The Goldbergs – Vacation

By: Ariba Bhuvad

“The Goldbergs” are back with another season of shenanigans and this time they’re kicking it off by going on vacation. The desire to go on vacation is inspired while the family is watching National Lampoon: Vacation. Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) says they need to go on vacation because Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Barry (Troy Gentile) are heading off to college in a week and this is the only time they have to spend together. At first everyone is hesitant to go until she mentions the trip would be to Disneyland. Adam (Sean Giambrone) is naturally ecstatic to go because they just opened a new Star Wars ride! There’s just one catch, they’re driving cross-country to get there. 

Murray (Jeff Garlin) doesn’t have much of a say in the decision to go so it’s set! As Murray loads the suitcases on top of the car Erica says bye to Geoff (Sam Lerner) who is also going to be on the road chasing after The Grateful Dead for a bit longer. Right before they say goodbye Geoff tells Erica he needs to tell her something important that may upset her, but doesn’t say what it is. So, when she asks Adam and Barry what that might mean they convince her that Geoff is going to break up with her. Meanwhile, Adam puts the idea into Barry’s head that he will be going to college and be on the bottom of the totem pole as a freshman. 

To pass the time in the car Beverly starts singing “Row Your Boat” just as a car pulls up next to them with none other than Christie Brinkley, who reprises her role as “the girl in the red Ferrari” from the original Vacation movie. At first, Beverly thinks the woman is checking out Murray, but it turns out she only has eyes for Pops (George Segal). 

As a pit stop for the night Murray stops at a Western attraction, which also has a hotel they can sleep in. Barry doesn’t take kindly to being treated with kid gloves by the Western activities director and when Barry decides to play along in a lasso game he creates a mess. Barry’s bad abilities gets the family kicked out so they must all sleep in the car.

The next day Adam realizes that everyone will be moving, but instead of feeling sad it’s Beverly who feels the worst. Unfortunately for Erica, she’s still trying to get a hold of Geoff and leaving messages of concern for him about what he wants to talk about. 

To make their vacation last longer, Beverly decides they will stop at every attraction along the way. Everyone is less than thrilled about the idea, but have no choice. Things get bad when one of the nights they stay in a sketchy hotel and end up sharing a bed and getting no sleep. The no sleep results in Murray falling asleep at the wheel and crashing their. 

The kids won’t stop fighting and complaining, which makes Beverly realize that no one wants to be there and that it will be their last family vacation ever. Murray notices how upset she is and steps to handle the situation. He offers to spend any amount of money for the family so they can enjoy this vacation together–no matter what. Luckily, Geoff shows up out of nowhere in an effort to find Erica because of all of her messages. It turns out that he didn’t want to break up with her. He just wanted her to know that he isn’t going to school. He wants to take more time off before beginning college.

After all of that, the Goldbergs finally arrive at Disneyland and Pops joins them after running off with “the girl in the red Ferrari” for most of the episode. They make it there a bit too early, but the guard (Anthony Michael Hall) let’s them go in anyway. It’s a family vacation they will never forget!