The Goldbergs Season 2, Episode 1 “Love Is A Mix Tape”
Written by Alex Barnow
Directed by Seth Gordon
Airs Wednesdays at 8:30pm ET on ABC
In the second-season opener of The Goldbergs, Adam who is still basking in the success of having kissed Dana Caldwell at the end of last season, tries to find ways to express his feelings for Dana by making her a mix tape. Unfortunately for Adam, the cassette falls into the hands of his overly affectionate mother Beverly, who believes it was made for her instead. Luckily for Adam, he finds a way to make a copy for Dana, and convinces both ladies that they are his one and only inspiration. This means extra servings of Boo Berry – the opportunity to see the R-rated Bruce Willis movie Die Hard with his mom – and a second date with Dana. Of course, the whole thing falls apart when Bev and Dana discover he lied. Meanwhile Barry finds out Erica has a fake ID, and convinces her to get him one as well; resulting in a scene at a photo shop with David Spade making a cameo appearance as a creepy camera store clerk.
The Goldbergs began its first season under the “louder is funnier” school of writing, with characters always yelling, and episodes crammed with as many pop culture references as you could possibly fit in 22 minutes. But it didn’t take long before the show found its footing, and ever since, its been smooth sailing. The Goldbergs proved that it wasn’t just a means for showrunner Adam F. Goldberg (who based the show on his own childhood) to reminisce about the toys he played with, and the music he listened to while growing up. Instead it became a funny, sweet show about a suburban American family life getting to know both themselves and their loved one while growing up. Truth be told, The Goldbergs isn’t ground-breaking, but it doesn’t need to be. Much like That ’70s Show and Happy Days; the series offers nostalgia that many audiences adore – and more importantly, characters who we come to love (even if they can often be overwhelming and annoying at times).
Often a television series will attempt to start its second season big, but not The Goldbergs which returned for a sophomore cycle in its new Wednesday time slot sitting smack dab between The Middle and Modern Family. The Goldbergs couldn’t ask for a better spot on the ABC schedule, so maybe they didn’t need to think big for the season two premiere; but that doesn’t change the fact that “Love Is A Mix Tape” glides by so gracefully and unpretentiously that it’s only upon reflection that you realize how much skill, caring and good judgment had gone into its making. The Goldbergs’ writing team created a season premiere that is equal parts funny and heartwarming, and even though it doesn’t quite soar to the heights of an episode of The Wonder Years – this well rounded entry lopes along affectionately.
The highlight of the episode revolves around the mix tape. Anyone who’s ever made a mix tape for someone they care deeply about surely understands the mechanics. Making a good mix tape takes some skill. Making a great mix tape is a work of art. In order to make a great mix you need to listen to a wide range of artists. You also need to consider the audience. In other words, who are you making the mix for? Creating a message with the mix is also a plus, since the lyrics of the songs are a stand in for how you feel about the person you are making the tape for. So imagine the horror Adam must have felt when he discovers his mother believes the tape was made for her. It’s a series tradition to place Adam in the most awkward of moments, especially when it revolves around his over-protective mom, and her creepy affection for her youngest born – but this might just be a whole new level of creep. Adam is only fresh into high school and he’s somehow found himself in the most embarrassing of situations, and stuck no less between Beverly, and his very first girlfriend. But for a show criticized for its stock characters (the overbearing mother, the overwhelmed father, the oversexed grandfather, the popular teen daughter, the awkwardly aggressive jock and the young geek) The Goldbergs gives those stereotypes enough personality and spin to breathe dimension into each scene. By the end of the episode you can’t help but feel sympathy for Beverly who seems to be having more trouble coping with her children’s coming of age than they themselves. And that’s what makes The Goldbergs so successful; with every episode, they somehow find ways to balance just enough screen time with the entire cast, that it becomes a coming of age, not just for the children, but every family member we see.
The supporting players are once again uniformly strong, and the cast deserves much credit for exacting just the right degree of outrageousness without spinning out of control. “Love Is A Mix Tape” is achingly earnest, but earns not only some big laughs but also some emotional moments as well. And for that is succeeds in spades. But what sells The Goldbergs for this critic each and every week, is how optimistic it is. That optimism along with a fundamental affection for its characters, makes it the network’s most consistent comedic performer, and the best family sitcom currently airing. The Goldbergs has inspired feelings of joy, sadness, and a profound yearning for the unrecoverable past.
– Ricky D