S06.E10: Pancake Sunday and Textbook Flirting

[paulvdb]

Quote

Mary struggles to make new friends while Mandy pushes Georgie to date another woman.

Airdate: January 12, 2023

[ItCouldBeWorse]

So Georgie finds out that his date is divorced after a year of marriage.  Did it occur to him to ask her age?  (I know he's almost 18, but still!)

Are we supposed to think that George and Brenda have done more than their past flirting?  He seems to be confident that he is her "secret" married boyfriend....

Edited January 13, 2023 by ItCouldBeWorse

[bad things are bad]

George and Brenda were creeping me out. Especially George.  

[carolprince]

Hiya, long-time lurker. First-time poster. :)

I felt so bad for Mary in this episode, and meanwhile George is out here being completely oblivious to her and being worried about what Brenda says or doesn't say to her gal pals. 

I just don't understand where they're going with this George and Brenda thing. It's creepy and it makes me uncomfortable. 

The Georgie storyline was okay - I was hoping for Meemaw to give her a good answer, but that just ended out of nowhere. 

[Traveller519]

When Mary dwells on what she's missing about the church she seems quite lost, but when she finds something to fill that time she's genuinely happy.

I'm not religious myself but I can understand the importance of the community the church provides. It's a shame this particular church seems to place cult like adherence rules and judgment at the centre of acceptance into that community 

[Sarah 103]

8 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Are we supposed to think that George and Brenda have done more than their past flirting?  He seems to be confident that he is her "secret" married boyfriend....

My guess is that in George's mind/imagination, Brenda made the relationship seem like it was more serious and intimate than it actually was. Also, there is the male ego to consider. Of course George would assume it's him, because who else would it be? (sorry to any male readers that I may have offended.)

I feel sorry for Mary looking for something to fill the time with and fill the void left by the church. It seems like George was actually trying to be helpful, listen, and offer genuinely good advice. 

I like Georgie's storyline. I like that he made a genuine connection with another young woman. I am curious to see where the story goes, even if it is a bit cliche. On the other hand, I am not watching this for cutting edge storytelling. I love an old-fashioned sitcom and this is very much in that style. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

33 minutes ago, Sarah 103 said:

My guess is that in George's mind/imagination, Brenda made the relationship seem like it was more serious and intimate than it actually was. Also, there is the male ego to consider. Of course George would assume it's him, because who else would it be? (sorry to any male readers that I may have offended.)

I was wondering if the discussion in the henhouse meant that something more had actually happened.  I hope not.

[Bethany]

Ugh, I wondered how long it would take before the faux affair reared its ugly head again.  It says something about the state of this show for me now that I had actually forgotten it was on last night.  I've got it on PVR and will watch but I am not expecting much.  Just curious though - was Sheldon even on?

[chitowngirl]

4 minutes ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

Ugh, I wondered how long it would take before the faux affair reared its ugly head again.  It says something about the state of this show for me now that I had actually forgotten it was on last night.  I've got it on PVR and will watch but I am not expecting much.  Just curious though - was Sheldon even on?

I believe he was only on to talk Star Trek with his mom. He didn’t do anything to move the storylines along.

[shapeshifter]

55 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I was wondering if the discussion in the henhouse meant that something more had actually happened.  I hope not.

I'm hoping

Spoiler

it happened once off-screen to fulfill The Big Bang Theory canon, and in the series finale we'll hear Sheldon explain that was when he saw his father with another woman,

and hopefully it will play no further role in this series.

[Kaycee]

I felt sorry for Mary, understand she is feeling lonely. Church was a big part in her life.  Her pancake breakfast was such a nice family gesture, at least Sheldon ate some pancakes. We will see where the volunteering at Missy school goes. Kind of get Missy, yes everyone has a mom like her mom said, but kind of hard to be your true self with your mom around. It was a little awkward at the bar where Mary kind of foisted herself on Brenda and her friends. It did look like Mary had a good time and something she really needed.

