The Goldbergs Review: The Goldberg Girls (Season 5 Episode 11)

On The Goldbergs Season 5 Episode 11, “The Goldberg Girls,” Beverly goes golden with her own mom group.

Beverly seems to think her future is like The Golden Girls but with her kids. Upon Adam’s extremely adamant insistence and with Barry’s help, she makes the task of assembling a group of girlfriends part of her Bevolution.

Beverly: I need to find a life outside of my little snuggle bugs.

Easier said than done. The ladies she recruits are not so willing.

Under the guise of forming a senior ski trip committee, Beverly tries to get Virginia Kremp, Linda Schwartz, and Essie Karp to become her lifelong gal pals.

This group is perfect.

We’ve seen super-mom Virginia Kremp before—most recently as the frazzled chef of Beverly’s Thanksgiving dinner on The Goldbergs Season 5 Episode 7.

Linda Schwartz made her first appearance on The Goldbergs Season 5 Episode 10. I said then that Mindy Sterling as Geoff’s mom was way underused. Many times my issues with the show are quickly addressed, and I think it’s great that they brought her back immediately and rectified that situation.

Essie Karp has only been mentioned, but those instances were often highlights. I’m not sure when she was first referred to, but on The Goldbergs Season 5 Episode 6 and Season 5 Episode 8, dialogue featuring an Essie Karp story became some of my favorite moments of the season.

I even suggested the idea of an Essie Karp spin-off, so you can imagine my excitement over her inclusion in this group. We now have a face to go with the legend. I am beside myself.

Beverly’s attempts to woo them into friendship does not go well, as she is following the advice of Barry.

Barry: Okay, let’s review everything I taught you about being a bodacious leader of a friend group. Rule One.
Beverly: Always bust balls.
Barry: Yes! Friendship is about breaking down the walls to figure out what really bothers a person.

They are resistant at first (“Why are you being so off-putting?”), but realize that they might make a really great group of friends.

At the end, they go out for cheesecake and sit next to a foursome of ladies played by the real women.

Essie Karp is real!

It is such a heartwarming moment, which is taken even further by interviews with them during the end tag of the episode.

It’s a given that any episode that is inspired by The Golden Girls is going to be great, but “The Goldberg Girls” is a hilarious and sweet story in itself.

The sub-plot of Erica and her cold, black heart is more than just filler. It holds up as its own entertaining narrative.

I relate a lot to Erica in this situation, finding lovey-dovey schmaltz to be way too cheesy. The conflict that arises with Geoff is all too real.

It is written well, and Hayley Orrantia as Erica knocks it out of the park. The unexpected bonding between her and her dad is a nice touch, too.

Erica: This is your fault. I’m you. I’m stubborn, and irritable, and I don’t like talking about my feelings.

“The Goldberg Girls” is another solid episode bringing us back from the holiday hiatus, and a great way to kick off The Goldbergs in 2018.

Stray Observations:

• All of them joining in to sing the theme song is fantastic. And, yes, it is still stuck in my head. “Thank you for being a friend…” Now it’s in yours. You’re welcome.
• The physical comedy of both Erica and Murray falling down the stairs is perfect.
• Obviously, Matt Bradley is the Dorothy and Barry is the Rose. A really, really aggressive Rose.
• “To think I wanted to live with you in a Miami bungalow with wicker furniture and bright floral patterns.”

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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