'd argue that Sheldon's smartest move here is taking control back over his life.
01:26Although, did he really need to take everyone down too?
01:29My father was counting on me.
01:31Meemaw was counting on me.
01:32The school was counting on me.
01:35After much thought, I decided to employ the one strategic maneuver I knew I could count on.
01:41I tattled.
01:42Number 5. Outsmarted.
01:44Unable to reason with philosophy.
01:46Sheldon takes great pride in knowing everything,
01:49and doesn't like to feel his knowledge is being challenged.
01:52So maybe philosophy class isn't the place for him.
01:55But that would mean we have to hear what they say, which requires trusting our senses.
02:03Do you see a problem with your argument, Mr. Cooper?
02:06I could concentrate better if you weren't flashing your toes at me.
02:08Indeed, Sheldon finds his entire worldview shaken by Professor Erickson
02:13to the point that he's no longer sure what's real.
02:16When Sheldon tries arguing with his teacher,
02:18the last remnants of his belief system crumble.
02:21And how do you know if something is factual?
02:24You test it and see if it holds true.
02:26And how do you know that that's factual?
02:30You're doing it again!
02:32Maybe you're dreaming I'm doing it.
02:33Sheldon ends up stuck in bed, mulling over what's real and what's not.
02:38It takes his Meemaw and a live chicken to snap him out of it.
02:41Apparently, I can't know what here is.
02:44So maybe I could just set her on your bed.
02:48Okay, okay, I'll get dressed.
02:50Make it snappy.
02:51Ultimately, it's Professor Erickson who helps restore Sheldon's sense of reality,
02:56showing him that not having all the answers can be rather thrilling.
03:00Asking these questions is exciting.
03:03It's what gets me out of bed.
03:06That's interesting.
03:07Number four, smartest, playing by the rules.
03:11While George and Georgie head off for an awkward camping trip,
03:14the twins try to decide how they want to spend the day.
03:17Ooh, Chuck E. Cheese.
03:19That place is a nightmare.
03:21Something that could be fun is the museum, though.
03:23Let him finish.
03:25We already heard museum.
03:26It's not gonna get better.
03:27Naturally, Missy and Sheldon have completely different ideas of what's fun
03:31and can't agree on anything.
03:34So instead, they spend the day competing to determine who gets to decide.
03:38So we made a list of 20 challenges that combined stuff are both good at.
03:41Whoever wins each challenge gets to take a block and put on top of their tower.
03:44Whoever's tower reaches the height of this rock at first wins.
03:47They pass the whole day playing games that largely seem to fall within Missy's wheelhouse.
03:53But hang on, this is Sheldon we're talking about.
03:56He hates losing and would never agree to something he's not good at.
04:00So something doesn't add up.
04:03Unless, of course, he didn't really lose.
04:05Sneaky Sheldon.
04:07Smart, but very sneaky.
04:09Actually, I was the winner.
04:11We spent the whole day doing everything I love.
04:14Drafting contracts, arguing about rules, and most importantly, never leaving the house.
04:20Number 4.
04:21Outsmarted.
04:22The twin study.
04:24Yes, when it comes to book smarts, Sheldon is practically in a league of his own.
04:28However, that's far from the only intelligence worth measuring, no matter what he says.
04:34I thought the purpose of this study was to find out how smart I am.
04:37That's what we're doing, but there are different kinds of intelligence.
04:42Poppycock!
04:43So when Sheldon and Missy take part in a twin study,
04:45he of course nails the problem-solving section.
04:48But when it comes to emotional intelligence, he falls short.
04:53Missy, on the other hand, shows a lot of intuitive empathy and plenty of imagination.
04:58This girl monkey is sending the kid monkey out of the room.
05:01He doesn't want to go.
05:02He looks sad.
05:04Is that all?
05:05The monkeys on the couch are drinking tea, so it's a tea party.
05:08While it isn't a contest, technically, Missy clearly comes out on top.
05:12Plus, she's smart enough to demand her fair share of the study fee,
05:16even if she does need Sheldon's help to figure out the math.
05:19Well, I want half that.
05:21Which is?
05:24Hang on.
05:26Sheldon!
05:27Number 3.
05:28Smartest.
05:29Developing and defending his database.
05:31Oh, the struggles of hunting down that elusive comic book.
05:35Remember the days when there wasn't a handy database at your fingertips?
