ABC Tuesdays @ 9pm ET
Before there were parenting blogs, trophies for showing up, and peanut allergies, there was a simpler time: the ‘80s. For geeky 11-year-old Adam these were his wonder years and he faced them armed with a video camera to capture all the crazy. The Goldbergs are a loving family like any other, just with a lot more yelling.
In a nutshell: "The Goldbergs" is a Jewish, '80s-set version of "The Wonder Years".
"The Wonder Years" ran from the late '80s through the early '90s and took place twenty years earlier in the late '60s/early '70s. It told the story of the Arnold family through the eyes of the youngest son, as narrated by his older, future self. "The Goldbergs" takes place thirty years ago in the '80s and tells the story of the Goldberg family through the eyes of the youngest son, as narrated by his older, future self. It's hard to believe that this is a coincidence -- the show plays at times like a direct imitation of "The Wonder Years".
But they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and here it actually works. Perhaps it's due largely to '80s nostalgia, but "The Goldbergs" feels less like a cheap ripoff and more like a respectful homage. This is certainly helped by the show's stellar cast. Jeff Garlin plays Murray, the goofy patriarch. Garlin (whose voice you'll recognize as the Captain from "Wall-E") has a tendency to shout his lines, but he has a soft heart lying beneath that gruff facade and it's in his quietest moments that he shines the most. George Segal ("Just Shoot Me!") is Pops, an elderly widower who fancies himself a Burt-Reynolds-like cad. Hayley Orrantia, Troy Gentile, and Sean Giambrone are all great as the Goldberg brood: perpetually angry teen Erica, slobby middle child Barry and precocious youngster Adam.
The real star of the show here is Wendi McLendon-Covey ("Bridesmaids") as loud matriarch Beverly. She's controlling, overbearing and clearly wears the pants in the house. She's pushy, she doesn't respect boundaries, and she has no problem saying "no" -- but it's all due to the big-hearted love she has for her family. McLendon-Covey plays Beverly with a brassy strength and pitch-perfect comedic timing, and fortunately she also knows how to play the emotional truth behind the oversized comedy. A moment between her and a pile of blankets toward the end of the episode will resonate with any mother who's watched her children leave the nest -- and any child who's left the nest, for that matter.
Creator Adam F. Goldberg has admitted that this show is a barely fictionalized autobiography -- he's mining his own personal experiences growing up with a loud Jewish family in the '80s to craft the series. Perhaps it's that personal touch that makes "The Goldbergs" so effective. The whole first episode is permeated by a sense of honesty and genuine fondness for a so-called "simpler time." If you share his fondness for the '80s, then "The Goldbergs" is a show you will love to watch -- you'll likely be hooked right from the opening sequence, featuring a montage of '80s flicks like "The Karate Kid", "Ghostbusters", and "E.T.", all underscored by The J. Geils Band's "Centerfold". It's a nostalgia-inducing start to a loud and funny show with a deceptively sweet heart.
Are you ready to join the "Goldberg" family -- or are you a '90s baby? Tweet us @StageBuddy to share your thoughts!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhksMq75mj8[/youtube]
