"A Lobster, an Armadillo, and a Way Bigger Number" is an episode of Young Sheldon that first aired on March 3, 2022.
Arriving for his shift at the laundromat, Georgie is distressed to find Connie talking to Mandy (Emily Osment), the 29-year-old former weather girl from San Antonio whom the 17-year-old has been dating without telling her his real age. Connie doesn't reveal Georgie's secret, but drops enough hints to make Georgie nervous.
Georgie turns to Dale (Craig T. Nelson) for advice. Dale's advice is, at best, inconclusive. Although Georgie does have some pangs of conscience, visually manifested as Connie and Dale, Mandy's physical attractiveness is enough to evaporate those from the randy teenager's mind.
Meanwhile, Prof. Linkletter (Ed Begley Jr.), Prof. Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) and Sheldon prepare to go on a road trip to a radio telescope to follow up on some promising data from a print-out. University president Hagemeyer (Wendie Malick) insists Sheldon go along on the trip.
Linkletter calls Mary, hoping that the mother of the boy genius will prohibit Sheldon's participation. Although reluctant, Mary trusts Linkletter enough and signs off on the trip, to Linkletter's disappointment.
The three scientists hit the road. Sturgis briefly takes the wheel of Linkletter's van and hits an armadillo, then insists on getting medical attention for the unfortunate animal. The three of them go to a bar called "Firehouse," thinking it was a fire department station. After a patriotic speech from Sheldon, the bartender agrees to let Sturgis borrow the bar's phone. But the poor animal dies before Sturgis can find help.
Also, George Sr. tries to do something special for Missy, who is complaining that Sheldon gets to do whatever he wants and she doesn't.
Tropes
- Bad Guy Bar: The Firehouse, which Sheldon, Sturgis and Linkletter thought was an actual firehouse, turns out to be a seedy bar. Thankfully, there are no rough customers to give them trouble, but the bartender is pretty ornery and doesn't take kindly to "northerners" like Sturgis and Linkletter. Fortunately, Sheldon is able to talk Texan to her.
- Call-Back: George takes Missy to Red Lobster, just as he did on "Summer Sausage, a Pocket Poncho and Tony Danza." Only this time Missy doesn't want to go in because her classmates might see her on a "daughter-daddy date".
- Call-Forward: Sheldon suggests one of his science-based car games, just as he does on The Big Bang Theory. Also like in Big Bang, his carmates find them annoying.
- Good Angel, Bad Angel: Connie and Dale appear to Georgie while making out with Mandy in his van, with Connie as the good angel and Dale as the bad (or at least indifferent) angel. They both disappear the moment Mandy takes off her top.
- Jar Potty: Linkletter brought a "trucker buddy" for peeing. Sheldon is grossed out, but prefers it to a gas station restroom.
- Pet the Dog: Not only did Dr. Linkletter encourage Dr. Sturgis to drive, he also was understanding of the latter's feelings when he ran over the armadillo (who, eventually, died).
- Previously on…: We're reminded of the 29-year-old woman Georgie met in 'A, Lock-In, a Weather Girl and a Disgusting Habit'. In that earlier episode, he let her believe he's a twenty-something rather than a teenager.
- Road Trip Plot: Sheldon, Dr. Sturgis, and Dr. Linkletter go on a road trip.