05:39Sheldon sure does.
05:41He soon realizes that his idea has other uses and presents it to President Hagemeyer.
05:47The amount of time spent searching for grants would be cut by 80%.
05:50Do you see what this could do for the scientific community?
05:52Yes.
05:53We could charge an access fee to every university on the planet,
05:56and I can retire on a yacht in the Bahamas.
05:59Unfortunately for Sheldon,
06:00it's such a good idea that she, soon joined by Dr. Linkletter,
06:04is hot on his heels, trying to beat him to the finish line.
06:08Still, Sheldon's efforts to protect his idea and stall for time
06:12prove he still has all the makings to become an evil genius.
06:15Really?
06:16You poached our programmer?
06:17I left him alone for five minutes to use the bathroom.
06:20I don't know why you're so surprised.
06:21I'm told the business is a high-stakes game,
06:23where if you're not ruthless, you're toothless.
06:25Well, until he shorts out the whole power grid.
06:28Well, I'm the president of the university, and I'm telling you, you can't.
06:32You're just trying to sabotage our project,
06:35because you know we're gonna beat you to market.
06:38Sheldon, plug it in.
06:40That certainly will buy everyone some time.
06:42Number 3.
06:43Outsmarted
06:45Almost any interaction with Paige.
06:47Sheldon loves being the smartest person in the room, and he often is.
06:52That is, until he meets Paige Swanson,
06:54another child prodigy who often gets a kick out of challenging him,
06:58and he usually makes it so easy for her.
07:01Checkmate.
07:03You lose.
07:04Red alert.
07:06Phasers, stand by to fire on my order.
07:08I guess that makes me the smartest.
07:10Practically every time their paths cross,
07:12she manages to get under his skin, and it's always hilarious.
07:16Paige doesn't have the easiest home life, and unlike Sheldon,
07:20she struggles to fit in with her older peers.
07:23Yet when she's around him,
07:24nothing seems to give her a bigger thrill than making him squirm.
07:28What's happening? Are we kissing?
07:30You bet.
07:34How was that?
07:36I didn't feel anything romantic.
07:39Me either.
07:40Sure, Sheldon has tried to match her wit, but she always delivers the final blow.
07:45I think I know how to irritate you.
07:47I bet you think the divorce is all your fault,
07:49and now your family is torn apart forever.
07:52Did I do it? Did I get under your skin?
07:55Number two, smartest.
07:57Sheldon versus IRS.
07:59As Mary once mentioned,
08:01Sheldon has been doing the Coopers' taxes since he was six years old,
08:05and they have never been audited.
08:07Well, until his ego gets in the way.
08:09When the IRS claims they under-reported their income,
08:12Sheldon ignores his father's warnings and opens up a whole can of worms.
08:17Well, well, uh, have a look in it.
08:22In the future, you might consider doing that before you send out the letter.
08:26So how does this work?
08:26Do you apologize now? Do I get it in writing?
08:29They get audited in a fierce battle between Sheldon and the IRS agent.
08:33Sheldon describes the whole ordeal as a game of chess, and it gets pretty intense.
08:39Oh, I don't do it for free.
08:40My dad buys me a model train afterwards.
08:44Interesting.
08:46So you accept payment even though you're not a licensed tax professional.
08:49The IRS agent calls check with an underhanded move that leaves Sheldon shaken.
08:54However, after a pep talk from his father,
08:57he comes back fighting and calls checkmate.
09:00So it does not violate the statute,
09:02and since the value of the train is less than $10,000, there's no additional gift tax.
09:08Checkmate.
09:09Number 2.
09:10Outsmarted.
09:12Sheldon vs. Engineering
09:14Ever wondered why Sheldon holds such a vendetta against engineers?
09:18This episode answers everything.
09:20In it, Sheldon meets Professor Boucher,
09:22a former Army Corps engineer who brings his military precision to the classroom.
09:27While Sheldon is initially in awe of his new teacher,
09:30his excitement fades fast when faced with their first assignment.
09:34Son, I'm giving you another chance before it's due.
09:39What's wrong with it?
09:40That's your job to figure out.
09:42Try as he might, Sheldon's efforts always befall the same fate.
09:46Boucher doesn't cut him any slack,
09:48convincing even George that his tough love teaching style
09:51is the key to preparing Sheldon for the future.
