Young Sheldon: The Most Skippable Episode In Season 5

"Young Sheldon" Season 5 picks up the pace of the series by following a more mature version of the titular character and pairing his story with dramatic tension. In the early episodes of the season, we see the stage set for Georgie's (Montana Jordan) unexpected baby with Mandy (Emily Osment), as well as George's (Lance Barber) complicated relationship with his neighbor Brenda (Melissa Peterman). In Episode 5, "Stuffed Animals and a Sweet Southern Syzygy," Mary (Zoe Perry) heads out of town for the week and viewers can follow suit by skipping over this particular episode of "Young Sheldon." 

We kick off the episode with Sheldon (Iain Armitage) and Dr. Linkletter (Ed Begley Jr.) staring blankly at a complex equation. Their confusion leads Sheldon to ask his father for advice, which is a rare event that spotlights George in Mary's absence. George also lends an ear to their neighbor Billy (Wyatt McClure), who has developed a small crush on Missy (Raegan Revord). Sheldon's father gets a fleeting moment of pride as he feels he's actually helped both kids until the consequences of his wisdom come back around with unforeseen outcomes. 

Though this episode continues to subtly set up George's doomed fate in the future, it does so in a way that doesn't really further the story and instead leaves both Sheldon and the audience feeling hollow. 

Due to Sheldon's superior intellect, he often talks down to those around him, including his father. He sees himself as much smarter than him (having gone to college at such a young age when his father never went) and tends to figure things out for himself rather than ask him for help. This leads to a golden opportunity for Sheldon to actually ask his father for help when his two professors childishly feud.

When Sheldon suggests he and Dr. Linkletter invite Dr. Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) to help solve the equation, the situation dissolves into chaos. He asks his father for help, and he comes through with a useful sports metaphor that surprisingly fixes their problem. Unfortunately, as adult Sheldon (Jim Parsons) laments in the voice-over commentary, he never told his father how much his advice helped and reflects that he should've appreciated him more.

While this moment is one of the heavier and more heartfelt scenes on "Young Sheldon," it references an event that has been mercilessly alluded to since Season 1. Additionally, Brenda shares a tender scene with George in the episode's final sequence that foreshadows their secret shed conversations in Season 6. However, these are mere pebbles compared to the larger and more intriguing developments that happen later in Season 5, making this episode a bit of filler that you can pass over.