Season 5 Discussion

[rmontro]

Quote

 Barry enlists the JTP to help him break up Beverly's group of friends so Barry can have all the attention but soon realizes he made a major mistake when Beverly gets into a fight with her friends.

Nice to see Flo from the Progressive commercials playing Essie of Beverly's "Frentas".

I couldn't believe how much the real JTP and their actor counterparts looked alike at the end.  They all seemed to at least share a similar facial feature.

I liked seeing Adam learn to appreciate hockey.  Too bad dad was too sleepy to appreciate the theater.

[Bobbin]

I really liked this episode, LOL funny to dewey-eyed sweet. The JTP pack of raccoons attacking the bag of bagels had me burst out laughing. Adam and Murray connecting, Bev and her posse reconciling had me reaching for a tissue. So many surprises. Sean Giambrone is so talented. And hyper. All of the actors are so like their real life counterparts in the home movies. Great show.

[Utpe]

I always LOL seeing modern-day vehicles in a period that's supposed to be 1980-something.  It was so blatantly obvious when the "Frentas" were power walking up the street in their neighborhood.  I'm guessing actual people reside there.

I've never seen the movie Colors (1988) so I can't really comment on it.

Loved learning more about the real JTP.  JTP!

[Traveller519]

Matt Bradley peanut gallery for life! (plus, so good looking! Haha) His commentary about the bad ideas is always fun. 

 

I'm glad they didn't go the route of Murray suddenly loving the theater. The show can get a little too sentimental at times, so having to work through that was a nice third act twist. 

[incandescent]

So Adam is around fourteen at this point, and his dad and brother both love hockey, but this was somehow the first time he went to a game? Or the first time he actively tried to enjoy a game? Sounds fake, but okay.

 

I loved the meta joke about Erica having no reason to come down every weekend. And Matt Bradley being the ever silenced voice of reason.

[tennisgurl]

The meta joke about Erica being in college cracked me up. Oh, I am such a sucker for meta. 

It was really sweet seeing Adam find out he loved hockey and he and Murray bonded over it. And I actually like that Murray didn't fall in love with theater, but he finally understood why Adam loved it so much, and decided to support him even if he doesn't like it himself. I really like how that all played out. 

Wow, real life JTP really do look like older versions of the actors who play them as teens! That was so awesome! Loved the whole JTP vs. Moms plot (JTP as raccoons made me howl with laughter!) especially with poor Matt Bradley as the ignored voice of reason. "Again, nothing to do with colors." "I am so sorry". 

"They did a call and respond! It took us ages to get that down!" 

[Bobbin]

6 hours ago, incandescent said:

So Adam is around fourteen at this point, and his dad and brother both love hockey, but this was somehow the first time he went to a game? Or the first time he actively tried to enjoy a game? Sounds fake, but okay.

Episode after episode, the most unlikely situation turns out to be based on true events -- with Adam's video evidence as proof. So, maybe so. Real life continues to be more entertaining, more incredible than fiction.

Equally unbelievable, a half dozen teenage characters who have matured over 5 seasons, but haven't aged, a bane of other series. Lucky casting? Makeup? Camera work? Magic?

I like shows that give performers a chance to show off unique talents, like singing, dancing, magic. A mastery of tongue-twisters.

[juliet73]

I liked the Adam/Murray storyline, but I didn't care for the JTP vs frentas plot. I think it was mostly because of the way Barry behaved. His selfish entitlement just rubbed me the wrong way. I LOVED the real JTP at the end!!! You could totally see how much fun the real JTP are having watching "themselves."

Edited March 30, 2018 by juliet73

[rmontro]

On 3/29/2018 at 6:53 PM, Bobbin said:

Episode after episode, the most unlikely situation turns out to be based on true events -- with Adam's video evidence as proof. So, maybe so. Real life continues to be more entertaining, more incredible than fiction.

I'm wondering if they are running out of "real" story ideas though, because they haven't had footage of the episode's storyline for several weeks now.  This week was just an interview with the JTP, last week was an interview with the current real Coach Mellor (inexplicably wearing a neck brace), and I don't remember what was before that.

I could believe that Adam had never been to a hockey game before, if he had never had any interest in it.  Maybe he never had any reason to go before this.  They had good seats though!  

