S03.E15: A Boyfriend's Ex-Wife and a Good Luck Head Rub

[Bort]

Quote

Meemaw meets Dale’s ex-wife, June. Sheldon is forced to work on a group project with reluctant college students.

Airdate: Thursday, February 13, 2020

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

[Armchair Critic]

I love it, Dr. Sturgis walking into the bar and getting greeted like "Norm" on Cheers.

[gentlespirit512]

I want a spinoff with Annie Potts and Reba McEntire! Bring the neighbor played by Melissa Peterman, and I'd watch that all night long!

[Armchair Critic]

"No touching. That's right, you heard me!". 😂 Nice to see Georgie being a protective older brother.

[ams1001]

Little Georgie!

Loved Georgie and Missy at the mall.

"The only man I'm calling beautiful is me. And maybe David Hasselhoff."

[Frost]

Go Mary!  "For your information, Sheldon does not look down on women!  He looks down on everybody!"

I understand Sam's frustration (I'm a woman in IT who works for a manufacturing company), but putting down Mary for being friendly and welcoming is not striking a blow for female equality.

I loved Georgie jumping into protective older brother mode.  After all, who knows more about what that boy might be thinking about his little sister? 😂

And June and Connie are made of awesome.  

This was just one fabulous episode all around.

[Armchair Critic]

I'm glad June turned down John but I hope her character sticks around. I also got the feeling Connie isn't done with John yet.

[Katy M]

I liked this epi.  Georgie and MIssy at the mall was fun.  Although, my older sister would have NEVER taken me to the mall (OK, we didn't have a mall) or anywhere in public.

I'm with Sheldon on group projects. Always hated them.  

Sam was wrong, wrong, wrong.  There's nothing wrong with Mary being a housewife and Sam looking down on her for that is no better than what Sheldon does.  I did think it was kind of funny that Mary said that Sheldon doesn't look down on women he looks down on everyone, but it's not really any better:)  

And, it was nice that George found out you can be a scientist and a "normal guy" but somehow I don't think that's in the cards for Sheldon.

And, yeah, Connie obviously still likes John.  I thought it was cute when John asked if he should tell Connie about the conversation.  

[Spartan Girl]

June, you're good in my book!

I sympathize with Sheldon: I HATED group projects in school.

I did love that flashback of the Coopers dressed like the Wizard of Oz cast for Halloween. Of course Sheldon would be Tin Man.

Loved everything George and Missy. 

[Chit Chat]

33 minutes ago, Frost said:

Go Mary!  "For your information, Sheldon does not look down on women!  He looks down on everybody!"

Zoe Perry looked just like her Mom when she delivered that line.  The voice and mannerisms were spot on of Laurie Metcalf.  And yay for Mary for letting this young woman know that her choice of being a Mom and taking care of her family is just as important as her decision to go to college and start a career.  

[UsernameFatigue]

Loved this episode - June and Connie were a hoot together. And I love any episode that has Georgie and Missy, so loved a story line with them together. 

Like others here I hated group projects in school. Actually I didn't mind them if we were allowed to pick our own groups, as I would pick friends who had the same work ethic as I did. I do remember once though when a teacher picked the groups, and I ended up in a group with slackers who I knew would do nothing, but would end up getting the same grade as I did while I did all the work. I told the teacher this, and she actually let me do my own project. So it isn't always about group projects teaching you how to get along, but knowing that there are those who will take advantage, and not letting them do it - lol. 

Edited February 14, 2020 by UsernameFatigue

[Chaos Theory]

Sam might have been wrong for looking down on Mary but she was able to easily admit it when confronted.   Young Sheldon AND BBT has done one thing well and shown the frustration of women in the sciences but also shown that their opinions may not always be completely justified either.  I did like The Sam and Mary interactions and   the George and the “normal guy” whose name I forget.   The frustration was realistic and the advice the adults gave was good but Sheldon is Sheldon and is still a decade away from accepting criticism or advice from anyone.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Chaos Theory

[Beetlepoet]

Wow, that girl was rude to Mary. Even she was right in her own cause, it’s not the way that you treat someone hosts you in her house.

