S01.E12: A Computer, a Plastic Pony and a Case of Beer

[formerlyfreedom]

Sheldon asks for a computer and unknowingly sparks a heated argument between Mary and George Sr. over the family’s finances.

[Frost]

I enjoyed this one.  Even with the argument.  It's an interesting tone for a comedy but I think they pull it off.  I loved George at the end.  Having a 'pull' button on a washing machine is stupid!

[Driad]

In those days (I bought a computer before 1989) organizing recipes was a standard answer to "what would we do with a computer?"  Not sure anyone ever did that though.

[Tenarife60]

Was it ever said where Meemaw gets her money?  I thought she lived with Mary and George since she's always there, plus she drinks and gambles, so I didn't think she would be able to afford to live in her own house.  Usually women her age are still working if their husband is gone.  My grandmother and several aunts who were divorced or widowed were still working in their 70s.

[Spartan Girl]

Ring pops, Radio Shack, and the old Wheel of Fortune computer game. Holy crap, my childhood lives!

I guess Sheldon gets his petulance from George. I would have to see him interact with adult Sheldon. Maybe he can drop by BBT in ghost form like Jedi Proton.

The Georgie/George scenes were a hoot. Georgie's "That's racist" to George separating colored laundry from the whites cracked me up. And neither one of them could figure out the washing machine!

Not surprised Georgie gets married multiple times. Oh I so hope we get him on BBT soon...

[BlossomCulp]

10 minutes ago, Tenarife60 said:

Was it ever said where Meemaw gets her money?  I thought she lived with Mary and George since she's always there, plus she drinks and gambles, so I didn't think she would be able to afford to live in her own house.  Usually women her age are still working if their husband is gone.  My grandmother and several aunts who were divorced or widowed were still working in their 70s.

My grandmother and several great aunts never worked outside the home as the saying goes.  They would have been in their 70s when Young Sheldon is set so I don't think it's uncommon that women of that age would have been living on a pension, their husband's pension (if there was a husband) and insurance.  Probably very dependent on where you live too of course.  My family is from a small town in Nova Scotia so cost of living would have been very low comparatively speaking.

[TGinKY]

15 minutes ago, Tenarife60 said:

Was it ever said where Meemaw gets her money?  I thought she lived with Mary and George since she's always there, plus she drinks and gambles, so I didn't think she would be able to afford to live in her own house.  Usually women her age are still working if their husband is gone.  My grandmother and several aunts who were divorced or widowed were still working in their 70s.

Life insurance?

ETA: BlossomCulp beat me to it!

Edited January 19, 2018 by TGinKY

[SparklesBitch]

17 minutes ago, Spartan Girl said:

The Georgie/George scenes were a hoot. Georgie's "That's racist" to George separating colored laundry from the whites cracked me up. And neither one of them could figure out the washing machine!

They were hilarious together, and the “that’s racist!” comment cracked me up too. I also got a kick out of Georgie’s Nixon impression 

George’s comment “that’s stupid!” about the button you have to pull made me laugh because I remember having the same reaction back when I first started doing my own laundry. 

I liked this episode a lot and thought they pulled off the argument between Mary and George really well. They each got their point across, neither one of them came off looking like a complete idiot, and the end of the episode was realistic in that they were at least headed off to talk about it, but there were still clearly underlying issues....loved George calling Mary out on how much money she gives to the church while she fires right back about the money he spends on beer.

I love how feisty Mary is, with her secret money and her absolute certainty that she could live independently of George. Also, her telling off the salesman who was trying to push the computer on them. Go, girl! 

I thought Meemaw was great as always, and her mentioning to Mary that she still has an active love life in the same bed they were sharing made me laugh out loud. And Mary’s reaction was perfect too. 

And, not to let Missy go without a mention, her comment on getting a 10 cent ring pop. “I’m worth every penny!” Lol! They hit pay dirt with that little actress, she’s just so good! 

Edited January 19, 2018 by SparklesBitch
Typo!

[mojoween]

Everything Missy said was gold tonight.  I loved how she wound Georgie up about the girl on the phone and then was like “it was months ago” and then later when she called him just to bother him.

