S03.E13: Contracts, Rules and a Little Bit of Pig Brains

[Bort]

Quote

George Sr. and Georgie go camping with Meemaw’s new boyfriend, but things get complicated when her ex-boyfriend tags along. Sheldon and Missy invent a game.

Airdate: Thursday, January 30, 2020

As always, please do not discuss events of The Big Bang Theory that have not “happened” yet. 

[ams1001]

Don't let him drink too many beers.
"You're funny."
And don't let him drink any beer.
"Got it. I'll finish 'em off."

Rock paper scissors candy pony 🦎🖖 Rock trips pony but how do the rest work?

I liked Dale for a minute there, talking to Missy at the baseball game. But just for a minute.

Love Connie's conversation with the guy at the cemetery. That was sweet.

[Frost]

John was definitely the mature one and I was thrilled he was the one landing all the catfish.  And John might have spent a year backpacking through Asia but he also knows how to snag a bus ride back to town!

Sheldon and Missy for the win!  Missy outsmarted the rules but Sheldon still won because he got to spend the day at home.  So really they both won.  I love when they spend a lot of time together.  

 

[Armchair Critic]

Did Dr. Sturgis say GORP was good old raisins & peanuts? LOL at him munching it on the bus and offering it to his fellow lady passenger. I hope they didn't spend all night searching for him, I would feel bad for George and Georgie but Dale deserved it.

[Spartan Girl]

John not only got the most fish, he knew how to get home on his own! Bravo!

[ams1001]

26 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

John not only got the most fish, he knew how to get home on his own! Bravo!

Well when you don't drive you gotta know how to get around when a bike isn't feasible.

[Bobbin]

I don't know if it would be a good idea, but I hope George rats out Dale to Connie about what an ass he was to John. It was good to see John assuring George that he can take care of himself -- and doing it. It made me think of our local golf star, Amy Bockerstette, a young golfer with Down's Syndrome. Last year at the Phoenix Open, she was invited to play the notorious 16th. When the ball landed in a trap, she confidently declared, "I've got this," chipped out and par putted the hole! John's got this -- and he knows his limit for tolerance. I hope at least that the guy at the cemetary replaces Dale in Connie's life.

[BitterApple]

Dale's an asshole, and the sooner he gets written out of the show, the better. Good-natured ribbing is one thing, but bullying and nastiness is another. He's not enjoyable to watch.

[jewel21]

I'm really disliking Dale. I hope Connie dumps his ass soon. She deserves better. And, I'm glad George stood up for Dr. Sturgis. I hate bullies and Dale is a huge one. 

Speaking of Connie, I loved her scenes in the cemetery talking to her late husband. And, it was nice seeing Jim Beaver! I didn't know he was going to guest star. I wonder if we'll see him again in future episodes?

 

[anna0852]

I hadn't realized that Connie's husband only passed 5 years ago. And fairly young too. Only 59.

For some reason I felt like she'd been on her own much longer.

Edited January 31, 2020 by anna0852

[Bulldog]

30 minutes ago, jewel21 said:

Speaking of Connie, I loved her scenes in the cemetery talking to her late husband. And, it was nice seeing Jim Beaver! I didn't know he was going to guest star. I wonder if we'll see him again in future episodes?

In just one scene, he seemed like he was much better suited for Connie than either Dale or John.  Dale is a jerk.  And while I like John, I could not imagine being in a long term relationship with him.  I don't remember what he said his wife's name was.  They should have made it Alma.

[Mystery]

The fishing trip was overnight, so it bugged me that the kids and Mary didn't either do both things, or do Missy's the next day. 

[EtheltoTillie]

I loved watching Missy and Sheldon playing games. This show is really developing more depth all the time. 

[PWHCHCH]

I wondered if that was Jim Beaver. My initial reaction was that it was him,  then I quickly dismissed it because he looked so different than I remembered. My he’s changed. 

[Packerbrewerbadger]

Wondered how they were going to finish the baseball game and Missy striking him out SWINGING was perfect!  ( I hadn’t thought of that as an option). Well played Missy and writers!

[highway61]

Ugh, Georgie eating the pig brains bait! All I could think of was him getting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (which I sure Sheldon would have pointed out had he been there).  That wouldn't have been funny.

 

[Dbolt]

Why is Connie dating Dale?  

[3 is enough]

11 hours ago, Mystery said:

The fishing trip was overnight, so it bugged me that the kids and Mary didn't either do both things, or do Missy's the next day. 

