S04.E11: Oh Captain! My Captain!

[MadyGirl1987]

Quote

Beverly teaches Barry's chemistry class.

Really enjoyed this episode. Especially loved the reveal that Barry is an actual MD in real life.

Loved Pops "His answer was farts!"

Loved that Murray knows how to motivate his son, even if it's not the most positive way to do so.

Loved the Adam, Emmy and Erica story. Liked the encouragement Erica gave Emmy at the end. Would love to see more of that between them.

[Dewey Decimate]

Absolutely loved everything about this ep! The interactions, JTP!, Bev's near orgasm at the idea of her son as a doctor, the John Carpenter's The Thing & EPCOT shoutouts (some personal 80s faves of mine). Totally felt for Emmy and loved that Erica threatened to chop off that douchebag's greasy pony. My only gripe was going to be "but a stoner-y Rush-loving dude would never be hanging out with letterman jacket jock bro" and then realized, holy shit, in my very own high school class there was - for real - a guy who always wore a fly-by-night Rush owl painted jean jacket, and he actually hung with the popular football players. I f---ing love this show!!

[biakbiak]

I liked that the real Murray was excited about Barry going to medical school was that he would be out of the house for longer so they kept it clean.

I wonder when they got rid of shirts v skins, my boyfriend remembers it in elementary school but we didn't have it. Of course it could also be regional and still exist places but that seems unlikely.

[mojoween]

We never did shirts vs. skins in the northeast that I am aware of.  Course, I'm a chick so...

Adam.  You don't eat the paper, you lie about what is on the note.

[morgan]

Fun episode!  

My husband is from Boston, is 45 and definitely remembers shirt v skin.  Said it was the worst!   I vaguely remember it in CA, but as a girl it didn't imprint on me at all.  Wonder when they stopped?  

[readster]

Really enjoyed this episode. I remember I was 11 when we did shirts and skins during soccer practice. First time I was exposed to the concept was in the moving: "Just One of the Guys". Asked my mom and grandparents what was the point and explaining about knowing your teammates, I wondered why they didn't use another shirt. When I got to high school in the early 90s that's when they put it towards reversal shirts for yellow and dark blue. I felt weird in middle school when it was still a thing, I didn't look the greatest, so I felt Adam's pain. Loved Emmy and Erica's relationship, I hope we get more of that in the future. 

[proserpina65]

11 hours ago, Dewey Decimate said:

Absolutely loved everything about this ep! The interactions, JTP!, Bev's near orgasm at the idea of her son as a doctor, the John Carpenter's The Thing & EPCOT shoutouts (some personal 80s faves of mine). Totally felt for Emmy and loved that Erica threatened to chop off that douchebag's greasy pony. My only gripe was going to be "but a stoner-y Rush-loving dude would never be hanging out with letterman jacket jock bro" and then realized, holy shit, in my very own high school class there was - for real - a guy who always wore a fly-by-night Rush owl painted jean jacket, and he actually hung with the popular football players. I f---ing love this show!!

And now I have that song stuck in my head. 

[Lawgiver]

Again, this show brings back memories of a being a Philly 80s youth. Dead Poets' Society was filmed on the Main Line near Philadelphia and my senior prom date in 1989 was an extra in it. (Yes, I can still pick him out in a couple of scenes.) 

[Michel]

And once again, the show finds a way to work in the mention of the other Adam Goldberg.

I was a bit shocked that they were portraying the Rush-loving kid as a bully.  Sure, he participated in the shower assault thing in last season's finale (he dragged off Dave Kim for that), but all of the upperclassmen were doing that, so I didn't bat an eye that much.  But to see that he was about to force Adam in the trash if Erica hadn't shown up?  Wow.  On another note, he seems to still be with Erica and Lainey's crazy friend.

I'd actually heard a month or so back, actually in one of these threads, that Real!Barry is a doctor, and I'd wondered if Show!Barry was going to eventually start on the road to that.  This episode pretty much answered that question.  And revealing it right after Coach Mellor outright said that he doubted that Barry would become a doctor was a clever touch!