Do we know how old Georgie is?  Because Sheldon said Georgie had his first marriage at 19 and never paid their dad, but I thought George died when Sheldon is 13, which would mean Georgie would have to be 15 or older, right?  To have their dad be alive when Georgie was married first?

It will be interesting how long this series goes with how hamstrung they will be about stuff like that, or with Sheldon going to university in Germany.

[chocolatine]

8MB hard drive, 5.25-inch floppy disk, and ELIZA! I get such a kick out of 80s computer references.

I'm glad that Missy and Georgie also get to have fun with the computer and it wasn't just a $1000 gift for Sheldon.

I think the show is doing a great job of subtly showing the cracks starting to form in Mary and George's marriage. Even though they made up this time, the problems like George's drinking are still there.

11 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Do we know how old Georgie is?  Because Sheldon said Georgie had his first marriage at 19 and never paid their dad, but I thought George died when Sheldon is 13, which would mean Georgie would have to be 15 or older, right?  To have their dad be alive when Georgie was married first?

I think they said in the premiere that he's 14, so he's five years older than Sheldon and Missy. Sheldon was 14 when George died, so Georgie would have been 19. Perhaps Georgie got married shortly before George died, so George didn't have the chance to call in the bet.

Edited January 19, 2018 by chocolatine

[BlossomCulp]

8 minutes ago, mojoween said:

but I thought George died when Sheldon is 13

I wouldn't be surprised if at least one episode says this but in a recent older episode of BBT that I saw Sheldon talks about how he was 15 and a visiting professor in Germany when his mother had to go back to Texas to help their father with the house.  

[chocolatine]

2 minutes ago, BlossomCulp said:

I wouldn't be surprised if at least one episode says this but in a recent older episode of BBT that I saw Sheldon talks about how he was 15 and a visiting professor in Germany when his mother had to go back to Texas to help their father with the house.  

That was the only reference that said George was still alive when Sheldon was 15, and it was back in S1 of BBT. There have been multiple references in later seasons that George died when Sheldon was 14, so that's the canon.

[BlossomCulp]

I guess we really should go with the more recent references.  I found this quote from season 7:

Mr. Rostenkowski: So is your dad still living in Texas?

Sheldon Cooper: My father died when I was fourteen.

Mr. Rostenkowski: I'm sorry to hear that.

Sheldon Cooper: So was the guy who ran the liquor store. He cried and cried.

So the show either has to change a lot of what we've learned about the Cooper family or a lot of bad stuff is going to start happening soon.

Edited January 19, 2018 by BlossomCulp

[chocolatine]

14 minutes ago, BlossomCulp said:

I guess we really should go with the more recent references.  I found this quote from season 7:

Mr. Rostenkowski: So is your dad still living in Texas?

Sheldon Cooper: My father died when I was fourteen.

Mr. Rostenkowski: I'm sorry to hear that.

Sheldon Cooper: So was the guy who ran the liquor store. He cried and cried.

Yes, I was thinking of that scene, and also the one in S8 when Howard's mother dies - Sheldon mentions again that he lost his father at 14.

14 minutes ago, BlossomCulp said:

So the show either has to change a lot of what we've learned about the Cooper family or a lot of bad stuff is going to start happening soon.

Well, George is already spending nearly $1000/year on beer. Maybe he buys it at the liquor store?

Edited January 19, 2018 by chocolatine

[anna0852]

I belive that Georgie is about 5 years older than the twins. So he's about 14-15 now. If they get creative with the dates George would be around for the first marriage but would probably pass shortly after.

[aemom]

I had that same Wheel of Fortune game! And I hadn't thought about it in years, so it was a nice trip down memory lane.  But I never had a Tandy, so I never had Eliza.

This was a good episode and I really liked the interactions between everyone. 

[AnnaRose]

2 hours ago, Tenarife60 said:

Was it ever said where Meemaw gets her money?

 

1 hour ago, TGinKY said:

Life insurance?

That would be my guess.  She did mention that her husband died of a heart attack, "for insurance purposes".

1 hour ago, SparklesBitch said:

They were hilarious together, and the “that’s racist!” comment cracked me up too. I also got a kick out of Georgie’s Nixon impression 

George’s comment “that’s stupid!” about the button you have to pull made me laugh because I remember having the same reaction back when I first started doing my own laundry. 

