The Goldbergs – “Couples Costume” Recap. Mork and Indy.

Season 3, Episode 6

Air Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2015, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“Your wife is nuts, dude” – Kid wearing a Kermit the Frog costume

I love her costume.

Beverly’s (Wendi McLendon-Covey) tradition of wearing a Halloween costume that complements whatever Adam (Sean Giambrone) designs for himself is in jeopardy when Adam’s girlfriend Dana (Natalie Alyn Lind) visits from Seattle. Will Beverly find a way to make corresponding costumes for the three of them, or accept the fact that her little boy is all grown up now and has a new partner to go trick or treating with?

The Goldbergs Halloween episodes are some of my favorites because they highlight the creativity kids and their moms demonstrated growing up in the 80s. Today, parents simply buy a costume but back then, most parents and their kids made their outfits. The wardrobe department does a wonderful job encompassing the spirit of Adam Goldberg’s youth by creating some iconic pairings during a flashback scene that showcases Beverly and Adam throughout the years.

This season, the writers have come up with some very enjoyable story lines that find a good balance between Adam still being a little boy while on the verge of young adulthood. Adam is adorable when he struggles over the decision whether to take Dana to a haunted house or go trick or treating for candy. As good as the writers are at creating these scenes, I wonder if some angst from Giambrone’s own physical development is a source of inspiration he’s able to draw from, adding a level of realism to his character.

THE GOLDBERGS - "Couples Costume" - When Dana comes to visit Adam for Halloween, he wants to spend the night with her and not Beverly. Trying to cope with this turn of events, Beverly decides to teach Adam a lesson on how dangerous the holiday can be, but the tables turn on Beverly. Later, Barry and Erica convince Adam to take Dana to a haunted house. Adam refuses to go back inside when Dana loses her promise ring and an unlikely family member helps him, on "The Goldbergs," WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Ron Tom) TROY GENTILE, SEAN GIAMBRONE

Trick or Treat

Adam’s maturity also adds new layers to his relationship with Barry (Troy Gentile) and Erica (Hayley Orrantia), who are slowly beginning to treat Adam almost as an equal. “Couples Costume” has some fun moments involving the siblings working together to help Adam; it’s touching to see an evolution of their interactions with each other. The dialogue is witty and very genuine, as I can attest to due to having grown up in a household with two younger siblings. I look forward to more scenes involving the three together.

Who would have thought a story line involving razors in candy bars could turn into such an entertaining episode? McLendon-Covey is hilarious when Beverly tries to demonstrate the dangers of accepting candy from strangers. It was a different time back then when parents allowed their kids to freely roam the surrounding neighborhoods in search of the best candy. Once home, my parents would check for any signs of tampering, which, as a child, seemed more like an old wives tale. Despite the seriousness of the topic, especially with Halloween just around the corner, the writers are able to have some fun with it while still conveying an honest message.

The look on Beverly’s face is priceless as she discovers she has become her own worst nightmare after her harmful candy lesson goes horribly wrong. Murray (Jeff Garlin) stepping in to provide the voice of reason after Beverly’s actions go too far is amusing, especially as he tries to bribe the trick or treaters. Regardless of how far Beverly goes to protect her kids, the writers always seem to reel her back in to wrap things up in a heartfelt way, which is exactly what happens in “Couples Costume.”

Preda-mom

The only thing better than watching Beverly in her smother mode is seeing her turn into “Preda-mom.” Whoever designed her costume has a wonderful sense of humor, and McLendon-Covey pulls off the look flawlessly. Beverly’s face-off with the wolfman is hilarious, and I couldn’t stop laughing as she makes her way to the haunted house. This scene is easily one of the top five Beverly moments on the series. Not to mention, who would have thought Predator and Pat Benatar’s “Shadows of the Night” could be used together so seamlessly in a scene?

“Couples Costume” continues The Goldbergs’ streak of classic Halloween episodes; I am already looking forward to what next season will bring. Perhaps a holiday marathon of Halloween episodes of The Goldbergs is in order for this weekend. What is your favorite Halloween episode?

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Couples Costume.”

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.