S01.E13: A Sneeze, Detention, and Sissy Spacek

[formerlyfreedom]

Quote

When flu season hits Medford, Sheldon takes extreme measures to remain healthy.

 

[Browncoat]

Sam Houston was born in Virginia, and Jim Bowie was from Kentucky. 

[Frost]

Mee Maw rocks!  As much as I love the rest of the cast, Annie Potts rules.

[Runningwild]

“I thought I lost him at Sissy Spacek.”

 

This show cracks me up! And Iain is so adorable. 

[dizzyd]

I was waiting for Soft Kitty all episode. Good one ?

[mojoween]

A school bus is “like a mental hospital on wheels” is the most apt simile I have ever heard.

Also “enjoy this.  It’s the most athletic two minutes of my life” made me literally laugh out loud.  Watching Iain trying to run carrying that giant briefcase was an amazing visual.

Gotta go!

[SparklesBitch]

I love this show so much. I remember being worried it was going to suck, but they’ve nailed it! 

Lots of things cracked me up this episode, from Georgie playing those girls for attention to Missy drawing on Sheldon’s mask and fake coughing on him, to Meemaw’s utter delight at the whole Sheldon in the garage situation. I think my favorite joke was Sheldon’s point about taking medical advice from a doctor who smokes. 

Also, I may be a staunch atheist, but I totally melted at Mary cuddling with Sheldon on the couch and lovingly praying over him, as well as him genuinely thanking her for it because it made him feel better. Their relationship is the sweetest. Oh, and she sang Soft Kitty to him!! 

Lastly, George and Mary’s shared amused glance over dinner about Sheldon’s face mask was the best. I don’t have kids, but I imagine that some parents must do that a lot. Lol! 

Oh!! And “Saint Mary” drinking alcohol! Loved how fed up and disheveled she was after dealing with Sheldon....he really is a handful.  

[Spartan Girl]

I can relate to Sheldon's germaphobia, since it's currently flu season (and a nasty nor this year). Good timing, show!

So I guess Ridley Scott somehow ripped off Sheldon's plan to live in his garage and grow crops from his feces and turned it into The Martian? Hey, if Elon Musk already stole his research...

Aww, Soft Kitty!

[ProudMary]

Terrific episode.  This was the funniest half hour of television I have seen in a very long time!

[chocolatine]

A shoutout to Bon Jovi's Bad Medicine, R.E.M.'s It's The End Of The World As We Know It, and Soft Kitty, all in the same episode? This music lover couldn't ask for more.

I was cracking up right alongside MeeMaw at Sheldon's antics. A call-back (call-ahead?) to how much he loves her cookies.

I loved that Mary, while being super-indulgent of Sheldon, still let herself have some fun over Missy's mask artwork before she told him. 

[jewel21]

We got Soft Kitty!!!!!!!!

[NYCFree]

It was a weird symbiosis awwwww moment in my house. Because when my son was little, when his bath was over I'd sing "it's the end of the bath as we know it,...and I feel clean." So having that song appear in the same episode as the appearance of "Soft Kitty" is pretty amazing for us.

[ProudMary]

15 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

A shoutout to Bon Jovi's Bad Medicine, R.E.M.'s It's The End Of The World As We Know It, and Soft Kitty, all in the same episode? This music lover couldn't ask for more.

I was cracking up right alongside MeeMaw at Sheldon's antics. A call-back (call-ahead?) to how much he loves her cookies.

I loved that Mary, while being super-indulgent of Sheldon, still let herself have some fun over Missy's mask artwork before she told him. 

What, no love for The Clash with "Police On My Back" in what was probably the funniest scene in the episode?

[chocolatine]

4 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

What, no love for The Clash with "Police On My Back" in what was probably the funniest scene in the episode?

That one was before my time, I didn't recognize it. I'm an 80s girl (same age as Sheldon and Missy).

Edited February 2, 2018 by chocolatine

[Gothish520]

On 2/1/2018 at 10:01 PM, chocolatine said:

A shoutout to Bon Jovi's Bad Medicine, R.E.M.'s It's The End Of The World As We Know It, and Soft Kitty, all in the same episode? This music lover couldn't ask for more.

 

23 hours ago, ProudMary said:

What, no love for The Clash with "Police On My Back" in what was probably the funniest scene in the episode?

The music is always great, but it was really on-point this episode, especially Police On My Back - nice one!

This episode was just a delight. Sheldon's germaphobia is the main reason I relate to him, so a whole episode devoted to it was great.

One thing I noticed when he was walking throught the school and observing all the folks coughing and sneezing was that at least they were covering up and/or using tissue - it's surprising (and really annoying) how many people IRL cough and sneeze in public without even attempting to cover up. It's also quite gross how many people don't wash their hands after using the restroom - we germaphobes notice this stuff!