I liked this episode a lot and thought they pulled off the argument between Mary and George really well. They each got their point across, neither one of them came off looking like a complete idiot, and the end of the episode was realistic in that they were at least headed off to talk about it, but there were still clearly underlying issues....loved George calling Mary out on how much money she gives to the church while she fires right back about the money he spends on beer.

I love how feisty Mary is, with her secret money and her absolute certainty that she could live independently of George. Also, her telling off the salesman who was trying to push the computer on them. Go, girl! 

I thought Meemaw was great as always, and her mentioning to Mary that she still has an active love life in the same bed they were sharing made me laugh out loud. And Mary’s reaction was perfect too. 

And, not to let Missy go without a mention, her comment on getting a 10 cent ring pop. “I’m worth every penny!” Lol! They hit pay dirt with that little actress, she’s just so good! 

I loved all of that too, and I agree... Missy is terrific!

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

Everything Missy said was gold tonight.  I loved how she wound Georgie up about the girl on the phone and then was like “it was months ago” and then later when she called him just to bother him.

Do we know how old Georgie is?  Because Sheldon said Georgie had his first marriage at 19 and never paid their dad, but I thought George died when Sheldon is 13, which would mean Georgie would have to be 15 or older, right?  To have their dad be alive when Georgie was married first?

It will be interesting how long this series goes with how hamstrung they will be about stuff like that, or with Sheldon going to university in Germany.

In the episode in which Georgie drives them to the hospital, they specifically mention that he is fourteen.  I don't know when his birthday is supposed to be though.  I hope they don't stick to the BBT cannon too strictly.

1 hour ago, chocolatine said:

I think they said in the premiere that he's 14, so he's five years older than Sheldon and Missy. Sheldon was 14 when George died, so Georgie would have been 19. Perhaps Georgie got married shortly before George died, so George didn't have the chance to call in the bet.

Unless Georgie didn't pay his father $1,000 because he died around that time, and Sheldon just failed to mention that part in the voice-over.

[chocolatine]

1 minute ago, AnnaRose said:

1 hour ago, chocolatine said:

I think they said in the premiere that he's 14, so he's five years older than Sheldon and Missy. Sheldon was 14 when George died, so Georgie would have been 19. Perhaps Georgie got married shortly before George died, so George didn't have the chance to call in the bet.

Unless Georgie didn't pay his father $1,000 because he died around that time, and Sheldon just failed to mention that part in the voice-over.

Right, that's what I meant. I think the show is making a conscious choice not to have voice-over Sheldon explicitly mention George's death very often. They know we know the timeline.

[AnnaRose]

I wouldn't have known the timeline if I didn't read posts here.  And I've been a BBT fan since the pilot.  I just don't remember details that specifically, even for shows I really like.

[Bobbin]

Montana Jordan is 14, 15 in March, so George, Jr., is likely the same age. And acts like a bratty 14-15 year old.

I haven't used our clothes washer in years (they no longer make the parts), but I just remembered that the knob is a kind of ring that you pull to start it. If the knob didn't have a hole through it, I never would have remembered how to turn it on. The logic is that you push the knob to stop the machine, like a kill-switch.

Instruction manuals for programming home computers these days suggest organizing music collections instead of recipes.

My grandmother was left a farm and several rental properties by my grandfather, so she always had a comfortable, steady income and managed it well.

Edited January 19, 2018 by Bobbin
Added "bratty".

[Ina123]

I don't remember us being so PC in 1989 that someone would say "caveperson" instead of "caveman". Especially in Sheldon's description of his backwoods town.

[formerlyfreedom]

Just a reminder - if you want to discuss the similarities/differences from TBBT, please do that over in TBBT vs Young Sheldon, so as not to distract from the episode discussion. Thank you!

[ProudMary]

Georgie with his head inside the dryer looking for where the water comes in cracked me up!
Also Missy calling on the phone and Georgie making a beeline for it.  "Did you run to the phone?  Do you feel stupid?"  I love her!

