The Goldbergs Review: Hogan Is My Grandfather (Season 5 Episode 2)

On The Goldbergs Season 5 Episode 2, “Hogan Is My Grandfather,” growing pains aren’t just for the kids.

Erica realizes she has no basic life skills, and Adam tries to pass off his movies for actual schoolwork. With a close-knit family like the Goldbergs, those problems become everybody’s problems.

Hijinks ensue as Beverly uses her powers of manipulation and Pops feeds lies to Adam. It’s not very laugh-out-loud funny, like the majority of The Goldbergs episodes, but it has its moments, and Pops (George Segal) is adorable.

He usually tries to rein in Beverly (Wendi McClendon-Covey) when she inserts herself into the kids’ lives, but here he takes a play from her book. And it’s all to spend more time with his buddy, Adam (Sean Giambrone).

It is really sweet how close the two of them are.

Whether he is the clueless old man or getting into shenanigans with Adam, the character of Pops is always a delight. Segal is really nailing that young at heart vibe while maintaining the lovable elder quality, as well.

It’s not just his scenes with Adam, but really anytime he is on screen. A prime example is when he takes the blame for Adam’s plagiarism. He can barely focus on his explanation because his old military uniform is uncomfortable.

He charms even the most angry of teachers, and gets Adam another chance.

I think they are trying to paint the teacher as the stereotypical aggro educator that became a staple of 80s movies, but it doesn’t really come across. The chalk throwing bit is a tad weak, and makes the teacher tame in comparison with those characters I remember.

Alternatively, the return of Coach Mellor is a bright spot on this episode.

Coach Mellor: Your training in the domestic arts begins now.

He steps up to the plate (to use a sports pun I am sure Coach would appreciate) to teach Erica and Barry those basic life skills of which Beverly deprived them.

Beverly: Are you saying I failed as a mother because I am too good of a mother?

That is exactly what she has done. Erica doesn’t know how to do laundry, make her bed, or even cook ramen noodles. And Barry thinks pouring powdered pancake mix in a pan and waiting is how pancakes are made.

By the time Beverly’s manipulation backfires and they “learn stuff” from Coach, Barry is using a melon baller and Erica is serving up an assortment of meats.

It goes the way of countless past storylines of the show, but it’s the characters that make it so much fun to watch.

Stray Observations: 

• “We got all our instructions from London in a radio we had hidden in a coffee pot.”
• I am here for all the fitted sheet folding jokes. All. Of. Them. “We’re going to die in here.”
• “Time for an evolution. A Bevolution.” YES.
• The footage of the real Pops is super cute!

What did you think of this episode of The Goldbergs? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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The Goldbergs airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

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