S03.E06: A Parasol and a Hell of an Arm

[Bort]

Quote

A church carnival leads Missy to try out for the baseball team. Also, Meemaw struggles after her breakup with Dr. Sturgis.

Airdate: Thursday, November 7, 2019

As always, in the episode topics, there is no mentioning of events from The Big Bang Theory that have not "happened" yet.

[Armchair Critic]

'Coach' is playing the coach!

[anna0852]

Go Missy!

[Katy M]

I liked it.  Lots of Missy.  But, wouldn't she be young enough for Little League?  That's co-ed.  Those braids were super cute on her.

Poor Georgie. Had to listen to crazy old ladies' stories.  He was polite and listened, though.

[Spartan Girl]

Not sure how I feel about Meemaw rebounding with Coach, but I loved her snapping out of her funk to stand up for Missy!

Also loved that Missy kept dunking the priest at the carnival. It would have been funny if they got Sheldon in the dunk tank.

LOL that Georgie kept getting stuck with old ladies.

[Zoe]

Hehe, the coach is the Coach.

[Yeah No]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

I liked it.  Lots of Missy.  But, wouldn't she be young enough for Little League?  That's co-ed.  Those braids were super cute on her.

Yeah Little League went co-ed in 1974.  I remember it because I was already in high school and too old by then to benefit from it, and I would have definitely wanted to join!  I think Missy is within the age range (up to 12 yrs. old).

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

Poor Georgie. Had to listen to crazy old ladies' stories.  He was polite and listened, though.

Yeah, what was it about older women back in the day that would grab a younger person's ear and never let it go?  I remember being on the receiving end of that a lot when I was young!

I loved seeing Coach on this episode, plus seeing the pastor get dunked, LOL.  I noticed the Presbyterian flag on his desk at church.

[CrazyMoon]

Love Missy....she's spunky....MeeMaw is what used to be referred to as 'a card'....She does know how to recover from a broken heart....

[anna0852]

Loved the pastor trying to get Sheldon for the dunk tank. And how Connie 'caused a scene' for Missy. We don't see her one on one with non Sheldon grandkids too often.

All I could think watching Missy and George is how cherished those memories are going to be.

[Sarah 103]

I'm surprised Mary was okay with Missy trying out for Little League. I thought she would be against it because it isn't proper for girls, but I'm glad she was willing to support Missy. George misses having someone to do sports stuff with, so if Missy wants to play sports he is thrilled. I loved how proud he was of her at the carnival. 

[anna0852]

Mary objected to Missy going to the gun range last year, not because she is a girl but because she was too young. I don't really think she's gonna have a problem with Missy playing baseball.

[Mystery]

28 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

All I could think watching Missy and George is how cherished those memories are going to be.

Yup. An episode that's Sheldon Lite and George and Missy heavy is A++++ with me. Though I did like the "do good baseball" moment between Sheldon and Missy. 

I'm actually glad, storyline wise, that MeeMaw got a date with Coach because otherwise George was going to feel bad that he failed Missy there. 

[SpiritSong]

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Not sure how I feel about Meemaw rebounding with Coach, but I loved her snapping out of her funk to stand up for Missy!

Also loved that Missy kept dunking the priest at the carnival. It would have been funny if they got Sheldon in the dunk tank.

Pastor Jeff was right, though. They would have made a fortune if Sheldon was the one getting dunked!

I give George credit for taking Missy to the tryout, even though he let the coach turn her down without a tryout. He really seems to want to be a good father to her, and he's doing it without Mary nagging him into it. Of course, being a male football coach in Texas pales in comparison to a pissed off, post menopausal MeeMaw who just had her heart broken. Craig T. Nelson had enough smarts not to mess with her, which I loved.

And I didn't feel bad at all when George was shouting during MeeMaw's hangover. As badly as she's treated him, she deserved it.

[Browncoat]

I kind of covet Georgie’s hair.

[Chit Chat]

One of my favorite characters is the other church secretary.  That lady is a hoot!  

Sheldon does have his sweet side occasionally.  What was it he told Missy?  Have good baseball?  Or something to that effect.  As much as Missy gives Sheldon grief, it's those moments when he's truly upset and crying that she comforts him.  It was nice to see him do the same in his own weird way!