[dcalley]

On 3/10/2018 at 5:48 AM, ByTor said:

Why did Barry go through Camden to get to the Devils' former arena at the Meadowlands? 

Because he's a moron!

[Mudra]

Quote

Hoping to get the true spring break experience, Erica and Barry visit Pops in Florida, yet it's nothing how they expected. Meanwhile, Adam tells the truth to Beverly and Murray but then gets a surprising reaction.

[Traveller519]

I was all set to chastise Erica and Barry for not just getting on a bus to go to the beach, but then... The reveal that the "police raid" actually played out that way for Eric. It has me feeling all confused. 

Adam's Animal House shirt is incredible! 

[tennisgurl]

Wait, did Pops move to Florida? Did I miss that? 

I cant believe the police raid was based on true events! Every time this show does something super silly of sitcom-y, it always turns out to be based on stuff that actually happened!

[rmontro]

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Wait, did Pops move to Florida? Did I miss that? 

I cant believe the police raid was based on true events! Every time this show does something super silly of sitcom-y, it always turns out to be based on stuff that actually happened!

Totally agree with your post.  When did Pops move to Florida?  I don't pay hyper close attention to this show, so I'm sure I must have missed it.

And the most bizarre story lines end up being true.  Who the heck parties late night at a retirement home?  Truth is stranger than fiction.

[incandescent]

I love that Erica ignoring/forgetting about Geoff has become a running gag this season. Especially because I hated the dragged out storyline of them getting together. I really hope that Pops is just a snowbird rather than a permanent Florida transplant.

[rmontro]

20 minutes ago, incandescent said:

I love that Erica ignoring/forgetting about Geoff has become a running gag this season.

Yeah, especially since I never found it realistic that she would be interested him in the first place.  Young love works in mysterious ways, I guess.

[joanne3482]

48 minutes ago, incandescent said:

I really hope that Pops is just a snowbird rather than a permanent Florida transplant.

I feel like either he or Beverly indicated Pops was a snowbird. 

[TV Diva Queen]

me and the hubby died laughing.  My parents are snowbird at Del Boca Vista and everything was so true.  That sign by the pool of all the "no" was too real  I took a pic and sent it to my mom for her to give to the Board.  Having been at a couple MTV spring breaks myself and now having parents who winter in SoFlo, this episode was balls of joys for me!

[nilyank]

I loved that we were to see them use some real life Eric stories when we usually get them from the other family members.

[babs j.]

I'm pretty sure that in it was mentioned that Pops had a place in Florida to escape the cold.

[mojoween]

I feel like they probably spent so much for The Beastie Boys the music was lacking in this ep.

But one thing did ring true, in that as soon as we got cable in 1988 and I had my first taste of Spring Break on MTV the next spring, I was DYING to go to Florida.  However, since I was 15, that was a hard no from my mother.

[Mudra]

Quote

After seeing "Flashdance," Beverly decides to take up dance with the Frentas and is rejected when the family doesn't support her after telling them she is going to be in a recital. Meanwhile, when Emmy starts dating a cool guy, Adam thinks their friendship is in jeopardy, so he sets out to be cooler which backfires.

[AnnaRose]

I don't usually watch this show but tuned in for this episode because, Flashdance  y'all!  I thought it was pretty hilarious.  The spoof on the audition scene was great!  Aw, poor Mom with her whole family laughing at her.  At least they came through in the end.

The thing at the end with the real life Emmy... have they done that kind of thing before?

[Traveller519]

I paused the brief scene of the JTP in their Bev tribute costumes and just giggled to myself for a good little while. I wanted to see the performance, or at least the Outtakes of that scene. 

 

I admit I've been hard on Jackie in the past, but c'mon girl, drop Adam's crusty ass. He doesn't see you as anything beyond a prop. 

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, AnnaRose said:

thing at the end with the real life Emmy... have they done that kind of thing before?

Yes. The cast talking to the people is newish because they might have run out of real life video from Adam's childhood which closely reflected the episode it ended. Real life people have also been on the show playing euther their adult selves or in this case the mother of their counterpart.

[MMLEsq]

I'm loving the Frentas and the "Bevolution" this season.  And the JTP never gets old for me.  I'm easily entertained, I suppose.  

