Season 5 Discussion

[shoregirl]

26 minutes ago, shipmate said:

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 

  Also they clearly used the clip of the actor throwing out the first pitch at the same game Real Barry did last year. I wonder why they didn't try to recreate the Vet. They have done it before and Citizen Bank Park and the Vet look nothing alike.

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, Robert Lynch said:

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

I am assuming it's just an excuse not have to write her being away at school because it hasn't worked well.

[Prin Holmes]

On 5/3/2018 at 5:09 AM, biakbiak said:

I am assuming it's just an excuse not have to write her being away at school because it hasn't worked well.

Seems like it brings Lainey back into the mix, too, which is fine with me.

Favorite exchange was this:

Geoff: Uh, babe?  You know I love everything you do, but that was clearly "I Love Rock 'n' Roll."

Erica: No way!  That song goes, "I love rock 'n' roll!  Put another dime in the jukebox, baby!"  Ours goes . . .

Erica and Lainey: "I enjoy rockin' out!  So put another tape in the boom --"

Erica: Oh, wow.  We ripped off Joan Jett.

Lainey: Yeah.  That's why it sounded so familiar.

All that said, Murray and Beverly are not going to be happy.

Edited May 9, 2018 by Prin Holmes

[Accidental Martyr]

Erica’s storyline has gotten really ridiculous.

[tennisgurl]

Murray and Bev are going to be pissed about this. How is Erica dropping out of school a good thing? I mean, college isnt for everyone, but she hasn't been there for long, and going off to become a singer seems pretty high risk.

At least Lainey will come back, so that should be nice anyway. And the totally obvious Joan Jet ripoff was funny. 

"I Just let her have this".

[DrSpaceman]

5 hours ago, Robert Lynch said:

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

I just cant with Erica anymore on this show.  I hate everything they have done with her.  I hate her non-existent singing talent.  I hate her with Geoff Schwartz.  I hate her new personality since she went to college.   She used to be a smart, well adjusted, well liked, social person.  Now.......just horrible.  It almost makes me not want to watch the show.  Especially knowing now she will probably be on more often and will be singing each week

What is discouraging the most is she is the one main character based on no one, so they are just making it all up for her.  That makes me question how good the writers really are on this show.  When they have to make it up out of the blue with no prior life story to go on from the 1980s, that is what you get

[nilyank]

If Bev and Murray are smart, they should let Erica know if she is dropping out of school then she has to pay her own way. That means that she shouldn't get to move back home where Bev would cater to her by providing food, shelter,  money, the first time Erica says Mommy.

Erica has unrealistic expectations about her future singing career And the only way she will know how difficult it is if she doesn't have her parents to fall back on as a safety net. As spoiled as she is, she would not last the summer and would be dying to go back to the dorms in the fall.

[Penguins71]

Barry's and Beverly's exchange:

"Did you you just call me a dumb bitch?" "No, I said don't pitch" "That's even worse!" had me absolutely rolling.  

Yes, Erica's storyline is kind of dumb, but I loved the interaction between her, Valley Erica, and Lainey, so I could handle it.

[xander874]

So, I guess Erica will be home next season. I don't hate Erica like others do, and I actually like when she bonds with the brothers, so I'm okay with this, Also, it looks like Lainey will be back too, so the reconciling with Barry can commence.

And I know we comment on Lucky sightings but I also feel like we should add Pop and Adam sightings to that. Both characters have been in the background so much this past season, I forget they are there half the time.

[biakbiak]

15 minutes ago, xander874 said:

Also, it looks like Lainey will be back too, so the reconciling with Barry can commence.

Probably not. 

Spoiler

Lainey is going to a character on the 90s spinoff that got picked up.

[Token]

Ugh, I can't stand any episode with Erica singing, so this episode was a nightmare for me.  And if she's planning on being a singer FT, I may need to stop watching the show.  The singing is average and the storylines ridiculous.  And could they really not sing anything more than the chorus to Joan Jett's song over and over again at the end there?  It was embarrassing.

