The Goldbergs – Wrestlemania

By starrymag | November 13, 2019

By: Ariba Bhuvad

 

 

In the 80s professional wrestling and its superstars was a huge deal, especially for Adam (Sean Giambrone) and Barry Goldberg (Troy Gentile). They loved to pretend wrestle, much to Murray’s (Jeff Garlin) disapproval who hated it every time they broke a lamp or made a mess. Of course, Adam loved to make movies about wrestling, but it was Barry that was the true “Hulkamaniac.” 

 

After getting incredibly frustrated Murray tries to ban wrestling in the house, which means anything remotely related to wrestling. Adam and Murray both proceed to go through every wrestling related item they have which pisses Murray off even more. 

 

Virginia Kremp (Jennifer Irwin) shows up at the Goldbergs’ house to reveal that she is scared because someone broke her windshield. Geoff (Sam Lerner) chimes in to say that his windshield was broken too, which accounts to two vehicle attacks according to Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey). Of course, Bev only has one explanation for what is going on – a massive crime spree in Jenkintown. She plans to do something about it. She invites everyone from the neighborhood over including Officer Puchinski (Troy Winbush) to discuss the recent events. Beverly goes as far as to say that heads may get decapitated if they don’t do anything about what is happening and to that the officer suggests starting a security watch. Beverly immediately nominates herself as the Captain, but not if her neighbor Jane Bales (Leslie Grossman) has anything to do with it. The both of them are very similar in their ambition and begin arguing about who has done the grimiest things. 

 

While Beverly’s plan is to make bird noises to scare off intruders, Jane has created an entire posterboard of suggestions. Those at the meeting are very impressed by Jane’s efforts and elect her to be the Captain over Beverly, which doesn’t go over very well with her.

 

Adam and Barry decide to ask Murray if he will pay $24.95 so they can watch Wrestlemania on television. Expecting him to resist they prepare a whole presentation but he ends up saying yes right away and hands them cash. Naturally, they are taken aback at how quickly he agreed to it, and were even more so when he said they’ll get crab after and make a night out of it. Both Adam and Barry are confused over Murray’s affection, but go along with it.

 

Pops (George Segal) says Murray can’t just insert himself into their lives after being a certain way for so long. Murray confesses that he’s been eager to spend more time with the kids ever since his very healthy dermatologist passed away unexpectedly. He wants to create memories with the kids, which is why he wants to get Wrestlemania on TV for them. Pops suggests that he take it a step further and get them tickets to actually attend the event in person. 

 

Beverly traps Geoff and forces him to do a stakeout with her. She wants to spy on Jane, Virginia, Essie (Stephanie Courtney) and Linda (Mindy Sterling) as they do their neighborhood watch. Erica (Hayley Orrantia) finds them in the car and is annoyed at what her mother is trying to do and wonders why Geoff is just going along with it. The girls eventually walk over to Beverly to say they are inviting her to join them, but she refuses. When she tries to march off on her own and no one follows, Beverly decides to create her own neighborhood watch with Geoff, who is more scared than willing to help. 

 

Murray and Pops go to buy Wrestlemania tickets, but they sell out right as they get to the box office window. Murray ends up buying three tickets for $400 from a shady scalper named John (Rob Huebel) who is giving him seats in the third row. Adam and Murray are ecstatic about the tickets, but their mood changes when they realize Murray is going with them. They don’t want him to embarrass them so they decide they will ditch him at the event. 

 

Beverly holds her first meeting for the neighborhood watch, which only Geoff is attending with Erica just there uninvolved. Beverly has a map of all the break-ins in the neighborhood and decides she will set up Adam’s camera to see if they can catch someone in the act. She goes all out and even has walkie-talkies for communication. She has even made her infamous personalized jackets for her and Geoff. When they bump into Jane she says they do not need two watches, but Beverly refuses to listen. Instead, she tries to pretend that Erica has some news for her and storms away from the group with Geoff. 

 

The plan to ditch Murray is an elaborate one with a whole setup on how it will go down. Adam and Barry decide they’ll have Murray buy them merchandise and then they’ll get a 64-ounce slushie which will prompt Murray to eventually use the restroom. When he does inevitably go, both of them will go to the other side of the cage and exchange their tickets. When Murray realizes that he’s sitting next to other people he’ll get mad and leave. A part of Adam feels bad because Murray may just want to spend time with them, ,but as soon as Murray shows up wearing Erica’s bathing suit as a wrestling outfit the brothers agree that they are going to stick with the plan. 

 

Beverly tells the ladies of the watch all the things they missed while on they were out. Just then Jane comes rushing in and says someone broke her windshield. She also claims that found a rock inside her car. She blames Beverly and shows everyone a note that says, “F**k you, Jane” on it, which everyone agrees is exactly the type of language Beverly uses. 

 

At Wrestlemania Barry and Adam are freaking out over their seats, until people show up claiming that they are sitting in their seats. It turns out Murray was sold fake tickets to Whistlemania, which pisses Adam and Barry off. In their anger Barry spills that they were planning to ditch Murray, who finally confesses that he wanted to do this because of a health thing. He just wanted to make memories with them and leaves with security when they escort him out. 

 

Back at the Goldberg household Beverly reveals she cracked the case of the cracked windshields, which were broken not by a person but by pinecones. Both Geoff and Virginia were parked under trees that had pinecones on them. Jane reminds her that a note was left on her car, but luckily for Beverly she has an explanation for that. In the security camera footage Beverly shows everyone that Jane threw a rock through her own windshield to frame Beverly. Jane confesses to it and said she felt threatened by Beverly and was scared of her stealing the watch. Of course, only Beverly Goldberg would be flattered by something like that and suggests she and Jane join forces and be nightmares together. 

 

Adam and Barry feel bad about what they did and Hulk Hogan overhears their conversation. While Barry is freaking out about Hulk Hogan talking to them Hulk tells the boys that it sounds like Murray is a great dad and that he’s trying to make an effort so they should too. Adam and Barry scurry off to apologize to Murray and tell him that they love him more than wrestling. They want to create memories with him, even if they’re embarrassing. It also started a yearly tradition between father and sons which involved watching Wrestlemania together on television.