As “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” tackles the new chapter in Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy’s (Emily Osment) life together, it also focuses on lesser-known characters in “The Big Bang Theory” franchise. For example, the series showcases a new side of Connor McAllister, quite literally as Dougie Baldwin has taken over the role previously played by Joseph Apollonio on “Young Sheldon.” As the series focuses more on the goings on in the McAllister household, viewers gain more insight into the family’s dynamic, with Connor getting considerably more screen time in the spin-off sitcom. But after just two episodes, the strained relationship between Mandy, her younger brother Connor, and her mom Audrey (Rachel Bay Jones) has become crystal clear — and very reminiscent of the way Mary (Zoe Perry) frequently favored Sheldon (Iain Armitage) over Missy (Raegan Revord).
In the first episode of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” Georgie makes comparisons between Connor, who is a somewhat peculiar, unemployed art school graduate, and his genius brother Sheldon. He also observes that, just like Mary, Audrey has a tendency to coddle her son while Jim (Will Sasso) has often been stricter with him, just as George Sr. (Lance Barber) was with Sheldon before he died. But Episode 2 reveals Audrey is even more like Mary than viewers may have thought because she overlooks her daughter in favor of her son.
While she has an endless amount of patience for her son, Audrey is full of negativity and criticism when it comes to Mandy and her choices. Of course, she disapproves of her marriage to Georgie, berating Mandy for choosing to be with someone much younger than her, while she will happily rearrange her day to make Connor’s day easier without a single complaint. “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” highlights some major similarities in the relationships between Mandy and Missy and their respective mothers. It seems the sitcom is doomed to repeat the same mistake.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage continues to let Missy down
While it’s too soon to tell how Mandy’s relationship with her mom will evolve during the first season of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” viewers already know that “Young Sheldon” failed Missy in many ways. She was forgotten by her family, quite literally during CeeCee’s birth in Season 6, and the show forged ahead with her rebellion storyline in Season 7, even when it didn’t make sense for her character. Bringing Missy back in Episode 2 of “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage” provides an exciting opportunity to write the wrongs done to her in “Young Sheldon,” but her appearance is anything but positive.
As predicted, Missy is spiraling following the death of George Sr. She is clashing with her mom, rebelling, and even getting suspended from school. But these parts of Missy’s life are only being shown to serve Georgie and Mandy’s story. Georgie has to be the one to deal with her antics rather than Mary, in order to make it clear that he has taken on this new role within the family, somewhat stepping into his late father’s shoes. Meanwhile, Mandy reaches out to Missy as a supportive big sister but immediately hangs up on her when Georgie returns home, proving that she’s nothing more than a secondary character and perhaps always will be. Emily Osment’s character, on the other hand, is the co-lead of “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage” so she can’t be forgotten or relegated to the sidelines in quite the same way.
Nevertheless, the dynamic of a daughter being forgotten, overlooked, and criticized by her mother is one “Young Sheldon” viewers have seen time and time again, and one that does not need to be repeated anymore. Both Missy and Mandy deserve to be treated better in “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.”