Critic Reviews

Anyone who felt that Young Sheldon ended too soon will be pleased to see that story continue (and be told so well) in Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.

The premiere cements Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage as a worthy successor in the universe of The Big Bang Theory.

Problems are on the horizon, but those realistic plotlines and the comedy that exists within them are what make Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage a show worth tuning into. If the opener of season two is any indication, the sitcom has plenty of laughs and drama ahead.

They [“Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage,” “Happy’s Place,” and “Poppa’s House”] do the job they set out to do; each offers a number of satisfying, sometimes very satisfying, performances from actors who gives their characters individual life and more than enough jokes that work. The worst they can be accused of, apart from some characters being as annoying as they’re meant to be, is that they borrow from the deep well of sitcoms that have preceded them.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has a leg up on most of Lorre’s sitcoms because it starts with characters we already know and care about. Because of that, Lorre and company can delve into the more emotional parts of their relationships and let the funny come when it comes. There were a few funny moments during the first two episodes, but we hope those laughs come more often as the show becomes more established.

The challenge for the show now is to continue building its audience to the point that CBS will keep renewing the series. For now, at least, it seems to have a bright future on broadcast TV.

While the jury’s out on what “Georgie & Mandy” will become, an opening credits sequence of the title characters doing an energetic tango is a winner from the jump.

Critics received only two episodes in advance, so it’s hard to deliver any definitive verdict on that effort’s success. But Jones is an enjoyably snarky presence, and Jordan shares a chemistry with Osment that’s sweet enough to make one forget about the age gap until someone points out Georgie isn’t technically old enough to drink.

Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is a warm, amiable sitcom with characters that are very familiar to viewers. We just wish it was funnier.

The first two episodes are flat and lack distinctiveness, but they have some ingrained warmth and humor that could eventually be steered into something good.