Well the next day was Sunday, which I guess meant church.  

Count me in as one who dislikes Dale.  Not quite sure what Connie sees in him.

[Bobbin]

14 hours ago, jewel21 said:

I'm really disliking Dale. I hope Connie dumps his ass soon. She deserves better. And, I'm glad George stood up for Dr. Sturgis. I hate bullies and Dale is a huge one. 

I instinctively disliked Dale from the beginning. Maybe because.... he killed Trudy Monk! (Type-casting roles are a bitch. I love Jason Alexander, but I can never forget his role in "Pretty Woman.")

[anna0852]

52 minutes ago, Dbolt said:

Why is Connie dating Dale?  

My guess is that she never expected to fall for John like she did and doesn't quite know how to relate to him. And then when he broke up with her, it hurt far more than she expected. 

Dale is basic Texas good old boy and Connie probably figured she's got a better idea of how to deal with his type. And if he's jerky she can dump him or be dumped with far less emotional turmoil. 

My two cents at any rate.

[HurricaneVal]

I really like how centered and confident Dr. Sturgis is, even though he has every reason not to be.  He's probably been bullied all his life.  He knows he's weird.  He knows he's no Adonis.  He knows that his intelligence can isolate him.  He knows that his mental illness can make people uncomfortable.  He owns it all, stands up for himself, and is kind to others.

He's a good role model for Sheldon, though he seems to have taken the self-confidence lesson more strongly than the "be kind" lesson....

I wish the writers wouldn't make Dale so one-dimensional.  Perhaps his natural state of being is to be a bullying jerk--which is the overgrown jock stereotype, to be sure, so lazy writing.  I think he's especially being a jerk to Dr. Sturgis because he's jealous that he and Connie had a real relationship based on something other than physical attraction.  But since Coach is so one-dimensional, they really can't imbue those nuances into the scenes.

I like how George and Georgie are learning some valuable lessons.  Dale is someone they would otherwise idolize, so them seeing Dale act like that is eye-opening.  Not that I think George is stupid, but he's a "go with the flow, follow the easy" kind of guy, and being a good ol' boy in Texas is certainly the epitome of that life choice!

Also?  Sheldon's and Missy's day was awesome.

[FrankOFoley]

Bobby!!!!! So happy to see Jim Beaver. He and Connie would make a great pairing 

Spoiler

and on that subject, I read recently that Reba McIntyre (SP?) was going to be on in Feb playing Dale's ex. Should be fun!

 

[Beetlepoet]

It was a sweet episode, especially the scenes when Connie was talking with her husband’s grave. Also I think it’s the first time that his real name was mentioned and he died relatively young (at age 59, as the info on the grave says so).

I was expecting more from the game challenge scenes but they were fun anyway. 20 minutes is not enough for me every week! 😅

[mammaM]

1 hour ago, Dbolt said:

Why is Connie dating Dale?  

In the cemetery she told Charlie that Dale was a "good old boy and reminds me a bit of you" , so.....familiarity? And John's "not anything like anyone", so the familiar vs. the unknown. And Connie did say she couldn't stop thinking about John, so maybe the unknown will win out 

[nora1992]

20 minutes ago, mammaM said:

In the cemetery she told Charlie that Dale was a "good old boy and reminds me a bit of you" , so.....familiarity? And John's "not anything like anyone", so the familiar vs. the unknown. And Connie did say she couldn't stop thinking about John, so maybe the unknown will win out 

I would not be surprised if Cemetery Guy winds up eclipsing both John and Dale; he just seemed so very kind in his screen time, and can relate to Connie's grief more than either of the other suitors.

[mammaM]

32 minutes ago, nora1992 said:

I would not be surprised if Cemetery Guy winds up eclipsing both John and Dale; he just seemed so very kind in his screen time, and can relate to Connie's grief more than either of the other suitors.

I like Jim Beaver, I'd be ok with that😁

[Chit Chat]

14 hours ago, Mystery said:

The fishing trip was overnight, so it bugged me that the kids and Mary didn't either do both things, or do Missy's the next day. 

I'd wager that Mary was happy to stay at home and not have to go to either the museum or Chuck E. Cheese!  She let them sort it out themselves while she quietly went about her business.  Good for her for having a somewhat peaceful day!

I've been tired of the storyline with Connie and Dr. Sturgis.  I didn't mind Dale at first, but with his boorish behavior towards Dr. Sturgis, I hope Connie will dump him.  I would like Dale to stick around though and continue to coach Missy's team.  

