It’s all about F-bombs and friendship on Season 4 Episode 17 of The Goldbergs.
I bleeping LOVE this episode!
When I reviewed “So Swayze It’s Crazy,” I said that I hoped to see more of Matt Bradley, the school’s resident punk turned deadhead.
I get exactly that in this episode.
The other members of the JTP try to convince Barry that Matt Bradley should join their crew. Barry is the self-proclaimed leader and is vehemently against it.
Barry has a lot of anger, and some of it stems from insecurities that he tries to overcompensate with false confidence. This sets off a series of failed attempts to thwart the initiation of Matt Bradley into the JTP.
Troy Gentile does a fantastic job of showing this rage comically, and then sincerely apologizing in the end. We know how stubborn he is, so we expect him to go this route, but we know he will get there eventually.
I had an inkling that Matt Bradley would fit in well on The Goldbergs, and, boy, does he. Shayne Topp is excellent as the “chillest member” of the JTP. He tempers Barry’s constant hysteria. Also, he seems like a really good friend.
The real life Goldberg connection at the end reveals that the real Matt Bradley remains Adam F. Goldberg’s closest and dearest friend to this day. It makes his character even better, knowing that he is based on a real friendship and not one made up just for the show.
While the JTP storyline is great, it is the “jar wars” portion of the episode that takes the cake for me.
In total Goldberg style, the family takes a simple swear jar system and lets it get hilariously out of control.
There is a whole battle between a family vacation to Colonial Williamsburg or the Bahamas. Other jars are created, such as a “Baditude Jar” and an “Adam Jar.” Adam’s jar is for anytime he says anything nerdy.
I find everything about this plot flippin’ delightful—from Beverly’s potty mouth (“Bev Bombs”) to Adam’s verbal diarrhea of geek trivia.
Adam: This has more twists and turns than the Battle of Endor!
Erica: Stop talking, you giant nerd.
Beverly: Oh, this is too [bleep] easy.
All the players in the “jar wars” battle deliver. Wendi McClendon-Covey is in her element. Jeff Garlin’s Murray is predictably uninterested and uses the requisite amount of “morons.”
Both kids, Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Adam (Sean Giambrone), react in typical kid fashion. They manipulate their parents and sass back appropriately. Orrantia and Giambrone give strong comedic performances.
I also love the resloution and how Murray with his non-involvement involvement ends the wars with a truth bomb.
Beverly: I only made these other jars because you made me realize they were playing me.
Murray: Of course they were! They’re awful. That’s part of their charm—just like swearing is part of yours. We are who we are, and I love it!
How adorable is Murray with this message of acceptance?
“Deadheads” is a first-rate episode.
Stray Observations:
- It is taking a lot of restraint from me not to just quote the whole episode verbatim. There are so many great lines.
- “All they wear is tie-dye. Like, pick a color, bro, you can’t have them all.”
- Barry getting stuck in rap loop is always funny. This version is stellar.
- “I’ve been listening to a bass guitar solo for twenty minutes!”
- This “What’s Happening” bit between Pops and Barry is great. We have been light on the Pops appearances lately, so it is nice to see more of him here.
- I totally remember the first time I accidentally swore in front of my mom.
- In “The Kara-te Kid” I was excited about the self-aware montage of Adam talking about the other Adam Goldberg. On “Deadheads,” I get TWO more. One is Beverly swearing (hashtag: blessed), and the other is Pops saying, “What’s happening”—which is a lot more than I remember. I really love these.
- “I’m starting a swear jar.” “My pickles!”
- Of course the swear jar is bedazzled, of course.
- “I ran the numbers. We need 723 big swear words. We can up Mom’s swear rate to twice an hour, and nail her on some “hells” and “damn its” in between. We’ll be slurping on strawberry daquiris in the Bahamas in 13 days.”
- “[Bleep] it. I’ll just put in a twenty. It’s money well spent.” This is so me.
- This:
Beverly: We should go see Star Track.
Adam: That is s– a title you would say.
Beverly: I hear the best thing about this space movie is this one superhero named Hans Olo.
Erica: Run, Adam, run!
Adam: No! I gotta say it! His name is Han Solo. Not Hans. He’s a rogue smuggler, not a Danish shoe cobbler! - “‘Jar wars’ sounds likeStar Wars! God, it felt good to say.”
What did you think of this episode of The Goldbergs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Goldbergs airs Wednesdaysat 8/7c on ABC.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.
