Young Sheldon Recap: The Cooper Family Begins to Fall Apart
Family drama had everyone on edge during Thursday’s Young Sheldon — an especially tense half-hour that saw George walk out on Mary after a heated exchange about her relationship with Rob.
Mary’s feelings for the youth pastor had become painfully obvious to her husband, who was none too pleased to discover that the holy man paid her a home visit after the church shunned their entire family. Mary insisted that she and Rob were just praying, and they were, but anyone who witnessed that awkward moment after Rob concluded his prayer could tell you that there’s something brewing between those two. Just ask Missy!
George had had enough. He made a beeline for the back door — and when Mary tried to stop him, saying that she’d made dinner, George turned around and suggested that Rob come by and eat it.
Almost as soon as George slammed the door behind him, Mary received a call from President Hagemeyer. She didn’t want to intervene in family matters, but Sheldon had asked for her help. She also inferred that he wouldn’t have done so if Mary had a handle on things at home. That’s when Mary unloaded on her.
“Are you saying that I’m not doing a good job as his mother? Because I am doing the best that I can to hold this family together, and I am tired of people blaming me,” she cried. “I have half a mind to get in my car and drive until I run out of road, then start my life over again with a different name.”
Mary hung up, then Missy, who overheard both her parents’ spat and Mary’s phone call, came out to console Mom.
Poor Missy also had a rough couple days. She’d punched a boy in Sunday school after he referred to the Cooper clan as white trash, then skipped out on middle school to escape the endless parade of whispers regarding older brother Georgie, who made her promise that she wouldn’t punch anyone else.
Mandy, meanwhile, was shunned by her parents after she told them she was pregnant — and that was before she got the chance to tell them that the father was 17 years old. Connie accompanied her to her first OB-GYN appointment and offered to cover her medical expenses. As for the father-to-be, he confronted Mandy in the waiting room and pleaded with her to let him be a part of this journey. She told Georgie he could stay, but had Connie accompany her when she went in to see the doctor.
What did you think of Young Sheldon Season 5, Episode 21: “White Trash, Holy Rollers and Punching People”? Drop a comment with your full review.
This was the most depressing episode I’ve ever seen of any so-called situation comedy in 50 years. I don’t know why the writers and producers created this out-of-wedlock pregnancy story line. If there is light at the end of the tunnel I won’t be around to watch it.
It was never a sitcom. A sitcom was like Big Bang Theory. Young Sheldon always fell on the dramedy side of things like The Wonder Years.
No, Young Sheldon did NOT ”always fall on the dramedy side”. Are you kidding? It was a feel-good family show for first couple of seasons. It didn’t really become dramedy until later in the show (last couple seasons maybe?).
True!
Grow up! If you want a feel good story, try watching reruns of Happy Days or Laverne and Shirley! You won’t be missed.
True, but they are simply following the story lines that were introduced in Big Bang.
The most realistic episode thus far. Removed Sheldon from the center of the family’s problems. Liked it the most so far. Had almost given up on this show. Now it is interesting.
I agree. The writers have ruined this story line about was a nice family.
I’m gone.
This could be any family in America except we all don’t have a Sheldon
this is how it was in the original show. this prequel makes TBBT. shut up and accept
Guess you don’t watch the Conners on ABC? lol
1 agree. This series is not as enjoyable. Way too much drama. There is always some drama, but, this went overboard. Don’t think I want to know where this ends.
You didn’t follow BBT much then
This follows his storyline right down the road.
Pretty clear YOU’RE the one that doesn’t follow Big Bang Theory, because if you did you would know that when Young Sheldon first started the writers were asked about Sheldon’s statements about this father during the Big Bang Theory and they hand waved the concern, saying “oh well you know Sheldon was young when he witnessed whatever it was and it’s possible he saw something and misunderstood”
Yep. And judging by his appearance, Sheldon should be closing in on age 14 when Big Bang said Dad would have the fatal coronary. Georgie’s backstory as a tire sales tycoon on BB has also been set up in a previous Young Sheldon episode.
Anyone who watched Big Bang knew something of Sheldon’s backstory so the dissolution of the family should come as no surprise. To paraphrase Superchicken “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it “.
This is landmark for a situation comedy , reminiscent in a way of PBS reality’ series “The Loud Family” in the 70’s.
More than a few of the dissatisfied viewers are likely ones who watched Honey BooBoo , Real House wives, etc and other trash “reality” shows.
I agree—they went in left field with this storyline—but remember, Sheldon is no longer this cute kid—I’m waiting on a story for Missy
Wow how simple minded. These are problems of family. It’s called reality and shows how different members deal with it. All sitcoms are based in reality to make it relatable. Great show for a spun off.