[Katy M]

I was thinking about this.  One of the things I like about Sheldon is he doesn't really care what other people think.  Yes, sometimes that's bad because he also doesn't take their feelings itno consideration, but that's not what I'm talking about now.  I'm talking about the parasol.  If he's worried about skin cancer (I assume that was the deal) then he should go ahead and carry an umbrella and not worry about it.  

[Chit Chat]

29 minutes ago, Katy M said:

If he's worried about skin cancer (I assume that was the deal) then he should go ahead and carry an umbrella and not worry about it.  

And if people stopped and thought about it, it's actually an excellent idea!  I've done the same thing a few times when we were outdoors at an event for a long period of time and I simply wanted to shade myself.  I've always thought that the parasol was a good idea!  

[Bort]

31 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

And if people stopped and thought about it, it's actually an excellent idea!  I've done the same thing a few times when we were outdoors at an event for a long period of time and I simply wanted to shade myself.  I've always thought that the parasol was a good idea!  

And in Texas? It's not unusual to see lots of people walking around with umbrellas on a sunny day.

[Magnumfangirl]

So Coach Fox is Meemaw's new boyfriend?  Upgrade for Meemaw.

Edited November 8, 2019 by Magnumfangirl

[BitterApple]

1 hour ago, kariyaki said:

And in Texas? It's not unusual to see lots of people walking around with umbrellas on a sunny day.

Same here in Las Vegas. People walk around with umbrellas all the time, especially during the summer months. 

[HazelEyes4325]

On the one hand, there was much that I liked about this episode.  The Missy story line was great (and, yeah, it was COACH!).  The whole bit about not letting Missy play was also told well and in a way that it points out a lot of the latent misogyny there is out there--Coach felt he had to protect Missy, softball is for girls, etc.  Plus, I am always here for a Missy-centric (and not Sheldon-centric) episode.

But there were some things that made me uncomfortable.  I hesitate in bringing up how Georgie was forced to listen to some very inappropriate stories from older women, although I do think that the intent was to make that uncomfortable, so I can't really fault the show there.  However, I cringed when Meemaw had him buy beer.  That just seemed a step too low for this family and, really, a crappy thing for a drunk grandmother to do.  Also I thought the drunk grandmother was just a lazy gag.

The other thing that really irked me was the whole bit about Sheldon in the dunk tank.  I get that Sheldon is an extremely annoying child, but that was just a case of adults bullying a kid and playing it up for laughs.  It's also why I felt that Missy dunking the pastor on the first try was especially satisfying.

[Gummo]

Love how the show is now "The Coopers" and not just "Young Sheldon." All the characters continue to grow richer and deeper and the show is so much better for it.

The George-Missy-baseball story arc is turning into one of the best things they've done yet. Seeing George and Missy bond is just about the sweetest -- and most unexpected -- turn the show has taken yet and I love it (yeah, I'm an old softie, so what). 

And oh, Missy defending her Dad from Pastor Jeff's taunts by dunking him over & over & over again until the crowd was chanting "Missy! Missy! Missy!" was GOLD.

Sheldon's "Do good baseball." He may look down on his sister (like he looks down on everyone) but he loves her just the same.

And only Annie Potts could make an angry drunken grandma sending her underage grandson out to buy beer for her funny and not cringeworthy.

[Katy M]

37 minutes ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

The other thing that really irked me was the whole bit about Sheldon in the dunk tank.  I get that Sheldon is an extremely annoying child, but that was just a case of adults bullying a kid and playing it up for laughs.  It's also why I felt that Missy dunking the pastor on the first try was especially satisfying.

I agree.  Sheldon is selfish, I'm not trying to deny that.  But, he honestly doesn't set out to be annoying. He's an awkward kid and adults shouldn't try to bully him. OTOH, I do realize it's a sitcom, not real life, and as such it doesn't bug me that much.

[Gummo]

I dunno, let's not give young Sheldon too big a pass here:

1. He's 10, not an toddler. 

2. Yes, he can't read body language or psychological cues, so when it comes to feelings, he says things that are unintentionally hurtful sometimes.

3. BUT Mary's told him over & over that lording his intelligence over others makes them feel bad and not to do it, but he does it anyway, and takes great glee in doing so. So he's not entirely innocent.

