The Goldbergs (2013)

Rating: 4 likes, 2 dislikes

I've read the reviews from the professional critics and most missed the mark. Many reference The Wonder Years (TWYs), some went as far as calling The Goldbergs (TGs) an 80s rehash of TWYs. The truth is, TWYs wasn't all that original, many films and TV series have used a narrator. Many reminisced about childhood or days gone by. It's A Wonderful Life, did it. Well enough about that.

I said they missed the mark, here's how.

1. The Goldbergs is a fictionalized depiction of someones actual life.
2. TGs are actually a functional family (I'm a family counselor).
3. TGs show healthy parenting and family values.
4. This is a healthy, clean (even with Bev's mouth) family program. There's nothing shocking or controversial about it.
5. It shows a healthy marriage with parents that support each other.
6. It shows healthy sibling relationships. The kids actually love and care about each other. They look out for each other.
7. It has characters that realize when they've screwed up, or listen the counsel of their loved ones.

There's more but I'll spare you.

Sadly, despite all it has going for it, I doubt TGs will see more than 2 seasons because it will fail to draw in the demographic Hollywood is currently marketing to. Sheeple. The ever growing section of human society that values an iphone more than family relationships. The Facebook and texting are "community and communication" crowd. The lemmings that believe Hollywood when it tells them "your parents are stupid". The ones who will use their rent money to buy the worthless crap Hollywood adverts in between crap like Jersey Shore or Survivor. The "reality" TV crowd. If I've offended you, then you need to think about why you are offended. I simply told the truth.

TGs has many merits. It actually shows a family that love each other, above and beyond everything. Something that's slowly fading from the world much in part because of politics, and the media, but mostly bad parenting and family values. Yet another reason TGs might not see another season. Modern families can't relate to a nearly true to life depictions of a healthy family.

Some reviewers have complained about the yelling. Are they kidding? I sat with a friend's kid to watch my first ever episode of Sponge Bob, it was ALL screaming and stupidity. Yet this is one of the most popular programs out there. I also say The Jersey Shore (which doesn't have anything to do with New Jersey), if they're not sleeping around, or getting drunk, they're just being plain stupid.

I've seen episodes of Modern Family. It's ok, but it's also a cookie cutter, formula driven, family comedy. Everyones an idiot, they need to be in order for them to create the artificial situations needed to create the comedy portion of the program. The comedy isn't organic. The comedy in TGs is completely organic. What right minded parent hasn't tried to keep their kids from driving too soon. What loving parent doesn't morn losing their babies whilst simultaneously trying to embrace and encourage the older child they see before them.

Hollywood can't make a good film or truly descent TV program theses days, and when one does come along, they try, desperately, to crush it. They can't have a good show out there. Not if they intend to continue to vomit out the programming they have thus far. I'm not saying all programs currently out stink. I am saying most do.

Give TGs a shot. I think, in time, you will see what I have. There's a warmth, a hope and peace (despite the yelling) that other programs don't have. There's a genuine and organic bitter sweetness to it that hasn't been seen, in a family comedy, for a long time. So give it a shot.

Review posted on Thursday, November 14th 2013 at 7:03 am

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The Goldbergs (2013)

Classification: Scripted
Genre: Comedy
Status: Returning Series
Network: ABC (

USA)
Airs: Wednesdays at 08:30 pm
Runtime: 30 Minutes
Premiere: September 24, 2013
Episode Order: 24

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