I'm really enjoying Young Sheldon on its own merits.  I honestly don't care what jives with TBBT canon or doesn't.  (And I do watch TBBT.)

[Jacks-Son]

Damn, I LOVE this show. It's almost perfect. The casting is awesome. Sheldon's Mom is Hot, (my age, don't freak). Meemaw is ideal and even Missy is funny as Hell. Not a fan of Georgie, Jr. but I guess for his situation, he's got a reason to always be pissed and grumble about Sheldon. Dad is a perfect casting also. This show hits all the right notes and even my kids who think TBBT is lame, enjoy "Young Sheldon". Forgot to say, the casting of Iain Armitage could not have been more perfect. The actor is perfect for the role; does an outstanding job and has a bright future.

Edited January 19, 2018 by Jacks-Son

[ItCouldBeWorse]

7 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I'm glad that Missy and Georgie also get to have fun with the computer and it wasn't just a $1000 gift for Sheldon.

Since the computer is set up on the dining table, I wonder where they are eating dinner.  It would be a big pain to move the computer each night.

Mary really isn't close to Georgie, is she. While it may have made sense to leave him home with his father, she didn't appear to call him, check on him or worry about him.  After all, she could have easily made a 3rd lunch and sent it to school for him with Sheldon.

[Chit Chat]

9 hours ago, chocolatine said:

I think the show is doing a great job of subtly showing the cracks starting to form in Mary and George's marriage. Even though they made up this time, the problems like George's drinking are still there.

Mary does tend to give into what Sheldon wants, and I can see where that can be a problem.  I don't mind that Mary has her own little stash of money, but she and MeeMaw were determined that Sheldon would have that computer despite George's concerns.  That can drive a wedge between a couple pretty quickly.  It's not good for Mary and MeeMaw to make George out as the "bad guy" because he won't indulge Sheldon's wants.  

I loved seeing MeeMaw at the end of the show trying to figure out what the mouse was for.  "Hello?"  "Hello" as she holds it up to her ear! 

[BlossomCulp]

I can see not wanting to indulge children but I can also see with a child like Sheldon that getting a computer isn't really a frill.  He has few friends and very little in common with kids his own age.  He needs to be challenged a lot more than high school can offer.  The show doesn't dwell on it but I can imagine living with a "genius" can be exhausting to say the least.  Providing Sheldon with an outlet where he can work off some of that excessive mental ability can only benefit the family I would think and is a much better use of money than a $1000 in beer for Dad!

[sigmaforce86]

I loved the washing machine button gag..................At my house we also have to flip a valve on the pipe behind the washing machine to get the water going to the machine - and that valve moves up for off and down for on, exactly the opposite of a regular faucet handle.  Do manufacturers do this on purpose, push is pull, off is on and light and dark sorting doesn't always mean just color (unless you're using bleach).

Nice connection to the two series; we see the beginning of the "mortal enemy list" floppy disk that Sheldon used (until Big Bang S5E5 when it finally failed:  "whoever was in charge of quality control at the Verbatim Corporation in 1989, congratulations, you just made the list.")

I thought this was one of the funnier episodes - and loved the call backs to popular items of the time, ring pops, the entire Radio Shack set up, even the commercial they pulled out of who knows which archive.  It did make me wonder what the kids think of it -  did Reagan like the ring pop and had she seen one before and did they have to explain to Montana how to do the peace signs and head shake and why he was doing it?  (also that whole presidents/precedence joke was a good one).  

[mojoween]

Another thing I forgot was when George said “I’m not in the mood” for their once a week his plop down onto his pillow was perfect.  Makes me wonder how many takes they did or if he nailed it the first time.

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, sigmaforce86 said:

Nice connection to the two series; we see the beginning of the "mortal enemy list" floppy disk that Sheldon used (until Big Bang S5E5 when it finally failed: 

Here's Sheldon's list of enemies thus far:  Georgie Cooper (passed wind on my head); Billy Sparks (threw his chicken at me); Matilda Sparks (mean chicken); Dr. Ronald Hodges (pompous NASA scientist); Dr. Karl Eberland (clumsy tetanus shot).