Edited November 8, 2019 by Gummo

[Bort]

I like that the show doesn't try to shy away from how things were done 30 years ago. Like watching Mad Men and seeing moms driving their kids around while they're romping around in the backseat like they're at a McDonald's play place.

[Katy M]

15 minutes ago, Gummo said:

. BUT Mary's told him over & over that lording his intelligence over others makes them feel bad and not to do it, but he does it anyway, and takes great glee in doing so. So he's not entirely innocent.

That's not what everyone's problem with him is, though.  Pastor Jeff doesn't like him because he heckles his sermon.  Now, while heckling may be wrong, his honest questioning isn't.  Pastor Jeff should be embracing that opportunity instead of being annoyed.  I actually don't know what the church secretary's issue is with him is so I can't address that.  

The teachers don't like him because he points out their errors.  While that may technically be lording his intelligence over them, they're teachers.  They ought to know what they're talking about.  And, I actually don't really see him taking glee in showing them up so much as he just wants the class to have to correct information. If there's one thing Sheldon loves, it's facts.

[HazelEyes4325]

1 hour ago, Gummo said:

I dunno, let's not give young Sheldon too big a pass here:

1. He's 10, not an toddler. 

Then again, he's 10...and the Pastor and the secretary or whatever she is are adults.  Obviously, the drunk secretary and her syphilis stories are, well, that...but the Pastor is a PASTOR.  What he did was bullying and very much against the doctrine that he supposedly teaches in his church.  I don't think anyone is arguing that Sheldon is not annoying and rude and whatnot, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a child and the Pastor is an adult in a position of authority.

I'll be honest, I find the Pastor to be one of the weakest parts of the show.  I would much rather they had a less slapsticky character who could actually challenge Sheldon on beliefs (and from whom Sheldon could learn something about diversity of thought and tolerance), not one who seems scared of him and then participates in passive aggressive bullying.

All this, though, I sort of have to agree with @Katy M that it is a sitcom and it at least gave us the opportunity to see Missy give the Pastor the big dunk.

[HurricaneVal]

Like most of you, I am really digging the George/Missy thing about bonding over sportsball.  I think the only reason why George backed down about getting Missy her tryout was when COACH challenged George if he was going to put girls on his football team.  Football is sacred in Texas, and George had no comeback to that, so they left.  I wish he'd pushed it, for Missy's sake, because doing so told Missy she wasn't as important as football, but I think he learned his lesson.  MeeMaw for the win!!

Despite being presented as a bit of a jerk sometimes (though what teen boy isn't...), Georgie really was raised right, and he was unfailingly polite and pleasant to all those old ladies occupying his time, even though he clearly preferred to be elsewhere.  I loved it that he both gave MeeMaw back her change and stole a beer.  He may be honorable, but he's still a teenager!  I also loved it that she let him keep the change, but called him out on stealing her beer.  His hair was really on fleek this week!

The sour note for me was how awfully gleeful the pastor and his smokin' secretary were over the prospect of getting Sheldon into the dunk tank.  Zoe Perry's horrified expression when she vehemently declined said it all.  Yes, Sheldon is annoying.  He's really annoying.  But he is a child, and they were encouraging and enthusiastically promoting official church sanctioned town-wide bullying of a child.  This is how hate grows.

[SpiritSong]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

I agree.  Sheldon is selfish, I'm not trying to deny that.  But, he honestly doesn't set out to be annoying. He's an awkward kid and adults shouldn't try to bully him. OTOH, I do realize it's a sitcom, not real life, and as such it doesn't bug me that much.

Nobody was bullying Sheldon. Pastor Jeff and the chain smoker were pressuring MARY to put him in the dunk tank, but she was obviously never going to agree to that (rightfully so, IMO). I'm sure Sheldon was oblivious to it all.

[Homily]

20 minutes ago, SpiritSong said:

I'm sure Sheldon was oblivious to it all.

Which he wouldn't have been though if Mary had let herself be convinced to go along with the Pastor and the chain-smoker.  Maybe it wouldn't be bullying but grown ass people lining up to dunk a little boy they find annoying isn't exactly Christian Pastor Jeff!

[SpiritSong]

3 minutes ago, Homily said:

Which he wouldn't have been though if Mary had let herself be convinced to go along with the Pastor and the chain-smoker.  Maybe it wouldn't be bullying but grown ass people lining up to dunk a little boy they find annoying isn't exactly Christian Pastor Jeff!

