S04.E08: An Existential Crisis and a Bear That Makes Bubbles

[Bort]

Meemaw takes matters into her own hands when Sheldon’s philosophy teacher sends him into a tailspin. George Sr. learns Georgie has been cutting class.

Airdate: 18 February 2021

Please, no discussing spoilers from The Big Bang Theory that have not “happened” yet. 

[Spartan Girl]

Connie using the chicken to get Sheldon out of bed was hilarious. I love her so much.

Oh boy both Georges were going through some deep stuff tonight. Georgie being fed up with school and football, while George is going through a midlife crisis. I have a very bad feeling about where this is going...

[ams1001]

"I say spank him." "Your mom won't let me."

Dr. Sturgis high on frog slime...there's a picture.

"I miss that kid"......"anyway."

 

 

[Chit Chat]

I felt bad for George.   I can understand his disappointment that Georgie doesn't want to stay on the team.  It was something they had in common, but as Georgie said, he rarely gets to play, so that's not fun.   That's a tough situation.  Georgie being a smartass doesn't help either.  It was very hurtful for him to tell his Dad that it's not his fault that he's not happy.  Ouch!   

MeeMaw is a shrewd woman!  Good thinking with the chicken!

I hope we're done with Sheldon and his philosophy class.  The teacher comes across with so much condescension when trying to disagree with her.  It's like dealing with our dental consultant at work, and we've all got way more combined experience than her!  Sorry, but that character rubs me the wrong way.  

And a big fat pffftt to Lorre and his vanity cards.  I'm all for unity, but calling for it after you've been very divisive in many of your vanity cards over the years is a bit hypocritical.  

Edited February 19, 2021 by ChitChat

[Bobbin]

It seems like the qualities and strengths that football teaches, according to George, Georgie already has. Admit it or not, George raised a good boy. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

Didn't Missy and Sheldon take buses home from their respective schools when Mary started working? Does middle school really have no bus for Missy to take in the morning?

[chocolatine]

This was a funny, light-hearted episode until George admitted that he has depression (I know he didn't use the exact word, but that's what I took "I'm not happy anywhere" to mean). In the early 90s depression was still stigmatized, especially in men. It was obvious that the principal and assistant coach were uncomfortable and didn't know how to react. I really want him to get help, but I don't think it's likely.

On a lighter note, I'm happy that no chickens had to die in this episode. And, I'm probably the only one who cares, but I loved that Dr. Linkletter pronounced De Broglie's name correctly (i.e. "de broy"). Most people, even MIT physics professors, usually mispronounce it, so kudos to this show's attention to detail.

[jewel21]

Meemaw with the chicken was hilarious, lol. Unlike Sheldon, I love birds and wanted to hold it, heh. 

Nice to see Dr. Sturgis again. Hopefully he can make more cameos. 

I felt bad for George. That man needs a hug. 

[tessaray]

I have had mixed feelings about the writing re: Billy lately, so I wonder if the sketching scene was their answer to the criticisms out there. There is an elegance and sweetness to Sheldon and Billy being opposite sides of a coin in some ways and 2 peas in a pod in others. 

Show seems poised on the brink of some major changes though. 

 

[Kiddvideo]

Several laughs in this one. “More pants.” I hope the philosophy’s done. I wonder if Georgie’s boss can set some ground rules — at least for attendance — since that’s where Georgie’s priorities are: Go to school or don’t come to work. Very little Mary in the episode for some reason. I’m worried about George.

[Chit Chat]

9 hours ago, Bobbin said:

It seems like the qualities and strengths that football teaches, according to George, Georgie already has. Admit it or not, George raised a good boy. 

Georgie does seem to have found his niche in life.  He may not be book smart, but he's got some business savvy!  

I understood his Dad's point about not quitting the team though.  My son played various sports all through school and it was frowned upon to quit on one's team mid-season.  They stuck together through the good and the bad.  George just wanted him to honor his commitment to the team.  You don't always get to play every down, but the team camaraderie means a lot.   Football season really doesn't last that long in high school.  I wish Georgie could've stuck with it just a little longer.   He might look back one day on that decision with regret.  Was it really too much to ask him to play another month or so of football?  I don't think so.  George was hurt by his decision and Georgie is too self-absorbed right now to understand that.  Typical teenager.  

