The Coopers are back! Well, sort of. In Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, created by Chuck Lorre, George Cooper Jr. (Montana Jordan), and Mandy McA
The Coopers are back! Well, sort of. In Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, created by Chuck Lorre, George Cooper Jr. (Montana Jordan), and Mandy McAllister (Emily Osment), have moved in with Mandy’s parents, Audrey (Rachel Bay Jones) and Jim McAllister (Will Sasso). Raising their young daughter, CeeCee, the newlyweds are trying to balance their family, Mandy’s family, and not sacrificing their own marriage along the way. However, it implies that there may be bumps along the way or moments where the two call it quits, at least for a little bit, before ultimately getting back together.
The premiere episode, titled “The 6:10 to Lubbock,” establishes Georgie and Mandy moving in with Mandy’s parents. Georgie is now working at Jim McAllister’s tire shop, with the series obviously laying the groundwork for what will eventually lead him to becoming Dr. Tire. Immediately, there’s tension between Mandy and Audrey, between Audrey and Georgie, and Jim is just trying to stay out of it and keep a beer in his hand. They all clearly care about Georgie and Mandy’s daughter, CeeCee, having a safe place to land, but other interpersonal relationships cause friction.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage returns to its Big Bang Theory roots, using multi-camera format.
If you’ve watched The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon, the multi-camera format with a laugh track may be an adjustment. It could be because we’re seeing the characters from Young Sheldon basically in The Big Bang Theory format, or maybe it’s something else. Do these characters even cross format well? There’s a taste of it in Young Sheldon, with older Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) recounting the series finale in the format of a frame story, but seeing those characters no longer in a multi-format was less jarring by comparison. None of this is necessarily a negative, but viewers might notice that distinct shift.
The episode does push the change in filming format at the beginning and end, using Frasier to point out, “Isn’t it so much better when you can hear the audience laugh?” The dialogue is definitely snappier, playing more for laughs than it was in Young Sheldon, where the emotional touchpoints had better room to breathe without feeling the absence of an audience track.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage airs Mondays on CBS and next-day on Paramount+.
Pros:
The return to multi-camera format really fits this cast of characters.
Montana Jordan steps into the role of a main character seamlessly, as does Emily Osment.
The show proves itself in the premiere as a worthy successor in the universe of The Big Bang Theory.
Cons:
The show pointing out the multi-camera format was awkward and the episode could’ve done without it.
We briefly meet Mandy’s brother, but the show could function without him, so it’s unclear what the plan is for his character.
Shifting back to multi-camera means we’ll likely miss a lot of the emotional touchpoints that were allowed to breathe on Young Sheldon.
Georgie and Mandy are familiar with the challenges of young marriage and want to put their love to the test. They’re a lovely couple who are figuring out what love truly means to them, and their families are always trying to get the best for them.
The show begins with Georgie and Mandy, who met during Young Sheldon’s fifth season and later had a daughter named Constance. Despite their unconventional relationship and age difference, they settled down and now face new challenges together. The series will explore their home life, interactions with family members, and the struggles and triumphs of young marriage.
Release Date: October 17, 2024
Cast: Montana Jordan, Emily Osment, Will Sasso, Rachel Bay Jones, Dougie Baldwin, Jessie Prez, Zoe Perry, Annie Potts
Main Genre: Comedy
Seasons: 1
Character(s): Georgie Cooper, Mandy McAllister, Jim McAllister, Audrey McAllister, Conner, Ruben, Mary Cooper, Connie Tucker
COMMENTS