The series follows Sheldon Cooper's early life as a child prodigy in the fictional town of Medford, Texas. As he grows up, he tries to fit into a world of people, including his own family and friends, who struggle to cope with his intellectual capabilities and social ineptitude. While the timeline begins in the fall of 1989, the passage of time is indicated by episodes referencing historic or pop cultural events from the early 1990s, some of which are unique to the US.