[nora1992]

Where was Mary?  Was she out because the writers couldn’t reconcile philosophy and dogma?

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, ChitChat said:

Georgie does seem to have found his niche in life.  He may not be book smart, but he's got some business savvy!  

I understood his Dad's point about not quitting the team though.  My son played various sports all through school and it was frowned upon to quit on one's team mid-season.  They stuck together through the good and the bad.  George just wanted him to honor his commitment to the team.  You don't always get to play every down, but the team camaraderie means a lot.   Football season really doesn't last that long in high school.  I wish Georgie could've stuck with it just a little longer.   He might look back one day on that decision with regret.  Was it really too much to ask him to play another month or so of football?  I don't think so.  George was hurt by his decision and Georgie is too self-absorbed right now to understand that.  Typical teenager.  

While I heartily agree with the concept of supporting one another’s group efforts, the potential for life-altering injury with football is now known to be so great that I cannot watch a current show that includes football without waiting for the tragic impact. 
 

 

1 hour ago, nora1992 said:

Where was Mary?  Was she out because the writers couldn’t reconcile philosophy and dogma?

Hah!

Was Missy on screen this episode either? There’s only about 22 minutes of dialogue, and the guest stars got a lot of that this week——which was fine, IMO.

[hoodooznoodooz]

I was wondering if there was no Mary because Zoe directed this episode, but no.

I liked Sheldon helping himself to Linkletter’s candy supply after explaining that he was exploring hedonism.

I actually thought the drawing of Billy was great.

Edited February 19, 2021 by hoodooznoodooz

[Lukeysboat]

I loved the unexpected shot of Bascom Hall from the University of Wisconsin. 

Meemaw getting the chicken was a flash of brilliance. She is such a great character!

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, shapeshifter said:

Was Missy on screen this episode either? There’s only about 22 minutes of dialogue, and the guest stars got a lot of that this week——which was fine, IMO.

She was there. Giving Sheldon the side-eye when he was reading on the couch (I think she pushes him off, too, when he sits up on the back of the couch, but I wasn't looking at the screen in that moment, just heard a thud...I kinda wanna watch it again 🤭); later he made her peanut butter crackers while exploring altruism, then immediately took them away and ate them himself when he switched to egoism.

[MarthaEllisanne]

I am glad we seem to be done with the philosophy story-line. I am a fan of Melanie Lynskey, but the character of Sheldon became way more insufferable than usual. Should have made it a one episode story.

[Kiddvideo]

33 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

She was there. Giving Sheldon the side-eye when he was reading on the couch (I think she pushes him off, too, when he sits up on the back of the couch, but I wasn't looking at the screen in that moment, just heard a thud...I kinda wanna watch it again 🤭); later he made her peanut butter crackers while exploring altruism, then immediately took them away and ate them himself when he switched to egoism.

Right before the opening scene she also advised George to spank Sheldon to get him out of bed. Then George admitted Mary wouldn't let him! hehe.

An aside: Pre-covid I was at the grocery store during the after work rush, and a manager told this guy carrying a hand basket that he could go to the express line and the guy said, "I can't. She said we had too many items." I thought the manager was going to stroke out and he demanded, "Who said that??" Everyone in the check out area could hear this and knew whichever express clerk had turned him away was going to have some tough questions to answer, but then the man said, "My wife."  Everyone burst out laughing, and the manager didn't say a word, just patted the guy on the shoulder and walked away. I think about that guy every time I go to the grocery store or see a man get henpecked.

[ams1001]

28 minutes ago, Kiddvideo said:

Right before the opening scene she also advised George to spank Sheldon to get him out of bed. Then George admitted Mary wouldn't let him! hehe.

That's right...I even quoted that one in my first comment. 😄 

[chocolatine]

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

There’s only about 22 minutes of dialogue

More like 17 minutes.

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

later he made her peanut butter crackers while exploring altruism, then immediately took them away and ate them himself when he switched to egoism.

I thought that was cheese from a spray can, not peanut butter.

[ams1001]

13 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

I thought that was cheese from a spray can, not peanut butter.

You might be right...

