jackgriffin1-1
I haven't written an IMDB review in years but this show forced me out of retirement. It's so bad it makes me angry and I have to do something to shower off its dirt. What we have here is the worst cast and writing of any show I can remember. (And I've seen Small Wonder.) Here's the plot of every episode:
The Mother (sometimes the father) does something horrendous to one or more of the kids. Fifteen minutes of horrible acting and writing go by, and then the kids realize that the parent is a wonderful person and deserves forgiveness. THAT'S IT! 120 episodes of the same plot!
Now I'll get to the horrible acting in ascending order, from least despicable to most nauseating.
1) The daughter. She's a normal person. She looks at the other family members with horror and disgust. I like that. Gives me someone to relate to.
2) George Segal. You know something's wrong with a show when George Segal's one of the most likable people on it.
3) Now here's where we start to gag. The youngest kid. Wide eyed. Mouth always open and smiling. Often called "Schmoopie". Starts every show doing something stupid and ends each one learning a lesson, all the while narrating the episode in his whiny little voice. (Sound familiar? I'll get to that later).
4) The father. Mr. Underpants. (Did anyone's father really take off his pants and sit in the living room as soon as he got home? If so, I'm very sorry.) He hates everyone. Especially his kids. He spends the majority of each episode delivering his lines with a mouth full of drool. I keep wanting to put a cup under his chin to catch the overspill. Ends each episode learning that he doesn't really hate his family. Until the next episode.
5) Okay. Here's where the jaw droppingly bad acting really is. The older son. Every screamed line is spoken with his eyes wide, his eyebrows raised, and his mouth wide open. He inexplicably thinks he's a rapper, even though the show takes place before rap became popular. What could have made this show even more foul? Yep. Rap and Hip Hop music. This "actor" has the most punchable face ever to disgrace the small screen. He would have been the worst thing ever to hit television if it weren't for...
6) THE MOTHER. Holy crap. I guess she's supposed to be a stereotype of a Jewish mother. But one from Hell (even though they don't believe in Hell. But if they did she would rise from it during every episode.) She defends her stupid kids to the death, taking on any rational person who has the nerve to point out that her offspring, who she "baked in her tummy" (Vomit. Puke. Gag. Dry Heave) aren't God's gifts to the world. You've all heard of an oedipal complex, right? Well, the opposite is called a Jocasta complex, where the mother wants to have sex with her son. That's what we have here. She loves her Schmoopie, and his underpants, and his little face, and she actually tries to keep his girlfriend away from him so she can have him all to herself. Whatever happened to Television Standards and Practices? If this wasn't a "comedy" she'd be in jail. Or on Dr. Phil being booed by the audience. And, of course, every episode starts off with her doing something horrendous to one or more members of her family and ends with everybody forgiving her because she's such a good mother. This show should only be watched in a vomitorium.
So here's the kicker. It's a ripoff of the excellent Wonder Years, without the humor, acting, heart, talent, and soul, and replacing the great 60's soundtrack of that show with hip hop and rap. Mother? Check. Father? Check. Daughter? Check. Older brother? Check. Younger brother narrating the show from sometime in the future? Check. Somebody walked into ABC and said, "You know what would be a good idea? A Jewish rip-off of The Wonder Years!!!" And the executive said, "Great!!!". That executive should be shot.
Well, I was hoping this review would purge me of some of my anger but it didn't. I have to go regurgitate. Excuse me.
nhorstman-961-866445
Everything about this show reminds me of my childhood. And I love that it hits on the entire genre of 1980s without trying to tie it to specific dates. It just honors what it means to be a child & adult of the 80s. The actors are great & so is the writing. And I love the snippets of actual family & cameos.
velicaruxandaoanamaria
The Goldbergs is one of the best series I've ever seen. It is very funny but also full of beautiful and sincere moments from the everyday life of a loving family. It reminds me of my family, and although it has made me laugh every time, some episodes endings have also brought tears in my eyes for how well they captured family life with it's good and not so good parts, but most of all full of love and understanding.
Well done to all the people that contribute to making this show this great! And don't ever end it, please!