June was a fun addition in the episode, I’m glad that they got along with Meemaw.

And Young Georgie & the whole family dressed up as the characters of The Wizard of Oz ❤️ I hope we can see more flashbacks in the future episodes. 

[Chaos Theory]

I am not a big fan of this show.  I think it draws Sheldon far too....I don’t know “adorable” for the guy he becomes in his adult life.    That being said I will occasionally watch an episode and my main draw for this was REBA MCENTIRE!!!!!!

I have been a fan of hers for a long long time.   So I would watch more episodes if she becomes a regular.   Just saying show. V

[SnarkAttack]

Did I miss the episode when Georgie learned to drive?!

Sheldon doesn't have that quirkiness I thought he'd be developing by this point, I don't laugh at anything he says/does.  He just comes across as smug.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I enjoyed George telling the college student (paraphrasing), “It doesn’t get any better than this. I’d give anything to be twenty again. Drinking and eating and being skinny.”

[OtterMommy]

I definitely enjoyed this episode...it got one thing right that really resonates with me.

My daughter loves math and science and she has fought with boys in group projects talking over her and dismissing her.  There has been substantial research into this and it IS a thing that happens regularly (it's one of the arguments for Girl Scouts and not co-ed scouting).  The show gave a pretty darn accurate version of what that looks like.  Yeah, the girl was out of line with Mary, but not her anger at the males with whom she was working.

I don't know, though, if she ever realized that Mary was right--Sheldon is not dismissive of women.  He's dismissive of everyone.

[Katy M]

13 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

I don't know, though, if she ever realized that Mary was right--Sheldon is not dismissive of women.  He's dismissive of everyone.

She may have.  I don't know if you noticed at the end, but she and Sheldon were arguing together against the other guy.  Of course, I think it was Sheldon's idea that they were defending and not hers, but she may have added her input seeing as she was pretty vigorously arguing for it.

[zoey1996]

I have never liked Reba McEntire, but she and Connie played well off each other.

How far would the students have to go from campus to Sheldon's house?  How far would John have to bike to get to the bar? I can hand wave that, though it took me out of the story a bit.

[Sarah 103]

21 hours ago, Armchair Critic said:

"No touching. That's right, you heard me!". 😂 Nice to see Georgie being a protective older brother.

I loved Georgie and Missy at the mall. The two of them have a great dynamic. I'm guessing Georgie was okay hanging out with Missy at the mall because girls at school might see him and think "he's such a good brother to take his sister to the mall and spend time with her." Also, I don't think Georgie is worried about Missy embarssing him. 

Like most people here, I loved seeing Georgie in older brother mode. It will be interesting to see if he takes too far at some point in the future and George has to step in and set some ground rules.

I am torn on the group project storyline, because I feel like both sides are right and have valid points. Mary made a decision and has few regrets about her choices in life, which Sam should have respected. On the other hand, Sam feels as though men don't see her or treat her as an equal because of what they have grown up and seen in their own lives. She believes that Mary is modeling bad behavior. 

[rmontro]

I loved the way they transitioned from Keith saying "It is possible to be a scientist and a normal guy" with Dr. Sturgis getting his head rubbed and declaring "May your team be victorious!".

I thought Connie and Dale's ex-wife were having a little too good a time.  I would have dialed it down just a notch.  But good for them.

3 hours ago, zoey1996 said:

How far would the students have to go from campus to Sheldon's house?  How far would John have to bike to get to the bar? I can hand wave that, though it took me out of the story a bit.

Have they established distances for these places?  Anyway, maybe John took the bus, we've seen that he is proficient at getting those.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, zoey1996 said:

How far would the students have to go from campus to Sheldon's house?  How far would John have to bike to get to the bar? I can hand wave that, though it took me out of the story a bit.

The school is supposed to be an hour away. 

[Mellowyellow]

That was a really well paced and well written episode. 

Every member of the cast had something to contribute and all 3 main storylines were given a decent amount of time.