I do feel like the episodes are a little bit all over the place this season, although I guess that's not a bad thing since they're in syndication.  One week Pops is in Florida....seeming like he's there for an extended stay....next week he's back.  One week Geoff (Jeff?....  why do I feel like it's spelled with a "G" in this case?) is the love of Erica's life....while the week before she was heading off for Spring Break in Florida without even telling him.  

[TV Diva Queen]

When Bev was showing her family her dance, I laughed when Erica said something like "thank you for making me come home from school just to see this".  Its funny that they recognize that she shows up at the weirdest moments or that every single friend or acquaintance of hers shows up randomly together in her dorm.  

[tennisgurl]

Awwww I love whenever the real versions of the characters show up! I wonder if they ran out of Adams home footage? 

I love the Frentas, and Beverly's attempts at doing things other than Smother. To be fair to the family, that dance was pretty hilarious. I did feel bad for her though, and it was sweet that everyone supported her. 

So, Pops is back from Florida? Are we just ignoring all of that?

[Texasmom1970]

Loved the brief scence of Pops comforting Adam so sweet!

[Traveller519]

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

So, Pops is back from Florida? Are we just ignoring all of that?

I mean Spring Break is obviously over, I'm sure spring is hitting Jenkintown, perfect time for Pops to come back... with all his Casino winnings, which is what I'm head-cannoning alowed him to buy Adam a $450 jacket (over $1,000 in 2018 dollars)

[incandescent]

4 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

I mean Spring Break is obviously over, I'm sure spring is hitting Jenkintown, perfect time for Pops to come back... with all his Casino winnings, which is what I'm head-cannoning alowed him to buy Adam a $450 jacket (over $1,000 in 2018 dollars)

I was under the impression that Pops has always had money? I remember him buying Erica a guitar and kind of shrugging it off when his car was stolen in the Ferris Bueller episode. Like he's not gonna be able to finance a new jacket every week, but he can swing it as a one-off.

[Robert Lynch]

7 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

I mean Spring Break is obviously over, I'm sure spring is hitting Jenkintown, perfect time for Pops to come back... with all his Casino winnings, which is what I'm head-cannoning alowed him to buy Adam a $450 jacket (over $1,000 in 2018 dollars)

Those jackets were not cheap back then. Those cost an arm and a leg to buy. 

[mtlchick]

I had to chuckle at the line about Erica and Barry writing a song to say that they're sorry "like you always do."  

[alexa]

I was glad they had both Emmy and Jackie on this episode because i was confused at first.  I forgot Jackie's name and was thinking Emmy was his girlfriend, so why was he calling her just a best friend.  Then Jackie showed up and I remembered them both, lol!  anyway I think it is cool that Jackie has been so supportive of his friendship with Emmy, and they didn't do the jealousy thing.  And the whole Flashdance thing was kind of fun too.  Gotta love momma Goldberg's boldness to try anything.

[xander874]

I really really wanted one of those zipper jackets when I was a kid (didn't get it), so I liked that part. Hope we see the jacket again in future episodes.  I felt bad for Beverly. 

I thought the Jackie plot was off because Adam has a girlfriend and I'm sure he is spending less time with Jackie because of it. Guess it wasn't an issue until it affected him.

[DrSpaceman]

Was hoping for a Jennifer Beals cameo. 

18 hours ago, incandescent said:

I was under the impression that Pops has always had money? I remember him buying Erica a guitar and kind of shrugging it off when his car was stolen in the Ferris Bueller episode. Like he's not gonna be able to finance a new jacket every week, but he can swing it as a one-off.

He has money when its convenient for the story

I was always under the impression he had plenty of money as well, but then one episode focused on him needing to tighten his spending so he wouldn't go broke. 

[Robert Lynch]

Have they ever touched upon The Lost Boys at all or even those 80s horror flicks during their five season run? I was surprised Adam Goldberg never touched upon Lucas at all, being that he is a nerd and all. I mean, the whole 80s segment touched upon were The Breakfast Club, The Goonies, Karate Kid, Revenge of The Nerds, and others we lost count during the 5 season run.

[joanne3482]

5 minutes ago, Robert Lynch said:

Have they ever touched upon The Lost Boys at all or even those 80s horror flicks during their five season run? I was surprised Adam Goldberg never touched upon Lucas at all, being that he is a nerd and all. I mean, the whole 80s segment touched upon were The Breakfast Club, The Goonies, Karate Kid, Revenge of The Nerds, and others we lost count during the 5 season run.