 

1 hour ago, BlossomCulp said:

Providing Sheldon with an outlet where he can work off some of that excessive mental ability can only benefit the family I would think and is a much better use of money than a $1000 in beer for Dad!

I think it sets a bad "president" (precedent) though.  Just because Sheldon asks for something doesn't mean that his Mom should run out and buy it that second.   Mr. Chat and I put on a united front when dealing with our son, but on matters like this, I would gently persuade Mr. Chat over a period of time of the need for such an expensive item without making him feel like I totally ignored his feelings on the matter.  In my case it's better not to force an issue, but to nudge my spouse nicely towards the end goal!  He just has to think about things for awhile before jumping in feet first.  Mary could've set a better example by simply explaining to Sheldon that although they can't afford the computer now, she would find a way to possibly get him one at a later time.  After all, Sheldon does their taxes.  He knows the score!  And yes, George could cut back on the beer, but I don't think he has to give it up completely.  

[anna0852]

Mary is far too over-indulgent of Sheldon. George quite rightly pointed out that their finances did not allow for a computer. Using her emergency savings on that was probably a poor choice. And reinforces to Sheldon that if he begs long enough, he gets something. I'm sure Leonard and Penny are deeply appreciative of Mary teaching him that habit.

I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for Georgie. He really does seem to be getting the short end of the stick.

[BlossomCulp]

I guess I see it differently.  To me Sheldon is somewhat akin to a special needs kid.  There are things you do for a child like that that you aren't going to do typically.  Of course that doesn't mean there isn't going to be some resentment on the part of the other kids in the family.  Anyway the other kids will benefit from the computer too if they want to - putting it on the dining room table underlines to me that it is not meant exclusively for Sheldon's use.

29 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

  Mr. Chat and I put on a united front when dealing with our son, but on matters like this, I would gently persuade Mr. Chat over a period of time of the need for such an expensive item without making him feel like I totally ignored his feelings on the matter.  In my case it's better not to force an issue, but to nudge my spouse nicely towards the end goal! 

I completely agree with you but within the limitations of a sitcom I can see where they are going to go for fast, funny and argumentative over a calm and measured approach.

[SmithW6079]

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

Mary is far too over-indulgent of Sheldon. George quite rightly pointed out that their finances did not allow for a computer. Using her emergency savings on that was probably a poor choice. And reinforces to Sheldon that if he begs long enough, he gets something. I'm sure Leonard and Penny are deeply appreciative of Mary teaching him that habit.

I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for Georgie. He really does seem to be getting the short end of the stick.

Yes! We see the genesis of Sheldon's self-centeredness and selfishness. Despite Mary's "I don't take guff from Sheldon" in "The Big Bang Theory," here she gives into Sheldon's every whim.

I hate the way they all treat Georgie and make him the butt of their jokes. It's not funny. No wonder he got married at 19, probably to the first woman who was kind to him. No doubt he wanted to get away from the emotional abuse of his childhood.

[BlossomCulp]

28 minutes ago, SmithW6079 said:

I hate the way they all treat Georgie and make him the butt of their jokes.

It's real life though.  My big concern with this show was that they would sugarcoat Sheldon's childhood, a childhood he described as "hell" on more than one occasion.  I can see why they are going easy on the alcoholism and the fighting between the parents but I guess to make up for that they've got MeeMaw being mean to George and Georgie and Georgie being the Leonard of the family.  Although to be fair I think young Georgie is a bit of a jerk so my sympathy is limited - again real life.

Edited January 19, 2018 by BlossomCulp

[Chit Chat]

1 hour ago, BlossomCulp said:

I guess I see it differently.  To me Sheldon is somewhat akin to a special needs kid.  There are things you do for a child like that that you aren't going to do typically.  Of course that doesn't mean there isn't going to be some resentment on the part of the other kids in the family. 

I respect your opinion, but Sheldon isn't a special needs child.  He's one with a high IQ that needs to learn to live and interact with the people around him whom he deems to be of lesser intelligence.  Caving into his demands doesn't help him.  He has to be taught that just as his sister and brother don't get everything they want, he's no different.   A computer is a worthwhile thing to have, but he really needs to learn to have to work for something and not have it immediately handed to him, especially at the expense of his parent's marriage. 

