Since Sheldon has an early class the following day, he calls Mary from his college to ask her if he can stay the night in his dorm room. She agrees before Sheldon can persuade her further, which is unusual for her because she is overly protective of her children, especially Sheldon. She is questioned by George Sr after he notices her unusual response, but she acts as though it’s not a big deal. In fact, she makes unusual advances towards George. George Jr goes to the restaurant where Mandy works and tries to persuade her to spend time with him. He points out that Meemaw won’t be at home for a few days and that she’ll be alone in the big house. Mandy declines his offer. Sheldon is spending the night in his dorm room, and the teens there are making a lot of noise, which irritates him. Sheldon complains to the resident advisor about the chaos thereafter. The advisor appears to be high himself, and while he promises to look into the matter, he does not take Sheldon seriously. Meemaw and Dale are having a conversation in the car on their way to get the gambling machines. Dale inquires as to how she learned about the poker machines, and Meemaw responds by explaining that she knows a guy. Throughout the journey, Dale asks more questions and Meemaw tries to convince Dale that taking risks is exciting, but Dale seems worried. The following morning, Sheldon waits outside the principal’s office to voice his annoyance with the chaos in the dorms. He tells the principal about the situation in the dorms in his typical quirky way. The principal initially advises him to take his complaints to the resident advisor and to enjoy himself with the other students, but when Sheldon doesn’t agree with her, she appoints him as the resident adviser to get him to stop whining and to make him go. Mary continues making advances toward George Sr, and Missy notices both of them being different. In order to avoid the awkward situation she goes out. Sheldon goes to the dorms and tries to establish his leadership by imposing rules to stop the chaos. His orders are not well received by the students, and one of them tears up the leadership letter the principal gave him. After he pushes his rules on them by turning off the hot water supply, the students tape him to a wall. George Jr visits Meemaw’s house and attempts to spend time with Mandy there. Mandy didn’t want him to spend time with her at first but after he pushes she doesn’t make him leave. Meemaw and Dale have a conversation in the car on their way back from purchasing the gambling machines. Dale expresses regret for breaking up with her, and Meemaw presses him to admit his mistake, which he does. Following that, Meemaw and Dale realize that they are being followed and they both freak out. Meemaw and Dale enter a restaurant to escape the person following them, but they are followed there as well. The man following sits with them and asks for money in exchange for not reporting the illegal gambling machines to the police. Meemaw excuses herself to use the restroom, puncturing his car’s tyres while Dale distracts him by having a conversation with him, and the two escape thereafter. Missy goes to Meemaw’s house to get away from the awkward situation at home, interrupting George Jr and Mandy’s night. George initially asks her to leave, but Mandy tells her to stay. Missy finds comfort in George and Mandy’s fight because her parents usually fight. Mary continues to flirt with George Sr and in the process, she suggests that they should have another child, but George refuses. George Sr points out that she was kicked out of the church and that her children are growing up, so she is only asking for a baby because she is feeling sorry for herself and believes that it will solve her problems. Mary becomes agitated as a result of the disagreement and leaves the room.
The Episode Review
Although the episode doesn’t do much to advance the plot, it does serve as the foundation of two significant sources of conflict. Mary wants to have another child with George Sr, but George declines to have a kid because he knows that she merely wants a child to take her mind off her problems. The two end up having a cold argument that could potentially escalate and lead to their divorce or contribute to another factor that will lead to it. Another major source of tension is that George Jr is trying to force himself on Mandy, which she appears to dislike. After watching The Big Bang Theory, we know that George marries young, so he could either win over Mandy’s affections, or he could end up with someone else, or perhaps a different scenario if this show chose not to follow The Big Bang Theory’s narrative, given that Sheldon can be an unreliable narrator occasionally. Dale and Meemaw’s relationship appears to be unhealthy. They are making too many compromises, and they don’t even seem to enjoy each other’s company. In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon frequently mentions being bullied. In this episode, we catch a glimpse of that, but we also see that his account of the incidents may not be accurate. We observe that he bugged the other students way too much, and as a result, the other students taped him to the wall.