Adored Missy and Georgie. I just loved how easily Georgie could talk to Missy about her crush and the very sound advice and encouragement he gave her her. Haha right up until the end when he went from cool big brother to overprotective big brother 😂

I thought it was surprisingly and very well done how they weaved George and Mary into the group work storyline. Not a combination I would have thought of but it worked and was thought provoking.

The Connie/June/Dr Sturgis storyline was so fun and cute. Great way to show the unresolved feeling between Connie and John without making it tedious. 

I think the big hit with me was how well they utilised the cast in this episode. Everyone got their moment.

 

[rmontro]

1 hour ago, Mellowyellow said:

That was a really well paced and well written episode. 

Yes.  I wanted to say that this was one of the better episodes, but I forgot.   

Looks like the Meemaw/Dr. Sturgis affair isn't over yet!  Must be disappointing for those who don't want to see them get back together.  But it is nice to see Dr. Sturgis find acceptance in the bar.  He's such an oddball but at the same time I love the way he finds such glee in seemingly everyday things.

[OtterMommy]

38 minutes ago, rmontro said:

Yes.  I wanted to say that this was one of the better episodes, but I forgot.   

Looks like the Meemaw/Dr. Sturgis affair isn't over yet!  Must be disappointing for those who don't want to see them get back together.  But it is nice to see Dr. Sturgis find acceptance in the bar.  He's such an oddball but at the same time I love the way he finds such glee in seemingly everyday things.

I do like how they've allowed Sturgis to have his own space on the show instead of just being Connie's BF/ex-BF.  I honestly thought we wouldn't see him again after his breakdown.  I personally don't care if he and Connie reconcile.  They don't seem right together to me, but they seem less wrong than Connie and Coach.

[Yeah No]

The more time goes on the more they make Sturgis look like a cartoon character and not in a good way, and so I feel even less like he and Connie should get back together.  It's getting to the point where I feel that it would be insulting to her.  Does she want to be a caretaker to a guy that needs one?  I don't know, I would want more for her, but that's me.  She deserves a fully functioning adult.  And it does annoy me no end that the show keeps flirting with the idea of them getting back together.  Just stick a fork in them, they're done!  It's getting damned annoying to see the show push them like they're anywhere near being a believable relationship!  Plus him acting all not over Connie yet when he was the one that broke up with her is just ridiculous.

7 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I am torn on the group project storyline, because I feel like both sides are right and have valid points. Mary made a decision and has few regrets about her choices in life, which Sam should have respected. On the other hand, Sam feels as though men don't see her or treat her as an equal because of what they have grown up and seen in their own lives. She believes that Mary is modeling bad behavior. 

I hear you on that.  I didn't like how rude Sam was or dismissive of Mary's life choices, which are equal and valid.  However, even Mr. Yeah No said Sam has a point about Mary modeling bad behavior because it gives sons the idea that women should be like their mothers who do all the housework.  And there is some evidence that that is the case, no matter what parents try to teach the sons.  If they grow up with mothers that act like Mary at home they tend to expect it from their wives even without realizing it.  Toilet paper magically appears without doing anything.  Laundry gets done, meals prepared, etc.  Not fair to the young women with careers that want an equal distribution of housework.

13 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

I definitely enjoyed this episode...it got one thing right that really resonates with me.

My daughter loves math and science and she has fought with boys in group projects talking over her and dismissing her.  There has been substantial research into this and it IS a thing that happens regularly (it's one of the arguments for Girl Scouts and not co-ed scouting).  The show gave a pretty darn accurate version of what that looks like.  Yeah, the girl was out of line with Mary, but not her anger at the males with whom she was working.