RLS!  I can't believe it!  Another RLS!  And she gets more of a bit part other than a showing-up cameo!  I laughed so hard when Murray, after getting busted, actually looks at her for what to do, and Lucky just hightails it out of there.  It's almost like she was saying, "Nope!  I want no part of this!"  I guess having been owned by the Goldbergs for (at least) a year by now, she knew what hurricane was coming from Beverly and wanted to get clear of it.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Michel

[Traveller519]

One Adam vs. Adam F. joke early in the season made me chuckle, two was still good, but why are they beating this one down? They've made their point.

That aside, I loved this episode. "That really show's how much you haven't been living up to your potential."

[Guest]

I like the Adam Goldberg joke much more than a lot of the long-running ones, like Beverly's bleeping.  I would like it if they did it all season.  There are so many in-jokes on this show, at least that one I'm in on.  And I was a teen in the 80s, but I still didn't see half or more of the stuff they reference.  

And now Fly By Night is stuck in my head, too.   

[CurlyATX]

I was an absolutely sucker for Dead Poet's Society (DPS) and even wrote a fan letter to Robert Sean Leonard and he wrote back with a head shot.  I was such a Frizzaka at the time.  Even though it was cheesy, I teared up when they all did the "Oh Captain my Captain" to Beverly.

This is the Erica I like to see- confident, amazing, and intelligent. I was so glad she wasn't fawning all over Jeff. 

Barry on the show reminds me of some of the kids I coach for this math game... really bright but someplace on the ADD spectrum and therefore cannot focus.  Seconds before the games start they ask me basic questions about the rules and then, come home with gold medals. 

Is there is a real JTpractice?

[Cowgirl]

23 hours ago, Michel said:

I was a bit shocked that they were portraying the Rush-loving kid as a bully.  Sure, he participated in the shower assault thing in last season's finale (he dragged off Dave Kim for that), but all of the upperclassmen were doing that, so I didn't bat an eye that much.  But to see that he was about to force Adam in the trash if Erica hadn't shown up?  Wow.  On another note, he seems to still be with Erica and Lainey's crazy friend.

Well, he's always been portrayed as kind of a jerk.  When they first introduced him he tried to date both Erica and the friend. 

This episode made me cry -- more than once!  I have it saved on the DVR for repeat viewings.  Yes, I'm cheesy.  

I laughed hard at Naked Rob's role in their clinic being playing the drums in the lobby.  Yep, THAT'll scare off the patients!

[ByTor]

14 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

 I was a teen in the 80s, but I still didn't see half or more of the stuff they reference.  

So was I.  One thing I do not remember is calling good looking people "hot" back then.

[Michel]

52 minutes ago, ByTor said:

So was I.  One thing I do not remember is calling good looking people "hot" back then.

They didn't, as far as I remember (and I was a kid in the '80s, not a teen).  That didn't become a thing till the '90s.

[biakbiak]

Hot used to describe a person started happening well before the 90s. 

Edited January 6, 2017 by biakbiak

[ByTor]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

Hot used to describe a person started happening well before the 90s. 

This is why I don't like to nitpick certain things they say on this show.  I turned 12 in 1980, so there's a lot that I've forgotten.  Plus, just because I never heard something doesn't mean it wasn't said.  

[Jenkins]

A lot of things were regional too.

I know growing up in So Cal in the early 80s (born in 74), we probably said a lot of things people from say New York never heard of.

But I honestly don't remember what term we used to describe someone we found attractive back then. I know "fine" was used late 80s in to the 90s.

Edited January 6, 2017 by Jenkins

[Guest]

For the record, when I said I don't remember or have familiarity with half the things on the show, I'm not suggesting they weren't relevant or something.  I just wasn't male, Jewish, affluent, east coast or into rap, boy bands, sports or even movies or TV all that much, I guess.  So sometimes a whole episode goes by and I probably don't get half the jokes.  I still enjoy it.  

[Mrs OldManBalls]

I like the heck out of JTP. I hope it was a real thing, and I hope they are still friends. 

