Critic’s Rating: 4.7 / 5.0
4.7
That’s not what I would have done with Meemaw, but it worked.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Season 1 Episode 14, brought back three characters from Young Sheldon for a story about Meemaw’s return to the world of illegal gambling.
It was vintage Meemaw. I hated the story, yet found it hilarious, all while rooting for Meemaw and Dale to get back together.
Yay! Dale Was Back… And He Was More Right Than He Knew
Maybe it’s leftover from enjoying Craig T. Nelson on Parenthood, but for some reason I always get happy when Dale is back.
He’s not the kind of guy I’d ever hang out with in real life, but I enjoy poor, bemused, often clueless Dale.
That gag on the Young Sheldon finale where no one would let Dale sit and Meemaw commented that he went home because he was afraid of sitting in the wrong spot was the funniest part of a somber episode.
Dale played a similar role on Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14.
He was right to put his foot down about Meemaw’s gambling ring. Georgie tried to tell her and Mandy the same thing.
Yet I was so relieved when Dale asked Meemaw to come home, even if the way he begged and burst into tears was on the pathetic side.
I Wish Dale’s Interactions With The McAllisters Were A Bigger Part of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14
Audrey’s body language during her interactions with Dale was hilarious, especially the faces she kept making.
She was obviously uncomfortable with Dale, and for some reason I kept expecting him to get drunk enough to make a pass at her.
Not that I wanted that to happen, mind you. I was relieved it didn’t.
That said, I would have preferred these interactions to take up more of the episode. Audrey’s discomfort could have led to even more comedy gold moments, and Dale didn’t really interact with anyone else.
Jim stood watching him sleep but didn’t say anything to him or about him.
His whole purpose in the scene seemed to be to realize that Mandy was involved in the illegal gambling scheme.
That was a shame. Dale has been on Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 twice so far, and both times, one of them was drunk.
I’d have loved some real interactions between the two of them. I’m sure we would have gotten both comedic and dramatic gold from Craig T. Nelson and Will Sasso.
The episode wasn’t about Dale and the McAllisters, but it would have been fun if it had been, so I will forever be disappointed that it didn’t go that way.
The Gambling Plot Was Predictable, Yet Still Funny
A lot of the jokes in this storyline were easy to guess, yet I found myself laughing at them anyway.
Mandy: Are you selling drugs?
Connie: Of course not! I’m not a drug dealer. I’m a… bookie.
Mandy: Connie! A bookie!
Connie: Can you do me a favor and not tell Dale?
Mandy: Of course. I won’t tell anybody.
*a minute later*
Georgie: How was work?
Mandy: Your meemaw’s a bookie.
It was inevitable that Mandy would tell Georgie and that he wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut around Dale.
Yet, there was something hilarious about the whole situation, too.
I especially loved how easily Georgie kept caving on Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14.
He was right that he doesn’t do well with interrogations! All Audrey had to do was say his name and he caved.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14 Showed How Much Mandy Is Like Meemaw
The serious idea behind this silly setup, of course, was Meemaw’s desire to be financially independent.
It was understandable that she didn’t want to depend on the “Bank of Dale,” especially after having been self-sufficient until that damn tornado at the beginning of Young Sheldon Season 7.
This financial situation has also been one of the biggest problems between Georgie and Mandy.
Mandy often advocates for women’s rights, and she has also engaged in several harebrained schemes to make extra money.
No wonder she and Meemaw bonded over Meemaw’s feelings on the matter.
The similarity led me to wonder whether Georgie and Mandy’s marriage is ever going to be as solid as Meemaw’s and Dale’s.
In a way, that’s a silly question.
Meemaw and Dale temporarily broke up, and we know Georgie and Mandy DO break up eventually.
Still, Meemaw’s problems with Dale are similar to Mandy’s with Georgie, at least as far as finances go, and she and Dale worked out their problems by the end of the episode.
That’s partially because Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage follows the traditional sitcom trope of story problems being resolved within one 22-minute episode.
Still, their “breakup” and quick makeup gave me hope that Georgie and Mandy’s relationship implosion won’t last either.
Random Thoughts About Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14
- If I had any doubt that Connor was neurodivergent, that bit about him recognizing the difference between two buzzing sounds confirmed it. Noticing small differences in sound is a classic trait, and one that I have as well.
- The whole payphone/pager bit was interesting because we now have a generation of people who were raised after smartphones became a thing and aren’t familiar with either.
- I was disappointed in how short Wayne’s cameo was. Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has been hyping his return to the franchise for months, and he was only in one scene! At least he demonstrated his integrity, but still.
Over to you, Georgie & Mandy fanatics.
What did you think about Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14?
Hit the comments with your thoughts, and don’t forget to vote in our poll to rate the episode!
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1 Episode 14 airs on CBS on Thursdays at 8/7c and streams on Paramount+ on Fridays.
Watch Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Online
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