Georgie going out on a date with a divorced women was very interesting. Kind of wondered if there would be a reveal she had a kid and got married because she was pregnant. Her marriage did not work out and she got a divorce. This would have opened up the door to one of the possibilities of Georgie's future if he married Mandy.

[Spartan Girl]

So we’re back to the maybe-affair? *sigh*

Count me in as someone that actually felt sorry for Mary this episode. She’s never been more relatable than when she was searching for new friends or at something new to fill her time. Right up until Brenda’s secret boyfriend reveal, she actually managed to hit it off with Brenda’s friends.

Sheldon is getting sidelined on his own show.

[Bethany]

7 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

Right up until Brenda’s secret boyfriend reveal, she actually managed to hit it off with Brenda’s friends.

Not having seen this episode yet is there any chance Brenda was just showing off?  Or exagerrating to get a reaction from her friends, or from Mary?  I mean up to now the most we could accuse either of them of is being tempted.  Unless I missed a scene somewhere along the line that suggested they went further?

[MollyMelrose]

One thing Georgie neglected to mention to New Girl is that he is still only 17 and should be a senior in high school. That might have given her more pause than his future fatherhood, which didn't seem to phase her.

Felt guilty listening to Missy tell Mary how embarrassed Mary's presence in the school made her feel. Sad to admit to similar attitudes expressed in tween/teen years to my own mom.

Thought Brenda may have just been telling tales to her friends, some alcohol-enhanced exaggeration.

Poor Mary. Sheldon yammering on about all things Star Trek cannot help relive her hangover.

I used to wear one of the dresses Mary's been sporting the past few episodes quite a bit in my early days of teaching. It had a different color combo - golds and yellows and pinks and orange. Some students told me (quite a few years later) that they had names for my wardrobe. That was the sunshine dress. In all honesty, that dress was about the only thing I likes about this episode. :)

[shapeshifter]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

Not having seen this episode yet is there any chance Brenda was just showing off?  Or exagerrating to get a reaction from her friends, or from Mary?  I mean up to now the most we could accuse either of them of is being tempted.  Unless I missed a scene somewhere along the line that suggested they went further?

Brenda certainly could have been "showing off" to her girlfriends, but all she's told them is that there's someone she's "sweet on."
Later Mary shares this with George, and then we get a scene in the chickencoop meeting between Brenda and George, which does not have sexual chemistry that I noticed:

• [GEORGE] What the hell, Brenda?
• [BRENDA] What the hell, what?
• [GEORGE] Your friends all know about your "secret boyfriend"?
• [BRENDA] You think that's you?
• [GEORGE] Well... it's not?
• [BRENDA] No, George.
• [GEORGE] Well, who is it?
• [BRENDA] I didn't tell them. I'm not gonna tell you.
• [GEORGE] Okay.
• [BRENDA] Oh, God. Are you upset that there might be another guy in the picture?
• [GEORGE] No.
• [BRENDA] Good. Go home to your wife.
• [GEORGE] I will.
• [BRENDA] Okay.

So I don't know if they did some heavy petting or anything at some point or not, and, I don't need to know.
But I think the key to Brenda's words here are Mary's when they're out with the girls getting drinks. Mary says:

• Well, George and I have been... connecting more lately.

So maybe George seemed fair game when he and Mary looked like they were not really a couple anymore, and now that Mary has shared that she and George have rekindled the spark——and especially now that Mary is wanting to be Brenda's friend——Brenda is done with any future chickencoop meet ups, or dreams of George being Dad to her son.

Also, there are a couple of other divorced men in Brenda's orbit in the show, so maybe there is someone else
——perhaps someone who Brenda would consider second to George, but now might look at more for themselves, and, who knows? They might live happily ever after together.

Edited January 13, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Sarah 103]

1 hour ago, Spartan Girl said:

Sheldon is getting sidelined on his own show.

I am strangely okay with that because I think there are characters who are often more interesting and entertaining. Georgie, Missy, and all of the supporting characters can be fantastic and highly entertaining when giving good material to work with. 