[Prin Holmes]

1 hour ago, Token said:

And could they really not sing anything more than the chorus to Joan Jett's song over and over again at the end there?  It was embarrassing.

I think that was a loop.  Erica and Lainey sounded the same both times I heard it.

[incandescent]

I miss when Erica was the sensible one who always had a job and was Murray's favourite because she was less of a moron than her brothers.

[Robert Lynch]

I haven't been liking this Erica for quite sometime now. She doesn't act like an 80s kid. She acts too much like a modern day kid who would tweet complaints on Twitter and moan at how sucky life is. This Erica needs to go. For once, I want Beverly to go Cher on Erica, complete with the "Snap out of it" comment. But, alas, that won't happen.

[jww]

So Barry had never played baseball on a regulation diamond or seen a professional game to not know it is 60' from the pitcher mound to home plat and not 20'? It is hard to throw the ball 60' and a lot of politicians/celebrities bounce the ball before it gets to the catcher; the only impressive thing George W did as president was to throw a strike when he did the first pitch at a Nationals game.

[incandescent]

1 hour ago, jww said:

the only impressive thing George W did as president was to throw a strike when he did the first pitch at a Nationals game.

His shoe-dodging abilities were also impressive.

[silverspoons]

Did Erika finish the semester or just quit right near the end of the semester? I went to 2 ivy league colleges and I saw top students change and some quit (or transfer to very different schools) but most stayed till the last day of the semester, even if it was just fro the free room and board. Most also went and took the final even if to get a C or D just to have the credit. I'm hoping Erika did finish the semester and this music thing is a summer deal. Then maybe her parents will compromise and have her go to a performing arts school. I'm sure there would be one closer to home to make the show easier to film. I know it is a challenge to have kids go off to college and still have them in the story. Step By Step and The Middle did it pretty well , showing working class families have kids go to local state colleges is good economic sense. 

[Nessie]

On 5/4/2018 at 8:30 AM, xander874 said:

So, I guess Erica will be home next season. I don't hate Erica like others do, and I actually like when she bonds with the brothers, so I'm okay with this, Also, it looks like Lainey will be back too, so the reconciling with Barry can commence.

And I know we comment on Lucky sightings but I also feel like we should add Pop and Adam sightings to that. Both characters have been in the background so much this past season, I forget they are there half the time.

I don't hate Erica either.  I'm just so very tired of having to hear her sing in every...single...episode...

I don't care when Lucky is on.  I do like seeing Pops, though (I guess he's a snowbird?).  Until you mentioned it just now, I hadn't really noticed the lack of Adam.

[ShowsILoveToHate]

I must be the only one who doesn't mind Erica's singing.  I've known since the first episode that she's been a professional singer. (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayley_Orrantia

I wonder if they're taking her in a singing as a career direction because of the fact that the actress has that talent to offer.  

From what I remember reading, Erica isn't based on an actual family member of Adam Goldberg.  I wonder if the writers just don't know what to do with her, since there aren't any "true life" stories to go by.  ?? 

Does anyone know if this show is being renewed??

[Robert Lynch]

8 hours ago, ShowsILoveToHate said:

I must be the only one who doesn't mind Erica's singing.  I've known since the first episode that she's been a professional singer. (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayley_Orrantia

I wonder if they're taking her in a singing as a career direction because of the fact that the actress has that talent to offer.  

From what I remember reading, Erica isn't based on an actual family member of Adam Goldberg.  I wonder if the writers just don't know what to do with her, since there aren't any "true life" stories to go by.  ?? 

Does anyone know if this show is being renewed??

Beverly has three sons. One of them is Eric. I think the reason for the changes from male to female characterization is to appeal to the woman demographic for ABC. Not that there is anything wrong with it. Just a thought.

