A scene from 'Thanksgiving', Season 1 Episode 5 of 'Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage'. Photo: CBS/Warner Bros. Television (via HBO Max)
KUALA LUMPUR — Some television episodes are remembered for their jokes. Others stay with viewers because they capture something true about loss. For fans of “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage”, the Season 1 episode “Thanksgiving” is one of the latter.
The fifth episode of the “Young Sheldon” sequel, which first aired on CBS on Nov 14, 2024, follows Georgie Cooper (Montana Jordan) through his first Thanksgiving since the death of his father, George Sr. (Lance Barber), whose passing closed “Young Sheldon”. CBS describes the episode simply: “Mandy struggles to get Georgie’s family to join him for his first Thanksgiving without his dad.”
Behind that one line is a gentle, layered story about grief. Georgie wants to hold his family together and step into his father’s shoes. His mother, Mary (Zoe Perry), wants to skip the holiday altogether, because it is one she so closely associates with her late husband.
“Georgie is sort of in this dual role where he’s trying to step in and be like his dad and keep the family together, but he’s also the kid who lost his dad and is hurting because of it,” executive producer Steve Holland told TV Insider.
It falls to Mandy (Emily Osment) to quietly make it happen. She wins over Meemaw (Annie Potts) and Dale (Craig T. Nelson), and persuades Georgie’s sister Missy (Raegan Revord) to come by agreeing to watch her get a tattoo. Mary eventually arrives at the McAllister home, where Mandy’s parents Audrey (Rachel Bay Jones) and Jim (Will Sasso) are hosting.
But a small argument between Audrey and Jim sends Mary out of the door, a reminder that she will never bicker with George again. Holland said the writers were drawn to “this unexpected side to grief”. “Obviously everyone misses the good times, but to realize that you also miss the bad times,” he told TV Insider. “You miss having those fights.”
The episode ends with Georgie, Mary and Missy sharing pie, picnic-style, beside George Sr.’s grave, a moment Missy points out is weird but which the family agrees is a fitting way to spend the holiday with him.
Holland described the episode’s journey as “an up and down and then some tears and then a little more laughter”. He also told TV Insider that Barber and “Young Sheldon” star Iain Armitage had visited the set during tapings to support Jordan and Osment.
Nearly two years on, the episode remains a touching portrait of a family learning to celebrate together while still missing someone.
In Malaysia, “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” is not on Netflix but is available to stream on HBO Max, where the series’ HBO Max page lists two seasons.
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