[Driad]

They couldn't cure Sheldon's germaphobia, because he still has it in BBT, but I thought they might have him write an essay on how to avoid spreading germs, and he might start a public service campaign to get people to wash hands etc.  Nowadays "they" say we are more likely to catch a cold or flu by touching a surface (e.g. doorknob) that a sick person has touched, but in 1989 most people believed breathing near a sneeze was more risky.

[AnnaRose]

My DVR cut off the end tag last night, so I finally got to see it just now on CBS.com.  Awww, Mary singing Soft Kitty to Sheldon for the first time.  So cute!!

I thought this episode was another sweet and hilarious episode.  I adore this show!

[2727]

14 hours ago, Frost said:

Mee Maw rocks! As much as I love the rest of the cast, Annie Potts rules.

It seems like the creators agree because they've been working her in much more now compared to the start of the season! And why not. Annie's Meemaw adds a needed dose of dry sarcasm as counterpoint to Mary's sweet earnestness. I like to think that's where Missy picked up her sass.

This ep may be my new my favorite (although I keep saying that every week). The bubble boy room in the garage cracked me up, as did Georgie trying to learn to chew tobacco. That was a small, throwaway scene but I appreciate more character-building for him every time we see it.

[Gothish520]

1 hour ago, Driad said:

They couldn't cure Sheldon's germaphobia, because he still has it in BBT, but I thought they might have him write an essay on how to avoid spreading germs, and he might start a public service campaign to get people to wash hands etc.  Nowadays "they" say we are more likely to catch a cold or flu by touching a surface (e.g. doorknob) that a sick person has touched, but in 1989 most people believed breathing near a sneeze was more risky.

Very true. And it's amazing how many people still believe if you go outside in the cold without bundling up properly, or with wet hair or whatever, that you will catch a cold or the flu, even though science has proven that that is not the case.

1 minute ago, 2727 said:

It seems like the creators agree because they've been working her in much more now compared to the start of the season! And why not. Annie's Meemaw adds a needed dose of dry sarcasm as counterpoint to Mary's sweet earnestness. I like to think that's where Missy picked up her sass.

This ep may be my new my favorite (although I keep saying that every week). The bubble boy room in the garage cracked me up, as did Georgie trying to learn to chew tobacco. That was a small, throwaway scene but I appreciate more character-building for him every time we see it.

Georgie and the tobacco was great.

And I swear, if Annie Potts doesn't get an Emmy nomination, I will lose it!

[anna0852]

I would have loved to have seen a scene of Sheldon's teachers celebrating his suspension. A whole week without him? They would have been over the moon. And I'm appreciating more and more that while George loves his son he is far less inclined to indulge in his socially less acceptable idiosyncrasies. He can understand that Sheldon is concerned about germs but he's not going to let him use it as a free pass to be rude to his teachers or walk out of the classroom.

[Mystery]

I love this show, but I didn't care for this episode. I don't like the whole family catering to Sheldon's whims and allowing him to become the exasperating person he is later. And he was supposed to do chores during his suspension, but he didn't. The show's been working on characters enough that we can be fairly certain that Georgie or Missy would have been required to do extra chores.

I, too, thought there'd be a scene of the teachers celebrating. 

I'd like to see MeeMaw pay some slight attention to Georgie and Missy. 

[TheLastKidPicked]

16 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Sam Houston was born in Virginia, and Jim Bowie was from Kentucky. 

Nice catch, and this is an inside joke that only 1% of the viewers will get.

It's similar to Peggy Hill (King of the Hill, also set in Texas) taking credit for things that are so absurd that they are funny:

"I mix iced tea and lemonade.  Or, as I like to call it, an Arnold Palmer".

"The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year.  I call it, 'Black Friday'".

As if she is the one who invented these expressions!  

Again, only a little jab at Texans thinking everything originated there.

[CherryAmes]

55 minutes ago, Mystery said:

I love this show, but I didn't care for this episode. I don't like the whole family catering to Sheldon's whims and allowing him to become the exasperating person he is later. And he was supposed to do chores during his suspension, but he didn't. 

I think this is actually one of the many things I love about this show. The Sheldon we meet at the beginning of BBT had to come from somewhere and it makes sense that at least part of the reason Sheldon is Sheldon is down to the way he was raised.  I think it must have been incredibly difficult for Mary and George to parent a child like Sheldon and I'm glad they are showing how challenging it was and that they clearly didn't always do things in the best way possible.  They couldn't have foreseen the consequences of what they were doing but I like that the writers (who can) are allowing us to see how it all began!

That said I do believe that there is only so much the parents could ever have done to change Sheldon.  Nature vs nurture?

[Mystery]

I forgot to say: I had the exact sweater that Mary was wearing in the principal's office and at home afterward (white, with tiny cutouts). Took me right back. 