Until now I didn't realize how much I NEED them to do something with the Lost Boys.  I watched that movie so many times when I was a kid!  I remember towards the end of its run watching it in the theater and having an entire row of seats to myself to lay across.  

 

3 hours ago, DrSpaceman said:

He has money when its convenient for the story

I was always under the impression he had plenty of money as well, but then one episode focused on him needing to tighten his spending so he wouldn't go broke. 

I had a friend who, in the 90s, worked for a outlet mall sock store in PA (outside Philly).  Her biggest customers were Philly people with money because this is how you keep your money - tighten spending.  So I can see him having some "fun" money for when it is important but also being kind of tightfisted. 

[niklj]

On 3/29/2018 at 8:52 AM, incandescent said:

So Adam is around fourteen at this point, and his dad and brother both love hockey, but this was somehow the first time he went to a game? Or the first time he actively tried to enjoy a game? Sounds fake, but okay.

Adam has been to a Phillies game before (where he got lost in the stadium) so I don't know why he was all anti-sports for this episode.

But as one poster said in TWoP ages ago, this show "has the continuity of an Archie comic."

Edited April 16, 2018 by niklj

[biakbiak]

11 minutes ago, niklj said:

Adam has been to a Phillies game before (where he got lost in the stadium) so I don't know why he was all anti-sports for this episode.

But as one poster said in TWoP ages ago, this show "has the continuity of an Archie comic."

Adam didn't want to go to the game and wasn't a fan. He only went because Bev didn't want to leave him home alone when she was going  to see The Lost Boys with Erika and Barry after she guilted them into hanging out with her, so she forced Murray to bring him to the game to watch him.

[niklj]

41 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Adam didn't want to go to the game and wasn't a fan. He only went because Bev didn't want to leave him home alone when she was going  to see The Lost Boys with Erika and Barry after she guilted them into hanging out with her, so she forced Murray to bring him to the game to watch him.

Dang, good memory! I stand corrected.

[biakbiak]

15 minutes ago, niklj said:

Dang, good memory! I stand corrected.

Not that good I caught it on syndication not long ago when tv options were limited! 

[Robert Lynch]

8 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Not that good I caught it on syndication not long ago when tv options were limited! 

I didn't know they made a Lost Boys reference. I would probably have to see it on one of the syndicated programs for now on. You know, for 5 seasons they never touched upon any of the 80s classic horror films like Near Dark. It has the dialogues of all dialogues uttered by the late Bill Paxton: "It's finger-lickin' good!" I was surprised Adam doesn't do much for the other 80s horror films like Hellraiser or any obscure 80s flicks that should be mentioned. Knowing Halloween is around the corner for next season, a Lost Boys tribute would be awesome. Just my thought. They did a Breakfast Club Tribute for Season 4 and a Weird Science one for Season 5, so maybe they do one for Season 6?

[biakbiak]

4 hours ago, Robert Lynch said:

didn't know they made a Lost Boys reference.

The episode is called The Lost Boy. The only real reference to it is that's the movie Bev, Barry, and Erika go to.

[Robert Lynch]

3 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

The episode is called The Lost Boy. The only real reference to it is that's the movie Bev, Barry, and Erika go to.

Ah, thanks. It's been awhile since I seen that episode. 

[TV Diva Queen]

Doesn't Pops own the furniture store?  I'm sure he has some money.

[ByTor]

22 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

Doesn't Pops own the furniture store?  I'm sure he has some money.

That's what a lot of Philadelphia area people are known for...they have the money, they just don't spend the money. 

[biakbiak]

Quote

Barry gets the chance to throw the first pitch at a Philadelphia Phillies game and believes this is his chance to play professionally, but it's anything but. Meanwhile, Erica makes an important decision about her future in college.

[Robert Lynch]

So Erica quits college for a singing career? Really, show? That's all?

[shipmate]

As a Phillies fan (hey, we're rebuilding!) I loved this episode! Fun fact: WIP really is Philadelphia sports radio and the announcer they used is still the lead morning show guy!

Erica singing AGAIN, though. Ugh.  they need to stop trying to make Fetch happen.