There's not a snowball's chance in hell (to keep the religious theme going) that super overprotective mom Mary would EVER agree to that. As noted above, Sheldon is 10 but Mary constantly refers to him as "my baby." I think Pastor Jeff and hack-up-a-lung were just indulging in a pleasant, juvenile fantasy.

[Katy M]

1 hour ago, SpiritSong said:

Nobody was bullying Sheldon. Pastor Jeff and the chain smoker were pressuring MARY to put him in the dunk tank

And had he been in the dunk tank he would have been bullied.  That's why I said they were "trying to bully" him.

[Beetlepoet]

On 11/8/2019 at 6:12 AM, anna0852 said:

Mary objected to Missy going to the gun range last year, not because she is a girl but because she was too young. I don't really think she's gonna have a problem with Missy playing baseball.

In the promo of next episode, we see Brenda on the phone, saying “Your daughter is on the baseball team” - probably to Mary. I hope there’ll be a scene with Mary defending her daughter against those comments. 

Edited November 9, 2019 by Beetlepoet

[chitowngirl]

2 hours ago, SpiritSong said:

Nobody was bullying Sheldon. Pastor Jeff and the chain smoker were pressuring MARY to put him in the dunk tank, but she was obviously never going to agree to that (rightfully so, IMO). I'm sure Sheldon was oblivious to it all.

Ah, but Mary did say later, under her breath, that yes, they would have made a fortune. Of course she was right to not allow it, but she’s not oblivious to how Sheldon can be.

[Chit Chat]

5 hours ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

I would much rather they had a less slapsticky character who could actually challenge Sheldon on beliefs (and from whom Sheldon could learn something about diversity of thought and tolerance), not one who seems scared of him and then participates in passive aggressive bullying.

I agree.  I wish they hadn't written him this way.  I grew up in the church and over the course of many years we had two of the finest Pastors around.  They were nothing like this character.  There might be some preachers out there similar to Pastor Jeff, but that wasn't my experience and I think that the majority of them get a bad rap from Hollywood in how they are represented.  Again, it is a comedy, so it's something that I just overlook.  Pastor Jeff has a good heart and seems to mean well, so even though he's a little goofy, he does embody what a Pastor should be, and that is a loving person who is there to help the members of  his/her congregation. 

Edited November 8, 2019 by ChitChat
typo

[femmefan1946]

Quote

I'll be honest, I find the Pastor to be one of the weakest parts of the show.  I would much rather they had a less slapsticky character who could actually challenge Sheldon on beliefs (and from whom Sheldon could learn something about diversity of thought and tolerance), not one who seems scared of him and then participates in passive aggressive bullying.

One way that Pastor Jeff has grown is that he is portrayed as losing his faith, somewhat. He is going through the motions a lot, as we saw in the episode when his wife left him.
He sometimes seem not so much to believe, as to think he should believe. And since that's his actual job, he's got a problem.

That loss has made him a weaker man. 

It would not surprise me if, at some future point, he makes an inappropriate pass at Mary, who he already has shown that he admires tremendously.

Edited November 9, 2019 by femmefan1946
accidental spoiler removed

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, ChitChat said:

I agree.  I wish they hadn't written him this way.  I grew up in the church and over the course of many years we had two of the finest Pastors around.  They were nothing like this character.  There might be some preachers out there similar to Pastor Jeff, but that wasn't my experience and I think that the majority of them get a bad rap from Hollywood in how they are represented.  Again, it is a comedy, so it's something that I just overlook.  Pastor Jeff has a good heart and seems to mean well, so even though he's a little goofy, he does embody what a Pastor should be, and that is a loving person who is there to help the members of  his/her congregation. 

Totally agreed, especially about the way Hollywood tends to represent them.  Hubbie and I are overlooking Pastor Jeff's goofiness for comedy's sake and concentrating on his intentions.  But at least his good intentions help to make up for some of the negative representation.  Some shows just manage to offend.

[SpiritSong]

On 11/9/2019 at 12:44 AM, femmefan1946 said:

One way that Pastor Jeff has grown is that he is portrayed as losing his faith, somewhat. He is going through the motions a lot, as we saw in the episode when his wife left him.
He sometimes seem not so much to believe, as to think he should believe. And since that's his actual job, he's got a problem.