Yes and yes to this too!  That is one reason why I hated group projects - arguing with the smartypants guys like this one that tried to bulldoze me and my ideas.  Although I didn't let them do it.  My mother warned me about guys like that.  What was interesting in this episode is that this particular smartypants guy was trying to bulldoze Sheldon.  So Sheldon wasn't the one trying to dismiss everyone else.  Not that he wouldn't have if that guy wasn't around.  As someone who like Sheldon usually ended up being one of the only people in a group project that actually did the work, I get why he hates them.  I got put with people that tried to take the credit for the work but I never let them.  Even in grad. school I had to tell the professor that some of the group was taking credit for stuff they didn't contribute to at all.  I am not a "tattler" at all but that was so infuriating I just had to do that, especially when another woman and I spent hours doing the work by ourselves and the rest of them did NOTHING!  Just a big fat NO to the group projects.

Otherwise in this episode I LOVED Reba and Meemaw together and hope to see them again.  Reba's hair and vest/shirt combo. were spot-on as I remember that exact vest well because it was very popular for a couple of years there.  I had one in a different color combination.  Only once again shoulder pads were noticeably absent.  C'mon show, you're trying to be so accurate to the time period.  Leaving out shoulder pads is a pretty big deal.  My shirt/vest combo. had shoulder pads.  I remember them well, they were big and made of foam, LOL.

And Missy and Georgie at the Mall were priceless, although the Mall looked too modern-day I could forgive it that because the acting was so fantastic.

[Sarah 103]

59 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Leaving out shoulder pads is a pretty big deal.  My shirt/vest combo. had shoulder pads.  I remember them well, they were big and made of foam, LOL.

The show is somewhere in the early 1990s  and nearing the mid 1990s. I know Texas is going to be behind the times fashion-wise, but I think even in suburban Texas the big shoulder pads would have been on their way out by this point. 

[Yeah No]

27 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

The show is somewhere in the early 1990s  and nearing the mid 1990s. I know Texas is going to be behind the times fashion-wise, but I think even in suburban Texas the big shoulder pads would have been on their way out by this point. 

Google on it, the show is set in 1989.  Shoulder pads were not really completely out until a few years after this.  They just started to get smaller and less obvious.  Plus people often wear clothes for more than a year or two so they were still around in force then, I know that.  I was a pretty big fashionista for my time and I remember this well.  I had that exact shirt/vest combo in another color combination and I can vouch for you that it came with shoulder pads that would be considered big today.  The shirt was actually not a full shirt but attached to the vest and only looked like a separate shirt.  I wore it with a skirt to a good friend's wedding in 1990.  It was a hot trend and you could buy a version of it pretty much everywhere.  I have a photo of me wearing it.  I can post it if I find it. 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Yeah No

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Google on it, the show is set in 1989.  Shoulder pads were not really completely out until a few years after this.  They just started to get smaller and less obvious.  Plus people often wear clothes for more than a year or two so they were still around in force then, I know that.  I was a pretty big fashionista for my time and I remember this well.  I had that exact shirt/vest combo in another color combination and I can vouch for you that it came with shoulder pads that would be considered big today.  The shirt was actually not a full shirt but attached to the vest and only looked like a separate shirt.  I wore it with a skirt to a good friend's wedding in 1990.  It was a hot trend and you could buy a version of it pretty much everywhere.  I have a photo of me wearing it.  I can post it if I find it. 

Season 1 was 1989. The season 2 finale was set in October 1990.

She is wearing shoulder pads in that outfit and at least one other. It’s more obvious in the side view. 
 

Edited February 15, 2020 by Guest

[Mystery]

Add me to the group that loved Georgie and Missy at the mall. Really, from the first episode the three kids seemed just like siblings who'd been around each other forever. 

Boy, did Zoe sound like Laurie Metcalf when she said "I'm sorry, is there a problem?" to Sam. 

I took Sam's criticism to be at Mary doing the laundry for the male student, not for the things she did for her own family. That was done right in front of Sheldon. 

[Bort]

6 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

The show is somewhere in the early 1990s  and nearing the mid 1990s. I know Texas is going to be behind the times fashion-wise, but I think even in suburban Texas the big shoulder pads would have been on their way out by this point. 

No, the shoulder pads were still around in the 1990-91 era. I was still having to rip them out of my shirts all through high school.

[Chit Chat]

Quote

On the other hand, Sam feels as though men don't see her or treat her as an equal because of what they have grown up and seen in their own lives.

