Quick Links
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has quickly become the most-watched sitcom on broadcast TV. It’s no surprise, as anything connected to The Big Bang Theory is guaranteed to be a hit. As the first show in the franchise not featuring Sheldon, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has a chance to tell stories besides “Sheldon is smart, and he wants everyone to know it.” We’re only a few episodes in, but the show has done a good job of establishing Georgie and Mandy’s new young family and continuing where Young Sheldon left off. But when it comes to the rest of the main cast, there’s still some work to do.
Again, there have only been seven episodes aired at the time of writing, so it may be too early to make any final conclusions. But so far, the dynamic between Mandy’s family and the Coopers seems a bit too similar. As in, her parents and brother’s personalities seem to be written as pale imitations of George, Mary, and Sheldon. Some of this can be forgiven, as there are only so many sitcom parent archetypes out there. But is the show just recycling old character traits to avoid taking any new risks? Let’s see.
The McCallister Parents vs. the Cooper Parents in ‘Georgie & Mandy’
- Release Date
-
October 17, 2024
- Seasons
-
1
We already knew most of Georgie & Mandy‘s main cast from Young Sheldon, so the new show didn’t need to take up any extra time setting up their personalities. The only new faces we met were Jim’s tire shop employee, Ruben, and Mandy’s brother, Connor. To be fair, Connor did appear on Young Sheldon but was played by a different actor in just one episode. So far, the bulk of the action is confined to the McCallister house or tire shop. There are few recurring stars outside of Young Sheldon alums, so the main cast really carries each episode. And with that, die-hard fans are bound to pick up on a few things.
Related
Fans Are Misunderstanding the Most Hated Part of Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is yet another dazzling entry in The Big Bang Theory universe, though fans have one major gripe with the series.
The McCallister family feels strikingly familiar to the Cooper family. Of course, that was evident when they recurred in Young Sheldon, but it is more apparent now that they are leading each episode. Let’s start with Jim. He’s your conventional heavyset sitcom dad, much like George was in Young Sheldon. He often acts as the peacemaker who has to diffuse his more high-strung wife, also like George. When the two were on Young Sheldon together, their shared interests were always emphasized. They bonded over typical dad activities like barbecuing, drinking beer, and watching football. And it’s not just the audience that can see the similarities between George and Jim. Georgie sees his father-in-law as a surrogate father figure because he reminds him of the late George.
Likewise, on Young Sheldon, Mary and Audrey always butted heads. They’re both very much the “holier-than-thou” type who think it’s their way or the highway. While Mary’s stubbornness is rooted in her religion and favoritism toward Sheldon, Audrey’s comes from her resentment of Georgie for derailing Mandy’s life plans. But both women can be very rigid and judgmental toward people they disagree with. Audrey does appear to be warming up to Georgie, but she still has a long way to go.
Mandy’s Brother Is Very Similar to Sheldon Cooper
The show even copies the quirky sibling aspect of Young Sheldon. When we saw Mandy’s brother Connor on Young Sheldon, he was a struggling artist who was a bit antisocial but otherwise normal. But on Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, he’s been transformed into this show’s Sheldon. Rather than science, his art passion is replaced with music. He’s in his late 20s with no real career prospects or life outside the McCallister home. He prefers not to interact with the family, but when he does, the Sheldon traits come through. He speaks very rigidly and uncomfortably, like how Sheldon interacts with others, minus the science jargon.
Related
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has proven to be a smash hit, and its Thanksgiving episode was jam-packed full of familiar Young Sheldon faces.
The show’s only new addition is Ruben, Georgie and Jim’s coworker at the tire shop. But unlike the McCallister family and their defined roles, it’s not exactly clear what purpose Ruben serves yet. He’s only been seen at the tire shop, where he’s jealous of all the attention that Jim gives to Georgie. He throws a wisecrack around here and there but hasn’t played a major or even supporting role in any episode yet. You could remove him entirely, and the show would barely change. This isn’t to say he’s a bad character, just undefined.
Again, there’s the obligatory “It’s still early, so the show has time for character development.” It’s possible that the show feels like it doesn’t need to go any further. Georgie & Mandy scores about the same ratings as Young Sheldon, suggesting that existing fans are satisfied with the continuation. On the one hand, keeping the same family dynamics could be a source of comfort for viewers who prefer the familiar. On the other hand, new shows have a chance to introduce new worlds and characters. They can expand and build on what came before, not just continue the same storylines. Maybe we will see the McCallisters grow to become their own distinct family unit as the show progresses. Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is streaming on Paramount+ and will return to CBS on January 30.