[ByTor]

11 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

For the record, when I said I don't remember or have familiarity with half the things on the show, I'm not suggesting they weren't relevant or something.  I just wasn't male, Jewish, affluent, east coast or into rap, boy bands, sports or even movies or TV all that much, I guess.  So sometimes a whole episode goes by and I probably don't get half the jokes.  I still enjoy it.  

For what it's worth I never thought you meant that.  There's a lot I forget...like "nobody wore their hair like Erica".  Thinking back, maybe some did, maybe some didn't.  I grew up in Northeast PA & I can say most girls had that big "feathered back" hair when I was in high school.  Is that the way the whole country wore their hair?  *shrug* I have no idea.  Or "girls didn't wear scrunchies in 1980-whatever".  Maybe they didn't where I lived, maybe they did in Jenkintown.  IMO it's not worth nitpicking for the sake of a sitcom.

[jww]

Is William Penn Academy a private school?   Unless tuition is pocket change  Murray certainly is not getting his money worth as there does not appear to be  any qualified  teachers on the staff or long term substitutes . It is hard to believe the local public school in an affluent community would not be superior.  Between a Spanish teacher who takes bribes to “help” Adam, drama teacher putting on a lip sync  performance , a coke addict chemistry teacher,  a coach who likely puts his jock strap on backwards  and a  principal  who couldn’t  manage a hot dog cart , there certainly are no Mr Novaks, Miss Brooks  or  Mr. Dixons (Room 222)  on the staff.   Even Mr. Kotter,  Mr. Garrison,  Mrs.  Krabappel and Principal  Skinner  competence would put them to shame.  On a lighter note, do they always dress Barry in loose fitting  jerseys because like  Murray he  seems to be  developing a beer gut?

[ByTor]

As far as I know there isn't a William Penn Academy.  The "real" Adam Goldberg...oops, Adam F Goldberg...went to William Penn Charter School which is, in fact, a private school...http://www.penncharter.com

[Guest]

2 hours ago, ByTor said:

For what it's worth I never thought you meant that.  There's a lot I forget...like "nobody wore their hair like Erica".  Thinking back, maybe some did, maybe some didn't.  I grew up in Northeast PA & I can say most girls had that big "feathered back" hair when I was in high school.  Is that the way the whole country wore their hair?  *shrug* I have no idea.  Or "girls didn't wear scrunchies in 1980-whatever".  Maybe they didn't where I lived, maybe they did in Jenkintown.  IMO it's not worth nitpicking for the sake of a sitcom.

Oh yeah, I know.  I just wanted to clarify.  

I'm with you on Erika's hair.  It was all feathered or permed for us.  Even Beverly's isn't really quite right, to me.  I have a feeling that's how the Erika actor wears her hair in real life.  It looks like a 'today' style, anyway.  A lot of her outfits do, too. 

I don't mind them portraying the private school teachers as inept.  It's a sitcom.  I have no doubt moms with degrees could be used as subs.   They have to butter up the parents to keep the tuition coming.   Usually, the private schools aren't a whole lot better than public, it's just an image thing and parents wanting to segregate their kids from the lower income ones.  JMO.

[ByTor]

1 minute ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I'm with you on Erika's hair.  It was all feathered or permed for us.  

I would even argue that her hair as "Frizzica" looked more like the 80s hair that I remember :)

[Canada]

Wow, Real Barry really is a doctor?  That's awesome.  Wonder what kind of doctor he is and if he still raps!!

[mansonlamps]

On 1/5/2017 at 4:01 PM, Traveller519 said:

One Adam vs. Adam F. joke early in the season made me chuckle, two was still good, but why are they beating this one down? They've made their point.

That aside, I loved this episode. "That really show's how much you haven't been living up to your potential."

I agree, I find myself cringing every episode waiting for the reference.  We get it, he was kind of a dick.  That's the character he's always played, so I guess he just played himself.

Totally agree that Frizzica more closely resembles the girls I went to school with. And I think using "hot" was just a slip up, pretty sure that came later.  I remember fine and maybe Bangin'.  And bodacious tatas lol.