I think that Sam was wrong in criticizing Mary on how she raises her kids and runs her home.  She's never walked a mile in Mary's shoes to see what really goes on with them on a day-to-day basis, so the assumption that Mary is wrong in how she handles things was rude and dismissive.  I don't think that Mary has set back women in any way, shape or form.  YMMV. 

However, I can understand Sam's frustration with the world of academia and how there are still professors and students who view certain fields as "men's jobs."   I knew a lady whose daughter was attending a major university studying engineering about 15 years ago.  She had an old-school type of professor who believed that women didn't belong in engineering and told her that she wouldn't pass his class.  Not only did she graduate, but when she did, she sent him an invitation!  I would hope that things have improved over time, but you're always going to have people (no matter their upbringing) who will think of things in terms of "women's work" and "men's work."   

[Frost]

I've been in IT for a manufacturing company for over 30 years and believe it or not, when I started one of the department forms was called a RAPE sheet.  I can't remember what the tortured acronym was to come up with those initials, but somebody definitely worked at it.  That was in 1989.  The form wasn't phased out for a couple more years. ☹️  

Even as a professional with an MBA getting something like that addressed back in 1989 was incredibly difficult so I can absolutely relate to Sam's frustrations.  Even today, it's much much easier to count the number of meetings where I'm NOT the only woman present.  I still think Sam was taking her frustrations out on the wrong person.  Mary was trying to be hospitable and Sam calling her out as a bad example of womanhood who was making Sam's life more difficult as a result was rude. 

But very thought provoking for a sit-com so kudos to the writers!  I love this show!

[Bort]

In a STEM field full of men, I am the only woman in the whole company who does that job, always have been in the ten years I’ve worked there. 
 

I don’t fault Mary for being hospitable, but I did side eye her taking that guy’s laundry and doing it for him. I’d have pointed him towards the machine. 

[ams1001]

10 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

I don’t fault Mary for being hospitable, but I did side eye her taking that guy’s laundry and doing it for him. I’d have pointed him towards the machine. 

Me, too. I thought that was a little above and beyond. (I don't even like my own mother doing my laundry*; no way I'd let someone else's mother, who I barely know, do it, even if she did offer.)

*When I lived in an apartment with no laundry facilities, I used to do it at my parents' house, usually on Sundays. My mom would make dinner and sometimes toss a load into the dryer if she happened to be downstairs when the washer finished, but generally I wouldn't let her touch it. I think the last time I willingly let her do my laundry was 10 years ago when I was recovering from the flu/pneumonia in their spare bedroom (which was my childhood bedroom...ah, memories), and that was just because I didn't have the energy to drag myself up and down the basement stairs. Now I live in a condo with its own washer/dryer so I don't have to leave the house.

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I don’t fault Mary for being hospitable, but I did side eye her taking that guy’s laundry and doing it for him. I’d have pointed him towards the machine. 

One time, when I was about 21 or 22, my boyfriend asked me to come over for dinner (around 5 or 6). He still lived with his parents.  I said I couldn't because I didn't have any clean uniforms and I was opening the next morning, so I had to do my laundry.  He said I could do it at his house after we ate.  He lived out in the country about a half hour away, which I'm only including because it kind of meant that once I was there and we had eaten, I was kind of past the point of no return and had to do my laundry.  The laundromat would have been closed before I could finish.

Anyway, apparently he hadn't cleared this with his mother and she was giving the stink eye the whole time like I was going to break the machine.  I had two loads, but I just did the one to get my uniforms and left, scowling at my bf the whole time for not pre-approving that invite.

So my point is that maybe Mary is protective of her washing machine.  But, yeah, when she said they could do their laundry, I kind of thought she meant they could use her machine. It's still a big help in saving quarters.  And laundry detergent which they would have conveniently forgotten:)

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I don’t fault Mary for being hospitable, but I did side eye her taking that guy’s laundry and doing it for him. I’d have pointed him towards the machine. 