Buh bye, then! Stay in your 1940s bubble where you can happily believe that no female ever faced an out-of-wedlock *gasp* pregnancy! What a downer you seem like, Karen…
The writers are following the story laid out in Big Bang Theory. If you don’t like it, don’t watch. No one really cares about your butthurt feelings snowflake.
You wont be missed. This is the real world. Your “leave it to beaver” world never existed.
Great move.
Add some reality to the show about what life is like on the outside.
I disagree. It portrays real life and how it can at times be a struggle. Hopefully this will help others possibly dealing with the same
Because I definitely look to comedy television for a portrayal of real life.
Reruns of I Love Lucy are down the hall and to the right.
Mary needs to get it through her close minded head that she is the problem, if she’d stop pushing her beliefs on the entire family, maybe they wouldn’t be walking out on her.
Or maybe her family should listen to her. :)
Harrison So you imply the whole family should just bend to her will and adapt their personal religious/spiritual beliefs to her wishes? That’s what you imply? Freedom of choise is not a thing for you, apparently? They should listen to her as their Mom but they should not change their personalities for her.
I agree, she needs to back off, the more she insists on being all churchy, the more the family will withdraw from her.
Like in real life. Religion is dead…thank God!
It is hysterical to me that Lorre chose to let us see the hypocrisy of so-called “Christians”
Kicking them out of the church and firing Mary?? That’s funny to me.
I’m glad Mary is having such a difficult time with everybody. Her normal family is a charade and the dingus who messed everything up isn’t even aware that he did it. What’s more, religion isn’t even something he’s concerned with at all.
Never mind that his mom is close to having a nervous breakdown.
This show is excellent. I’m sad that the father has to die
The rest of the family doesn’t deserve Missy.
Love Missy too. She really shone in this episode. As did Zoe Perry and Annie Potts, but then they always do.
She really is wonderful..the show is extremely well written and Her charcter is perfect for her ability…folks , this is writing at it’s best..enjoy it before they Age Out
I thoroughly enjoyed this show tonight. I thought all the drama was well earned, expertly paced throughout the season leading up to this. More dramedy than sit-com tonight, all the characters were reacting to things not going well for them in ways that were consistent with who they were. Not a ham-fisted soapy take on things, closer to real people doing real things.
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Loved mee-maw more, felt bad for Mary and thought her church a despicable callous hypocritical place, understood George, thought Georgie showed a little growth, wanted Missy to not have to go through this, and thought Sheldon was just as much a dork as ever.
It was a great half hour. It made you laugh and cry. Missy comforting her mother at the end was one of this show’s best moments.
You nailed it! In the last episode Missy said, ” We laughed, we cried. It was nice.” The tension is making great entertainment. Missy’s comforting spoke volumes without words!
I don’t feel bad for Mary because she needed this to happen. She admitted that she would have judged another family if this happened to them. This is what happens when you don’t practice what you preach. Maybe this will help her lighten up.
Churches NEVER practice what they preach. They are the root of all hate in the world.
Let’s evolve beyond belief. This series is very well written and acted. It’s very true to real life in so many ways. It deserves to be renewed for another two years.
The best part of the episode is Mary realizing that she would absolutely be freezing out any other member of the community if the show was on the other foot. For all preachy BS, she is no better than the people currently betraying her. Yet she remains just as preachy when she is the one having sex out of wedlock. Mary is the kind of religious person who gives religion a bad name.
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Mandy freezing out Jr is silly. If she is broke and her parents aren’t helping her she shouldn’t shun one of the only people trying to. Between medical bills and the cost of lifestyle changes pregnancy is not cheap. Then when the baby comes she is going to need even more help. I am not saying she should marry Jr, but she should wake up and stop shutting him out of the doctors visits.
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Mary is having an emotional affair that almost turned physical but for Missy. George should have divorced her before getting together with someone else, but he comes off looking a whole lot better if Sheldon was correct in what he saw.
It was the best and worst. It rang so true that she would be the same as those other women who are doing it to her, but did she really learn anything from it? Seemed like she leaned into the martyrdom rather than learn to be better.
And yes, she doesn’t have to marry him, and probably shouldn’t. But he’s the dad, so while he can’t make her do anything, he’s going to have some rights and responsibilities for the child whether she likes it or not. But I’m guessing she’ll come around.
Georgie’s first marriage is when he is 19, so I am guessing that they do get married not too long after the baby comes.
I haven’t seen it yet,but the story line sounds interesting .
