The Goldbergs – “A Goldberg Thanksgiving” Retrospective. The Bet.

Season 2, Episode 7

Air Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2014, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“Everybody stop leaving me; it’s Thanksf*$#kinggiving!” – Beverly

Thanksgiving Prep

Thanksgiving, that special time of year when family traditions and togetherness are more important than TV and video games. That is, unless you’re the Goldbergs. “A Goldberg Thanksgiving” helps kick off the TV holiday season as only the Goldbergs can. Adding to the chaos is Dan Foger, who returns as Uncle Marvin, the lovable dope with a tendency to get on his older brother Murray’s (Jeff Garlin) nerves.

I admit, as someone who doesn’t have a long family history with various traditions, I often find myself having a mixed reaction to holiday themed episodes of any kind, especially ones focusing on family. That said, I really enjoyed “A Goldberg Thanksgiving” and the lengths Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) goes through to carry on some of the Goldberg traditions, much to Erica’s (Hayley Orrantia) dismay. Erica is content heating up a tv dinner in the microwave, which sounds more like my Thanksgiving. This sets up an entertaining high stakes wager between Erica and Beverly as Erica tries to get out of the Goldbergs’ traditional Thanksgiving dinner while Beverly presses to spend more time with her.

This isn't the outfit I'm talking about but she still looks good.

This isn’t the outfit I’m referring to but she still looks good.

I’m just going to come right out and say it — McLendon-Covey looks surprisingly sexy in her jazzercise workout gear. Even in her attire, McLendon-Covey does a wonderful job playing things relatively straight while simultaneously finding the right balance of portraying a smother without going too far over the top. McLendon-Covey and Orrantia have excellent chemistry together as they portray mother and daughter and the give and take that comes with that relationship.

The Goldberg men are having troubles of their own as Murray continues to have a difficult time relating to Adam (Sean Giambrone), especially when it comes to Adam’s love of electronic games.

Adam: “It’s track and field; I just won a gold medal.”

Murray: “A video game with people running and jumping. Why don’t you go outside and run and jump like a regular kid?”

However, when Adam and Marvin start spending time together, Murray decides to put in a little more effort to appreciate Adam’s passions.

Murray: “I love video games. They’re not a waste of time and you learn valuable lessons even though they’re dumb.”

I wish I had a Uncle like Marvin.

I really enjoy how the writers use Marvin’s visit to set up some quality Murray/Adam scenes since often the father/son storylines focus more on Murray and Barry.

Murray’s enthusiasm is short lived as the complexity of the controller aggravates him even more. Things come to a head causing another confrontation between Marvin and Murray, with Adam caught in the middle.

Just as it appears that Thanksgiving is destined to become a disaster, Pops (George Segal) provides the voice of reason that sets everything right in the Goldberg household. Segal’s performance is heartwarming and the writers do a wonderful job waiting for the perfect moments to utilize his talents, which makes his appearances even more meaningful.

“A Goldberg Thanksgiving” is a timely reminder of the value of family and the importance of keeping traditions. I keep telling myself I don’t adhere to any family traditions but maybe it’s time I start some of my own. With that in mind, I want to wish all my readers a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “A Goldberg Thanksgiving.”

Tune in to The Goldbergs Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c, only on ABC.

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Greg Staffa

I provide testosterone to the site. You won’t be reading about how nice a actress looks in a dress or how much of a hunk Matt Bomer is in my reviews. I describe colors using words like brown, not taupe. My twitter name is @staffaroadtrip because I love road trips and have done two different 48-state road trips since 2008. My favorite show is White Collar.