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The Goldbergs – “Big Baby Ball” Retrospective. Barrynopoly.

Season 2, Episode 6

Air Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2014, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“What sailors’ disease resulted from a deficiency of vitamin C?” – Pops

Game on.

The Goldbergs get their game on in “Big Baby Ball” as Barry (Troy Gentile) and Erica (Hayley Orrantia) test their wits to see who is better at games like Operation, Battleship, and many more. Barry dominates until Pops (George Segal) brings home a new game called Trivial Pursuit.

I was 10 years old when Trivial Pursuit first came out and I remember it well. Up until then, if you wanted to play a game with the whole family, you usually played something geared toward children ages 10 and under. Unfortunately, Barry is better suited for games aimed at a younger audience so his reign of dominance quickly fades.

The constant need for Barry to shout gets on my nerves; however, playing against your sister is serious business. I should know; my sister always cheated at games. Gentile is hilarious in “Big Baby Ball” as he portrays Barry who struggles to find a way to beat Erica even if it means breaking the rules. The funny part is the cheating becomes as entertaining as Barry’s meltdowns.

Dodgeball.

Meanwhile, Adam (Sean Giambrone) has his own issues with a game called Dodgeball. Schools are shying away from Dodgeball now but back in the 80s, it was our way to let out aggression. Not even a shot to the head or other unmentionable areas was off limits. The best part about the scenes in the gym is it also means the return of Coach Meller (Bryan Callen).

Since his first appearance, Coach Meller has been a thorn in Adam’s side. It’s not that Adam doesn’t put in the effort; he simply lacks the physical ability, which makes him a prime target for both his classmates and Meller when it comes to gym activities. That is, until Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) finds out and has something to say about it.

Watching Beverly walk through the school reminds me of the classic 1989 film Uncle Buck starring John Candy. The only thing missing from the scene in “Big Baby Ball” is Tone Loc’s song “Wild Thing” playing in the background.

What makes “Big Baby Ball” so enjoyable is instead of focusing on Adam and his lack of athletic skills, as The Goldbergs has done before, the story focuses on Coach Meller and the fallout from a classic, overprotective Beverly meltdown.

Balls, he’s back.

The writers create a wonderful ‘fish out of water’ story as Coach Meller must rediscover himself as simply Mr. Meller. While his antics are a little over the top at times, Meller adjusting to life outside the gym by taking on jobs that don’t fit his coaching mentality is very entertaining. What really surprised me is how well the writers wrap up the story line, including an unexpected, inspirational scene during which Meller makes amends with Adam and Beverly.

My only complaint about “Big Baby Ball” is while Erica helping Barry regain his confidence is touching, it’s basically the same theme from “The President’s Fitness Test” episode. I understand it’s an unwritten rule that brothers and sisters argue and fight with each other, but it seems like there have been several episodes where Erica underminds Barry’s confidence, then turns around and does something sweet by lying to him while Pops looks on with pride. It’s not necessarily bad; I just wish the writers would be a little more creative with the sibling rivalry in the show.

“Big Baby Ball” is an entertaining episode that shows a surprising amount of heart from the unlikeliest of characters while teaching us a valuable lesson about overcoming obstacles.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Big Baby Ball.”

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

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All photos © 2014 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

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.

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.