The latest episode of the CBS show "Young Sheldon" featured the rare scene of a family praying in the name of Jesus, but it was immediately followed by disparaging remarks from a character who disdains religion.
"Young Sheldon," a spin-off of the hit show "The Big Bang Theory," stars nine-year-old Iain Armitage as Sheldon Cooper and Zoe Perry as his overprotective mother Mary.
In the episode titled, "A Mother, a Child, and a Blue Man's Backside," Sheldon becomes angry with his mother after she takes away his inappropriate comic books, but he is instantly reminded of how much he needs her when their neighborhood is hit by a tornado.
As the disaster strikes, Sheldon clings to his mother, an evangelical Christian, as she prays for the family's safety.
"In the name of Jesus, I place a hedge of protection around this house and my family. I command this storm to skip over our home in Jesus' name," Mary prayed, according to The Christian Post.
"I wish peace to every single person in this room and declare that not one of us will get hurt in this storm, in Jesus' name!" she continued.
The storm eventually simmered down with the neighborhood still intact, and Sheldon hugs his mother in gratitude.
However, a narrator who is supposed to be the adult Sheldon appeared to downplay the impact of Mary's prayer.
"The good news was most of our neighborhood was spared. The bad news: My mother thought she had something to do with it," the narrator said, as reported by The Christian Post.
Some viewers had complained that the heartwarming scene was ruined by the remarks of the narrator.
"That scene actually made me cry and warmed my heart. Until the snark came in that last line. If it was meant to be funny, it failed," Dawn Slusher wrote in an article for Newsbusters.
The show, set in 1989, highlights Sheldon's experiences as a nine-year-old who sits in the same class as his older brother George due to his exceptional intelligence.
In "The Big Bang Theory," Sheldon is characterized as a loving son to Mary, but opposes her Creationist beliefs.
The spin-off show has reportedly gained nearly 18 million viewers. This week, both shows reportedly led the Thursday night ratings, with "The Big Bang Theory" garnering a 2.3 rating in adults 18-49 and 12.5 million viewers, and "Young Sheldon" ending up with 1.9 and 11.5 million viewers.
