Summary

• Tam Nguyen, Sheldon Cooper's childhood friend, will return in the final season of Young Sheldon after a long absence since season 4.
• Their reunion will likely address the falling out Sheldon had with Tam back in The Big Bang Theory and will tie up loose ends of their friendship.
• Tam played a significant role in Sheldon's life, introducing him to comic books and role-playing games, influencing him to build a loyal social group.

Before there were Leonard, Howard, and Raj, Sheldon Cooper had Tam Nguyen. Sheldon Cooper's first best friend is prominently featured in Young Sheldon seasons 1-4, but Tam is no longer talked about after Sheldon graduates from high school.

Tam Nguyen will make his comeback in the final season of Young Sheldon, three seasons after his last appearance. The seventh and last season of Young Sheldon is tying together all the loose ends and linking the prequel to The Big Bang Theory; this includes bringing back one of Sheldon's childhood friends.

Tam and Sheldon were good friends before he disappeared mid-way through Young Sheldon. He was not mentioned again until he appeared in season 12 of The Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon revealed why he fell out with Tam.

Sheldon's first friend's upcoming appearance is expected to tie up some loose ends in Tam and Sheldon's story but also open up more questions about why the pair fell out. In the following, we take a look at why Tam Nguyen's reappearance in Young Sheldon might make plot holes bigger and why Tam was such a key part of Sheldon's overall story. We also reveal other Young Sheldon characters coming back for the final season.

Why Tam Nguyen's Young Sheldon Reappearance May Confuse Big Bang Theory Fans

Sheldon Cooper's childhood friend, Tam Nguyen, played by Ryan Phuong, made his The Big Bang Theory appearance in season 12, episode 4, "The Tam Turbulence," but Sheldon no longer considered Tam a friend.

During the BBT episode, Tam visits Caltech with his son and plans to visit Sheldon. Sheldon's angered reaction to seeing Tam definitely confuses his Pasadena friends, as he has never spoken about his childhood friend before. It is ultimately revealed that Sheldon holds a grudge against Tam for choosing to stay in Texas with his girlfriend rather than move to Pasadena with Sheldon.

Sheldon was so hurt by Tam's actions that he even admitted to his girlfriend Amy that he thought he'd never make new friends after Tam. Sheldon never confronts Tam about his feelings, leaving the latter presuming that the two can catch up when he visits CalTech with his son.

"When I got accepted to grad school at Caltech, I was afraid to move so far away from home, so Tam said he’d move out here with me and be my roommate. Anyway, Tam stayed with her in Texas and I had to move out here all by myself... It was [scary]. I was lonely. And I thought I’d never make a friend again — and for a long time, I didn’t.”

Sheldon and Tam eventually patch things up, with Cooper briefly wondering what his life would have been had Tam gone with him and the pair had lived together in California. This Big Bang Theory episode featured multiple flashback sequences, which inserted Tam into Sheldon and Leonard's life.

Executive producer Steve Holland confirmed that Tam will appear before the show ends. When asked whether the show would address Tam's appearance in The Big Bang Theory, Holland said, “I think there will be a nod to that.”

Tam Nguyen Was Sheldon Cooper's First Friend

Tam, a Vietnamese American boy, debuts in the second episode of Young Sheldon season 1, "Rockets, Communist, and the Dewey Decimal System." He becomes Sheldon's first friend and plays a hugely important role in his life.

In the episode, Sheldon uses a self-help book to try to make friends during high school. After that doesn't work, he starts to bond with Tam who also struggles to fit in socially. Tam is notable as the first crossover character from The Big Bang Theory to appear in Young Sheldon— other than Sheldon Cooper himself.

In Young Sheldon season 2's "A Rival Prodigy and Sir Isaac Neutron," Mary Cooper wonders if Tam has other friends. Sheldon denies this, stating, "I'm all he's got, and even I avoid him half the time."

Tam has not been seen since season 4 of Young Sheldon. The friends drifted apart when Sheldon went to East Texas Tech. With Sheldon in college and Tam in high school, the pair never crossed paths.

Tam Nguyen's Significance In Sheldon Cooper's Life

Tam is one of the most important people to Sheldon, as one of his first friends.

Tam significantly affected Sheldon Cooper's life, as he introduced him to his pop culture interests, including comic books and role-playing games. These passions he took into his adult life and helped him build a small but loyal social group.

Sheldon also used Tam to talk through his issues and help resolve any issues. Their relationship, although short-lived, did help expand Sheldon's ability to interact socially. Tam took him to parties, encouraged his emotional intelligence, and helped him become a better listener.

Without Tam introducing Sheldon to the world of comic books, Sheldon may not have found his group of friends as an adult working in California.

Other Young Sheldon Characters Coming Back For The Final Season

It's not just Tam who will be returning to the final season of Young Sheldon. Some of the show's most significant characters will be returning to the sitcom to tie up loose ends and connect Young Sheldon to the spin-offs.

Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik will return as the adult version of Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler, for the series finale, which will air on May 16, 2024. This will be the first time the pair have played these roles since The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019. His appearance in Young Sheldon comes after the actor reportedly turned down $50 million to make more seasons of his hit CBS show.

McKenna Grace and Wyatt McClure have both been confirmed to return as Paige and Billy in the seventh and last season. The seventh season also sees the return of Mandy McAllister's mom, Audrey, played by The Good Doctor's Rachel Bay Jones.

The return of Audrey is likely related to the planning of Georgie and Mandy's wedding, after their sixth season finale engagement. Her appearance will also help to set up the upcoming Georgie and Mandy spinoff.