[tennisgurl]

The philosophy teacher was right, I feel like its pretty common for students to fall down the existential deep end after taking their first philosophy class...or maybe it was just me. At first I thought that Sheldon would hate philosophy, because the whole point of philosophy is to ask questions that have no clear answer and Sheldon loves answers (especially when he knows them) but it makes sense that he might end up finding it interesting as well. Its the search for truth and all that. 

Poor George, I get why he is disappointed that Georgie is quitting the team, but I also cant really blame Georgie for quitting if he never gets to play, and it keeps him away from doing what he really likes to do. Him commenting that he never feels happy was just so sad. Its not even just that he is unfulfilled at this job, but he has felt unfulfilled at every job. 

MeeMaw always knows just how to handle things. I am glad that the chicken survived this time at least, I am still slightly traumatized by the last chicken incident. 

[Sarah 103]

11 hours ago, tessaray said:

There is an elegance and sweetness to Sheldon and Billy being opposite sides of a coin in some ways and 2 peas in a pod in others. 

I completely agree with this. You tend it see it more through Brenda and Mary's conversations. It makes so much sense that Billy would be willing to pose for Sheldon, because Billy wants social interaction and wants to be included. 

5 hours ago, nora1992 said:

Where was Mary?  Was she out because the writers couldn’t reconcile philosophy and dogma?

I would have guessed because there isn't time for every character to have a subplot or a major role in every episode. 

3 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

I was wondering if there was no Mary because Zoe directed this episode, but no.

This would be an excellent reason as well.

I loved Mee-Maw and the chicken. It reminded me of something Penny might do. (I'm hoping we allowed to mention characters that exist in Big Bang Theory, especially since this isn't a plot point or an event that has not yet happened) 

I thought Georgie had already quit the team, so I was confused. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this episode. 

[Frost]

I am happy because this storyline allows me to quote one of my all time favorite pieces of dialogue, from the movie Max Dugan Returns.  Grandson's mysterious grandfather, Max, has just resurfaced and they are getting acquainted.  Max (Jason Robards at his rascally, deep voiced best) asks his grandson (wide eyed Matthew Broderick) what he plans to major in in college.  Grandson asks for Max's advice:

"Philosophy."

"You can make money with philosophy?"

"If you have the right one."

 

 

[HurricaneVal]

11 hours ago, tessaray said:

I have had mixed feelings about the writing re: Billy lately, so I wonder if the sketching scene was their answer to the criticisms out there. There is an elegance and sweetness to Sheldon and Billy being opposite sides of a coin in some ways and 2 peas in a pod in others.

Billy:  "I'm beautiful!"  I gasped out loud at that.  Even Billy isn't one dimensional anymore.  I love that!

 

11 hours ago, tessaray said:

Show seems poised on the brink of some major changes though.

I know.  It looks like we might start going dark. 

There have been little tendrils of hints of darkness coming, like how George realized he enjoyed flirting with other women on that episode from a past season, or how Pastor Hodgkins has an unhealthy dependence on Mary on another episode.  Just this season it was George being resentful that Mary shoehorned herself into the boondoggle weekend he was looking forward to having on his own with his buddy, so he "punished" her by not telling her about the amenities at the hotel.  Now it is George's "mini-me" Georgie pulling away and heading in his own direction away from Dad and what Dad holds dear, and then the final "I'm not happy" confession.......  I hope we go on the upswing again and leave this behind as a foreshadowing tendril of darkness.  I love this show so much, I don't want it to get hard to watch.

 

 

I loved how at the end, when Young Sheldon was being a bit bratty there with the Dean about switching majors to Philosophy and he blows the bubble and his brilliant mind leaps into the abstract Physics theories when he sort of meditates on the possibilities of the bubble and the bubble's surface, and immediately snaps back into wanting to go forward in Theoretical Physics after all.  Spoilered because of BBT future speculation:
 

Spoiler

Wasn't Sheldon's Nobel Prize in something to do with explaining string theory, or the unification theory, or somesuch thing, in the context of bubbles?  If so, that was a nice callback, that Young Sheldon's existential crisis inspired him to postulating what would become his greatest work in Theoretical Physics and possibly changing the field forever.

