The 6:10 to Lubbock

This show has received lots of hype leading up to episode one tonight, October 17th. The stars are cute, Emily Osment as Mandy McAllister and Montana Jordan as Georgie Cooper, brought over from the "Young Sheldon" show.

I settled in, a bowl of popcorn on one side of me and a six pack of cold beer on the other side. The show started, I was excited and ready to see where this would go.

Bam! Only two minutes in we get ... you guessed it ... a FOUR MINUTE COMMERCIAL BREAK! So, the first six minutes has exactly two minutes of Georgie and Mandy. I was so disappointed. I sulked the rest of the way, I found it reasonably entertaining, very lite fluff, with the young couple staying with her parents and resenting every minute of it. Just typical parent and young adult strife.

I noticed there are a number of "10" votes in the early ratings, completely bogus. This is not a "10" show, in a generous mood I give it a "5" which is average, not good nor bad, for a half-hour comedy TV series.

But way too much commercial time, way too little programming. They are trying to pull a fast one over the audiences.

It's hard to believe that this show is by the same guy who made the big bang. In fact I don't think it is.

I remember going to the theater to see Jaws. And then a few years later Jaws 2 came out. That movie may have had a similar title but clearly it had none of the charm of the first one.

First thing you're greeted with in this show is this annoying laugh track. It would kill them to have an audience? It sounds canned forced. It sounds so 1978.

Look I liked most of Lorre's work.

Is he involved in this? I mean is he really involved in this? Because I suspect that he just signed on the dotted line and got a credit.

This has none of the charm of his earlier work. And it feels... it feels like a rehearsal or something.

There's no Charm there's no timeing there's no wit there's no "pop".

Maybe it's the director I don't know. The cast don't seem to be living up to the characters that they were in young Sheldon. They don't measure up to that Mark. The mark that they themselves set.

I'm not going to be watching this one anymore folks. Not worth my time.

As I predicted, many of the reviews are from the "laugh-track haters" who seem to review bomb every new multi-camera sitcom. The reason they switched back to multicam for this show is to give it an identity apart from young Sheldon, just as young Sheldon switching to single camera gave that show an identity apart from The Big Bang Theory.

Admittedly the format isn't for everyone, this show clearly has a lot of heart and great chemistry between Montana Jordan and Emily Osment as the title characters. Will Sasso and Rachel Bay Jones also have good chemistry with each other and the two leads, but I worry Audrey McAllister (Jones) may be too unlikeable a character. If Audrey warms up, she can be salvaged.

My one criticism is of the other characters: Mandy's brother Connor played by Dougie Baldwin and mechanic and Georgie-foe Ruben, played by Jessie Prez. Not much was done with either character and Ruben seems a bit redundant given Georgie's relationship with Audrey.

Given Lorre's track record and what we saw in this first episode, I am hopeful for the rest of this series.

Why does the father-in-law have to be so emasculated? Do we NOT have enough of that in shows and movies as it is? At least Georgie's dad in Young Sheldon held on to more of his masculinity and would actually confront his wife when necessary.

And why does the mother-in-law have to seem unlikeable? I mean, I just want her off the screen as soon as she appears. I'm looking for the redeeming qualities and simply finding an annoying woman who most folks would find hard to be around except her poor husband.

It's all so predictable. Sadly so. Like a lack of imagination.

The two stars have so much potential, and the in-laws just suck away any desire for me to watch any further.

Good luck to those of you who dare to continue.

Absolutely loved the pilot it was brilliant all the emotions came out with Georgie telling Mandys dad that he reminds him of George and several other peak moments I can't wait for the follow up episodes.

The show taps into the emotional themes that were so skillfully developed in Young Sheldon, creating moments that resonate with viewers on a deeper level. The pilot, in particular, packed a punch with heartfelt moments, but one scene stood out: when Georgie tells Mandy's dad that he reminds him of George, Georgie's late father. For longtime viewers of Young Sheldon and those familiar with the Cooper family, this scene was incredibly moving, as it brought to the forefront the enduring impact of George Cooper Sr., a figure who shaped so much of Georgie's character and worldview.

George Cooper Sr.'s presence looms large in the lives of his children, and his absence creates an emotional void that continues to influence Georgie, Sheldon, and Missy in different ways. The scene where Georgie compares Mandy's father to his own is not just a touching moment-it's a testament to how deeply Georgie was shaped by his father's love, despite their sometimes strained relationship. In many ways, this moment allows us to see just how much Georgie still craves the guidance and fatherly presence he lost at a young age.

This emotional revelation ties back to The Big Bang Theory, as we've seen Sheldon grapple with the memories of his father in that show, too. Sheldon often spoke of his dad in a complicated way, but through Young Sheldon and now Georgie and Mandy, we get a fuller picture of George. He was a flawed but loving father who tried his best to support his family, and his death left a lasting impact on each of his children. Georgie's acknowledgment that Mandy's dad reminds him of George is a subtle nod to this lasting influence, adding a layer of complexity to Georgie's character.

It will be interesting to see how they expand on Georgie and Mandy's emotional maturity throughout the series.