The Goldbergs – “Edward ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards” Recap. Barry the Turkey.

Season 3, Episode 16

Air Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2016, 8:30/7:30c on ABC

Rating: ★★★★★

“Champion!” – Barry

Ball Ball Champions

When it comes to sports, Barry (Troy Gentile) has it all: “strength, passion, and delusion.” So when his boomerang and wiffle ball talents aren’t recognized at the school sports award banquet, Barry is devastated. Seeking inspiration from the underdog story of Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards, who competed in ski jumping at the 1988 Winter Olympics, Barry sets out to find his own Olympic talent with devastating and hilarious results.

With the Olympics on everyone’s mind, Barry tries to gain respect at school by making the game he and Adam (Sean Giambrone) concocted in their basement popular, “Ball Ball.” Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned when the school jock, Ruben Amaro Jr. (Niko Guardado), proves to be better at Ball Ball than Barry. Gentile is always entertaining whenever Barry gets wrapped up in his own little world; I love how Barry over hypes the game. Like many sisters, Erica (Hayley Orrantia) finds pleasure watching Barry in his element hoping he comically crashes and burns.

Waiting to laugh at her brothers

Adam and Barry’s “Home Games” provide a fun reminder from my childhood and the stupid games my friends and I would invent. I couldn’t help but laugh at Adam and Barry’s list of games, including trash bin racing, full contact ping pong, and a favorite at the Staffa household, stair luge, where you slide down the stairs inside a sleeping bag. Missing from the list, though, is trip wars, a game my friends and I invented. Trip wars is like tag but instead of tagging someone gently on the shoulder, you kick the other person in the shin as hard as you can. I never said it was a smart game but it sure provided a lot of laughs.

Meanwhile, Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) learns times are tough at Murray’s (Jeff Garlin) furniture store after running into Vic (Cedric Yarbrough), who tells her he’s making ends meet by working a second job at a photo booth. Beverly decides what the store needs to boost sales is the latest furniture craze sweeping America, the futon. Or, as Beverly describes it, “the origami of furniture.”

The performances of McLendon-Covey and Garlin are entertaining but the theme feels all too familiar with Beverly trying to get Murray to change. Murray is reluctant but later realizes Beverly might have a point, and all is good. The story line isn’t bad, it just seems like I have seen something similar before.

Barry the Turkey?

I admit, until a few months ago, I had never heard of Eddie Edwards. But since seeing the trailer for the film Eddie the Eagle starring Taron Egerton as Eddie and Hugh Jackman as his coach Bronson Peary, I’ve been eagerly awaiting its release. All the hype surrounding the movie inspired me to learn more about Eddie even before this episode of The Goldbergs. With the film coming out this Friday, February 26, 2016, it’s no surprise The Goldbergs’ creator Adam Goldberg is taking advantage of the timing of the film’s release by having it coincide with this episode.

It remains to be seen if ”Edward ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards” will inspire anyone to see Eddie the Eagle this weekend, although I doubt that was the intention behind the episode. Written by Dan Levy, “Edward ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards” has several funny moments, including Adam and Barry’s debate over sarcastic clapping versus slow clapping, and Murray trying to convince Beverly the store is going out of business with a newspaper ad. The biggest laugh of the episode comes when Barry repeatedly tries to get rid of his boomerang by throwing it. Turns out, Barry does have mad boomerang skills.

Directed by Jon Corn, “Edward ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards” is one of the sillier episodes of The Goldbergs. Despite all the brotherly shenanigans that take place, it’s still very enjoyable.

Tweet me @Staffaroadtrip or leave a comment below to let me know what you think about “Edward ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards.”

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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.