The Goldbergs – “Jimmy 5 is Alive” Review. A Learning Based Project.

Season 3, Episode 3

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

Rating: ★★★★★

“Did you tape over your fifth birthday party?” – Erica

THE GOLDBERGS - "Jimmy 5 is Alive" - Murray attempts to help Adam transition into adulthood by building a robot, but their creative differences drive them apart, the opposite of what Murray was trying to achieve. Meanwhile, Barry makes a huge mistake when he accidentally tapes over Beverly's beloved video of his 5th birthday party, on "The Goldbergs," WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 (8:30-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Richard Cartwright) HAYLEY ORRANTIA, WENDI MCLENDON-COVEY, TROY GENTILE

Barry makes a huge mistake.

They say memories last forever; unfortunately, the same can’t be said for memories recorded on a VHS tape. Barry (Troy Gentile) learns this lesson the hard way after accidentally erasing a tape Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) recorded of his fifth birthday. Will Barry be able to fix things or will the recorded memories be erased forever?

As much as I’d like to pick on Barry for being so dumb as to record over something so precious to his mother, the bible says, “Let he without sin cast the first stone.” Anyone with a VCR who grew up in the 80s at some point has recorded over something they immediately regretted, myself included. The writers perfectly capture the confusion and madness that went into taping a show, labeling it, and later finding room on it to record something else.

Comedies like The Goldbergs often take situations and create a heightened reality to over-emphasize a situation. With “Jimmy 5 is Alive,” that isn’t needed to make the point of how frustrating VHS tapes were. Kids these days don’t realize how easy they have it as DVRs allow you to effortlessly record shows into one big box that sorts and saves your shows. These recorders know the precise time to record with the simple click of a button. Gone are the days of the flashing 12:00 because it’s too hard to figure out how to program the clock.

Two men with a plan. What could go wrong?

The scene with Coach Mellor (Bryan Callen) is one of the funniest scenes this season. I couldn’t help laughing when he kicks a classroom of third graders off the playground, yelling, “You’re of no use to me until you develop adult bodies and can play something besides tag.” Watching Mellor and Barry come up with a plan to restore the tape is hilarious. Despite their hair-brained scheme to fix things, I have to admit, I saw the logic in their thinking.

Meanwhile, Adam (Sean Giambrone) approaches Murray (Jeff Garlin) for money to buy a robotic version of Johnny 5 from the 1986 film Short Circuit. Adam’s plan backfires when Beverly suggests they work together by building their own robot with stuff from around the house.

Robot design seems reasonable.

With Pops’ (George Segal) guidance, Murray and Adam start designing their perfect robot. Together they come up with a very unique, albeit, farfetched design. It isn’t long before things quickly escalate to the point where neither side wants anything to do with the other.

As much as I enjoy Segal’s character, I appreciate how sparingly the writers use Pops. I like Pops but I also like that he isn’t over used to the point where he becomes a common character. Often serving as the voice of reason, Pops is the conduit between the adults and the kids. As the grandparent, he’s able to step back and see things from a fresh perspective. It’s evident from the writing on the show how special the real Pops was to the real Adam Goldberg.

Oops he did it again.

The Goldbergs are far from a perfect family and that’s what makes the show resonate with so many fans. There are lessons to be learned regardless of whether you’re a kid or an adult. Despite being a comedy, the story lines on The Goldbergs are often handled with a subtle, serious tone. In the end, both of the “Jimmy 5 is Alive” story lines are wonderfully wrapped up in a very touching way. It’s hard not to get teary eyed as Murray and Adam and Beverly and Barry reconcile, with Rod Stewart’s “Forever Young” playing in the background.

What makes episodes like “Jimmy 5 is Alive” so special is the way the writers take something as simple as a VHS tape and create a story that is not only entertaining but triggers memories from my own childhood. As much as the show is the dramatized story of Goldberg’s life, it often serves as a reminder of my own and those of the fans as well.

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.