The Goldbergs Review: Parents Just Don’t Understand (Season 5 Episode 9)

On The Goldbergs Season 5 Episode 9, “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” the Bevolution has a big setback.

Undertaking a major life change is bound to have its hurdles. Beverly hits one of these and relapses back into “Smother” mode.

Thanks to Phil Donahue (“That gray-haired bastard.”) and the distance of Erica being away at college, Beverly panics about her daughter’s safety.

What about the hard candies, for God’s sake!

Beverly reverts back to her old ways, forcing both Erica’s boyfriend and Resident Advisor to participate in subterfuge. Poor Geoff knows it’s deceitful, but is no match for Bevvie’s schemes.

The phone scene at The Goldbergs’ is funny and executed well, but I have to wonder how Erica doesn’t pick up on it quicker. It’s possible that Beverly has been improving so much that Erica has dropped her guard.

And it’s not the only funny phone scene. The one with Srini and Valley Erica is hysterical, too.

Karan Soni as Erica’s RA has been a great addition to The Goldbergs this season as well as Alison Rich as Valley Erica. Their phone scene in this episode highlights their contribution.

The resolution to this storyline is sweet. Erica being the concerned roommate when their dorm party gets out of hand is fun to watch, especially when Beverly jumps in to back her up.

Erica: My neighbor’s gardener’s son fell off of a dresser, and now he spends the rest of his life with a comfort dog.
Beverly: It’s true. He also does swim therapy, and fist fights with his own shadow. [to Erica] Hi, sweet face.

I hope they’re talking about Essie Karp.

Even more heartfelt is the resolution of the boys’ plot. Murray, understandably, gets offended by Adam and Barry’s music video and unleashes an expletive filled rant. It is so direct that even the JTP members who were present are affected.

Matt: When your dad chewed you out with those R-Rated Richard Prior words, it, like, changed us.

“Dads Just Don’t Care” is pretty harsh, and Adam and Barry’s joke goes too far. Naked Rob puts it best: “I think what happened here is you two were egging each other on in a vacuum, and lost all perspective.”

What follows is a clever way to show how kids come to the realization that some of the things their parents do is really out of love. I like the way this plot develops, and how the boys begin to understand their dad a little bit more.

Stray Observations:

• “I don’t think the mean streets of West Philly are like the quiet cul-de-sacs of Jenkintown.”
• “When will the madness end?” “I don’t think it ever will. Your life is gonna be really bad.”
• Murray’s profanity-filled tirade is quite different than Beverly dropping her Bev Bombs.
• “Shrimp. It’s like the aspirin of the sea.”
• The actual messages from creator Adam Goldbergs’ mom are amazing. “Remember me? The woman who gave birth to you?” “I love you . It’s your mom, and I’m looking at plane tickets.”

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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