 

[Katy M]

As soon as Dr Sturgis said she should get a jaguar or any jungle cat, i said "just go get a bird."  I knew that would work.

I didn't know they gave out scholarships for specific majors.  Makes sense, I guess, maybe.

I'm wondering why Georgie even went out for football this seeason in the first place.  I mean, if he's willing to defy George so soon, I can't believe that he could have made him try out.  I wish they had had this episode before try outs than Georgie wouldn't be breaking a commitment.

[ams1001]

35 minutes ago, Katy M said:

I didn't know they gave out scholarships for specific majors.  Makes sense, I guess, maybe.

There are field/major-specific scholarships out there (which you'll probably lose if you decide to change majors). Also the school might consider Sheldon a special case, given his age and specific talents. 

[Bobbin]

Peanut butter or spray cheese, let's just call them canapés. LOL

[Yeah No]

On 2/18/2021 at 9:07 PM, ChitChat said:

I hope we're done with Sheldon and his philosophy class.  The teacher comes across with so much condescension when trying to disagree with her.  It's like dealing with our dental consultant at work, and we've all got way more combined experience than her!  Sorry, but that character rubs me the wrong way.  

I know what you mean, I don't love her either.  Mr. Yeah No asked me if I ever had a philosophy professor like her.  Well, yeah, sort-of.  She was a little hippy-dippy-trippy and wore fringed vests and long pendant necklaces with the "ankh" sign, but then again that was in the '70s and she was a lot nicer.  This prof. seemed relatively average, and based on what she said the course actually felt a little dumbed down from my POV.  And Sheldon takes everything so literally sometimes.  I think it's part of what makes him "special" in that Rain Man sense of the word, but it also means he blows things up into big issues that are really not at all.  And his teacher isn't responsible for that.

12 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

The philosophy teacher was right, I feel like its pretty common for students to fall down the existential deep end after taking their first philosophy class...or maybe it was just me. At first I thought that Sheldon would hate philosophy, because the whole point of philosophy is to ask questions that have no clear answer and Sheldon loves answers (especially when he knows them) but it makes sense that he might end up finding it interesting as well. Its the search for truth and all that. 

It's common but it doesn't normally mean taking it to the extent of not getting out of bed and not believing that anything exists, then using that uncertainty as a reason not to care about anything.  As usual, Sheldon was taking everything to its logical conclusion even if that meant going way overboard.  It makes me think about just how many grades it's healthy to skip before you're not mature enough emotionally to handle it.  I think this episode was actually hinting at that issue.

I don't think Sheldon would have reacted that way to Philosophy if it was taught from an angle he could relate to, such as starting with a philosophy of science or logic.  I think he would have understood and appreciated Aristotle's natural philosophy.  There is nothing in it that would make him spiral off into a vortex of existential dread like he just had his first joint.  It's always good to start with the Ancients.

[aqusdealer]

18 hours ago, nora1992 said:

 

Where was Mary?  Was she out because the writers couldn’t reconcile philosophy and dogma?

 

I think it’s much simpler than that. So many characters, too little time. I would love this show to be an hour!

[Sarah 103]

14 hours ago, Yeah No said:

It makes me think about just how many grades it's healthy to skip before you're not mature enough emotionally to handle it.  I think this episode was actually hinting at that issue.

Sheldon is in a no-win situation. Intellectually, he is capable of doing college level work. George was right to let him advance, because academically Sheldon was done with high-school. Socially and emotionally, he is no where near ready for college.

He is going to have problems no matter where he is, the question is are the source of the problems going to be social/emotional or a lack of intellectual/educational challange. 

[Driad]

Aren't there colleges that have special programs for students like Sheldon?  Maybe not there or then, though.

[WinnieWinkle]

12 minutes ago, Driad said:

Aren't there colleges that have special programs for students like Sheldon?

Are there enough students like Sheldon to make having a special program worth offering?  I hope if so they aren't that much like Sheldon!

[Driad]

Quite a few students are ready (academically) for college when they are younger than the usual age.  Many of them are kept in high school because their parents don't consider them ready emotionally to be away from home and spend their time with older students.  A program to give younger college students more structure and supervision can be a useful intermediate step.