It was nice to see Connie let her guard down while she sat and talked to her late husband.  There's a lot more sadness there that she seems to keep to herself.   I am so glad that Annie Potts took on this role.  She's doing a great job with it. 

[Sarah 103]

18 hours ago, Frost said:

Sheldon and Missy for the win!  Missy outsmarted the rules but Sheldon still won because he got to spend the day at home.  So really they both won.  I love when they spend a lot of time together.  

I love the dynamic between Sheldon and Missy, especially in this episode. They are fiercely competive, even though they have vastly different skill sets. Missy is one of the few people who can stand up to Sheldon. She made sure there were games she had a chance of winning. I think it's great they do love each other even though they don't understand each other.   

Just now, ChitChat said:

I'd wager that Mary was happy to stay at home and not have to go to either the museum or Chuck E. Cheese!  She let them sort it out themselves while she quietly went about her business.  Good for her for having a somewhat peaceful day!

Good for Mary for not taking sides and letting them figure it out. I don't think she knew how long the competition would last, but was probably happy the twins were getting along reasonably well for however long it lasted. As @ChitChat pointed out, it gave her the day to get chores/housework done with few interruptions.   

George apperciates good-natured ribbing and teasing and other stuff that happens between guys who are friends, but he also has a strong sense of right and wrong and that there is a line that you do not cross. 

George looks at John and thinks, how would I want someone to treat Sheldon the future. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

Don’t be nasty to John Sturgis! That brings out my mama bear rage.

Did the writers/director really want me to hate Dale this much?

John is a sweet, kind soul. Is Dale just that insecure about his own intelligence?

Missy was perfection. She is a clever young lady. Sheldon is an a- - to tell her she could write an X rather than her name.  But I did enjoy “Dill.”

[rmontro]

6 hours ago, Dbolt said:

Why is Connie dating Dale?  

She got her pride hurt when John dumped her, which left her vulnerable?

I enjoyed Dale and John's little games of one-upmanship, right down to John deciding he wasn't enjoying himself anymore and leaving.  Then he disappeared like Batman, got to admire that - no awkward goodbyes.  Loved that he caught more fish.  Thought it was funny when Georgie ate the pig brains.

By the way, I Googled the pig brains bait idea (which is real), and an ad for pork brains in milk gravy came up.  Hmm.

The guy at the graveyard seemed nice enough, but I hope Connie doesn't end up dumping both John and Dale for him.  I guess I'm just Team Dr. Sturgis.

[Yeah No]

10 hours ago, nora1992 said:

I would not be surprised if Cemetery Guy winds up eclipsing both John and Dale; he just seemed so very kind in his screen time, and can relate to Connie's grief more than either of the other suitors.

I would like to see that too but I keep fearing that the show is trying to put Connie back together with Dr. Sturgis eventually.  They are writing Dale to look like an ass and trying to get sympathy for Sturgis.  Just no, already.  Dr. Sturgis is a great character but I don't see Connie and him together romantically.  That was a stretch from the get-go.  Maybe Connie will try to get back with him but then realize it's for the best that they remain just friends.  I can only hope.

[Katy M]

On 1/30/2020 at 8:31 PM, ams1001 said:

Rock paper scissors candy pony 🦎🖖 Rock trips pony but how do the rest work?

Pony eats candy.  Pony steps on scissors.  Candy makes scissors sticky.  I don't know about the paper.

On 1/30/2020 at 11:27 PM, BitterApple said:

Dale's an asshole, and the sooner he gets written out of the show, the better. Good-natured ribbing is one thing, but bullying and nastiness is another. He's not enjoyable to watch.

I did like him with Missy at the pitching mound, though.

[Katy M]

23 hours ago, Beetlepoet said:

I was expecting more from the game challenge scenes but they were fun anyway

Iknow.  I could have watched  a whole episode, heck a whole season, of just that.

I knew as soon as they decided to have a competition that that would probably take all day and they wouldn't have time to do anything else, but they had fun anyway.  And from a parent's perspective the best kind of fun--free.  Pizza and museums cost money.

Random thought:  I'm glad they went rock trips pony instead of rock brains pony or something more gruesome.

[Gabs66]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

Pony eats candy.  Pony steps on scissors.  Candy makes scissors sticky.  I don't know about the paper.

I did like him with Missy at the pitching mound, though.