[LoneHaranguer]

4 hours ago, Gothish520 said:

And it's amazing how many people still believe if you go outside in the cold without bundling up properly, or with wet hair or whatever, that you will catch a cold or the flu, even though science has proven that that is not the case.

But they have proven being out in the cold temporarily impairs your immune system, so even though it's actually going back inside that briefly increases your chances of getting sick, its easy to see why people drew the conclusion they did.

[Gothish520]

3 hours ago, Mystery said:

I forgot to say: I had the exact sweater that Mary was wearing in the principal's office and at home afterward (white, with tiny cutouts). Took me right back. 

I noticed that sweater and thought it was very pretty!

[Chit Chat]

19 hours ago, chocolatine said:

A call-back (call-ahead?) to how much he loves her cookies.

I completely forgot about that!  Thanks for the reminder.   Two sneezes and a plague is upon us!!  So true, actually. 

[possibilities]

In the dinner table scene, I kept wondering how was he eating dinner through the mask?

[Sarah 103]

I love that we got "Soft Kitty." That was one of the highlights of the episode. 

[Chit Chat]

On ‎2‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 1:40 PM, CherryAmes said:

That said I do believe that there is only so much the parents could ever have done to change Sheldon.  Nature vs nurture?

Isn't that exactly what Leonard's Mom discussed with future Sheldon (if I recall that conversation correctly?)  She didn't nurture her kids, and they all turned out smart.  Mary nurtured all 3 of her kids (according to Sheldon,) and while he was smart, his siblings weren't.  Whether by nurture or nature, I think Sheldon assumed he would've turned out smart!    It was an interesting little back and forth between him and Leonard's Mom.  

Mary had a disadvantage during those early years with Sheldon.  She didn't have the benefit of a computer and the internet in order to seek out other parents with kids like Sheldon.  Other than her doctor (who didn't seem to be of much help), she and George were on their own in terms of figuring out how to deal with him.  I think she should've left Sheldon in the garage.  He would've come out eventually.  I don't think he would've done well sleeping in there in a sleeping bag.  The thought of bugs and other creepy crawlies should've been enough to make him go inside.   Doing his business in the sink would've become unsanitary, so he wouldn't have lasted long, IMO!

It was a good episode though.  I was in Wal-Mart today and thought to myself that if somebody sneezes twice, it is indeed a plague!  

[mthorne]

I wonder why the opening was changed (Sheldon is scared by a tumbleweed, instead of a cow)?

[Browncoat]

I wondered if it was going to change randomly to keep us paying attention?

[Chit Chat]

3 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I wonder why the opening was changed (Sheldon is scared by a tumbleweed, instead of a cow)?

They've done that before.  Maybe it's just a change of scenery for the audience, or their way of showing us the various things he's afraid of.   As long as they don't change the song, I'm okay with it!  

ETA:  My mistake on the person quoted.  It was in response to mthorne.    As my Mom would say, 50 lashes with a wet noodle for me!

Edited February 4, 2018 by ChitChat
fix a quotation error

[Browncoat]

I wonder why that quote was attributed to me?

[mxc90]

I don't blame Sheldon for leaving the classroom. The second sneeze had me clean my TV screen with lysol.

[formerlyfreedom]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

I wonder why that quote was attributed to me?

Most likely a glitch - they're not uncommon, and they've been a bit more frequent while the developer team has been fighting the good fight after the upgrade.

[Chit Chat]

2 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I wonder why that quote was attributed to me?

I'm sorry, Browncoat.  That was my fault!  I quoted you by mistake, erased it,  then went back and copied and pasted the other quote that I meant to do the first time.  I failed to see that I didn't take your name out over the quote.   As my computer analyst son would say, it was a BCAC error:  Between Computer And Chair.  :)

[Browncoat]

No worries, @ChitChat.  I just wondered.  Y'know, while we were wondering things.  :)

[SnarkAttack]

I am hoping for more Missy sightings, I think she's great!

[libad]

Missy makes me laugh harder than I have in years.  The lines and delivery are perfect. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

On 2/2/2018 at 10:15 AM, Driad said:

They couldn't cure Sheldon's germaphobia, because he still has it in BBT, but I thought they might have him write an essay on how to avoid spreading germs, and he might start a public service campaign to get people to wash hands etc.  Nowadays "they" say we are more likely to catch a cold or flu by touching a surface (e.g. doorknob) that a sick person has touched, but in 1989 most people believed breathing near a sneeze was more risky.

I was surprised he touched the school doorknobs with his bare hands.  I know someone  who always uses a paper towel to open shared bathroom doors on the way out.

On 2/2/2018 at 2:41 PM, Mystery said:

I forgot to say: I had the exact sweater that Mary was wearing in the principal's office and at home afterward (white, with tiny cutouts). Took me right back. 

