Excuse my enthusiasm but I just finished watching this episode, and I came away from it having experienced a moment of first impression. Hardly ever have I seen an actor of any age deliver a performance as honest and as real and heartbreaking and emotionally raw as the one tonight from McKenna Grace, who plays Sheldon and Missy's smart friend Paige, whose parents are getting divorced. According to my calculations from the info on your website, McKenna is 13. And in this episode she gives us a performance that'll make Meryl Steep envious. Someone should tell Meryl not to watch it she's going to get so upset. I was sitting on the couch, incredulous at how good her performance was. Not just in the big now-here-it-is scene, but in every moment she was on screen. I hope she reads this. Speaking as a member of the audience you anticipated reaching, it was truly a rewarding experience.
And then, there's the storyline between George and Georgy that's so real and so right you feel like you're eavesdropping on an actual situation rather than watching television. And Iain (Sheldon). Man oh man. I know Sheldon's not athletic but tonight he knocked it outta the park. Really, every actor on this episode disappeared and some very real people emerged.
In today's world, I can't begin to say how grateful (read: relieved) I am that I get to spend 22 minutes a week in this East Texas town in 1990 with that group of people. The high quality of this show makes it easier somehow.