Although I never did (and wouldn't) do any of my son's friends' laundry the few times they came home for a weekend, I can see where Mary kicked into "Mom" mode and just wanted to be helpful.  I think she wanted them to focus on their project, and she knew what kind of person Sheldon would be to work with, so maybe she just wanted to help the guy out before he stepped into the lion's den!!  I'll cut her some slack on this one!  

[Bort]

I just wouldn’t want to touch some stranger’s soiled underpants. I was with Sheldon on that one. 

[OtterMommy]

3 hours ago, kariyaki said:

I don’t fault Mary for being hospitable, but I did side eye her taking that guy’s laundry and doing it for him. I’d have pointed him towards the machine. 

If I'm being charitable to Mary, I think the laundry thing might have been a bit of a bribe to get the two college students out to her house to work with Sheldon.  Didn't she say something to indicate the offer was made to the girl as well?

I get that the idea of a mom doing everyone's laundry is a bit, well, sexist--but I'm not entirely sure that Mary didn't have another motive.

[ams1001]

17 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

If I'm being charitable to Mary, I think the laundry thing might have been a bit of a bribe to get the two college students out to her house to work with Sheldon.  Didn't she say something to indicate the offer was made to the girl as well?

Yeah, she was giving them more incentive to come to the house. I think she just didn't want Sheldon going to a college dorm where she doesn't know anyone, though I think she's within her rights to say no to that, either way. Then again, Sheldon being, well, Sheldon, she probably didn't want to give them more reason to be annoyed at having to work with the little kid. But I don't blame her for wanting them to work somewhere she can supervise.

(The girl's response to the offer was "I can do my own laundry.")

Edited February 15, 2020 by ams1001

[Bort]

34 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

If I'm being charitable to Mary, I think the laundry thing might have been a bit of a bribe to get the two college students out to her house to work with Sheldon.  Didn't she say something to indicate the offer was made to the girl as well?

Yes, but it would have been enough of an incentive to say they could do their laundry themselves at the Cooper house because... free. And that’s what I thought Mary was offering until she took the bag. 

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, kariyaki said:

Yes, but it would have been enough of an incentive to say they could do their laundry themselves at the Cooper house because... free. And that’s what I thought Mary was offering until she took the bag. 

You;re right...the fact that it was Mary do their laundry is where my charity ends.  As a college student, I would have loved the opportunity to do my laundry somewhere besides the dorm...but I also would not have wanted a complete stranger doing my laundry!  My guess that is also the line the girl drew as well--if Mary had said, "You can do your laundry while you're here," I'm sure she would have come with her own laundry bag.

[rmontro]

20 hours ago, Yeah No said:

As someone who like Sheldon usually ended up being one of the only people in a group project that actually did the work, I get why he hates them.

In the case of Sheldon though, he actually wants to do all the work.  I don't have much use for group projects either.  But if some people do the work while other people inevitably slack off, maybe that's part of the point of the assignment - to show how things are in the real world. 

20 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Plus him acting all not over Connie yet when he was the one that broke up with her is just ridiculous.

I'm not surprised Dr. Sturgis still has feelings for Connie.  He didn't really want to break up with her, he just wanted to spare her in case he had another mental breakdown.  He didn't think she should have to put up with that.  And it was a pretty sad situation.

[Yeah No]

8 hours ago, rmontro said:

In the case of Sheldon though, he actually wants to do all the work.  I don't have much use for group projects either.  But if some people do the work while other people inevitably slack off, maybe that's part of the point of the assignment - to show how things are in the real world. 

As much as I loved my college education I never once thought any of my professors had intentions of showing me how the "real world" worked.  Loved them, but I think they were a little too "Ivory Tower" for that.

Sheldon does want to do all the work but only because he knows he's the only one that will do it justice.  And as much as I would want to, I can't really argue with him on that.

8 hours ago, rmontro said:

I'm not surprised Dr. Sturgis still has feelings for Connie.  He didn't really want to break up with her, he just wanted to spare her in case he had another mental breakdown.  He didn't think she should have to put up with that.  And it was a pretty sad situation.

