The Goldbergs – Rad

By: Ariba Bhuvad

Everything about the 80’s was rad, and this week’s episode of The Goldbergs focuses on some of the coolest trends of an unforgettable decade–karaoke and BMX bikes. When a karaoke bar opens up in town for the very first time, Erica (Hayley Orrantia) can’t help but be excited over the prospect of it being a way to launch her music career. Her ambitions are high, but we still adore her for it.

While performing there, she ends up getting a job at the karaoke bar in exchange for being allowed to perform on the stage. Murray (Jeff Garlin) is over the moon when he learns that Erica has gotten a job, and Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) goes into smother mode as she prepares to support Erica in her musical endeavors. She wants to go to the bar to watch Erica perform but Erica is not having it, because she knows what it will entail.

Hoping that the job will be her in to the music world, she’s afraid Beverly’s presence will be an obstacle to her success. But Beverly has already stayed up all night knitting themed sweaters and even included her group of friends in on the action. Before anything can happen, Erica makes her mom promise that she will not come anywhere near the bar with her friends.

Surprisingly, Beverly does not show up and embarrass Erica but her boss, Gary, played by Rick Springfield, wants more people to come to the bar and makes a deal with Erica. If she brings in more customers, then he will allow her to sing more songs. Of course, Beverly is ecstatic to learn about this considering she had promised the opposite. But things take a sour turn anyway when she shows up at the bar with her friends.

As an engagement gift, Pops (George Segal) gives Barry (Troy Gentile) and Lainey (AJ Michalka) a savings bond worth $500 and tells them it will eventually be worth $2,000. Excited about being rich, they ask if they can have this money now, totally missing the point that they have to be mature, responsible adults if they are to get married. Of course, Barry proves everyone right when he splurges on buying a BMX bike. It appears Lainey has also made an expensive purchase so they are off to a horrible start. They ask Pops for more money, but Murray stops this from happening and in turn, Barry decides to learn how to be cheap like his father.

Back at the bar, Bev and her friends are prevented from singing but when Erica’s boss stops by their table to ask why they aren’t singing, they accidentally let it slip that they aren’t allowed to. Naturally, Erica is pissed and takes it out on Bev who is at her wit’s end when it comes to pleasing Erica’s constant demands. Instead of leaving, Bev and her friends take the stage to sing “Jessie’s Girl” as payback for Erica’s anger. Erica and Bev get into an argument where Bev confesses that she feels disrespected and points out that only Erica is embarrassed of her.

Eventually, Erica apologizes and realizes she was in the wrong and the gal pals go all out with a mother/daughter duet. It’s honestly the cutest thing ever!

Meanwhile, Murray is deep into his lessons on how to be cheap and is hopeful Barry will follow suit. When the electricity bill comes in, Barry ends up saving $6 (even though he thinks it will be in the thousands). Barry and Lainey come to the conclusion that maybe they won’t be able to ever save money and this prompts Murray to say that they aren’t taking marriage seriously and this is precisely why everyone feels they aren’t ready. Like the hero he is, Pops swoops in to remind Murray that he wasn’t too keen on Bev marrying Murray either but he knew that Murray loved her and that’s what mattered most.

Murray ends up opening a savings account for Barry and Lainey and tells them that they shouldn’t give up on their dreams. Hopefully, with this account they can begin to save for the life they will have together in the future.