Me, too. And she's worn it before.

I was hoping they'd take Sheldon back to see the therapist who introduced him to comics.  I guess they didn't have another Pennysaver coupon.

Edited February 4, 2018 by ItCouldBeWorse

[Chit Chat]

7 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

I know someone  who always uses a paper towel to open shared bathroom doors on the way out.

I do that when in a public bathroom.  Curse those hand dryers (which are reportedly full of germs) where no paper towels are available!!  I loved the look on Sheldon's face when his teacher sneezed the second time.  Iain sure has some talent in acting out this part!  It's great that he had Jim Parsons to mentor him on the role.

[jumper sage]

On 2/1/2018 at 9:31 PM, SparklesBitch said:

I love this show so much. I remember being worried it was going to suck, but they’ve nailed it! 

Lots of things cracked me up this episode, from Georgie playing those girls for attention to Missy drawing on Sheldon’s mask and fake coughing on him, to Meemaw’s utter delight at the whole Sheldon in the garage situation. I think my favorite joke was Sheldon’s point about taking medical advice from a doctor who smokes. 

Also, I may be a staunch atheist, but I totally melted at Mary cuddling with Sheldon on the couch and lovingly praying over him, as well as him genuinely thanking her for it because it made him feel better. Their relationship is the sweetest. Oh, and she sang Soft Kitty to him!! 

Lastly, George and Mary’s shared amused glance over dinner about Sheldon’s face mask was the best. I don’t have kids, but I imagine that some parents must do that a lot. Lol! 

Oh!! And “Saint Mary” drinking alcohol! Loved how fed up and disheveled she was after dealing with Sheldon....he really is a handful.  

Everything in your post is what I was going to post.

On 2/3/2018 at 7:23 PM, mxc90 said:

I don't blame Sheldon for leaving the classroom. The second sneeze had me clean my TV screen with lysol.

I was grossed out.

On 2/2/2018 at 2:02 PM, TheLastKidPicked said:

It's similar to Peggy Hill (King of the Hill, also set in Texas) taking credit for things that are so absurd that they are funny:

TEN POINTS!  I miss King of the Hill.

[TheLastKidPicked]

On 2/1/2018 at 7:31 PM, SparklesBitch said:

Lots of things cracked me up this episode, from Georgie playing those girls for attention. . . 

And there is one of those small nuances that the show got exactly right. 

As Georgie is getting hugged by the three girls, George Sr. walks by.  He has the perfect look of, "I'm noticing what happened, but it doesn't require my getting involved so I'll just make note of it and keep walking."

If you've ever worked or volunteered at your kids' school, you know how spot on they got that scene.

[lh25]

On 2/1/2018 at 6:31 PM, SparklesBitch said:

Meemaw’s utter delight at the whole Sheldon in the garage situation.

I love how she can laugh at how absurd he can be and still totally love him.

[Gothish520]

On 2/4/2018 at 9:45 PM, ChitChat said:

I do that when in a public bathroom.  Curse those hand dryers (which are reportedly full of germs) where no paper towels are available!!  I loved the look on Sheldon's face when his teacher sneezed the second time.  Iain sure has some talent in acting out this part!  It's great that he had Jim Parsons to mentor him on the role.

If I'm determined to keep my hands clean (such as before eating) I will bring napkins from a restaurant/cafe into the bathroom with me if they have one of those hot-air dryers. Or I will use my own if I have some in my purse. 

Best bathroom I have ever used was at one of those chain restaurants: automatic flush toilets, auto hand soap, auto faucet, auto paper towel dispenser, and a door that was easy to open without touching the handle - a germaphobe's dream!

[Bobbin]

Lain/Sheldon was simply adorable in his space suit. His scrambling out of mom's grasp like a greased pig was priceless!

[catlover79]

I just watched this episode on the first season DVD tonight. It's eerie now. 😲

[voiceover]

Meemaw’s impassioned “You’re a Texan!” speech — and Sheldon’s reluctant acquiescence to it — has been a highlight of this series.  (Perfect that it was underscored by “The Yellow Rose of Texas”).  I loved it like I love the pilot ep, and “Octopus Aliens”, and Missy & George at Red Lobster.

And the parallel to Peggy Hill doesn’t work here.  Many famous people aren’t necessarily linked to their birthplaces.  Jim Bowie fought and died at the Alamo and Sam Houston was the governor of Texas.  As a Kansas native, I just accept the fact that John Brown is more linked to my state than his East Coast origins.

[mojoween]

On 6/16/2020 at 12:02 AM, catlover79 said:

I just watched this episode on the first season DVD tonight. It's eerie now. 😲

The rerun was on TBS today and when Sheldon was watching TV the news lady said that the virulent strand of flu originated in China.  Very creepy.