The Goldbergs Review: The Strangest Affair of All Time (Season 9 Episode 8)
Betrayal! Backstabbing! Heartbreak! Redemption!
All the good elements of a nighttime soap, and The Goldbergs Season 9 Episode 17, “The Strangest Affair of All Time,” has them all, with 1980s era Dynasty as the cultural reference point.
But instead of drama, everything gets wrapped up with a nice comedic bow in half an hour.
What has always been the main strength of The Goldbergs is the cast, and not just the titular Goldbergs. Their guest stars and costars are given as much time to shine as the leads, and sometimes they run away with the episode in the best possible way.
The scene-stealers this week are Erinn Hayes and Kenny Ridwan.
It’s hard to believe that Erinn Hayes has made just seven appearances on The Goldbergs, since she makes such an imprint when she does.
Jane Bales is the only character on the show with enough chutzpah to stand up to Beverly Goldberg and live to tell about it.
When Beverly and Jane trade barbs, even those of us at home worry we’re going to get caught in the crossfire, but we can’t turn away because the dialogue between them just crackles.
Never before has one of their interactions turned physical, but the two of them tussling and ending up in the pool could be seen from a mile away! You can’t have a Dynasty–themed episode and not expect the shoulder-padded rivals in tiny hats to end up wet!
Usually, it is Beverly who has to lick her wounds after every interchange, because Jane brings out her insecurities.
But, this time, Jane’s vulnerability comes through.
Jane: I was just trying to be a part of Mike’s life, a real partner, like you are with Murray. Mike only thinks of me one way – as an incredibly stunning, beautiful, and sexy woman. I want more, okay? But I guess that’ll never happen.
Through Beverly, we get to see a different side of Jane, the self-doubt being masked by her wit, her success, and “the body of a department store mannequin.”
We always see Jane as a determined, savvy woman who means business in her personal and professional life, but her relationship with Formica Michael shows a refreshing softer side.
Erinn Hayes never plays Jane like a one-dimensional sitcom b*tch, but this added layer of depth feels like the missing piece.
Maybe this paves the way for an actual friendship between Beverly and Jane, rather than just a temporary cease-fire.
Krystle and Alexis could never.
Speaking of seeing people in a new light, this week we get a new shade of Dave Kim, and I like it! For me, he gets the best sequences on this episode. (I also realize I might have a talent crush on Kenny Ridwan, but I digress.)
It is so satisfying to watch Dave Kim shoot down every attempt Adam makes to woo him back as his future roommate, after deciding it might not be a good idea for them to live together at NYU.
As Adam’s best friend, Dave Kim has been an accomplice and witness to every one of Adam’s triumphs and failures. But being that close means he knows every one of Adam’s moves and all the tricks up his sleeve.
Thus, Dave Kim cannot be swayed with mixtapes, music numbers, or a Jon Cusack gesture because he’s seen it all before to varying degrees of success.
However, the best is when Dave Kim unleashes years of grievances against the Goldberg siblings, giving them a read worthy of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
He goes after everything — Erica dropping out of college, Barry’s fake bravado, and Adam continuing to listen to bad advice — giving them all the reality check they needed.
In doing so, we also get what we needed — a little bit of The Goldbergs back.
I was hard on the show with my review of The Goldbergs Season 9 Episode 16, and deservedly so.
But this episode has the storytelling, the snappy dialogue, and the whiplash editing we expect.
It may have been “The Strangest Affair of All Time,” but it feels familiar in the end. Maybe the romance isn’t dead after all.
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The Goldbergs airs Wednesday at 8/7c on ABC.
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TJ O'Connell
TJ is a former east coaster, now residing in Los Angeles. There's a very good chance he has served your food sometime over the last twelve years. Since childhood, he has had a running IMDb in his head and is thankful to finally have an outlet for that information. He is very single and hopes to someday support a dog.