[Mudra]

Quote

Adam tries to start a Mel Brooks club after he sees the movie "Spaceballs"; Jackie mistakes his club advertisement for political satire and puts it in the school paper; Beverly and Pops visit Erica for parent's weekend; Murray tags along.

[Traveller519]

Words cannot convey my disappointment that Fred Savage didn't play Jackie's dad (or even better, uncle) The Goldbergs/Wonder Years/Girl Meets World meta-humor would have been sublime. 

Edited May 11, 2018 by Traveller519

[readster]

47 minutes ago, Traveller519 said:

Words cannot convey my disappointment that Fred Savage didn't play Jackie's dad (or even better uncle) The Goldbergs/Wonder Years/Girl Meets World meta-humor would have been sublime. 

I am in complete agreement. 

[biakbiak]

The Adam/Jackie subplot made no sense, she knows that he loves Spaceballs and knows nothing about politics and he had probably forced her to watch the movie a dozen times. 

Also, if Lainey told her dad that she was dropping out to start a girl band with her bff why didn't he tell his bff Murray? 

Young Dace Sirota does always make me smile.

That was actually Rick Moranis at the end and Adam Goldberg has been trying to get Spaceballs 2 developed for years.

Edited May 10, 2018 by biakbiak

[Prin Holmes]

Activated Murray is the best!

I was confused by Pops's sudden 180, though.  He was as just against Erica dropping out as Murray and Beverly were.  Yet he's suddenly all for it at the end?

RLS!  RLS!  This time sitting between Barry and Jeff in the basement.  And as usual, she looked adorable.

So Beverly and Pops are now behind the dropout decision.  The question is, how does Beverly get Murray on board?

[Robert Lynch]

You could have hit me with a feather about Rick Moranis reprising his Dark Helmet role. I thought that was awesome. Especially after he retired from acting.

 

I just can't have sympathy for Erica's choice. I just can't.

[MMLEsq]

5 hours ago, Prin Holmes said:

Activated Murray is the best!

^ YES!!   That was, hands down, the best part of the episode (for me).  Followed by deactivated Murray.  The Spaceballs storyline did nothing for me.  (It probably doesn't help that I've never seen the movie.....never had any desire, even though I generally like Mel Brooks movies.)  

I also liked how Erica's song that Bev listened to which changed her mind was the show's theme song.

It's too bad that, in real life, there's an Eric rather than an Erica because we never get the video flashbacks, etc. relating to anything her character does.  (Is that right?  Please correct me if they've ever shown a video of Eric that relates to something Erica-related on the show.)  

[Tardislass]

Erica’s storyline was just dumb. I know this is TV but her parents being fine with her dropping out of college right after hearing her sing?!  Nope. It doesn’t help that she feels more like a millennial then a teen from the 1980s.

I did like the School House Rock gag. As a teen we had to take the Constitution test and half the class were humming the preamble song.

The Alex P. Keaton and Highlander Clubs!

Must have used up the budget for the saber fight at the end. Very nice of Rick Moranis to do the voice especially as he’s known to hate revisiting past roles. He’s also participating in the SCTV reunion in Toronto for Netflix so perhaps he’s coming back. 

Edited May 10, 2018 by Tardislass

[Bazinga]

43 minutes ago, MMLEsq said:

It's too bad that, in real life, there's an Eric rather than an Erica because we never get the video flashbacks, etc. relating to anything her character does.  (Is that right?  Please correct me if they've ever shown a video of Eric that relates to something Erica-related on the show.) 

I thought the recent Florida happenings ended up being based on Eric and was worse then actually shown.  Correct me if I am wrong.  I do think that was the only time Eric has been brought up in real life.

[DrSpaceman]

11 hours ago, Traveller519 said:

Words cannot convey my disappointment that Fred Savage didn't play Jackie's dad (or even better uncle) The Goldbergs/Wonder Years/Girl Meets World meta-humor would have been sublime. 