Paper wraps candy 

[Browncoat]

Pony poops on paper.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I am too lazy to list all of them, but there was also 

Getting Tickled Word Search

Backwards Alphabet Hopscotch 

Dictionary Pictionary

 

[ams1001]

5 minutes ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Getting Tickled Word Search

I saw the words "Getting Tickled" but I didn't catch the rest...that doesn't sound like something Sheldon would want to play. Guessing the "word search" part was his idea and the "getting tickled" was Missy's.

Dictionary Pictionary sounds like it could be fun. 

[rmontro]

6 hours ago, Katy M said:

Pony eats candy.  Pony steps on scissors.  Candy makes scissors sticky.  I don't know about the paper.

Pony eats paper?

[SnarkySheep]

Was it just me or did anyone else expect Missy to make "Cabbage Patch Doll" one of the options??

[hoodooznoodooz]

6 hours ago, SnarkySheep said:

Was it just me or did anyone else expect Missy to make "Cabbage Patch Doll" one of the options??

You’re good! Number 13 was

Cabbage Patch Train Track Challenge !

For anyone who wants to read the whole list, I played it in slow-motion off the DVR, then took a photo. (And I’m a Missy when it comes to posting GIFs.)

Edited February 3, 2020 by hoodooznoodooz

[Ms Lark]

On 2/1/2020 at 1:20 PM, Katy M said:

Pony eats candy.  Pony steps on scissors.  Candy makes scissors sticky.  I don't know about the paper.

Paper wraps candy.

[Bali]

On 1/30/2020 at 9:01 PM, Armchair Critic said:

Did Dr. Sturgis say GORP was good old raisins & peanuts? 

Yes he did. Then he asked, "Do you want the recipe?"

I AM a John lover. And I really hate dale more and more. I liked him as Missy's coach, he was great in that scene. I get that he's jealous, but there really isn't a lot of depth to him.

I say, go ahead, bring back Jim Beaver. Because LOVE HIM! Ditch Coach other than baseball games. Connie can date cemetery guy, there is a gold mine of emotions there. He can be nice to her friend John. But please, let's limit having to waste time watching mean coach.

I can not say enough about Missy and Sheldon. Her eye roll when he started listing off the spices. That girl has that movement down. As a parent, it would drive me crazy, but watching her do it to someone who wants to play the spice game? I have no issue with it. She does it, so that I don't have to. 

I'm also on board with Mary being glad that she doesn't have to go to Chuck E Cheese or the Train Museum. Let's not forget this isn't just a museum Sheldon wanted to go to. It was a Train Museum. 

[PennyPlain]

3 minutes ago, Bali said:

I'm also on board with Mary being glad that she doesn't have to go to Chuck E Cheese or the Train Museum. Let's not forget this isn't just a museum Sheldon wanted to go to. It was a Train Museum. 

I have been in museums with people not unlike Sheldon.  People who stop at every single exhibit and read every single bit of information posted at each exhibit.  It's exhausting.  Made even more so I am betting if it's a museum that you are only marginally (at best) interested in yourself!

[DoYouLikeMutton]

Kudos to John for leaving the camping trip once he was no longer enjoying himself.  He sure showed them who the best fisherman and hiker was.  I am glad he stealthily left, leaving them to wonder how he got home.

Dale certainly plays the antagonist effectively.  What a jerk!  I thought George should have stood up to Dale more.  Georgie was the only one who was himself towards John.  He seemed quite shocked at Dale’s boorish behavior and his father’s spineless attitude.

[Katy M]

On 2/1/2020 at 4:24 PM, hoodooznoodooz said:

Backwards Alphabet Hopscotch 

I wonder if they had to hopscotch backwards also.  That would be a real challenge.

[Bali]

I have a question. Am I the only one who wants to know more about the other kinds of Italian flat breads?

[hoodooznoodooz]

36 minutes ago, Bali said:

I have a question. Am I the only one who wants to know more about the other kinds of Italian flat breads?

Nope! I would also like Sheldon to enrich us.

 

[lh25]

On 2/4/2020 at 5:55 AM, Bali said:

It was a Train Museum

For some reason, in my head I heard grown-up Sheldon saying that line.

[possibilities]

Why go to a museum if you're not going to look at the exhibits and read the info?

[MaryMitch]

On 2/7/2020 at 1:24 AM, possibilities said:

Why go to a museum if you're not going to look at the exhibits and read the info?

Right!  I prefer going to museums by myself because I like to take my time and see everything and read everything.