Sheldon Starts to Lose It
This week’s episode starts off with Sheldon being forced to go through a serious of ridiculous, heinous, borderline child abuse events: Gym class. This segways into the best part of the school year; the science fair. Sheldon decided to save the planet from asteroids. Sheldon does not win the fair to which is he appalled. He is then really grumpy. Mary hates to see him so upset but George is not worried; he needs to learn that life’s tough.
The next day, Sheldon is purposefully disrespectful in his science class because he is “disillusioned with the school system.” He is sent to the principal’s office where he gloriously locks the secretary and the principle in his office and then takes to the PA system. He announces that the school system is broken because the students aren’t valued for their hard work, only the glitz, and glam (his asteroid project lost to a girl’s static hair project). He urges the student body to be rebellious (chew gum in class, they can’t send everyone to the principal’s office!) and to live long and prosper.
At dinner, a dinner he wasn’t invited to, Sheldon announces he is quitting science. Mary, ever the worrier, can’t handle Sheldon’s break down so she takes Sheldon to go see the psychiatrist. The counselor tells Sheldon that it’s good to keep his options open. In fact, when the counselor was younger, he thought he as going to be a figure skater until someone skated over his foot. He bets that Sheldon lost his interest in science the same way he lost his big toe.
Image Source: Sonya Flemming-CBS/
Sheldon, The Actor
Sheldon decides he wants to go as far from the sciences as possible; he wants to become an actor. He approaches Mr. Lundy, the head of the drama department, Sheldon’s impressed to hear he was a professional actor, from mattress commercials to the play Cats, though Sheldon’s fear of Cats means he’d never risk watching the play. He begins preparing for auditions by studying movies and trying to look for a broach.
He auditions with a monologue from Shakespeare’s King Leer and then kills the singing and dancing portion as well. He then he gets the lead, for Annie! His parents get upset at the idea of him playing a girl character. Maybe it’s because it’s 2018 and not the 80’s, but I don’t understand their concern. Sheldon would make a great Annie- I mean, he’s the right age and he can hit all the notes. It makes sense that you wouldn’t want your child to be made fun of, and that’s a real risk for Sheldon but let’s be honest he’s already a nine-year-old in high school. Sheldon defends his position beautifully, saying he’s the best person for the job so he has to do what he has to do.
Sheldon has a bout of stage fright as he realizes how many people will be watching him. He tells Mr. Lundy he can’t perform and this is where I start to really like Mr. Lundy. He gives this encouraging speech about how a trapeze artist never performs without a net to catch him and Sheldon’s co-stars are his net. He’s never alone so he can do this!
It wasn’t compelling enough though and in order to pursue the theatrical bounds of East Texas with cross-gendered casting Mr. Lundy takes the part of Annie. While it was funny, I have to say I was disappointed. I mean, it was a little surprising to think that fearful Sheldon would be the star of a play, but they built it up in a way that I was really excited to see him on stage.
Aw well, maybe next week’s episode will have that surprise ending!