Edited January 7, 2017 by mansonlamps

[estellasmum]

45 minutes ago, Canada said:

Wow, Real Barry really is a doctor?  That's awesome.  Wonder what kind of doctor he is and if he still raps!!

It was too good of a concept not to Google. I found an article that says he is a radiologist, and the other Goldberg brother (Eric) is a neurologist. My favorite part of the article was the mention that the real Barry is a fan of the show, but he wanted to make it known that he does NOT run like a tool.

[Dewey Decimate]

Funny how individual/regional references are so different! I definitely remember "hot" as a kid in the 80s (as in "Michael J. Fox is cute, but Emilio Estevez is hot" - no accounting for taste). It's a bummer that we might think of "hot" as more of a creation of the revolting Paris Hilton than a term that long preceded her.

And I actually love the Adam Goldberg v. AFG digs, especially the "he's really more of a multi-hyphenate while I specialize in the writing arts." I think it's hilarious that AFG can be funny but good-natured about it, which I can reasonably assume gets AG even more furious. As long as it doesn't turn into some East Coast/West Coast thing.

[Canada]

58 minutes ago, estellasmum said:

It was too good of a concept not to Google. I found an article that says he is a radiologist, and the other Goldberg brother (Eric) is a neurologist. My favorite part of the article was the mention that the real Barry is a fan of the show, but he wanted to make it known that he does NOT run like a tool.

Thanks for that.  I had a bit of a look online but couldn't find anything.

[ByTor]

13 hours ago, Dewey Decimate said:

Funny how individual/regional references are so different! I definitely remember "hot" as a kid in the 80s (as in "Michael J. Fox is cute, but Emilio Estevez is hot" - no accounting for taste). It's a bummer that we might think of "hot" as more of a creation of the revolting Paris Hilton than a term that long preceded her.

I was thinking before, the Buster Poindexter song "Hot Hot Hot" was from the 80s.  Looking it up, 1987 specifically.

Edited January 8, 2017 by ByTor

[biakbiak]

Blues and jazz songs have been doing it since the 20s, Red Hot Mama was released in 1970. Several 80s movies also used the term.

[proserpina65]

On ‎01‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 11:32 AM, ByTor said:

I would even argue that her hair as "Frizzica" looked more like the 80s hair that I remember :)

I graduated in 1983, and there were a lot of girls who did wear their hair like Erica does.  The feathered thing was going out of style by the early eighties in rural NE Maryland, and while some girls had perms, a lot more boys did.  Now, by the late 80s stuff might've changed.

[ByTor]

1 minute ago, proserpina65 said:

I graduated in 1983, and there were a lot of girls who did wear their hair like Erica does.  The feathered thing was going out of style by the early eighties in rural NE Maryland, and while some girls had perms, a lot more boys did.  Now, by the late 80s stuff might've changed.

Then that REALLY explains why the girls I went to HS with still wore that style, I didn't exactly come from a fashion-forward area :)

[proserpina65]

Just now, ByTor said:

Then that REALLY explains why the girls I went to HS with still wore that style, I didn't exactly come from a fashion-forward area :)

Cecil County, Maryland - fashion capital of the world, lol.

[Cowgirl]

On 1/6/2017 at 3:46 PM, Jenkins said:

A lot of things were regional too.

Agreed!  In my area in the 70's and 80's we said someone was a fox or was foxy.  We also wore our hair feathered here until mid 90's.

[juliet73]

On 1/6/2017 at 4:46 PM, Jenkins said:

A lot of things were regional too.

I know growing up in So Cal in the early 80s (born in 74), we probably said a lot of things people from say New York never heard of.

But I honestly don't remember what term we used to describe someone we found attractive back then. I know "fine" was used late 80s in to the 90s.

I grew up in Las Vegas and our slang was similar, to So Cal.  We used to say "fine" and "babe."  Jake Ryan is a babe. Or Jake Ryan is fine. 

[Cowgirl]

In the late 80's we'd say someone was hot, but "hottie" was not a thing in my area until about 1994.