That loss has made him a weaker man. 

I don't think having doubts makes one weaker. If you're doubting you are thinking, and usually trying to reconcile the difference between what your heart and mind are telling you. That certainty that you knew everything, had all the answers is no longer there and people search, to find that certainty they had before or if they can't, what to replace it with. That can involve some deep wrestling with how you were raised, why you believe the things you do and is it enough for you anymore.

Sometimes those easy answers that were so acceptable to you before can't stand up to an unexpected tragedy, or the death of someone you love. It's a real struggle. Some find their way back to their religion and some do not. But either way they've grown as a person and are usually more confident going forward, wherever their particular path takes them.

And yes, this is a sitcom, but I wouldn't give up on Pastor Jeff just yet. He's finding his way. The show gives me hope, because when Mary had her crisis of faith last year, it was handled sensitively. They do play Pastor Jeff a little broader, but he's been shown to be a caring man. He'll get to where he needs to go.

Edited November 10, 2019 by SpiritSong
punctuation

[femmefan1946]

Would you accept "lost" instead of "weaker"?

Am I right in thinking that the family attends a Presbyterian church? If so, Pastor Jeff would have attended a fairly rigourous theological college which encouraged discussion of the tenets of his faith.

Here in Canada, most mainstream Protestant churches have their clergy study theology at universities where several denominations are taught together. Vigourous discussion is part of the curriculum.  (I have a couple of clerics in the family.) They also share courses with Catholic and Jewish students planning to become clergy.

If he attended a more fundementalist course of study, he may never have been encouraged to question and think over what he really believed and why.  To be faced with a shock like his wife's abandoning him could put him into a crisis he was not equipped to handle.

[Yeah No]

11 minutes ago, femmefan1946 said:

Am I right in thinking that the family attends a Presbyterian church? If so, Pastor Jeff would have attended a fairly rigourous theological college which encouraged discussion of the tenets of his faith.

Here in Canada, most mainstream Protestant churches have their clergy study theology at universities where several denominations are taught together. Vigourous discussion is part of the curriculum.  (I have a couple of clerics in the family.) They also share courses with Catholic and Jewish students planning to become clergy.

If he attended a more fundementalist course of study, he may never have been encouraged to question and think over what he really believed and why.  To be faced with a shock like his wife's abandoning him could put him into a crisis he was not equipped to handle.

Yes, they do attend a Presbyterian church judging from the church flag on Pastor Jeff's desk.  There is an evangelical offshoot of the Presbyterian church in the US but it is a relatively recent thing, and a reaction to the generally liberal theology of the mainstream Presbyterian church.  Presbyterian churches in general may be different in Texas and down south but I don't think Pastor Jeff in real life would have been a typical fundamentalist.  Perhaps he might be a little evangelical (which is not the same thing as being a fundamentalist, although you can be both) but in the scheme of things, he'd be more "evangelical light" than a lot of pastors. 

Coming from my mainstream protestant liberal theological background, I actually appreciate it that the show didn't portray the Coopers as coming from a very conservative fundamentalist church, because given all possible expectations given stuff we've heard out of Mary's mouth, they well could have.  It might actually be a little bit of an inconsistency in the writing but churches can vary in the US by region.  I'm an Episcopalian and we can run the gamut in terms of evangelism and theology depending on the region.  But in general we still tend to be more liberal even in typically conservative areas and I think it's probably similar with the Presbyterian church.

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, femmefan1946 said:

If so, Pastor Jeff would have attended a fairly rigourous theological college which encouraged discussion of the tenets of his faith.

When I was growing up, we sat reverently while in church as we listened to our pastor.  No one ever raised their hand and interrupted a service in order to ask a question!  However, the pastor was always available to meet with you privately for any type of discussion you might have.  Mary should lay down the law and not allow Sheldon to interrupt a service, but schedule some one on one time with Pastor Jeff at a later time.  It is very rude to disrupt a service.  

Maybe it's different now with the contemporary type services, but on this show, this is a more traditional type of service and if one disagrees so much with the pastor, then they shouldn't be there.  Go find something else that suits your beliefs.  Of course with Sheldon, he doesn't believe any of it, and just goes in support of his Mom.  Still, he really needs to learn that he's not the only one in the room and that he needs to show respect for Pastor Jeff by keeping his big mouth shut!  