Why does George have to die? Pull this fictional family together. Remember this is a television show it doesn’t have to explain how it ties to BBT. It’s not true life🙄
They could go the multiverse route and show a version of history where George didn’t die. That said, it would betray the premise of the show. The Sheldon who grows up would no longer be the Sheldon we know. Personally, I think his death would really shake things up. Jr stepping up and Missy acting out would both be great storylines. Also anytime Mary suffers is decent TV. She is rapidly becoming my least favorite character on any show.
They could almost pull that off with their comic book and Star Trek connections.
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Yes, most of the characters go from dumb to insufferable (except poor Missy), but Mary takes the cake. And that’s a show with Sheldon on it! but I think we learn a lot more about why Sheldon is the way he is. It’s not all medical. We always knew he was favored and spoiled, but we’re learning he was enabled because of how he makes Mary look good, where the other kids “don’t.” Though it could be argued Georgie’s successful businesses and support of the family is something to be very proud of, and really Missy for all her 2nd sibling vibe she’s been stuck with since BBT as Sheldon discredits her, even though then and now she is shown as the most emotionally developed of them all. In BBT Mary was the one who sometimes put Sheldon in his place, even if they made fun when her religion went a bit too far. But now we’re seeing for all the credit she received, she really wasn’t a good mom, just really self centered. She neglects two of her children and let’s the other get away with things that feeds his personality disorder.
George is the least interesting character on the show. Other than when he stood up for Missy to play baseball he’s done diddly squat.
Here’s what I see..George looks at Missy as Mary WAS before her “biblical conversion” Look at Memaw..then Missy ..Mary is a beautiful/nice figure PRUDE….maybe cutting George off led to His drinking /loss of motivation and weight…then again ..Georgie is George ain’t He..horndawg
Love your thinking Bobbie.
Mary seems to be getting worse and worse. She is so smug and pious, and it looks like she always puts her religion before the needs of her family. I actually laughed when her beloved church shunned her and her precious Pastor Jeff put her on leave.
I’ve always felt sorry for George who just trudges along, trying to support his family, while dealing with a hyper-religious, Professional Martyr wife.
It’s nice that Georgie is taking his responsibilities seriously. And Missy is far more mature than her silly mother!! Sheldon lives in his usual Useless Sheldon Bubble – but that’s what he is supposed to do.
I am looking forward to the finale episode.
The writers have gone dark and I am now gone.
don’t feel bad for George at all, he has been having an emotional affair with Brenda Sparks….
and lets not forget Billy Sparks standing up behind Missy right before she punched that brat in Sunday School
It was a awesome show, and I think that George was being too brash in his emotions. Also I think the people of the church should remember what jesus said which was let he who is without sin cast the first stone. 🤨
Which brings to mind a hysterical joke about Mary Magdalene being stoned in the town square. Google it.
It is a sad statement about our society that Mandy’s pregnancy with a MINOR is entertainment instead of outrage not to forget Mary’s implied romantic liason with her pastor.
Hollywood is pure garbage and moral decay passing for acceptable behavior these days
Jr is under 18 but as others have pointed out the age of consent is 17 in Texas at that time. While it is true he is a minor, it isn’t statutory rape. Also worth noting that he lied to her and claimed to be 21. Whether she was in fact 25 (the age she claimed to be when they met,) or 29 (her actual age,) makes very little difference. A 21 year old with a 25 or 29 year old is not a scandal. When she learned the truth she immediately broke up with him.
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Mary did not marry for love. She married because she was pregnant and that is what society said to do. The marriage was deeply unhappy so he ran to food and drink (and got fat,) and she ran to religion (and became overbearing and self righteous.) If your problem is that she would cheat on her husband with a youth pastor and not that she would cheat on her husband than I don’t know what to tell you.
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Moral decay takes many forms. Some people say homosexuality is a form of moral decay. Others say targeting homosexuals for legal discrimination and abuse in the name of religious values is moral decay. Some people say abortion is a sign of moral decay. Others say forcing woman to carry a child for 9 months without proper their consent is a sign of moral decay. After all a pregnancy has little to no positive health benefits for the mother and enormous and potentially life threatening risks. Some say divorce is amoral, others say living in unhappy and broken marriage is bad for everyone involved. Slavery was once considered moral, as was domestic violence and genocide. Before you preach about moral decay, ask yourself if televised adultery and teen pregnancy is really the last straw?
Right on, Jeff.
If you don’t like what you are watching, change the channel.
Art imitates life.
Grow up.
