Article first published as THE GOLDBERGS Review on Seat42F.
ABC’s THE GOLDBERGS is a family sitcom
of the traditional variety that happens to be set in the 1980s. The
Goldbergs are an average American middle-class family who love each
other, but yell a lot. There’s a mother, father, grandpa, and three
children, a recipe for a very typical show.
The draw, if you will, is that THE
GOLDBERGS is based on the real-life family of producer Adam F. Goldberg
(Breaking In, Community). The end of the pilot, “The Circle of Driving,”
highlights that by showing the parallels of Goldberg’s real family and
the characters in split screen. In this, the show feels very authentic
and is definitely based on something true.
The problem is, there are already a
gluttony of realistic family sitcoms on the air and in the annals of
television history. Other writers and creators have families, too, and
have gotten to the dance well before Goldberg. Should we keep the party
going just as it’s breaking up? What sets THE GOLDBERGS apart from
Modern Family, The Middle, or even The Cosbys? Nothing, sadly.
Now, that doesn’t mean THE GOLDBERGS is
an unpleasant show. Wendi McLendon Covey (Bridesmaids, Reno 911!) is
terrific as an overbearing mom and Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
makes a great out-of-touch, always-raising-his-voice dad. The child
actors, Troy Gentile, Sean Giambrone, and Hayley Orrantia, are mostly
unknown, but fit in well, and George Segal (Just Shoot Me!) is a
wonderful grandfather. It’s a solid cast who can handle the parts and
the comedy well.
There are some notable moments in “The
Circle of Driving.” I like when the mother thinks that throwing away a
locket given to her elder son will hurt his feelings. Pops coaches the
youngest child in picking up women, and they find just the right
restaurant in which to do so by the end of the half hour. We see a
moment where the parents, away from their kids, demonstrate their love
for one another. These are good scenes.
The issues this family faces, such as
empty nest syndrome, an elderly man being forced to give up some of his
freedoms, sibling rivalry, a father who doesn’t know how to show
affection, an adolescent becoming obsessed with boobs, a
sixteen-year-old wanting his own car, and others, are relatable. These
are things we’ve all experienced, and thus will be able to smile at,
knowing exactly how the characters feel.
But there is little fresh in “The Circle
of Driving.” As stated before, there are many family sitcoms already
out there, and all of this ground has been covered extensively. We might
giggle at a stray joke, but we’re not going to celebrate the writers
for being clever or award Emmys to the actors for playing a set-in-stone
type. It’s a family-friendly program the clan can watch together at
night, but it won’t be anyone’s favorite, must-see show.
The best chance THE GOLDBERGS have to
set itself apart is that it’s a period piece. Yes, The Wonder Years
already did the nostalgic, voice-over enhanced, coming-of-age story.
Yet, there is a different tone here, and one could not ask for a better
narrator than Patton Oswalt (Justified, United States of Tara). Making
frequent references to things like REO Speedwagon, ALF, Star Wars, and
Ghostbusters is appreciated, and will give the adults something to enjoy
in the tame fare.
Whether THE GOLDBERGS will last or not
is anyone’s guess. I can’t say that it strictly deserves to, but neither
does it offend or bore. We don’t need another program of this type, but
if networks are going to keep making them, at least it’s as good as
this one, and not something that proves no one is trying anymore. Maybe
it’s an effort to return to classic television during the heyday of the
sitcom, and if so, it is a suitable project, even if it seems a doomed
goal.
THE GOLDBERGS’ first episode is available now on Hulu and premieres Tuesday, September 24th at 9 p.m. ET.
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