[shapeshifter]

24 minutes ago, Driad said:

Quite a few students are ready (academically) for college when they are younger than the usual age.  Many of them are kept in high school because their parents don't consider them ready emotionally to be away from home and spend their time with older students.  A program to give younger college students more structure and supervision can be a useful intermediate step.

When I was in 8th grade my parents were advised to have me skip high school and start college. They declined. 
But then they did send me to college 150 miles away after my junior year when I was still 16. It was a disaster. I didn’t graduate until I was 38 after I had 3 children with 2 fathers. 
It would have worked if I’d gone to college while living at home, especially since, in my case, that would have been Northwestern University. 

[rmontro]

On 2/18/2021 at 8:27 PM, Spartan Girl said:

Oh boy both Georges were going through some deep stuff tonight. Georgie being fed up with school and football, while George is going through a midlife crisis. I have a very bad feeling about where this is going...

Agreed, this could be going to a dark place with George.  Just when they've got us sold on what a good father and husband he is too.  It's kind of sad that he isn't happy with his life.  Didn't he give up a job coaching college football in a previous episode, to make his family happy?  Makes me thing that took a toll on him.

Also notable that Mary was barely in this episode, which kind of adds to the discontent George is feeling.

Edited February 21, 2021 by rmontro

[DoYouLikeMutton]

There is more to school than just academics.   Catapulting to college at age 12 really isn't doing anyone any favors, especially Sheldon.  He misses all the socialization by being in school with other children who are emotionally his own age.  Maybe due to the time and place this show is set, there aren't any extracurricular opportunities for him to pursue a more academically challenging life, but clearly, Sheldon isn't ready for college in many respects.

[Sarah 103]

1 hour ago, rmontro said:

Agreed, this could be going to a dark place with George.  Just when they've got us sold on what a good father and husband he is too.  It's kind of sad that he isn't happy with his life.  Didn't he give us a job coaching college football in a previous episode, to make his family happy?  Makes me thing that took a toll on him.

Hopefully someone will be able to fill in more details. George left his previous coaching job because he refused to cheat and blew the whistle on those that did. He did the right thing, but was more or less punished for it. 

1 hour ago, DoYouLikeMutton said:

There is more to school than just academics.   Catapulting to college at age 12 really isn't doing anyone any favors, especially Sheldon.  He misses all the socialization by being in school with other children who are emotionally his own age.  Maybe due to the time and place this show is set, there aren't any extracurricular opportunities for him to pursue a more academically challenging life, but clearly, Sheldon isn't ready for college in many respects.

He never fit in with his peers, so I'm not sure what was to be gained by keeping him with people his own age. He was miserable with children his own age. The school Paige goes to might have been an option, but the family can't afford it and there was never a question of trying to get a scholarship. In the small Texas town they live in, academic extracurriculars do not appear to exist at the high school level. Sheldon's problem is that he is going to miserable because he does not fit in socially/emotionally, or because he does not fit in academically. 

Something interesting I realized in this episode. Missy did not seem to think that there was something really wrong with Sheldon. When it's serious, Missy tends to show concern for her brother. She seems to have a real sense of when something is actually wrong, and when it's just Sheldon being Sheldon. 

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, Sarah 103 said:

Hopefully someone will be able to fill in more details. George left his previous coaching job because he refused to cheat and blew the whistle on those that did. He did the right thing, but was more or less punished for it. 

In Season 2 he gets offered a job at the University of Tulsa but Mary and the kids didn't want to move.

[aqusdealer]

7 hours ago, Driad said:

Quite a few students are ready (academically) for college when they are younger than the usual age.  Many of them are kept in high school because their parents don't consider them ready emotionally to be away from home and spend their time with older students.  A program to give younger college students more structure and supervision can be a useful intermediate step.

I skipped a grade in high school and instead of it being a blessing, it turned out  to be a curse for years to come.

[Yeah No]

12 hours ago, WinnieWinkle said:

Are there enough students like Sheldon to make having a special program worth offering?  I hope if so they aren't that much like Sheldon!