09:54Your son is obviously brilliant,
09:57but coddling him won't prepare him for the real world.
09:59I've been saying that since the day he was born.
10:02Sometimes you have to break them down to build them better.
10:04Just as Sheldon thinks he finally gets it,
10:07he finds himself locked out of class.
10:09And there you have it, the reason Sheldon hates engineering.
10:13Wait, so after all this time, that's your problem with engineering?
10:17Evidently.
10:18So all the teasing and all the abuse had nothing to do with me?
10:22I'll admit at first I had a chip on my shoulder because of that class.
10:26But then it was mostly you.
10:28Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:32Smartest, restoring Mary's faith.
10:35He may be a staunch atheist,
10:37but he knows how to help his mom when she needs it most.
10:40There are five billion people on this planet,
10:42and you're the perfect mom for me.
10:45What are the odds of that?
10:46Outsmarted, getting duct taped to a wall.
10:50Well, that's one way to deal with a pesky RA.
10:52I don't need a pen and paper to take names.
10:55You, what's your name?
10:57You know I'll find out, and there will be consequences.
10:59Hey, what are you?
11:01Smartest, showing personal growth.
11:04Is there a higher form of intelligence than self-development?
11:08Now that I'm his age and have kids of my own,
11:11I realize he was just a person doing the best he could.
11:16And he did a lot.
11:17Outsmarted, Princess Sheldon.
11:20Sheldon's a stickler for the rules, and Missy knows exactly how to play that.
11:24Say cheese!
11:26Cheese.
11:28Now tell me what was in that letter.
11:30You're pretty cranky for a princess rodeo clown.
11:32Missy!
11:33Caltech wants you to go to school there.
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11:51Number 1.
11:52Smartest, taking on NASA.
11:55Sheldon's quite the grudge holder, and there's no lengths he won't go to to prove himself right.
12:01So when a NASA engineer visits his school and doesn't take his ideas seriously,
12:06he's not letting that go.
12:08That's a cute idea, but it's not technically possible.
12:11Why not?
12:14Well, it's hard to explain.
12:17The math is pretty complicated.
12:18Perhaps I could help you with it.
12:20Not even for a NASA patch.
12:22Instead, he throws himself into proving his point,
12:25crunching numbers and unraveling equations to show he was right all along.
12:29When Sheldon essentially has a meltdown because no one responds to him,
12:33George decides it's time to take a trip to Houston.
12:36Once there, Sheldon gets a chance to explain his vision to the engineer.
12:40Well, that's very impressive.
12:43Thank you very much for taking the time.
12:45I'm not done.
12:47Oh, uh, sorry.
12:49Only he soon finds out that it's not the math that's the problem.
12:53Sheldon 1, NASA 0.
12:56So I'm ahead of my time.
12:58Well, it would appear so.
13:01All right, call me when you catch up.
13:05We can go now.
13:06Number one, outsmarted.
13:08No longer the smartest kid in class.
13:11Sheldon may have had his intellect challenged by one or two people on occasion,
13:15but never a whole class all at once.
13:18Yet when he attends school in Germany,
13:20he experiences a swift drop from the top of the class to the class doom cough.
13:25Mr. Ziegler.
13:26You forgot to consider the Calabi-Yau manifold.
13:29Thank you, Mr. Ziegler.
13:31Wait, what's the Calabi-Yau manifold?
13:36He's used to being the one snickering at other folks' ignorance,
13:39yet now he's the one getting laughed at.
13:42To make matters worse, much to his mom's amusement,
13:45he's stuck with some kid as his tutor.
13:47And she doesn't take it easy on him either.
13:50He ends up calling Dr. Linkletter, who offers him invaluable advice.
13:54Try doing something you're truly awful at.
13:56Just shut up and listen.
13:58But what if I-
13:59When you're in class, listen.
14:00But I could-
14:03We'd like to say this experience humbled Sheldon, but we know better.
14:07By being open to people smarter than me, I grew as both a man and a scientist.
14:14Humble, brilliant.
14:17I really am the whole package.
14:18What do you think was Sheldon's smartest moment?
14:21And which moments had you questioning if he really is a kid genius?
14:25Let us know in the comments.
14:26What made you think you could fix this?
14:28I'm smart.
14:29And I had a book.
14:31Do you still think you're smart?
14:34Yes.
14:35Do you agree with our picks?
14:37Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
14:39And be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
14:54you