The Goldbergs: Relationships

The past two episodes (and the entire series, really) have really focused on the relationships within the Goldberg family. When the comedy is named for them, it makes sense, though it certainly takes some of the intrigue out of the show. It is becoming clear how the characters interact with one another, who favors whom, and where the bonds are. I was hoping that the City of Brotherly Love setting would help out the series in my eyes, butI think I'm still looking for more than is there. My biggest issue with the series is how random Barry is! If he was into something different every season or half-season, I'd buy it. Being obsessed with 1 or 2 new things every episode... notsomuch. Driving, rapping, roller skating, and now basketball and ALF? Maybe it would help if we saw other characters besides the family... Kevin had friends on The Wonder Years, for starters!

The Goldbergs "Mini Murray" (S01E03): October 5th. [is Adam Goldberg choosing these dates based on the timestamps on his videos?] Barry, like other Philadelphia kids in the 80s, idolized the Sixers, and wants a $175 pair of sneakers so he can be a basketball superstar, which is his dream. [haha.] Murray suggests that Barry work for the shoes, and soon shows him around the store, Ottoman Empire, a furniture store. [didn't the dad on The Wonder Years also work in a furniture store?] Murray sells while Barry sweeps, and when he only makes $33.27 after taxes, he wants to be a salesman instead, for the commission. Murray turns him down, but Barry soon proves himself to work an angle, making a sale on a salmon loveseat that has sat in the showroom for five years! [wouldn't it be faded?] However, he soon starts taking after his father in other ways, so Murray fires him in front of customers. [that was quite the scene!] Murray admits to Beverly that he just wants more for his son than peddling furniture, so he buys him the Pumps to follow his basketball dream. [seriously?? and Pops not getting that the video was heavily edited was amusing.]

ABC/Michael Ansell

Adam wants to see Poltergeist, which is in re-release, but his mother believes it is too scary and would prefer that he see The Great Mouse Detective (released in July 1986, by the way...). Adam tricks Pops into seeing Poltergiest with him, and both are terrified. That night, Adam is so scared that he fakes illness so he can sleep in his parents' bed. [ha!] In the morning, Beverly finds the ticket stub in her son's jacket and decides to use it to her advantage, as she wants more snuggles. [how conniving!] He fakes another stomachache, and back in her bed he goes! Soon enough, Adam asks his grandfather to come over, and he passes on a watch to help Adam be brave. [really?] Pops figures out that Beverly is behind it all, and the mother-son duo bargain their hugs. [completely unbelievable, even if we've seen it on television a dozen times before.]

The Goldbergs "Why're You Hitting Yourself?" (S01E04): It's October 12th, and Erica and Adam watch General Hospital after school. Adam really only watches to avoid Barry's teasing, but the brothers begin to get along when they accidentally stumble upon a scrambled "naughty channel" when fighting over the cable box. After a few days, they're not fully enjoying it, so Barry convinces Adam to climb onto the roof and try jamming some tweezers into the cable receiver so they can actually get the channels. [I wonder if that was a thing...?] Adam falls off the roof, the guys confess to Erica, and when Barry blames Adam, he slugs the older brother. Barry intends to hit him back, but can't bring himself to do it. [so random!]

The adults aren't around for this because Beverly, a master matchmaker, has been working hard at setting up Pops, who generally prefers to see multiple women each week rather than be in a solid relationship. [Pops' wife has been dead ten years.] He has a lot of requirements in his ideal woman, but Beverly finds someone within a week, and arranges a double-date. However, Pops stand them up and heads to a jazz club. [how does he get around without driving?] Beverly goes to the club to find him, but he just doesn't want to meet Sophia. He later admits that his deceased wife was one-of-a-kind, but he does wind up being interested in the woman Beverly chose for him. [I actually found that quite annoying.] The episode ends with Barry telling his mom what he wants in a woman... and describing someone just like her. [that was pretty funny.]