Very disappointed in the turn the so-called comedy has taken It has infidelity, non-protective sex, violence, dropping out of school, illegal gambling all things that are far from funny. I enjoyed the show when it concentrated on Sheldon as a boy genius and the family dealing with him as a family might. Hard to watch now
This show is starting towards being canceled with all of the drama taking place. Where did the comedy go? Really enjoyed watching the show until now.
Comedy is becoming a thing of the past because what everyone laughed at in the past is guaranteed to offend someone these days. In today’s climate Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Flip Wilson [ to my mind the 3 best stand ups ever]would be out of work thanks to Cancel Culture.
I thought that possibly the couple in the doctors waiting room was having trouble getting pregnant and – tada – found a baby they could adopt! For Georgie at 17 being able to support a mother and child is unlikely! This could be a good ending for everyone.
Missy and Grandma are the only ones with spunk!
I like that as a possible storyline.
It would be warm hearted.
This story line reminds me of How Green Was My Valley. When the congregation tries to hang a Scarlet Letter on a young woman who had a baby out of wedlock, dressing her down in church, the pastor (Walter Pidgeon) tells the congregation “I’ve spent the last few years trying to impart to you about God’s love, his charity, his forgiveness, and that judgment is his alone. I can see now that I’ve wasted my time.” (paraphasing)
That is what Pastor Rob should tell the church.
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I agree but I’m not sure Pastor Robb is quite the pastor of How Green Was My Valley.
The show was funny and a bit dark at the same time. But, what made the episode most enjoyable was the decreased focus of the Sheldon character and continuation to highlight the rest of the cast. This show is almost unwatchable when the majority of the focus is in Sheldon. Yes I know his name is in the title, but it only succeeds when it has an assemble focus. The Sheldon character wore thin on TBBT as time went on. That trend continues here.
And I agree..I wish George did not have to die. He has really been depicted as leading a fairly sad life overall. Missy rules!
Did you notice that they put Sheldon in the scene with Missy IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? He has already graduated from high school and is in college now. What was he doing there with Missy? Obviously, the writer’s thought they had to put him in “somewhere.” This error in continuity is terrible, even for a supposed “sit-com” or a “dramedy”.
That was Sunday school, not middle school. Sheldon generally stays with his age group for church things.
They were not at school in that scene. Why would Pastor Rob have been at their school? They were at Sunday school. At church.
Absolutely. They should knock off that insufferable brat, not sweet George. BBT is unwatchable to me…disjointed and stupid. But we love Meemaw and Missy and even Georgie. Keep big George. Let idot Mary run off with the pastor. As a retired teacher, I despise what a brat they let Sheldon become. I mute him & am about done with it all if they let that smartass continue to be such a jerk. Comforting to see I’m not alone…
This is what real life is about. Don’t matter how you bring your children up,they have will make up their own minds. The father and mother should not fight in front of the children. The church pastor should have see that a problem was risening in that family. He should have gone over and see what the problem was. The youth pastor is no better. Trying to have affair with a married woman. Smoking cigarettes with her. The so call Christian people, should be more understanding. Look at that pastor of that church. He went through a divorce and then got remarried. Look. how many girls get pregnant now a days and they came from a good family. Stop bringing so judgemental.
I saw most of a season of the Big Bang (on a plane) but couldn’t get into it. This series is beautifully written and acted– not just by the main cast but the supporting roles as well. Worth mentioning that a good part of the cast are children. I’m glad the writers didn’t focus on Sheldon (arguably one of the least interesting characters) and made it a family dramedy.
They are ruining the show to marry it to BBT. No longer a comedy show. Now a soap opera
I thought from the beginning that was the point of the show. If they don’t match it up to big bang theory, then why would we be watching it?
The writers must have run out of ideas. Get new writers. This has turned into a dark soap. I quit it. No longer fun.
So how many of you have watched Big Bang? Sheldon practically told every dysfunctional thing about his family and we know his father cheated and died when he was fourteen so we should not be surprised by the story lines on Sheldon. They are trying to make it the way Sheldon described it on Big Bang.
I so agree. This is a pre-quel to Big Bang and we all knew things were seriously amiss in the Cooper household.
It’s just showing happy for reacted back then the situations like this especially in the community so tight.
Most people don’t see the inner turmoil a family went through when this happens.
And how their support team they usually have fails them.
Been there with my brother saw it all it’s pretty much exactly what happened with us.
With the exception of punching somebody out in church but we did leave it
I’m sick of white trash even being said! What about black trash? Oh can’t say that. I’m waiting for white privileged to come up like it did on The Today show today.
Mary, maybe you’ll be happier watching something on GAC. Why don’t you redirect your attention there, so you can live in your little pristine white bubble?