S02.E24: Goldbergs Feel Hard

[Stinger97]

When Erica gets accepted into a summer arts school, Beverly insists on throwing her a going-away party. Just as she departs for ten weeks, Beverly overly shows her affections while Murray struggles to tell Erica how he really feels. Meanwhile, Barry decides to be the school mascot to be closer to Lainey, but unbeknownst to him, their rival school is planning to beat up the mascot at the upcoming game.

[dcalley]

The ending--clearly made in case this was the series finale--was sweet.

 

I loved when they blurred the Fighting Quaker's mouth when Barry swore.

[readster]

Great finale but I agree, you could tell they didn't know if it was coming back or not but now that its been revealed to be the #4 comedy on air, I think we are good. Too bad for Repeat After Me. Take that over another season of Grey's any day.

[Starscream]

As an aficionado of pre-90s television, Adam should have known immediately that Seattle is a land of permanent exile.  When I saw a shot of an airport during the If You Leave montage I half expected Adam to pull a Seth Cohen and chase Dana to the airport.

 

Is anyone else baffled by how Barry isn't the most popular guy in school?  His numerous successful exploits would usually lead to popularity.  I guess it comes down to his horrible personality.

[Stinger97]

Was there really any doubt that this was getting renewed?  I thought it had always been considered a slam dunk.

 

It really has been, which is why I don't think the writers actually penned this as a possible series finale. There was quite literally no question that the show would be renewed for a third season.

 

But damn, man, this show. It never ceases to kick me right in the feels, and it does it in a way that doesn't feel cheap or schmaltzy or saccharine. I really appreciated that the show went in a different direction with the Murray/Erica story, both of them practically weaponizing "I love you" after Beverly insisted on butting in. The moral at the end, that there can be an unspoken love between parents and children, really rang true for me. My mother has always been like Bev, showering her children with affection, whereas my father is the exact opposite. And yet, my father and I both know there's still love there. 

 

I wonder if Dana will return for S3 (and I guess it depends on whether or not the real Dana moved when she and Adam were children). I never thought I would wince at the idea of losing a secondary character on this show, but I've really become attached to the cavalcade of enjoyable family friends and neighbors. That said, I hope next season they flesh out the Goldbergs' extended family a little more. We've met Murray's younger brother, Marvin, but I don't think there's been anyone else. 

[readster]

 

I wonder if Dana will return for S3 (and I guess it depends on whether or not the real Dana moved when she and Adam were children). I never thought I would wince at the idea of losing a secondary character on this show, but I've really become attached to the cavalcade of enjoyable family friends and neighbors. That said, I hope next season they flesh out the Goldbergs' extended family a little more. We've met Murray's younger brother, Marvin, but I don't think there's been anyone else.

 

 We did meet their dad and found out Murray's bad habits like his losing of his pants and eating habits came from him. I really be interested in finding out where Murray's mom went, we know she walked out on them all when they weren't even teens yet. Be a great story if she all of a sudden decided to come back and see her grandchildren who are basically grown up now. 

[Traveller519]

From a "Feel Hard" moment. At the end when Barry asked Adam how he was doing, and Adam couldn't even find the words to express his emotion, and Barry gives him the big brother hug... Damn you show!

[Lawgiver]

I love how real Adam Goldberg gets all the Philadelphia references right. Govenor's School for the Arts was totally a thing in PA back in the 80s. Did other states have this?

 

I was crying at the end of the episode. Why? This show really has great writing and acting so that they were genuine tears, both for Adam and Erica/Murray. 

 

And the Fighting Quakers are totally a thing. I went to Penn for college and our mascot is the Fighting Quaker. I'm sure this happens a lot around Philadelphia.

[dcalley]

Govenor's School for the Arts was totally a thing in PA back in the 80s. Did other states have this?

Yes, and google makes it seem like it still exists in several states.

[Racj82]

Was there really any doubt that this was getting renewed?  I thought it had always been considered a slam dunk.

I feel like damn near every season finale is being accused as being written as a defacto series ender when they never were built that way. Arrow, Grey's Anatomy come to mind among others. I think shows are just trying to wrap up shows in nice bows as far as seasons go. Which I am all for. It's always about cliffhangers and carrot dangling for the audience.

[readster]

I feel like damn near every season finale is being accused as being written as a defacto series ender when they never were built that way. Arrow, Grey's Anatomy come to mind among others. I think shows are just trying to wrap up shows in nice bows as far as seasons go. Which I am all for. It's always about cliffhangers and carrot dangling for the audience.

I know, especially when shows do forced cliffhangers. I know Dallas started the trend, Star Trek: The Next Generation took them to a new level but they are now tired. There is leaving things open and then there is just giving a big middle finger to the fans and audience of the show. 

[Canada]

My PVR cut out at the end, just as Barry walked in to the living room.  Was it ever revealed who was actually in the mascot costume??

[BMGepinniw]

My PVR cut out at the end, just as Barry walked in to the living room.  Was it ever revealed who was actually in the mascot costume??

No, they never did. Whoever it was (or was supposed to be), they had some 'tude, standing there in that costume, looking at Pops, Adam and Barry.

[Canada]

No, they never did. Whoever it was (or was supposed to be), they had some 'tude, standing there in that costume, looking at Pops, Adam and Barry.

Thanks!  I'm glad I didn't miss the reveal.  Wonder why they never showed us who it was.  They had some good moves!

[Kromm]

I feel like damn near every season finale is being accused as being written as a defacto series ender when they never were built that way. Arrow, Grey's Anatomy come to mind among others. I think shows are just trying to wrap up shows in nice bows as far as seasons go. Which I am all for. It's always about cliffhangers and carrot dangling for the audience.

Yeah, but this didn't really suffer from having to do so.  The Dana coming back/not coming back thing is on one level irrelevant because of the show's weird timescale (it IS linear in a sense, even if unpinned in time, but I think if they really needed to fast forward on events they could do so pretty easily).  And the end narration that was an ode to "Nineteen Eighty Something", while it did sound like a series ending speech, was still loose enough it didn't pin any of that down.

 

Good writing trumps all, and this show has good writing.

[Starscream]

And the end narration that was an ode to "Nineteen Eighty Something", while it did sound like a series ending speech, was still loose enough it didn't pin any of that down.

The same exact thing was done at the end of the first season finale, which is why I didn't make anything of it.  It'll likely be done at the end of next season, too.

[KarateKate]

[...]

And the Fighting Quakers are totally a thing. I went to Penn for college and our mascot is the Fighting Quaker. I'm sure this happens a lot around Philadelphia.

And then there's the Fighting Amish.

I stole MrKate's tee when we were dating; he reclaimed it at marriage when he saw it come through the laundry.

I would love this show set anywhere, but have an extra layer of love due to the authentic nods to 80s PA.