The Goldbergs – Our Perfect Strangers

By: Ariba Bhuvad

Beverly (Wendi Mc-Lendon Covey) is busy working away on her cookbook titled The Beverly Goldberg Cookbook in this episode of The Goldbergs, “Our Perfect Strangers”. She even has a typewriter she works on to get her pages printed out and asks Adam (Sean Giambrone) to take her cover photo for it as she poses with different foods. Naturally, she wants to try out each recipe she’s planning on putting in the book so she has the family eat every time she makes a dish, but they’re bursting at the buttons with all the food she’s giving them. Except for Murray (Jeff Garlin), who is willing to eat even while he’s sleeping.

Adam and Barry (Troy Gentile) are busy playing video games when Pops (George Segal) turns off the television to tell them about their cousin who is coming into town. He’s a fairly distant relative and the kids don’t seem too eager to hang out with him. His name is Gleb (Joey Slotnick) and he is from the “old country,” which Barry soon learns is referring to Russia. Pops is super excited for the kids to get to know him and wants them to show him around. After he arrives, Gleb is excited to eat all the fruit he can and starts devouring it while Pops tells the kids to take him out and show him around.

Beverly is busy having brunch with her Frentas, but can’t seem to stop talking about herself or the cookbook she’s working on. They’re super frustrated that she never talks about anything else but herself and never lets anyone else talk about their lives. After an unsuccessful brunch, Beverly tries to apologize to the Frentas, but it backfires when she isn’t able to stop talking about herself once again. Her friends end up leaving annoyed and angry over Bev’s behavior.

Despite Pops’ request to take Gleb out, the kids don’t really do much and distract him with the garage opener. Soon Barry realizes that they can “Perfect Strangers” him, which is an 80’s television show that follows the story of a foreign man who comes to America, similar to Gleb. It gives him the idea that they can use Gleb to do whatever they want–get beer, co-sign a loan, buy a car, etc. Adam and Erica (Hayley Orrantia) aren’t too eager to do that to their cousin, but it doesn’t stop Barry from doing so. Once they realize all the things Barry comes back with Adam and Erica decide to use Gleb as well.

Later in the day Gleb tells Pops about what the kids have been doing to him, and how he knows he is being used. In fact, he heard their elaborate plan because he was right there and they didn’t even seem to care or notice. Pops is embarrassed by their behavior and really expected them to show Gleb around. In another effort they take Gleb to the market and then to watch Rocky IV, which he doesn’t end up liking because the Russian loses. They attempted to make him laugh by showing a stand-up special with a Russian comedian Yakov Smirnoff, but that doesn’t go over well either. Through all of this Pops realizes his grandchildren are spoiled and he’s disappointed that this is how they’ve turned out. To retaliate Pops gives all of the things he’s ever given the kids to Gleb because they’re too spoiled. All he wanted was to show his grandkids where he comes from and they failed him.

Bev tries once again to apologize to her pals, but finds out the Frentas are having brunch without her and have replaced her with another friend (Marissa Jaret Winokur). She’s heartbroken to see this and decides to join Murray and Bill (David Koechner) while they hang out. However, she soon realizes that it’s not her scene and leaves disheartened with Murray taking notice. Murray goes to talk to the Frentas about Beverly and even though he gets their names wrong he tells them that Bev loves all of them and considers them her family. In fact, he knows about all of them and their kids and what goes on in their daily lives. The Frentas decide to forgive Bev and throw her a surprise brunch and embrace her for the person she is.

Realizing their mistake, the kids apologize to Pops and then make it up to Gleb by taking him to a Phillies’ game. They end up having an amazing time and connecting with family they never expected to. It was a day they would never forget!