S02.E15: Happy Mom, Happy Life

[Traveller519]

 

Beverly compromises Dana and Adam's assignment to parent a doll: Erica tries to get back at Barry when he gets in the way of her time with Lainey.

 

Michaela Watkins back on Wednesday Night ABC! And Nick Swardson! "I've got the strongest heroine on the streets!"

[Matt K]

That was kind of a rough episode for me.  Beverly reminds me of my Mom but in this episode it was a little too close for comfort.  That said really good episode.  

 

The funny thing is this morning I saw a commercial that ended with "Happy wife, happy life" despite never hearing that phrase on tv before this episode.

[Lawgiver]

This wasn't the best episode for me. I did laugh at Murray's use of Myrna-Leia as lumbar support, though.

[MelsW]

The Lettuce Crop Kid was pretty disturbing looking. Seeing Nick Swardson was a pleasant surprise!

[KYBlonde]

When did Murray stop shucking his pants at the door??  I thought that was hilarious, but his funny parts seem to have been cut back considerably. Just a little here and there which is a huge difference from last season. :(

[Donny Ketchum]

Did Barry and Lainey break up over Erica's petulance?  I hope not, because I really like them together.

 

That Cabbage Patch Kid was so cute.  Pity Beverly's carelessness no doubt resulted in it never being seen again.

[Wowzer]

No, Barry and Lainey stayed together.  They called out Erica for trying to break them up.  However, Erica and Lainey ended up going to the Heart Concert and Barry spent that night playing smash ball with the JTP.  

My favorite part was when JTP tried to Say Anything Erica and one of the members used a radio stuck on Tejano music. 

 

The cabbage patch kid black market was a good plot point. Having that be based in the real Adam Goldberg's childhood made it even better. I thought the whole scenario with Adam and Dayna fighting like a married couple was a little too much like other sitcoms, but I loved Beverly's interference. 

[Starscream]

Look at it this way, Adam did in one episode what Raymond Barone failed to do in over two hundred.

 

This show is really on a roll in 2015.  My least favorite episode was the Ferris episode, so yeah...

 

I wouldn't have minded if Barry and Lainey did break up. They strike me as the type of characters to have one of those high school romances where they're constantly breaking up and making up.  I definitely want to see them break up at some point just to see how Barry fails to cope with it.  Maybe not this season though since they did that with Erica last season.

 

Seeing Michaela Watkins just made me sad because it reminded me how much I miss Trophy Wife.  She looked like about half of my female teachers in my elementary and middle school years, so kudos to the wardrobe department.

[Kromm]

I consider this a lesser episode, but it's worth noting that even a lesser Goldbergs episode is better than any other sitcom on currently, excepting maybe a particularly good Brooklyn 9-9 episode.

[dcalley]

Smashball looks like a lot of fun, as long as you're the hitter. I liked how they pitched lettuce to Erica. It fits in with the cabbage/lettuce dolls. One of the JTP (JTP!) actors is days away from being 29. I thought he looked familiar and looked him up. It turns out I recognized him from some commercials.

 

ETA: I loved the repeated "Alone" joke.

Edited March 8, 2015 by dcalley

[MoreCoffeePlease]

 

I loved the repeated "Alone" joke.

 

Me too!

 

Always loved Heart, and this is one of their best songs.  I've had it in my head all week.

 

I've been married 20 years and it was only a few years ago where my husband learned "Happy wife, happy life."  Husbands who cave to their wives on House Hunters and other HGTV shows often say this.  ;-)

 

Loved the dad and grandpa advising Adam on how to deal with his "smother" and girlfriend.  Tricky situation, indeed.

[Traveller519]

One of the JTP (JTP!) actors is days away from being 29. I thought he looked familiar and looked him up. It turns out I recognized him from some commercials.

 

Damnit! Get on top of your minutes, Kid!

 

Though my favorite Matt Bush role will always be from Adventureland. "Look out, Viet Cong! Let's get em!"

[Stinger97]

I was *finally* able to watch the episode this afternoon, and I laughed harder than I ever have at the visual gag of that Lettuce Crop Child. I also want to assure everyone that the counterfeit toys market was still alive and well when I was a child in the late 90s, as my mom had to go out of her way to buy a Furby for me the Christmas it was popular. I guess some things never change!

[smilestar]

I miss seeing the home video clip at the end of this episode.  I think this is the first episode that they haven't had one of those old timey clips.  That's the best part of the show for me.  I love how they tie in with the storylines.

[dcalley]

I miss seeing the home video clip at the end of this episode.  I think this is the first episode that they haven't had one of those old timey clips.  That's the best part of the show for me.  I love how they tie in with the storylines.

There was a brief shot of the Real Adam with a Not Real Cabbage Patch Kid.

[biakbiak]

Which was awesome for two different reasons: my boyfriend who is slightly older (born in 73) didn't remember the Cabbage Patch craze and he said it wasn't that he was older it was just that he was a boy so even if he so that phenomenon would have skipped him but I remember boys in my grade wanting one because of the craze but secondly even having the means didn't mean you might not have to buy something off brand because how crazy those things took off for a brief period of time.

 

My grandmother was a crazy doll lady (okay she was just crazy) but she would always buy one or each of her kids later her grandkids and that we could abuse in whatever fashion but also one to keep in the box that we would never be allowed to touch, she know how has a locker which she purges but still contains several first Barbie's in their boxes as well as numerous other dolls that are worth a shit ton more than she paid.

[mojoween]

I was born in 73 and one of the great losses of my life is that my mother never bought me a Cabbage Patch Doll. I felt so deprived.

Beverly getting bleeped out is always going to make me laugh. And naked Rob was naked and pixelated under the trench coat which cracked me up.

[Arynm]

I was born in 74 and I had a few Cabbage Patch dolls. I'm sure my mom had to shiv some moms to get them. I thought this episode was funny JTP will always make me laugh. I yell JTP randomly now. I love that JTP was a real thing and they showed the pics of them at the end.