That would have been good

But I do like Scott Adsit as well and hope he shows up some more

That's actually they second show he has been on with a "Star Wars" movie/missile defense mix up story.  They did it on 30 Rock as well. 

I just can't anymore with Erica.  If they turn this into a singing showcase for her, I may seriously stop watching the new episodes.  I hate her.  That version of the theme they played with her singing.......just shoot me now. 

[tennisgurl]

Rick Moranis! Its so awesome that he did the cameo, especially now that he has retired from acting. That ending was great, and I love that the whole President stupid thing was apparently based on something that actually happened. And real life Bev defended Adam on Twitter, just like any good Smother! 

The School House Rock jokes really worked for me. School House Rock was way before my time when it started, but I loved watching my aunts old VHS copies, and I still can do the entire Preamble because of ShR. 

Activated Murray is awesome! I wish they would stick with it, as Erica ditching school to start a band is an amazingly stupid idea, and I just cant buy even Beverly and Pops being behind it, at least not for awhile. Its just stupid. 

[Accidental Martyr]

Wow, Erica went from not realizing they were ripping off “I Love Rock & Roll” last week to writing and recording an original song that’s so good it convinces her mother that she should drop out of college and pursue a music career. OK.

[Pop Tart]

6 hours ago, DrSpaceman said:

I just can't anymore with Erica.  If they turn this into a singing showcase for her, I may seriously stop watching the new episodes.  I hate her.  That version of the theme they played with her singing.......just shoot me now. 

I think this is just a way for the show to have Erica remain close to home and thus on the show - and I'm not thrilled 'cause I think it's stupid. I think it was working out fine to have her in college nearby, she was still in most episodes, but a lot of sitcoms go the route of somehow figuring out ways for the kids not to go to college in order to have them remain in the home and on the show. On Modern Family, Hailey dropped out, Alex got mono after a semester and had to be back home for the next semester and Luke wasn't doing college at all. They did it on the Cosby show with Theo, who was in college but had forgotten to turn in his dorm room application and thus had to continue to live at home.

And I know I've seen the trope on other family shows as well. As soon as the kid ages into college age, suddenly, no matter how much they've wanted to go up until that point, they don't go for some contrived reason. Or if they go, they're quickly back. 

[DrSpaceman]

23 minutes ago, Pop Tart said:

I think this is just a way for the show to have Erica remain close to home and thus on the show - and I'm not thrilled 'cause I think it's stupid. I think it was working out fine to have her in college nearby, she was still in most episodes, but a lot of sitcoms go the route of somehow figuring out ways for the kids not to go to college in order to have them remain in the home and on the show. On Modern Family, Hailey dropped out, Alex got mono after a semester and had to be back home for the next semester and Luke wasn't doing college at all. They did it on the Cosby show with Theo, who was in college but had forgotten to turn in his dorm room application and thus had to continue to live at home.

And I know I've seen the trope on other family shows as well. As soon as the kid ages into college age, suddenly, no matter how much they've wanted to go up until that point, they don't go for some contrived reason. Or if they go, they're quickly back. 

I don't care if they keep her in the show in some way.  I realize sitcoms all the time find a way to keep kids at home once out of high school

I just don't want this to turn into the weekly Hayley Orrantia singing showcase.  Find some other way to do it

And have her break up with Geoff as well.  No chemistry at all with them. 

[Prin Holmes]

1 hour ago, DrSpaceman said:

And have her break up with Geoff as well.  No chemistry at all with them. 

Chemistry is subjective, and I think they do have it.  And the show clearly thinks they do, too, so they're staying together, I think, for the long haul.

[reggiejax]

As far as I am concerned, the sooner they pull a Chuck Cunningham/Judy Winslow with Erica, the better. 

Seriously, would she be missed?

And while I have always enjoyed Spaceballs, there are few movies I can think of that warrant a sequel less. Sure, there are some nuances to the character of Barf that could be more fully explored, but with John Candy no longer with us, I would rather they not try. 