Sheldon seems to be in such a special category that I'd say the answer to your question is "no" just because it's probably very rare for children to skip quite so many grades.  I actually hope skipping that many grades is not done anymore precisely for those reasons.  I would think that maybe they would allow him to skip a couple of grades but no more, and send him to a special high school for gifted children, that would be a better alternative.  I suppose that in Texas at that time there weren't that many of those, if any.  I went to one in NYC back in the '70s and there are several there.  I often think that Sheldon would have felt quite at home at my high school (The Bronx HS of Science).  He would have LOVED knowing that Neil DeGrasse Tyson went there and was in my Physics class, LOL.

11 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

When I was in 8th grade my parents were advised to have me skip high school and start college. They declined. 
But then they did send me to college 150 miles away after my junior year when I was still 16. It was a disaster. I didn’t graduate until I was 38 after I had 3 children with 2 fathers. 
It would have worked if I’d gone to college while living at home, especially since, in my case, that would have been Northwestern University. 

I was given the option to skip twice.  The first time was skipping from 4th to 6th grade.  My parents declined, mostly because I didn't want to do it.  I didn't want to leave my best friend behind, plus frankly I was afraid!  The second time was to skip from 7th to 9th grade.  This time the choice was all mine and again, I declined.  I did lose a few friends that decided to skip but gained some really neat people that skipped into my year.  I soon realized that I'd made the right decision and I've never looked back.  I had one of the BEST times in high school thanks to the great people in my graduating class (like Neil Tyson, who didn't skip either, BTW, and George Yancopoulos of Regeneron fame).  I know that most people cringe when they think of their high school years but for me it felt like going back home where I belonged.  Ever since this show started I've wished that Sheldon could have gone to my high school because he would have fit right in with the rest of us geeks and nerds, LOL.  There would definitely have been a place for him there and I have no doubt that he would have been much better off taking AP courses and even some actual college courses at night concurrently with his HS curriculum that would count as college transfer credits.  I somehow remember such a program available for certain advanced HS students, but it's been so long that I forget how it worked.

Edited February 21, 2021 by Yeah No

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, Yeah No said:

Sheldon seems to be in such a special category that I'd say the answer to your question is "no" just because it's probably very rare for children to skip quite so many grades.  I actually hope skipping that many grades is not done anymore precisely for those reasons.  I would think that maybe they would allow him to skip a couple of grades but no more, and send him to a special high school for gifted children, that would be a better alternative.  I suppose that in Texas at that time there weren't that many of those, if any.  I went to one in NYC back in the '70s and there are several there.  I often think that Sheldon would have felt quite at home at my high school (The Bronx HS of Science).  He would have LOVED knowing that Neil DeGrasse Tyson went there and was in my Physics class, LOL.

I was given the option to skip twice.  The first time was skipping from 4th to 6th grade.  My parents declined, mostly because I didn't want to do it.  I didn't want to leave my best friend behind, plus frankly I was afraid!  The second time was to skip from 7th to 9th grade.  This time the choice was all mine and again, I declined.  I did lose a few friends that decided to skip but gained some really neat people that skipped into my year.  I soon realized that I'd made the right decision and I've never looked back.  I had one of the BEST times in high school thanks to the great people in my graduating class (like Neil Tyson, who didn't skip either, BTW, and George Yancopoulos of Regeneron fame).  I know that most people cringe when they think of their high school years but for me it felt like going back home where I belonged.  Ever since this show started I've wished that Sheldon could have gone to my high school because he would have fit right in with the rest of us geeks and nerds, LOL.  There would definitely have been a place for him there and I have no doubt that he would have been much better off taking AP courses and even some actual college courses at night concurrently with his HS curriculum that would count as college transfer credits.  I somehow remember such a program available for certain advanced HS students, but it's been so long that I forget how it worked.

I will resign myself to being contented with imagining that in an alternate universe I did go to your high school, @Yeah No. 🙂

Sheldon's social skills seem to be below grade level, which seem likely to insulate and protect him from a lot of the temptations that effect or will likely effect Georgie and Missy.
Mary's religious taboos probably help too, especially since Sheldon doesn't seem to have any of the normal tendency to rebel. 
I doubt Dr. Linkletter would notice if Sheldon was falling in with the wrong crowd -- but with his age so much younger, that's not likely for now. 

At the college where I worked for 19 years, there was one student about Sheldon's current age who attended for a semester --also a boy. I wish I knew where he went after that semester --whether to one of the prestigious universities in the area or...? From my point of view (library reference desk) the other students were gracious towards him.

