The saddest episode inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriagecould actually be used to better one character’s story, provided just a little bit of tinkering on a revisit. There are already bound to be some big changes inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageseason 2, and one character’s arc in particular could use a bit of an adjustment moving forward.
It’s nice to seeGeorgie Cooper and Mandy McAllister’s relationship timelineplay out, but the spinoff’s non-title characters have had their own complicated relationship dynamics that drive the show equally well. Unfortunately, the only way to improve one key relationship might be to take a note from the most depressing storyThe Big Bang Theoryspinoffhas told to date.
“An Old Mustang” Is The Most Tragic Episode Of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 1
It Explores Themes About Family That Can Be Hard To Reconcile
When most people attempt to think of the saddest episode ofGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, it’s reasonable to assume their minds would go straight to Georgie’s ghost encounter with his father in episode 12. Buta character learning their deceased parent is still an emotional resource is a common episode concept. The real tragic episode is “An Old Mustang.”
Connor McAllister isGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’s closest Sheldon replacement, but“An Old Mustang” takes a heartbreaking look at Connor’s“different”personality through Jim’s eyes. He worries that he’ll never relate to his son, and that Connor might not even relate to anybody well enough to make it in the world after Jim and Audrey are dead and gone.
Meanwhile, Audrey comes clean about her concerns for Mandy. Although she’s consistently blamed Georgie for the path Mandy’s life has taken,Audrey reveals in “An Old Mustang” that she’s just as disappointed in Mandy for giving up on her dreams. At the same time, Mandy realizes these are the types of worries she may one day face with CeeCee.
None of these feelings are spoken into a vacuum. Connor clearly hates that his father lacks faith in him, and Mandy is as worried about her future as Audrey. Butputting these feelings out there sets both Connor and Mandy on the path to change, and that’s exactly why another character needs a similarly blunt parental exchange in a future episode.
Missy Deserves The “Old Mustang” Treatment In Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
She And Her Mother Need To Address Their Issues Bluntly
It’s only one episode after “An Old Mustang” that Jim asks Connor to help around the house. Mandy starts working for herself in the same episode, although her TV dreams don’t gain traction until a while afterward. In short,both of the McAllister kids make small yet ultimately important life changes as a result of honest talks with their parents.
Missy’s rebelliousness inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriagehas essentially been her character’s only defining trait, but“An Old Mustang” and its lasting effects on the cast provide a blueprint for giving Missy more character depth. To get there, however, the show needs to begin with an uncomfortable conversation between Missy and Mary in which the gloves come fully off.
Considering she’s referred to Missy as needing a demon exorcism, it might not sound like Mary was ever keeping the gloves on to begin with. However,Mary hasn’t actually been shown to have a sincere conversation with Missy about running off to Mexico, let alone the smorgasbord of minor infractions she accrues overGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageseason 1.
Mary’s biblical doomsaying comes off strong, butthere’s arguably much more strength involved in Audrey and Jim confronting their children from such vulnerable places of concern. That’s not something Mary’s tried yet. If she did, it could help put Missy on a new track. And if any series is going to save their relationship, it has to be this one.
Why The Prequel Series Is Perfect To Save Missy And Mary’s The Big Bang Theory Relationship
The Spinoff Can Better Explain Their Future Dynamic
If this were just a discussion of relationship dynamics we’d like to see, thenAudrey and Mary’s friendship inGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageseason 2would top the list. ButThe Big Bang Theoryshows that Mary and Missy still have a strained relationship in the future. That’s enough to make exploring their relationship now a more pressing concern.
Because we know things aren’t perfect for them in the future,First Marriagecan only better their relationship so much. The good news is that“fixing”the relationship between Mary Cooper and her daughter doesn’t require making it perfect. Penny’s family didn’t have a perfect dynamic inBig Bang Theory, but they at least seemed to have reached an understanding.
And that’s essentially all that Missy and Mary truly need. Even if they can never believably see eye to eye for the foreseeable future,they can at least reach an understanding that allows them to live peacefully under the same roof. This would likely lead to the same strained relationship we see inBig Bang, but with less actual hatred.
With small adjustments on Missy’s part, an episode styled after “An Old Mustang” could allowGeorgie & Mandy’s First Marriageto initiate a healing process between Missy and her mother. They may never love each other the way Mary would prefer, but that harsh truth is precisely what made “An Old Mustang” so tragically relatable in the first place.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage
Cast
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage follows the couple as they navigate the complexities of adulthood, parenting, and marriage while raising their young family in Texas.