And I can think of no one worse to do a sequel than Adam Goldberg. Spaceballs was mid-level Mel Brooks, but even that is miles ahead of anything Adam Goldberg ever has done, or could do. 

[alexa]

On 5/5/2018 at 10:50 PM, ShowsILoveToHate said:

I must be the only one who doesn't mind Erica's singing.  I've known since the first episode that she's been a professional singer. (See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayley_Orrantia

I wonder if they're taking her in a singing as a career direction because of the fact that the actress has that talent to offer.  

From what I remember reading, Erica isn't based on an actual family member of Adam Goldberg.  I wonder if the writers just don't know what to do with her, since there aren't any "true life" stories to go by.  ?? 

Does anyone know if this show is being renewed??

I didn't mind her singing occasionally but it began to feel forced as a storyline over time for me.  I like the actor/character, however after reading about her training and background it kind of makes me less impressed with her if that makes sense?  I had guessed she was playing around with singing thus why she was kind of good but nothing spectacular--but now seeing she has done a lot with it, I expect her to be better.  But I do wish they would go a different direction with her storyline regardless.

[alexa]

I was really disappointed that they turned the storyline around for Erica with her dad getting everything back for her, and then ruined it in the end by having it all unravel again.  I am just not sure why they couldn't have just encouraged her to do some music on the side, finish her degree, and then go full force if she wants to.  It made no sense for Murray to do all of that and the all of the sudden Beverly says "oh what a great song, pursue your dreams!".  

[DrSpaceman]

1 hour ago, alexa said:

I was really disappointed that they turned the storyline around for Erica with her dad getting everything back for her, and then ruined it in the end by having it all unravel again.  I am just not sure why they couldn't have just encouraged her to do some music on the side, finish her degree, and then go full force if she wants to.  It made no sense for Murray to do all of that and the all of the sudden Beverly says "oh what a great song, pursue your dreams!".  

Of course that would make sense in the real world. 

Sitcoms obviously don't follow real world rules. 

I'd be pissed if I were Murray, for so many reasons. 

[alexa]

35 minutes ago, DrSpaceman said:

Of course that would make sense in the real world. 

Sitcoms obviously don't follow real world rules. 

I'd be pissed if I were Murray, for so many reasons. 

I agree.  I guess what I meant is why bother having the Murray part of the storyline if they were just going to undo it.  The episode could have just been about her not returning to school, etc.  It was just a waste by doing too much in one episode.  

[Whimsy]

On 5/10/2018 at 9:23 AM, Bazinga said:

I thought the recent Florida happenings ended up being based on Eric and was worse then actually shown.  Correct me if I am wrong.  I do think that was the only time Eric has been brought up in real life.

I don't have the type of memory that can remember exact episodes or details, but I do remember an earlier episode with the real footage of Eric at a dinner table (Thanksgiving, I think) yelling about something...,. 

20 hours ago, Accidental Martyr said:

Wow, Erica went from not realizing they were ripping off “I Love Rock & Roll” last week to writing and recording an original song that’s so good it convinces her mother that she should drop out of college and pursue a music career. OK.

Major eyeroll from me.

3 hours ago, alexa said:

I was really disappointed that they turned the storyline around for Erica with her dad getting everything back for her, and then ruined it in the end by having it all unravel again.  I am just not sure why they couldn't have just encouraged her to do some music on the side, finish her degree, and then go full force if she wants to.  It made no sense for Murray to do all of that and the all of the sudden Beverly says "oh what a great song, pursue your dreams!".  

I agree.  Erica's wasted all of that money for literally nothing?  Is there not a school she can go to that has a music degree??  She could get a degree in literally anything and at least have a degree to fall back on for if (when) the music thing doesn't work out. 

