• by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, March 14, 2017

It doesn't take a genius to come to the conclusion that the “Big Bang Theory” spinoff CBS announced Monday is a billion-dollar idea.

It was one of the most concise news releases to come out of a major TV network in recent memory -- five sentences rendered in four paragraphs announcing that CBS loves this spinoff idea so much that it is taking it straight to series.

Reading this news release, you got the feeling that this idea was little more than something someone scribbled onto a napkin at lunchtime --"'Big Bang' spinoff idea: Sheldon as a kid. Call network after lunch."

Whichever CBS executive read the napkin or received this phone call, he or she probably didn’t even get past the words "'Big Bang’ spinoff" before saying yes.

Who needs scripts or a pilot? On paper (or napkin), this show idea -- titled "Young Sheldon" -- is such a surefire concept that CBS intends to get it into production and on the air by next fall, the network’s brief announcement said.

Here is the announcement, a masterpiece of brevity:

"STUDIO CITY, Calif. – CBS today announced the series order of YOUNG SHELDON, a new half-hour, single-camera comedy for broadcast in the 2017-2018 season. Created by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro, the series follows 'The Big Bang Theory's' Sheldon Cooper at the age of 9, living with his family in East Texas and going to high school.

"Jon Favreau is directing/executive producing the first episode of the series, which stars Iain Armitage as 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper, as well as Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Raegan Revord and Montana Jordan.

"Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro, Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak will serve as executive producers of the series, from Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

"Jim Parsons will also narrate the comedy as Adult Sheldon."

That’s adult Sheldon -- Parsons -- in the photo above right. And that’s the boy who will play young Sheldon -- Iain Armitage (left) -- in a photo from the HBO series he’s on now, "Big Little Lies."

As everyone knows, "The Big Bang Theory" is TV’s premiere network property at the moment. Now in its 10th season, it is the highest-rated comedy on network TV. And it’s the highest-rated off-network show -- comedy or drama -- in syndication. 

As a result, "The Big Bang Theory" is a money fountain, for the moment anyway. "Young Sheldon" holds great potential for keeping the franchise going.

You can just imagine all the storylines with young Leonard, young Penny, young Howard, young Amy and young Rajesh. These young geniuses (not counting Penny) will appeal to a generation of nerds and "wimpy kids."

The history of TV is littered with spinoffs that went wrong -- even those spun off from some of TV’s most legendary hits. "After-M*A*S*H," anyone?

And yet, you have to admire the bravado that went into CBS’s decision to just go with "Young Sheldon" and see what happens.

Once in a while, that’s the way show business gets done -- you go with your gut. And in case anyone needs reminding, TV is still show business, at least sometimes.