 

2 minutes ago, BlossomCulp said:

Although to be fair I think young Georgie is a bit of a jerk so my sympathy is limited - again real life.

I agree.  He seems to have no interest in education or helping himself, so it's hard to feel sorry for somebody who won't at least make an effort towards self-improvement.  

[Runningwild]

11 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

I respect your opinion, but Sheldon isn't a special needs child.  He's one with a high IQ that needs to learn to live and interact with the people around him whom he deems to be of lesser intelligence.  Caving into his demands doesn't help him.  He has to be taught that just as his sister and brother don't get everything they want, he's no different.   A computer is a worthwhile thing to have, but he really needs to learn to have to work for something and not have it immediately handed to him, especially at the expense of his parent's marriage. 

I see Sheldon as special needs. He needs more mental stimulation than his current environment can provide. Plus there is some sort of disorder- whether he’s OCD or on the spectrum. I remember feeling so bad for him in the pilot when his father hid his bow tie. 

Loved this episode. We played Wheel Of Fortune endlessly. And Where In the World is Carmen Sandiego. The writing is very funny and all of the actors are spot on. 

[AnnaRose]

I remember the NASA episode in which Sheldon wanted a computer and wanted to go to Radio Shack, and not only did Mary not give in to him, she also punished him.  Posters here thought she was way too hard on him.  Dang it's hard being a mother!

[anna0852]

I certainly don't think Georgie is a very pleasant person but I do wonder how much of that is a simple response to growing up with Sheldon. We've already seen that the young Sheldon doesn't hesitate to say what he thinks and that he thinks his brother is stupid. I'd imagine Georgie's been hearing that from him since he could talk and therefore doesn't like his brother that much. Couple that with Sheldon taking up an enormous amount of his parents time and energy and you end up with a kid who acts out to get attention.

I think George and Mary are doing the best that they can but that the biggest mistake they've made overall with Sheldon is not figuratively beating it into his head that Sheldon being advanced does *not* equal other people being stupid. If Georgie and Missy are performing at grade level, then they are right where they should be. Sheldon being ahead of his age group doesn't make his peers behind. Having watched both the adult Sheldon and what we've seen so far of the young Sheldon I don't think this is a lesson he ever effectively learned. And it contributed greatly to his abrasive personality.

Edited January 19, 2018 by anna0852

[BlossomCulp]

Parents have only so much power to change the basic personality of their kids.  Sheldon is an excellent example of that IMO.  As Mary says on BBT "Now you listen here, I have been telling you since you were four years old, it’s okay to be smarter than everybody but you can’t go around pointing it out."  

[OtterMommy]

16 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I guess Sheldon gets his petulance from George. I would have to see him interact with adult Sheldon. Maybe he can drop by BBT in ghost form like Jedi Proton.

He probably can't, since the actor previously played another role on TBBT.  

So, we had that same computer when I was a kid...I think we even got it from Radio Shack!

I enjoyed this episode and I like the fact that it isn't afraid to go a little deeper than most sit coms.  Sheldon is normally the least interesting character on this show for me, but I really liked how we could see the effect his parents' separation was having on him...and I felt that it was handled in a way that was realistic for someone like Sheldon. 

I don't know why, but George and Mary calling their sex life their "once a week" made me snort.

[LoneHaranguer]

14 hours ago, Bobbin said:

I haven't used our clothes washer in years (they no longer make the parts), but I just remembered that the knob is a kind of ring that you pull to start it. If the knob didn't have a hole through it, I never would have remembered how to turn it on. The logic is that you push the knob to stop the machine, like a kill-switch.

Having to pull the knob to start the machine was also considered a safety thing in that you couldn't accidentally turn it on by hitting it with something like a laundry basket. I think they all rely on a door interlock these days, so nothing moves when it's open.

[meep.meep]

Maybe mine is just old, but I still have to pull it out to start the machine.  And I can certainly open up the lid while it is running.  But mine opens on the top.

The joke was that the two guys were so clueless about a very simple bit of housework.  Mary takes too good care of everyone.