[AnnaRose]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

When I was growing up, we sat reverently while in church as we listened to our pastor.  No one ever raised their hand and interrupted a service in order to ask a question!  However, the pastor was always available to meet with you privately for any type of discussion you might have.  Mary should lay down the law and not allow Sheldon to interrupt a service, but schedule some one on one time with Pastor Jeff at a later time.  It is very rude to disrupt a service.  

Maybe it's different now with the contemporary type services, but on this show, this is a more traditional type of service and if one disagrees so much with the pastor, then they shouldn't be there.  Go find something else that suits your beliefs.  Of course with Sheldon, he doesn't believe any of it, and just goes in support of his Mom.  Still, he really needs to learn that he's not the only one in the room and that he needs to show respect for Pastor Jeff by keeping his big mouth shut!  

Well, in the third episode of the series, Sheldon raised his hand and made a comment, and Mary scolded him and apologized to the pastor... but the pastor said it was fine and invited Sheldon up to the front to discuss his sermon... he's probably regretted encouraging him ever since.  😉

[ams1001]

I love Missy's super-serious face as she threw the ball turning to a big excited smile when she hit the target. 

[rmontro]

Since Wallace Shawn made an appearance in this episode, does that mean there is a chance he and Mee-Maw get back together?

[femmefan1946]

21 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Yes, they do attend a Presbyterian church judging from the church flag on Pastor Jeff's desk.  There is an evangelical offshoot of the Presbyterian church in the US but it is a relatively recent thing, and a reaction to the generally liberal theology of the mainstream Presbyterian church. 

Thank you for the clarification. Here in Canada the Presbyterians joined with the Methodists and Congregationalists in the 1920s to make the largest Protestant denomination and has always been an activist, leftist church. For example, Tommy Douglas who introduced universal healthcare to Canada in the 1960s was also a United Church minister.

There is a Free Presbyterian Church as well, but it is very small. My mum attended it in her later years. At 95 she was not the oldest member of the congregation.

[Guest]

On 11/9/2019 at 12:38 AM, Yeah No said:

Yes, they do attend a Presbyterian church judging from the church flag on Pastor Jeff's desk.

Interesting. That’s either a mistake or a retcon. In the first season when Sheldon is studying different religions it’s said a few times that they are Baptist. 

Eta: Right after I wrote this I decided to re-watch this episode and the first shot is of the church exterior. They go to First Baptist Church of Medford. It’s the Christian flag of Pastor Jeff’s desk. 

Edited November 10, 2019 by Guest

[Yeah No]

7 hours ago, Dani said:

Interesting. That’s either a mistake or a retcon. In the first season when Sheldon is studying different religions it’s said a few times that they are Baptist. 

Eta: Right after I wrote this I decided to re-watch this episode and the first shot is of the church exterior. They go to First Baptist Church of Medford. It’s the Christian flag of Pastor Jeff’s desk. 

You're right.  It's my husband's mistake as he told me it was the Presby. flag.  He grew up Presbyterian so I thought he would recognize the flag if he saw it, but obviously it was small and passed by too quickly for him to see it right!

[SnarkySheep]

On 11/8/2019 at 1:26 PM, HazelEyes4325 said:

I'll be honest, I find the Pastor to be one of the weakest parts of the show. 

Ever since the episode where Sheldon said he reminded him of Kermit the Frog, I have been unable to think of the poor man as anything but...

[Homily]

I don't find the pastor weak exactly it's just he's the same character (to me) as the child psychologist they've taken Sheldon to once or twice.  Similar geeky attitude and IIRC even look somewhat the same.

[HazelEyes4325]

21 minutes ago, Homily said:

I don't find the pastor weak exactly it's just he's the same character (to me) as the child psychologist they've taken Sheldon to once or twice.  Similar geeky attitude and IIRC even look somewhat the same.

I actually thought that WAS Pastor Jeff when the child psychologist showed up.  Pastor Jeff and a lot of the incidental smaller characters who show up tend to play on a lot of stereotypes people of have Texans or people from the South.  On the one hand, I get how this draws a clear comparison between Sheldon (who is "different") and "everyone else," but I'm also not a fan of too much use of cliches.