The
Goldbergs: The Complete Second Season (2014 - 2015/Sony DVD Set)
Picture:
B Sound: B+ Extras: B Episodes: B+
The
Goldbergs: The Complete Second Season was a big surprise for me.
I normally give most comedies at least one chance before I say no,
but the teasers and trailers that came out for this show did not
appeal to me so I did not have any desire whatsoever to watch it
because it did not look funny. However, I have to admit I was wrong.
I enjoy this show and was pleasantly surprised. It is not really
laugh out loud funny, but I catch myself smirking often, mainly
because the characters are very relatable.
As
for the acting in the show it is kind of hard to not find the mother,
Beverly Goldberg (Wendi
McLendon-Covey)
very funny and, at times, see the relationship between her and her
youngest son, Adam Goldberg (Sean
Giambrone)
very close to your own personal experiences. They also openly swear
at each other, which also adds to the comedy, because he is a young
kid.
I
am sorry to say that when I heard Jeff Garlin, who plays Adam's dad,
Murray Goldberg, seems to be lacking with screen time and jokes. It
is much different seeing him in this from his time with Curb Your
Enthusiasm on HBO or even his standup, but the moments he does
have are pretty funny and he is still a main character. He just does
not get as much screen time as Beverly (McLendon-Covey), which is
fine because as I sated earlier she is very funny in this.
Another
character is "Pops" Goldbergs (George Segal), who seems to
sometimes be a voice of reason, but even for the voice of reason
still manages to maintain some comedy. Patton Oswalt narrates the
show as Adam Goldberg all grown up telling the stories of his
childhood, which kind of reminds you of the shows from the '80s and
The Goldbergs takes place in the '80s so it all is cohesive.
The
acting however seems off at times, but not from the more known cast
members, McLendon-Covery, Garlin, and Segal. The young Goldbergs,
Erica (Hayley Orrantia), Barry (Troy Gentile), and Adam (Giambrone),
in the show seem to be on a lower level or outshined by the other
cast members. It is not that they are necessarily bad acting, but it
can feel forced at times.
Visually
the camerawork is on point, but nothing particularly outstanding.
The set design is nice. There are many key elements that establish
the '80s. It is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, standard
definition, and English 5.1 Dolby Digital audio. Since this show
does not have many visually stunning scenes the standard definition
is fine and the audio comes through very nicely.
There
are 24 episodes on this 3-disc set of The Goldbergs: Season 2.
The episode titles include: Love is a Mix Tape, Mama Drama, The
Facts of Bleeping Life, Shall We Play a Game?, Family Takes Care of
Beverly, Big Baby Ball, A Goldberg Thanksgiving, I Rode a
Hoverboard!, The Most Handsome Boy on the Planet,
DannyDonnieJoeJonJordan, The Darryl Dawkins Dance, Cowboy Country,
Van People, Barry Goldberg's Day Off, Happy Mom, Happy Life, The Lost
Boy, The Adam Bomb, I Drank the Mold!, La Biblioteca Es Libros, Just
Say No, As You Wish, Dance Party USA, Bill/Murray,
and Goldbergs Feel Hard.
The
extras on the disc include exactly what you want to see; a variety of
fun bonus features to keep you more entertained. They include, On
Location with Sean Giambrone, Deleted Scenes, Making "Barry
Goldberg’s Off", Gag Reel, On the Set with Wendi
McLendon-Covey. You can also read about the first season elsewhere
on this site.
The
Goldbergs is a fun show to watch and I think it could be one of
the perfect family shows to sit down and enjoy with, well, your
family. There are those touching moments and lessons to be learned,
but still manage to keep the comedic elements prevalent throughout.
-
Jordan Whiteko