[tennisgurl]

I really felt bad for Mary, losing her church really did isolate her. It wasn't "just" church, it was almost her entire social circle and community, and now its all gone. I hope that she keeps hanging out with Brenda's friends, they seem nice and they all seemed to hit it off. 

I liked Georgie's story and I am glad that he ended up having a nice time with the girl he met. Not sure where this is going yet, but I am interested in seeing how it plays out. 

I think George built up that minor flirting he and Brenda did WAY too much. He and Brenda didn't even really do anything, physically or emotionally, but of course he still thinks that it must be him that Brenda. Probably a mixture of ego and paranoia, just the idea of Brenda talking to Mary about any kind of secret married boyfriend is enough to send him into panic mode, even if its clearly not him. Unless he thought that Brenda might be adding extra spice for her friends, which would also get him into hot water. 

Of all the Star Trek shows, DS9 is actually the Trek that Mary might find the most interesting, as they talk a lot about faith and religion, certainly more than in most Trek. 

[TheLastKidPicked]

Are none of us older folks going to comment on the discussion between Georgie and Mandy?

 

Georgie:  Why do you want me to date other girls?

Mandy:  I just want you to live your life.

Georgie:  Then why did you sleep with me again?

Mandy:  It was one time!

Georgie:  It was more than one time.

Mandy:  It was one night.

 

Oh, to be young again!

 

[shura]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

I think George built up that minor flirting he and Brenda did WAY too much. He and Brenda didn't even really do anything, physically or emotionally, but of course he still thinks that it must be him that Brenda. Probably a mixture of ego and paranoia, just the idea of Brenda talking to Mary about any kind of secret married boyfriend is enough to send him into panic mode, even if its clearly not him.

My impression, from the way she kept looking at Mary uncomfortably while trying to shut down the discussion, was that whatever Brenda had told her friends about her mystery man was based on George.  I don’t think they had actually done anything either, but I think they both keep thinking about one another.  It makes George uncomfortable and he tries to put it down and forget it, but Brenda just might be talking to her friends about what she is thinking.  So yes, George assumes that it’s about him - because he is thinking about her himself, not because of ego and paranoia.  And Brenda gets offended at him barging in and telling her to stop, and hits back with “pff, who do you think you are, of course it’s someone else” kind of thing.

[DoYouLikeMutton]

Finally, an episode I really enjoyed.  I wasn't creeped out by George's assertion that perhaps he was the "other" man in Brenda's life.  Rather, it made me wonder if there were a few things going on between them beyond some flirty batting of eyelashes.  I liked that some of the old story lines were circling back, as the show was becoming like a rickety train rolling off the tracks in too many directions.   

[Katy M]

On 1/13/2023 at 1:17 AM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

So Georgie finds out that his date is divorced after a year of marriage.  Did it occur to him to ask her age?  (I know he's almost 18, but still!)

that was my first thought.  And I kind of find it weird hat nobody asks.  This is an age where this is important information. When I was 21, I was working at a restaurant and this guy asked me out and asked me what I was doing on Sunday.  I said I was graduating.  He said that was early for graduation and I realized he thought I meant high school. So, before going any further, I immediately asked him how old he was and he said 19, so we were good to go.  But, I think a lot of times on TV because the actors are older than their characters, the writers simply forget.

 

21 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

My guess is that in George's mind/imagination, Brenda made the relationship seem like it was more serious and intimate than it actually was. Also, there is the male ego to consider. Of course George would assume it's him, because who else would it be? (sorry to any male readers that I may have offended.)

the thing is from the looks on Brenda's face, both with Mary and George, I think she was meaning George as her secret married boyfriend.

[kwnyc]

I don't t think it's George. I thinks he might be having booty calls with the principal. And of course, the newly-single assistant coach is out there.

[possibilities]

I want pancakes. I blame Mary.

[januaryman]

The premiere of Deep Space 9 makes it January of 1993, so we should finally get that 13th birthday episode soon. They've run Sheldon's Star Trek obsession into the ground, and the database thing isn't much better. I wish he'd take up a new activity...

