The Goldbergs – “Double Dare” Recap. Finding the Flag.

The Goldbergs – “Double Dare” Recap. Finding the Flag.

Season 3, Episode 13

Air Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“This face was made for TV.” – Adam

The dream team?

Adam’s (Sean Giambrone) dreams of becoming a contestant on a television game show move one step closer to fruition when Coach Meller (Bryan Callen) announces the hit quiz show Double Dare will be holding tryouts at their school. The excitement is short lived as Adam faces a new dilemma — who to pick as his partner. Will he be able to find the right person to help him win or will his fantasy of game show immortality end up being a nightmare?

Double Dare, which aired on Nickelodeon from 1986-1993, was popular among kids when I was growing up. The show featured young contestants answering trivia questions and performing stunts that often resulted in sloppy physical challenges. In a day and age where game shows were aimed at adults, watching one that targeted a younger audience was entertaining. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy seeing someone get slimy and messy?

More Dave Kim please.

Writer Chris Bishop does a wonderful creating some very enjoyablebanter among the characters, especially during Dave Kim’s (Kenny Ridwan) scenes. Dave is one of those characters the writers can inject into almost any scene for no reason other than to provide comic relief. Dave is a riot when he chides Adam while he contemplates not only who will make the best partner for the tryouts, but who will be the worst. It’s hilarious watching Adam throughout “Double Dare” as he argues with himself over how much he loathes his “nemesis,” Handsome Ben (Froy Gutierrez), all while longing to be more like him.

I always enjoy the scenes on The Goldbergs that highlight the relationship Adam has with his grandfather, Pops (George Segal). What makes their dynamic unique is Adam’s image of his grandfather. Adam sees Pops as a peer rather than an elderly parental figure. It’s hard not to laugh at Pops’ unconditional willingness to do whatever Adam asks regardless of the consequences or possible bodily harm. Needless to say, Adam and Pops’ tryout goes horribly wrong. Looks like Adam’s claim to TV fame will have to wait another 20 years.

Meanwhile, Murray’s (Jeff Garlin) quality guy time with Barry (Troy Gentile) watching the Philadelphia Eagles football game is in jeopardy when Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) expresses an interest in learning more about the sport. Murray’s patience reaches a breaking point with Beverly’s endless comments and questions. “Are the players married to the cheerleaders? Look at that big snuggly pileup. Look at those grass stains; who washes those pants?” and “Why does the throwey guy keep putting his hands on the other guy’s butt?”

Friendly game of football.

Banished from watching the game due to her lack of knowledge, Beverly seeks football advice from Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and family friend Bill Lewis (David Koechner). Hilarity ensues as JTP members Andy Cogan (Matt Bush), Geoff Schwartz (Sam Lerner), and Naked Rob (Noah Munch) are also enlisted to teach Beverly all she needs to know about football. Beverly’s lesson is fun to watch as the cast appears to be having a blast filming the outdoor segment. Despite all the antics about the sport, the real lesson learned here is to appreciate other people’s passions as well as being a part of the team called family.

Since the beginning, The Goldbergs’ writers have always given fans two different story lines in each episode, and for the most part, that has worked. As much as I enjoyed “Double Dare,” it left me wanting more. Beverly’s football lesson and the Double Dare tryouts are entertaining but at times, it feels like director David Katzenberg was forced to hold back due to time constraints. This isn’t a complaint about the episode, rather an appreciation of what goes into making a show fit in the 30-minute confines of the sitcom.

“Double Dare” is an enjoyable episode inspired by creator Adam Goldberg’s real life friends Amy Gross and Benjamin “Handsome Ben” Bauman, who actually appeared on the Nickelodeon game show back in the day. Amy and Benjamin both have cameos in “Double Dare” as producers. The end credits scene includes a clip of their appearance on the game show, which had to be a fun trip down memory lane for them.

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

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.