‘Young Sheldon’ star Iain Armitage in Pasadena, California in Feb. 2023.Photo:Amanda Edwards/Getty

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 19: Actor Iain Armitage attends Opening Night for “Sunday In The Park With George” at the Pasadena Playhouse on February 19, 2023 in Pasadena, California.

Amanda Edwards/Getty

The teen actor, who plays a younger version ofJim Parsons’ character Sheldon Cooper fromThe Big Bang Theory, exclusively tells PEOPLE the moment he knew the CBS spinoff was a hit on Netflix.

Raegan Revord and Iain Armitage in a scene from season 3 of ‘Young Sheldon.'.Bill Inoshita/CBS via Getty

“Contracts, Rules and a Little Bit of Pig Brains” - Pictured: Missy (Raegan Revord) and Sheldon (Iain Armitage). George Sr. and Georgie go camping with Meemaw’s new boyfriend, Dale (Craig T. Nelson), but things get complicated when her ex-boyfriend, Dr. Sturgis (Wallace Shawn), tags along. Also, Sheldon and Missy invent a super-game, on YOUNG SHELDON

This kind of adulation has Armitage, 15, feeling “honored,” although he also admits his friends, who are either watching the show for the first time or rewatching it, will make references to earlier seasons, and he won’t always catch them.

“I have friends now that’ll be making references to season 2, and I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’” he says. “They’re like, ‘How do you not know? You were on that.’ I’m like, ‘It was six years ago. Geez.’

Iain Armitage during season 6 of ‘Young Sheldon.'.Bill Inoshita/CBS/Getty

Iain Armitage as Sheldon Cooper in ‘Young Sheldon’.

Bill Inoshita/CBS/Getty

What’s less surprising to Armitage is the sitcom’s wide appeal. AlthoughYoung Sheldonrevolves around a once-in-a-generation genius who lives in a “sometimes dysfunctional family” in Texas in the ‘90s, there are themes many people can still relate to, its teen star explains.

“Pretty much everyone, no matter who you are, can somewhere relate to at least some themes of this show," he says. “Everyone kind of has feelings of maybe feeling out of place or who are kind of like Sheldon. You don’t have to be a genius to sometimes have a hard time connecting with people.”

He continues, “I know statistically that somewhere there must be somebody who had a hard day today or is kind of sad or feeling down … that’s going on Netflix or going on TikTok or going on cable or whatever they’re doing and seeing our show,. Hopefully, that can turn their day around, because sometimes all you need is a little bit of a laugh.”

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Season 7 ofYoung Sheldonpremieres Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

source: people.com