True, but it's not fair to him or her that he should insert himself between her and her new boyfriend in any way to cause Connie (and himself) more grief over the situation, but I suppose I can't expect much more from him.

[Katy M]

14 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

You;re right...the fact that it was Mary do their laundry is where my charity ends.  As a college student, I would have loved the opportunity to do my laundry somewhere besides the dorm...but I also would not have wanted a complete stranger doing my laundry!  My guess that is also the line the girl drew as well--if Mary had said, "You can do your laundry while you're here," I'm sure she would have come with her own laundry bag.

 

It's not like Mary grabbed the bag out of his hand, pulled outa  gun and said "I'm doing your laundry." I'm sure if he had said, "I'd prefer to do it myself," she would have let him.

 

5 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Sheldon does want to do all the work but only because he knows he's the only one that will do it justice.  And as much as I would want to, I can't really argue with him on that.

I think the other two would have done the project justice just fine.  They weren't trying to slack off and let Sheldon do all the work (and let's face it, that would have been very easy to do). They were arguing their points of view.  Sheldon knows that he'll do the best job because he's arrogant, well, that I can't argue with.

[Yeah No]

2 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I think the other two would have done the project justice just fine.  They weren't trying to slack off and let Sheldon do all the work (and let's face it, that would have been very easy to do). They were arguing their points of view.  Sheldon knows that he'll do the best job because he's arrogant, well, that I can't argue with.

Maybe there's a little Sheldon in me (and there is some evidence to support that), but I do think that even at his young age his level of knowledge on the subject is more advanced than the other students, and it's not just arrogance.  

[Chit Chat]

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Maybe there's a little Sheldon in me (and there is some evidence to support that), but I do think that even at his young age his level of knowledge on the subject is more advanced than the other students, and it's not just arrogance.  

And he surely doesn't want to risk his grade based on other people's work.  I don't blame him for that.   My son had several group projects while in college and it never seemed to fail that the ones in his group weren't very cooperative, thus making it more difficult for him.  He wasn't a fan of group projects either!  

[Bort]

There's a difference, though, in a high school group project, where you have your lazy do-nothing slugs and this (presumably) advanced physics class. It's not a course that anybody is going to take to satisfy a requirement. Everybody in the class wants to be there. Sheldon is likely smarter than his group mates, but that doesn't mean they don't have something to contribute. And I think that's what John is attempting to teach them. They will have to do collaborations professionally and they need to get a taste of what that's like.

[Yeah No]

54 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

There's a difference, though, in a high school group project, where you have your lazy do-nothing slugs and this (presumably) advanced physics class. It's not a course that anybody is going to take to satisfy a requirement. Everybody in the class wants to be there. Sheldon is likely smarter than his group mates, but that doesn't mean they don't have something to contribute. And I think that's what John is attempting to teach them. They will have to do collaborations professionally and they need to get a taste of what that's like.

I don't think Sheldon's attitude toward those less smart than he is will benefit from having to work with them.  In fact, it may make him more frustrated and feel less empowered to attain higher levels of achievement.  I went to a high school that Sheldon would have loved to attend - a prestigious public science school in NYC that requires passing a test to get into (the Bronx HS of Science). Neil DeGrasse Tyson was my classmate.  I think it's too bad that Sheldon didn't have the benefit of attending my high school as I'm sure he would have felt very much at home there.  In fact, it may have gone further toward teaching him some humility by being among others more on his level.

[SnarkySheep]

On 2/14/2020 at 9:20 PM, Dani said:

The school is supposed to be an hour away. 

I was just going to say this! I remember the whole discussion about the distance when Sheldon initially began taking classes. I think the writers forgot, or else think WE forgot, because I highly doubt two college students who initially proposed meeting in the dorm would have substituted driving an hour away in its place so agreeably.

If Mary felt uncomfortable with Sheldon hanging out in the dorms, the correct compromise would have been suggesting they meet at the library or some other common area on campus, not their house. But alas, then we wouldn't have had all the interactions with Mary and George.