[Bethany]

Just started watching and I'm already confused!  Does Mary still work at the bowling alley?  When she meets up with Brenda it seemed like she was coming into the alley after work not that she was in the alley finishing work.  Or did I just not see her coming out of an office?

[ams1001]

1 minute ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

Just started watching and I'm already confused!  Does Mary still work at the bowling alley?  When she meets up with Brenda it seemed like she was coming into the alley after work not that she was in the alley finishing work.  Or did I just not see her coming out of an office?

I was wondering the same thing...

[Bethany]

14 hours ago, Katy M said:

the thing is from the looks on Brenda's face, both with Mary and George, I think she was meaning George as her secret married boyfriend.

I think it is George but I don't think even George knew about it.  It happened fast but my impression was that the women were picking up on a few things Brenda had said in the past and putting two and two together and getting five but Brenda wasn't discouraging them from assuming she has a boyfriend.   But that said I definitely got the impression tha Brenda wants George.  If he gave her any encouragement I think she'd throw any friendly feelings she now has for Mary right out the window.

Edited January 15, 2023 by Elizabeth Anne

[Katy M]

8 hours ago, Elizabeth Anne said:

Just started watching and I'm already confused!  Does Mary still work at the bowling alley?  When she meets up with Brenda it seemed like she was coming into the alley after work not that she was in the alley finishing work.  Or did I just not see her coming out of an office?

She said she was just getting off work.

[Tattooeddancer]

I absolutely believe that George is Brenda's "secret boyfriend". She looked devastated when Mary shared that she and George are being intimate more lately. Plus the word "boyfriend" doesn't necessarily mean anything concrete happened. When my friends and I were single, any guy any of the others were into got called their "boyfriend".

I actually get where Mandy is coming from feeling wise. She can know that she and Georgie don't make sense. She can truly and sincerely want him to move on and live his life. And she can still feel sad when he does. If she starts punishing him for dating the other girl when it was her idea, then there's a problem. I like the new girl. I'm not here for Mandy and Georgie as a couple, and while we know no one he's with now is endgame, she seems like a fun pairing for him. Like others have said, I'm curious how old she is and if she's aware of Georgie's minor status.

Missy was unnecessarily bratty when Mary showed up at her school. Other than that it was nice to see Mary get out and have fun in a relatively healthy way. 

[OlderThanDirt]

I still wonder what ever happened to Brenda's daughter, the one who terrorized Sheldon. 

[ProudMary]

5 hours ago, OlderThanDirt said:

I still wonder what ever happened to Brenda's daughter, the one who terrorized Sheldon. 

She's living in Mandyville with Chuck Cunningham. 😉

[Katy M]

18 hours ago, OlderThanDirt said:

I still wonder what ever happened to Brenda's daughter, the one who terrorized Sheldon. 

The dad took her when he left.  Or slightly after he left since Brenda said something about "the kids" after that point.

[appositival]

I was bummed when I missed this episode the first time, but the writer's strike has made that mistake into a wonderful opportunity. These comments are %97.4 spoiler free.

I liked the pancake brunch at Meemaw's. The seasoned actors on this show never disappoint!

Georgie's segue to a date request was so smooth. That's how you date a woman who is practically asking for a date.

Shoulda done section:

Mary should know that Sheldon can't handle change.

George should have told Mary to try finding a group that is focused on something besides church. City hall should have handouts of recreational activities. I don't actually know how you find anything without the Internet.

Brenda should have introduced Mary as my next door neighbor. Hopefully that would have reduced the requests for bedroom blow-by-blow descriptions and airing Brenda's drip dry laundry.

Mary should have told Sheldon to let her sleep or she would wake him up at random intervals in the night and read recipes to him.

Thank you, I feel better now.

[Tom Holmberg]

On 6/9/2023 at 12:43 PM, appositival said:

I don't actually know how you find anything without the Internet.

Back then probably the local weekly paper.