Young Sheldon – Family Dynamics and a Red Fiero

By: Ujjyani Banerjee

The episode begins with adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) remembering his tenth grade’s not-so-favorite elective Psychology 101 and his Thanksgiving homework of observing family dynamics to arrive at a hypothesis and make a prediction. That night, George (Lance Barber) tells Mary (Zoe Perry) about a job opportunity of Speciality Team Coach at University of Tulsa. Mary who has mixed feelings about him moving to Oklahoma and starts arguing, which gets overheard by Sheldon (Iain Armitage). He tiptoes up to his room to record his observations while Missy (Raegen Revord) keeps interrupting him.

The next day John Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) thanks Mary and Connie (Annie Potts) for inviting him over to prepare dinner and says it’s better than dining solo like some loser. Connie lovingly reassures him that he’s no loser while Missy squirms witnessing the elderly PDA. Rest boys are out on road playing ball. George asks Georgie (Montana Jordan) if he’s got any emotional attachment to Medford. He says he doesn’t and would rather move to Hawaii for “Magnum P.I.” or Miami for “Golden Girls.” Sheldon, who’s making audio notes, refuses to give an opinion as he’d get biased. Sturgis joins the gang and stuns the three Coopers when he catches the ball thrown by George with laser-like speed and focus.

Later, George asks Missy if she’d miss her friends if they ever moved from Medford. She says that on the contrary that they’d miss her and she’d just make new ones. Sheldon makes a mental note.

While laying out plates, Mary informs Connie about George’s new job and asks her to bring it up at dinner stressing on how devastating it’d be for her. Connie feels “devastating” would be a bit too much and chooses “heartbroken” and it’s other Thesaurus-sourced synonyms.

At the Thanksgiving dinner, Mary starts expressing her joy on having such a wonderful family. Missy questioningly points at Dr. Sturgis. Mary adds that she’s thankful for her extended family as well. Sturgis thanks her for her nice gesture. Mary continues appreciating their home, their safe neighborhood and excellent schooling system. George shifts uneasily in his chair upon listening to her saccharine Medford praise fest. While Missy thankful for the two different Ghostbuster cartoons, Connie starts on how blessed she feels to have John in her life and to live so close to her grandkids and how heartbroken she’d be if the case were opposite. Her overacted jargoned monologue gives it away for George who smells something fishy. Sturgis thanks Connie and the Coopers for giving him a supportive family – something he was deprived of back in his childhood. Georgie is thankful for his job at the auto shop and Alyssa Milano from ‘Who’s The Boss” as she’s really hot. Sheldon keeps mum.

Coming to George, he thanks the country that provides great job prospects which always need some risk-taking and trust. This pushes Mary’s buttons who, along with Connie, start criticizing his idea. Mary declares that nobody would move anywhere and her audacity angers George. He departs the table leaving the whole family stunned. After a deadly silent dinner, Mary breaks down and Connie consoles her while Georgie tries engaging Missy’s attention to TV who’s disturbed to hear their mom cry.

Sturgis joins Sheldon outside and they discuss Sheldon’s homework. Based on his observations, Sheldon forms a hypothesis that his parents’ marriage is a zero-sum game as in what’s good for one is bad for the other. And based on his previous argument observations, George shall try reaffirming his dominance by pulling out a meaningless symbolic gesture. Sturgis, who finds it hard to believe, remains wide-eyed as George zooms up the driveway in a tomato-colored Fiero! Mary shouts at George thinking he’s gone crazy while Connie takes the kids and Sturgis to her place. After a loud fight, George stomps out driving away in his Fiero, which comes to a halt only few feet away.

The next day at school Tam (Ryan Phuong) presents his homework where he says that having observed his parents work from 6am-10pm at their family store on Thanksgiving, he’s formed a hypothesis that earning money is more important for immigrants that enjoying holidays. He has predicted that while his dad would die early due to stress that his mom would live with him constantly disapproving of his future hot, blonde American wife. Next, it’s Sheldon’s turn. He starts with the family conflict revolving around moving to Oklahoma but wells up as he reveals that he spent the night at Meemaw’s sleeping in his underwear. Embarrassed of himself, he rushes out of the class and sits shell-shocked in the backseat as Meemaw drives him home. He realizes that he’s been suppressing his emotions fearing to face the baggage that’d come along with relocation. He fears stuff smelling different in Oklahoma, his new room, new home, new classmates and new teachers. Seeing Sheldon go hyper, Connie takes him to Radioshack to calm his already assaulted olfactory senses.

George is in Oklahoma and the head coach is giving him a tour. Though the money, infrastructure and amenities are plush he doesn’t feel the positive vibe as he can’t shake his family’s displeasure off his head. He comes home at night and finds the whole family gathered at the doorway waiting for the final decision. He tells them that he turned it down the offer. When Missy asks if he’s afraid of mom, he simply says it is because he doesn’t want to move to Oklahoma.

Adult Sheldon remembers the sacrifices his father had made for his family and this way he, himself, turned out to be less compassionate as a person. George retires to his room and smiles as the family rejoices in their newly-extended stay in good ole’ Medford. And, finally, we see Connie and Sturgis playing at her place. She is throwing buns and rejoices like a kid when John catches it immediately with his famous laser-like speed and focus.

Here’s wishing the Cooper’s, their extended family and all of our readers a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!