The Goldbergs Review: There Can Be Only One Highlander Club (Season 6 Episode 16)
On The Goldbergs Season 6 Episode 16, “There Can Be Only One Highlander Club,” old and new friendships are tested.
The warm fuzzies from The Goldbergs Season 6 Episode 15, “My Valentine Boy,” carry over to this delightful episode about friendship. Everything about it from the big themes to the subtle, little additions make this a well-rounded episode of feel good, laugh out loud television.
SEAN GIAMBRONE
I am having trouble picking my favorite part because it is all so great, but I think I’ll begin with the playdate. I love that Beverly suggests—well, forces—Adam and his tormentor, Johnny Atkins, into this situation. And that it actually works is even better.
The unlikely pair bonds over Highlander and it seems like Beverly’s “mama fix” does the trick. I cannot tell you how much I adore the scene of Adam and Johnny’s sleepover. Trundle bed for the win! This takes me back to my childhood and gives me all the giddy, nostalgic feels.
The friendship that blossoms over that slumber party gets horribly mangled with the forming of an official school Highlander club. This is a twist I do not see coming, nor can I predict the third phase twist in which Johnny accuses Adam of bullying him. They re-bond over their shared trauma, and I can easily say that Beverly’s playdate idea is a success in the end (with the help of some big sister advice from Erica).
JOSHUA CARLON, SAM KINDSETH, KENNY RIDWAN, SEAN GIAMBRONE
With that mention of Erica, I’d like to point out that her role in this episode is equal parts big theme (wise older sibling guidance) and nice, subtle addition (the portrayal of the no job, sleeping late, college dropout—”I guess the universe doesn’t want me to be a sandwich artist.”). She is a periphery part of the story that fits in flawlessly and ends up being essential to the plot.
While lots of little moments are the highlights of the Adam/Johnny storyline, it is only made better by the epic Highlander battle scene. It looks so good in the rain! And it has the added bonus of Carla kissing Dave Kim—another surprising bit I could not have foreseen.
Carla and Davey K. I dare say I ship it.
SEAN GIAMBRONE, SEAN MARQUETTE
With all the goodness of the Highlander storyline, we are blessed with another well-balanced one involving Barry, Murray, and the JTP which is just as chock-full jokes. (“Are they called The Jokers because they’re bad at jokes?”) It is really sweet that Barry worries over losing touch with his friends, and I love that that is what he gets out of Murray’s brief reunion with his high school buddy.
Barry is over the top with his solution (as per usual), but the JTP rolls with it because they know Barry well and the friendship means just as much to them. What they do for Murray and their final, more reasonable solution in the end is so heartfelt. The JTP really are #FriendshipGoals.
CLANCY BROWN
The friendship is based on the real friend love of creator Adam Goldberg’s brother and his high school buddies that continues on into adulthood, and that makes this storyline even sweeter.
What did you think of this episode of The Goldbergs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
SEAN GIAMBRONE
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The Goldbergs airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC.
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Erin Allen
Erin is a former script supervisor for film and television. She's an avid fan of middle aged actresses, dark dramas, and irreverent comedies. She loves to read actual books and X-Files fan fiction. Her other passions include pointing out feminist issues, shipping Mulder and Scully, and collecting pop culture mugs.