Young Sheldon – Albert Einstein and the Story of Another Mary

By starrymag | March 13, 2019

By: Ujjyani Banerjee

 

 

The episode starts with adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) recollecting how back in the day, while Missy (Raegan Revord) and Georgie (Montana Jordan) idol-worshipped Cyndi Lauper and Bon Jovi respectively, Sheldon (Iain Armitage) dreamed of being Albert Einstein 2.0. That morning Sheldon decides to learn playing the violin as music helped Einstein formulate his own theories.

 

Mary (Zoe Perry) tells George (Lance Barber) that she needs to visit Connie (Annie Potts) to discuss something personal and he should take care of the twins’ lunches. She goes to Connie and reveals she might be pregnant given she’s two days late. Connie asks her not to worry, but Mary’s convinced. Connie reminds her that she was also convinced that Georgie was gonna be a girl. Mary points out that her elder son does indeed have very pretty hair.

 

At school, Sheldon approaches Ms. Fenley (Melissa Tang) to teach him how to play the violin. She lends him an old violin and a guiding video to practice at home, but also gives him a heads up that it isn’t the easiest instrument to learn. When Sheldon asks if she can play it and she says yes he gets confident that he’ll be okay, too.

 

Connie and Mary visit the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy kit. Upon recognizing the chemist to be Missys’ classmate’s dad, Mary sends her mom at the counter while she hides by an isle. Brenda (Melissa Peterman) meets Connie and is puzzled to find her buying a pregnancy kit. Connie says its for her given she now has a boyfriend and comes from a very fertile line of women. Billy (Wyatt McClure) spots Mary ducking and says hi. He asks if she’s playing hide-and-seek? Mary whisperingly affirms. Brenda overhears her boy and solves the equation with a smirk.

 

Mary is taking the test and Connie gives her company from outside the bathroom walls. She tells she’ll be there for her no matter what the outcome is and if it’s positive, George would be okay after a few beers and malt liquor. The golden minute arrives- both peer at the stick and the next second, Mary rushes to get that malt liquor.

 

Sheldon is busy practicing with help of the guide video and Missy who’d come to watch “Ducktales” on TV watches him struggle instead. This is officially her new favorite TV show. Georgie joins in on the watch party.

 

Mary goes to church to meet Pastor Jeff (Matt Hobby) to whom she reveals that she’s expecting. Jeff congratulates her loudly. Mary asks him to lower his voice as George is still unaware. Jeff asks if its his and quite puzzled Mary says yes. Jeff jokingly reveals how his small town pastor position has allowed him to learn about all the juicy stuff circling around town over the years and tells her a story about another Mary whose story is way weirder than her’s.

 

Mary gets home and is ready to reveal the news to George. She starts with the story of another Mary. In the meanwhile, Sheldon is struggling to pick up “Twinkle Twinkle” and generate scientific theories of his own. The next second George is audibly shocked. He’s shocked about the news and about others knowing about it before him. Mary tries calming him down and just then Sheldon knocks on the door. He reveals that he now knows why music worked for Einstein and not for him – he needs to become a Jewish person, simple!

 

At dinner Sheldon greets his family with a “Shalom” and wearing a pinned cap. His siblings are bemused and he tells them that it’s a Yarmulke, a traditional Jewish hat which preaches that God is always over them. Connie bursts into laughter. Mary gives her a side-eye and states that it’s not a Yarmulke and rather it’s her coaster that she crocheted at Bible camp. Mary asks George to say something, but he apparently has bigger things to worry about. After saying grace, when Sheldon asks if the hot dogs are kosher, Connie can’t control her laughter any longer!

 

The next evening George is drinking beer at the porch swing. Herschel (Billy Gardell) comes for a visit. George wonders if it’s about Sheldon’s violin practice. It turns out Herschel is actually happy because his chicken have been dropping eggs like crazy ever since the violin’s been playing. He congratulates George on the other news, but George is worried about their financials not being enough. Herschel tries cheering him up saying the fiddle playing might’ve spiked up fertility among all females, including his chickens. He goes to get George some eggs.

 

George goes to request a raise from Principal Peterson (Rex Linn). Peterson already knows and congratulates him. He then asks if he’d threaten to quit if not given a raise. George says he’d rob a bank. Peterson gives a raise of $100 a week. George thanks him and takes a leave.

 

Sheldon calls up Temple Judea in Houston and speaks to Rabbi Schneiderman (John Rubinstein) regarding his conversion. The rabbi wants to know why he wants to convert. Sheldon says as most scientists are Jewish it’s logical to make the switch. The rabbi asks how his parents feel about it. It seems they said, “Over our dead body.” After some thought, the rabbi asks him to remain himself because after his life’s over God won’t ask him as to why he wasn’t Einstein. He’d rather ask why wasn’t he Sheldon? Sheldon’s hit by the rabbi’s words.

 

George gets home to share the raise news but finds out that Mary has already lost the baby. He comforts her saying that he loved and still loves their first three and that the fourth one would’ve been a charm! Sheldon comes in to let them know that he’s dropped the idea of converting and will remain their atheist Baptist son. Finding his mom welled up he asks if she’s crying. She says yes, but that everything will be okay. Adult Sheldon remembers this day when his good deed moved his mom to tears.

 

George goes back to the principal to cancel his raise. Realizing what might’ve happened, Peterson feels sorry and refuses to take it back and asks him to keep it. George thanks him. Sheldon returns the violin back to Ms. Fenley. Judging by the very early return, she wonders if his fingers were hurting. Sheldon says he had spoken to Rabbi Schneiderman from Temple Judea in Houston and after having a discussion he has realized that he wouldn’t need it anymore.