Edited February 21, 2021 by shapeshifter

[Callietwo]

4 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I have no doubt that he would have been much better off taking AP courses and even some actual college courses at night concurrently with his HS curriculum that would count as college transfer credits.  I somehow remember such a program available for certain advanced HS students, but it's been so long that I forget how it worked

In Vermont there's a program called:   Vermont's Early Pathways where students can enroll to college tuition free in place of their senior year of high school while still earning their HS diploma. I'm sure other states have similar early college programs.

I doubt there were such a  thing at the time YS is set, and since it only accepts seniors, it would've been too late to help Shelden even if they did.  

[Yeah No]

35 minutes ago, Callietwo said:

In Vermont there's a program called:   Vermont's Early Pathways where students can enroll to college tuition free in place of their senior year of high school while still earning their HS diploma. I'm sure other states have similar early college programs.

I doubt there were such a  thing at the time YS is set, and since it only accepts seniors, it would've been too late to help Shelden even if they did.  

The program I remember was available in my high school in the 1970s, but that was an anomaly in its time.  So you're probably right.

2 hours ago, shapeshifter said:

I will resign myself to being contented with imagining that in an alternate universe I did go to your high school, @Yeah No. 🙂

Sheldon's social skills seem to be below grade level, which seem likely to insulate and protect him from a lot of the temptations that effect or will likely effect Georgie and Missy.
Mary's religious taboos probably help too, especially since Sheldon doesn't seem to have any of the normal tendency to rebel. 
I doubt Dr. Linkletter would notice if Sheldon was falling in with the wrong crowd -- but with his age so much younger, that's not likely for now. 

At the college where I worked for 19 years, there was one student about Sheldon's current age who attended for a semester --also a boy. I wish I knew where he went after that semester --whether to one of the prestigious universities in the area or...? From my point of view (library reference desk) the other students were gracious towards him.

I wish you could have gone there too, Shape!  If you remember his name you should look him up online, you never know, he may have achieved something notable.  

[Sarah 103]

On 2/21/2021 at 8:43 AM, shapeshifter said:

I doubt Dr. Linkletter would notice if Sheldon was falling in with the wrong crowd -- but with his age so much younger, that's not likely for now. 

I'm waiting to see if Sheldon will stumble across a sci-fi/fantasy club and want to be involved. I'm sure there are probably Star Trek fans or people who play Dungeons and Dragons at the college. I think that could be an interesting episode or story-arc.  

[Driad]

43 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

I'm waiting to see if Sheldon will stumble across a sci-fi/fantasy club

That could be good if done well, but I have not seen a TV show (drama, sitcom, or news) do it well.  Usually they show "nuts with the fake pointy ears and zap guns," not "people discussing space travel, possible future civilizations, etc."

[WinnieWinkle]

Finally saw this one and I loved Sheldon going outside to look up at the sky in order to commune with nature and going "eh" and walking back in.   As also liked how they continue to have the other coach be the one to point out to George that George is wrong when he is expecting him to validate his feelings.  Nice touch.

Edited February 23, 2021 by WinnieWinkle

[SmithW6079]

I liked the philosophy teacher. I loved that she kept countering their observations of reality to try and force them to think beyond the scientific realm.

I realize it's a TV trope that characters don't talk to one another so that misunderstandings and hijinks can take place, but I wish George and Georgie could have had an honest discussion. Was Georgie skipping school to go to work? Did Dale question him why he was available during the day? Is Georgie Dale's only employee? Maybe George needs to have a discussion with Dale about Georgie's work schedule since he's cutting classes. 

[marypat57]

@Yeah No:  My father was in one of the first classes at Bronx Science, entering in the late 1930s.  It was a “boys only” school then .  I think young women were admitted sometime after WWII.  By the time dad graduated, most of the young men went went straight to fighting the war.   
Bronx Science is a remarkable school, and I’m sure young Sheldon would have done very well there.  
Only I don’t think Mary and George would have wanted to move to NYC.  Although, I could picture MeeMah enjoying herself....

[HurricaneVal]

OMG.  Georgie on the Jersey Shore would have been a great spin-off!