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, Whimsy said:

I agree.  Erica's wasted all of that money for literally nothing?  Is there not a school she can go to that has a music degree??  She could get a degree in literally anything and at least have a degree to fall back on for if (when) the music thing doesn't w

Her school was a music school but she didn't like the class part of it.

[Accidental Martyr]

On 5/10/2018 at 8:23 AM, Bazinga said:

I thought the recent Florida happenings ended up being based on Eric and was worse then actually shown.  Correct me if I am wrong.  I do think that was the only time Eric has been brought up in real life.

The cops being called to the pool at the retirement home was apparently based on something that Eric did.

[Whimsy]

11 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Her school was a music school but she didn't like the class part of it.

Lol.  That's how much I pay attention to Erica's storyline.  Still dumb to waste all that money with no degree. 

[incandescent]

The Erica version of the opening credits song sucked.

[reggiejax]

4 hours ago, DrSpaceman said:

Of course that would make sense in the real world. 

Sitcoms obviously don't follow real world rules. 

I'd be pissed if I were Murray, for so many reasons. 

I agree about things not making sense as compared in the real world. The first thing I noticed is that this episode is set on May 9th, 1980-something. Who the hell decides to drop out of college on May 9th? If it isn't already finals week, it will be in a week, two at the absolute most. Why the hell couldn't Erica just run out the clock rather than make a big production out of dropping out to pursue her dreams of being a failed musician? 

And what college schedules Parents Weekend in May? I imagine parents would be pissed having to come out there and then having to do it again in a week or two to pick their kids up for the summer. 

[biakbiak]

29 minutes ago, reggiejax said:

Who the hell decides to drop out of college on May 9th? If it isn't already finals week, it will be in a week, two at the absolute most. 

Finals had already passed, she said she missed them to go to NY and that since she was already on academic probation she said it was more she flunked out nt dropoed out. 

[Tardislass]

20 hours ago, reggiejax said:

As far as I am concerned, the sooner they pull a Chuck Cunningham/Judy Winslow with Erica, the better. 

Seriously, would she be missed?

And while I have always enjoyed Spaceballs, there are few movies I can think of that warrant a sequel less. Sure, there are some nuances to the character of Barf that could be more fully explored, but with John Candy no longer with us, I would rather they not try. 

And I can think of no one worse to do a sequel than Adam Goldberg. Spaceballs was mid-level Mel Brooks, but even that is miles ahead of anything Adam Goldberg ever has done, or could do. 

Honestly, if it ever happens, I think it would need a whole new cast. Some of the cast have died off, Brooks is in his 90s, and I honestly don't see Moranis doing it unless it's a Joan Rivers voice-over. Plus the humor of today is not exactly the same as the 1980s humor, especially amongst teenagers. They could always remake it as eighties remakes seem to be in vogue.

[reggiejax]

23 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Finals had already passed, she said she missed them to go to NY and that since she was already on academic probation she said it was more she flunked out nt dropoed out. 

I watched again, and indeed Erica said she missed finals and she flunked out. And Activated Murray did straighten it all out, to the point of getting all her stuff moved back into her dorm room. But why would he have to move her back in? Finals were over, and therefore the semester as well. Erica should have been coming home for the summer. But even at the end, when Bevy went to tell her that her awful music was actually good enough to warrant her dropping out, she had to go back to the college to tell her. I know The Goldbergs is purposely wonky with the timeline in terms of what year it is, but why are they so off on something so basic as when the school year ends? 

Edited May 12, 2018 by reggiejax

[Mabinogia]

On ‎5‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 8:07 AM, alexa said:

I like the actor/character, however after reading about her training and background it kind of makes me less impressed with her if that makes sense? 

I feel the same. She is a decent enough singer for an amateur, but as a professional I find her far less impressive. I really liked Erica in the beginning and I find the actress very charismatic but IDK, it's like they ran out of ideas or just don't know how to write for girls. I would rather they sent her away to school and let the actress go do something else.