Young Sheldon returned tonight after yet another hiatus. Despite the fact that it was a shorter break between episodes, it was definitely frustrating for viewers who have already had to suffer through several hiatuses this season. It isn’t even clear why there was a week break between the last episode and this one, and the wait was exceptionally annoying considering the last episode ended with a cliffhanger- Georgie proposed to Mandy and the episode ended before we found out her response. Thankfully, that was the last hiatus before the end of the season and viewers can now sit back and settle in for the final stretch.
The episode kicked off with Mandy’s response to Georgie’s big question, but it definitely wasn’t the answer that he was expecting. Mandy is taken aback by the proposal, especially since it came on the heels of Georgie being on a date with another woman. Georgie immediately felt rejected and stopped coming around for Cece. Despite his moments of maturity, Georgie is still only 18 years old and Mandy’s rejection really bruised his ego. The awkwardness with Georgie trickles into Cece’s pediatrician appointment, where the couple engage in an argument right in front of the doctor. The fight continued in the parking lot and in a heated moment with Gerogie, Mandy inadvertently locked Cece in the car. Being a first-time parent isn’t easy and mistakes come with the territory, but this is a tough pill to swallow for Mandy, who wants nothing more than to be the best mom she can be for baby Cece. Mandy is filled with panic, and immediately chastises herself and refers to herself as a bad mother. Georgie may be immature and a little dense, but he has managed to be the calm voice of reason throughout his journey with Mandy, and this moment was no exception. He used a coat hanger to unlock the door and once Cece was safe, the two agreed not to argue in front of her anymore. Mandy also left the door open for another marriage proposal, telling Georgie that he needs to give her more of a heads up before it happens again. It is just a matter of time before these two make it down the aisle, the only question is whether it happens this season or next.
After watching an episode of Star Trek, Sheldon decides he wants to look for life on another planet, but he needs access to the University’s telescope room to make it happen. Professor Linkletter’s sarcastic wit may go way over Sheldon’s head, but it is comedic and he was on fire tonight with his Carmen Miranda reference and his underhanded way of making fun of Sheldon’s quirkiness, without him even realizing it. Linkletter and Dr. Sturgis both turn Sheldon down, citing that many a man has attempted to look for extraterrestrial life before and not only were their searches fruitless, they became the laughing stocks of the Science world. Sheldon managed to get Professor Prakash, whose focus is on sub-atomic particles, to help him. It is clear that this is the show’s lead-in to how Sheldon became interested in String Theory, but much like his grant database, this is just another storyline that is not remotely interesting and will likely fizzle out before it can gain momentum. The reality is that the character of Sheldon just isn’t interesting anymore. It was easier to buy into Sheldon’s quirkiness when Iain Armitage was a young boy. Now that he is older, his antics just aren’t cute anymore. The show has managed to sustain viewers because of a strong ensemble cast, and it is their storylines that interest most viewers, not Sheldon’s. It would be a good idea for the writers to simply weave Sheldon in as part of the rest of the family drama, instead of coming up with stand alone storylines for him that are not at all appealing. Yes, the show is based around his character, but that doesn’t mean it can’t evolve into something that is more aligned with the interests of its viewers.
Although Missy has an edge to her, her moral compass usually comes through and forces her to feel guilty about hurting someone’s feelings. Brenda finds out that a super pretty cheerleader has asked Billy out on a date, and immediately suspects that the girl must be messing with him. She seeks out Missy for some background information on the girl, and it re-affirms her suspicions. Missy feels bad for Billy and not only shares the truth about Brittany with him, but asks him to go to the movies. Missy’s morality is put to the test, when Brittany invites her to attend a party the same night as her movie date with Billy. She seeks out advice from the adults in her life, hoping that one of them will side with ditching Billy and attending the party, but It doesn’t happen, and Missy feels compelled to keep her movie date with Billy. When Billy encouraged her to attend the party, there was hope that Missy would do the right thing and insist on keeping her plans with him, but that was not the case. It is easy to judge Missy’s actions, but the reality is that she is a teenage girl and at that age, popularity means everything. She made the choice that most girls her age would make, so she cannot be judged too harshly. Hopefully she will find a way to make things right with Billy, however. She has been his only friend at school and it would be a shame if she ended up casting him aside, like everyone else in his life.
Tonight’s episode took a break from George and Mary’s marital problems, but with less than a handful of episodes remaining, it is only a matter of time before they address the elephant in the room. I’d love to hear your thoughts, Young Sheldon fans! Will Georgie and Mandy head to the altar this season or next? What will the final episodes of this season bring for George and Mary? Share your thoughts below and follow me on Twitter @MiddleofCanada.
