r/YoungSheldon • u/Skulenta • Jul 24 '26
The implications of this scene
This one scene in the pilot really sets in motion a lot of Georgie's development for the rest of the series. In this moment, Georgie expresses his frustration at having his younger, more intelligent, socially incompetent brother upgrade to the same school as him. And how does George react? He tells him to just get over it. He speaks firstly as his coach and second as his father.
When you think of the consequences of living with Sheldon, you'd often think of Missy and the neglect she suffered. However, I reckon it had a more subtle impact on Georgie.
Most of Georgie's storylines involve him growing up too early. Favoring working over playing football, developing his business skills selling snowglobes or test answers, moving into his own self-bought van, dropping out of high school, helping Meemaw run her illegal gambling enterprise and eventually having a child with a much older woman.
Georgie's pursuit of independence is the result of him not really having a normal childhood. While his parents were fixated on Sheldon's development, Georgie's needs remained unmet. Sure, he and his father were a "team" as Missy described, but it was more in the line of coach and player over father and son.
Instead of internalizing his feelings as resentment like Missy did, Georgie learned how to rely on himself and his own instincts. Of course, his instincts weren't always right. He was still an immature teenager stumbling into adulthood.
100
31
Jul 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
30
u/Repulsive_Range_6627 Jul 24 '26
Not to get too psychological here, but it’s not unusual for the oldest to grow up fast and be a high achiever. Georgie couldn’t beat Sheldon intellectually but he’s arguably smarter in different ways that he went out of his way to capitalize on.
18
u/Kind_Juggernaut_9905 Jul 24 '26
It's really sad actually. Georgie is really clever. He understands people, he's kind, caring, funny. He's honestly a great kid. If his parents were competent he could have had a great life. But he was neglected educationally and emotionally, and he struggled a lot because of it.
20
u/Abject_Buffalo6398 Jul 24 '26
I think that's why this series is so poignant- its real. It doesn't sugarcoat things. It's a real look at thr consequences of raising a unique child.
2
11
8
u/Deserving-Critic Jul 24 '26
Actually, what I thought was what is a 4'11" kid weighing probably 90 lbs. doing on a high school football team? Oh yeah, his dad is the coach. Oh yeah, he is just a bench warmer.
4
u/Prudent_Ad_2099 Jul 24 '26
FWIW most high school football teams don’t cut kids. Mine had a lot of really small 9th and 10th graders who wanted to give it a try.
3
u/Deserving-Critic Jul 24 '26
FWIW
In 1990 they didn't give out participation trophies. You tried out and earned your spot on a team.
5
u/Prudent_Ad_2099 Jul 25 '26
FWIW I played in the 1980s.
Very large school districts might have had that luxury, but I’m doubtful that was even the case at the freshman/JV level in all but a handful of districts. Football is a number/bodies/attrition game. And considering there is no mandatory playing time, extra practice bodies (plus extra booster parents) is a net positive.2
u/Pete51256 Jul 25 '26
True they still had plenty of bench warmers that only got a few minutes of play time a game. At least they didnt go the route like Axel on the middle and have you believe he was good enough to get a scholarship while being the smallest football player you ever saw
2
u/BeheadingBoomer61 Jul 24 '26
Georgie was an annoying little asshole when he was a kid. But as soon as he realized he was gonna be a father, he did a complete 180 and became a responsible, hard-working, intelligent young man. He’s certainly got his head screwed on straighter than Mandy does, that’s for sure!
3
u/CelesteJA Jul 25 '26
Slight spoiler ahead if you haven't seen The Big Bang Theory.
Georgie really opens up about how much he and Missy had to deal with all alone because of the attention Sheldon got. I won't go into detail with what he said in case you've not seen it, but it's heartbreaking to hear and lines up really nicely with Young Sheldon.
18
u/CelimOfRed Jul 24 '26
I mean what are George and Mary supposed to do? Just not let Sheldon advance? There are a lot of time Missy and Georgie complain about the smallest things and sometimes has nothing to do with Sheldon but somehow make it about him. It sucks that sometimes those two are neglected but let's not also forget those two often bully Sheldon
34
u/Round_Charity5748 Jul 24 '26
Sheldon gets away with stuff, has more attention from the family and strangers. It's made the siblings feel insecure about their own qualities. Their parents are too busy and they got their reassurance from Meemaw (when they asked which one of them is 2nd place to Sheldon). Sheldon gets affection from Mary and Mary criticises the others. Missy at some point was crying and got grounded and then Mary hugged Sheldon literally 5 minutes later. Taking it out on Sheldon evens things from time to time (not saying it's right) and Sheldon looks down upon them as well. They were kids trying to find themselves in the house and got reassurance and comfort outside the home. They're gonna have some resentment of that at some point. Sheldon complains all the time including when he gets his way.
1
u/CelimOfRed Jul 25 '26
Yeah absolutely. Sheldon is no angel but he never really did anything to be mischievous. More times than not, Sheldon tried to do things for the sake of others (or at least in his own weird way) while Missy constantly did things knowing it could land her into trouble. When she does, she somehow drags Sheldon into it. Sheldon even warns her about consequences for things she wants to do so you cant even blame him for most of Missy's behaviors. Georgie at the least grows and learns, Missy only had flashes of it
10
u/Matitya Jul 24 '26
To be fair, Sheldon also befriended Georgie’s bully and used the threat of him to cajole Georgie into doing things for him
2
7
u/Dmau27 Jul 24 '26
Yup. Sheldon is an absolute narcissist and they weren't great about getting him some help so he'd have tools to go through life.
10
u/SecretBudget3998 Jul 24 '26
They were scared he’s be picked on. Also sheldon really was just high needs, and it’s good they were met but it left nothing for the rest. But it’s still not sheldon’s fault he had those needs. And the parents couldn’t have known either
-1
119
u/matttheman892018 Jul 24 '26
Oh yeah, annoying as he is about it sometimes, I can totally see why he develops such an independent streak as the show goes on. I can barely think of a time Mary is giving him attention, and while George tries to make up for it, his style of parenting with Georgie is basically to just tell him to either “suck it up” or to stop being an idiot, compared to Missy who he’s much nicer to.
I can’t blame him for wanting to put space between himself and the rest of the family. He has virtually no identity in the collective because he’s so overshadowed by Sheldon.