[Chit Chat]

3 hours ago, anna0852 said:

I certainly don't think Georgie is a very pleasant person but I do wonder how much of that is a simple response to growing up with Sheldon. We've already seen that the young Sheldon doesn't hesitate to say what he thinks and that he thinks his brother is stupid. I'd imagine Georgie's been hearing that from him since he could talk and therefore doesn't like his brother that much

I think part of Georgie's attitude is from being a teenager.  I remember when my brother had all of that angst in him.  I think everybody is a pain in the ass to Georgie given his age!  It doesn't help to have a brother like Sheldon, but Georgie has shown that he's not interested in learning anything, even when Sheldon tried to help him.  

[Gummo]

I was all set to HATE this show. I was sure it was going to be the 21st century After-MASH.

Instead (he said sheepishly) I'm loving it.

The writing and acting are just so good. The characters are funny & believable. Georgie and Missy are written as real kids, which is harder than it looks.

And Annie Potts. Need I say more?

I surrender, I surrender!

[Jacks-Son]

8 hours ago, mojoween said:

Another thing I forgot was when George said “I’m not in the mood” for their once a week his plop down onto his pillow was perfect.  Makes me wonder how many takes they did or if he nailed it the first time.

I liked how Mary teased him by pretending to want the "once a week" only to turn HIM down.

[CherryAmes]

44 minutes ago, ChitChat said:

I think part of Georgie's attitude is from being a teenager. 

That's a good point. I wonder if other viewers are like me and keep thinking Georgie is younger than his actual age.  I'm just not around teens much right now - mainly hanging out with the toddler set - and to me Georgie looks about 11 or 12.  I know the actor actually is 14 so it's not like they are having a younger kid play someone older.  Anyway when I see Georgie I'm not thinking teenager!

[Magnumfangirl]

3 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

Sheldon is normally the least interesting character on this show for me,

Me too.  Missy and Georgie are stealing the show!  They're hilarious.   I like the show better than TBBT, but Young Sheldon's version of Sheldon is not funny.  He just stands around looking bewildered at everyone's reactions to him.

[madpsych78]

7 hours ago, ChitChat said:

Here's Sheldon's list of enemies thus far:  Georgie Cooper (passed wind on my head); Billy Sparks (threw his chicken at me); Matilda Sparks (mean chicken); Dr. Ronald Hodges (pompous NASA scientist); Dr. Karl Eberland (clumsy tetanus shot).

Maybe if Young Sheldon makes it to season 3 or 4 we'll get a first mention of Wil Wheaton!

Another late 1980s reference...Missy has a New Kids poster over her bed!!!

[OtterMommy]

1 minute ago, Magnumfangirl said:

Me too.  Missy and Georgie are stealing the show!  They're hilarious.   I like the show better than TBBT, but Young Sheldon's version of Sheldon is not funny.  He just stands around looking bewildered at everyone's reactions to him.

I don't think Sheldon is supposed to be funny in this show and, frankly, I think his whole job is to be bewildered at his family.  I said before the show started that I hoped Sheldon would be the hook, but the family would be the story...and I think that is what is coming to pass.

[SparklesBitch]

8 hours ago, mojoween said:

Another thing I forgot was when George said “I’m not in the mood” for their once a week his plop down onto his pillow was perfect.  Makes me wonder how many takes they did or if he nailed it the first time.

Yes, if that was the first take, I’m impressed. It cracked me up. 

4 hours ago, AnnaRose said:

I remember the NASA episode in which Sheldon wanted a computer and wanted to go to Radio Shack, and not only did Mary not give in to him, she also punished him.  Posters here thought she was way too hard on him.  Dang it's hard being a mother!

Definitely! Poor Mary is going to be judged no matter what she does.....it’s funny to me how nobody seems to say nearly as much about George’s parenting skills. Personally, I think they’re doing the best they can. I think that’s part of the reason I like this show so much....all the interactions between parent and child strike me as very realistic. 

34 minutes ago, Jacks-Son said:

I liked how Mary teased him by pretending to want the "once a week" only to turn HIM down.

Me too!! I don’t remember what she said exactly anymore, but there was enough of a pout in her voice that he believed she was still interested and then she flipped it so quickly....said ”No!” and looked all exasperated. It just hit me as being super real. Lol!