The Goldbergs is an American television sitcom that aired on the ABC network from September 24, 2013, to May 3, 2023. The series was created by Adam F. Goldberg and starred Jeff Garlin, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, Troy Gentile, and Hayley Orrantia. The show is produced by Adam F. Goldberg, Seth Gordon and Doug Robinson. It is based on Goldberg's childhood and family in the 1980s, with a childhood version of himself. On April 19, 2022, the series was renewed for a tenth season, which premiered on September 21, 2022. On February 23, 2023, it was announced that the tenth season would be its final season. The series finale aired on May 3, 2023. The series received mostly positive reviews from critics.
Premise
The Goldbergs is set in a non-chronological representation of the 1980s in the Philadelphia suburb of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and shows the reality of the 1980s through a preadolescent's and, later in the series, teenager's eyes. The show is loosely based on the showrunner's childhood, during which he regularly videotaped events. Many of these videos are reenacted for series episodes, with the original version then shown before the end credits.
The series stars Jeff Garlin as the father, Murray, and Wendi McLendon-Covey as the mother, Beverly. Their two older children are Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Barry (Troy Gentile). The youngest child, Adam (Sean Giambrone), documents his family life with his video camera. Beverly's father, Albert "Pops" Solomon (George Segal), is frequently around to provide advice or to help out his grandchildren (often behind his daughter's back).
The present-day Adult Adam (Patton Oswalt) narrates every episode as taking place in "1980-something". The show's episodes are frequently built around the era's pop culture in a non-chronological order, and each season contains references from throughout the decade.
Many references to real-life Philadelphia-area businesses are made, including the Wawa convenience store chain, Gimbels department store, Willow Grove Park Mall, and Kremp's Florist of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Additionally, several 1980s cultural icons guest star as themselves on the show and a number of figures from Goldberg's actual life guest star as fictional characters or their own parents.
The series is an example of 1980s nostalgia.Jen Chaney. "It's 2016. Why Are We Still Obsessed With the '80s?". Vulture. 24 October 2016.
Cast and characters Character Portrayed by Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Beverly Goldberg Wendi McLendon-Covey colspan=10 Adam GoldbergSean Giambrone colspan=10 Barry GoldbergTroy Gentile colspan=10 Erica GoldbergHayley Orrantia colspan=10 Albert SolomonGeorge Segal colspan=8 colspan=2 Murray GoldbergJeff Garlin colspan=9 Lainey LewisAJ Michalka colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=5 Geoff SchwartzSam Lerner colspan=1 colspan=3 colspan=6
Main cast Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg (née Solomon), the overprotective matriarch of the Goldbergs. She is often called their "smother" by the children. As such, Beverly frequently injects herself into their lives, often to their embarrassment. At the same time, however, she is extremely supportive and encouraging of the children's endeavors, being supremely confident in their abilities. Sean Giambrone as Adam Goldberg, the jovial, good-natured youngest child of the Goldbergs. An aspiring filmmaker, he frequently films his family's activities on a VHS camcorder. Adam often ends up having to use his middle initial to distinguish himself from another Adam Goldberg who attends the same school. Unlike Barry and Erica, he is depicted as being a stereotypical nerd, having an array of geeky hobbies and passions, such as an obsession with Star Wars. Patton Oswalt as adult Adam Goldberg, who narrates the show from the present day. Troy Gentile as Barry Norman Goldberg, the short-tempered, somewhat naïve middle child of the Goldbergs. Though untalented in many ways, he remains highly self-assured while attempting to make himself popular in school. Barry has a competitive streak, insisting on "dominating" everything he does, especially sports. He is an avid fan and player of basketball and ice hockey (often wearing his favorite Philadelphia Flyers jersey), and made the school wrestling team. He also listens to rap music (giving himself the rap name "Big Tasty"), and is the leader of a crew called the Jenkintown Posse (abbreviated "JTP", which fellow members repeat whenever the initials are spoken). In the fifth-season finale, Barry proposes to Lainey and she accepts, but they do not go through with a wedding. He graduates from high school in the sixth-season finale and heads to college in season 7 along with his sister Erica, where he begins studying to become a doctor. He develops an affection for Geoff Schwartz's sister Joanne, and begins dating her in season 9. Barry is based on Adam's real-life brother of the same name. Hayley Orrantia as Erica Dorothy Schwartz (née Goldberg),stated on driver's license, s5 e7 the intelligent and musically gifted but rebellious, somewhat sour oldest child of the Goldbergs. The early seasons of the series have Erica as the love interest of Geoff Schwartz, and although she rejects his initial attempts to make her fall in love with him, they become a couple midway through season 4 and get married in season 9. In the fifth season, Erica leaves for college at D.C. School of the Arts, only to drop out at the end of the season to start a band with Lainey and Valley Erica. After her music aspirations end up going nowhere, she decides to head back to college to get her life back on track. At the end of Season 9, Erica reveals that she is pregnant. Her child, a daughter named Muriel Allison Goldberg Schwartz, is born early in season 10. "Erica" is based on Adam's real-life brother, Eric Goldberg. George Segal as Albert "Pops" Solomon (seasons 1–8), Beverly's laid-back widowed father and a World War II Veteran. Though an elderly man with a number of comic eccentricities, he acts much younger than his age and often gives sage advice to his grandchildren. Adam considers him his best friend and they often go on side adventures together. He once owned a successful furniture store called Ottoman Empire that allowed him to retire comfortably, and he now lets his son-in-law Murray run the business. The final episode featuring his character was "Couple Off," the 16th episode of the show's 22-episode 8th season. Following Segal's death in March 2021, the season 9 premiere, "The Goldbergs' Excellent Adventure," was dedicated to his memory. Jeff Garlin as Murray Moshe Goldberg (seasons 1–9), the sour, somewhat asocial patriarch of the Goldbergs. Unlike Beverly, he is realistic about his children's abilities and believes she smothers them too much. Despite his apathetic tendencies at home, Murray values hard work and has held various full-time positions since his teenage years. He does not always show affection for his children, frequently calling them "morons" when they make mistakes or behave in immature ways, yet he truly cares about them and wants them to learn how to fend for themselves. Murray runs Pops's furniture business, loves sports, and is often seen lounging in front of the family TV in his underpants. Despite Garlin's departure from the cast in December 2021, during which Season 9 had yet to wrap production, Murray remained on the show via the use of outtakes, CGI and stand-ins, before it was announced that the character would die the next season. He later died off-screen in the season 10 premiere "If You Build It." AJ Michalka as Lainey Lewis (seasons 3–4; recurring seasons 1–2 & 5–6, guest seasons 7–10), Erica's best friend whom Barry has had a lifelong crush on. Lainey is being raised by a single father, Bill, given that her alcoholic mother left them a few years prior to the series. To the surprise of many, Lainey kisses Barry at a party in the first-season finale, the two slowly grow closer together in season two and eventually become an unlikely couple. Following the fourth season, she has gone to attend fashion school in Savannah, Georgia and ended her relationship with Barry. In season 5, she returns to Jenkintown after dropping out along with Erica to start a band. In the final seconds of the season finale, she and Barry agree to wed. In the sixth season, Lainey not only ends the engagement but leaves for L.A. to pursue her dreams alone, but not before promising Barry that when they were ready, they'd be together. Lainey appeared as a main character in the spin-off series, Schooled, which revealed she returned to Jenkintown in the 1990s and became the music teacher at William Penn Academy. Sam Lerner as Geoff "Madman" Schwartz (seasons 5–10; recurring seasons 2–4), one of Barry's best friends, and a member of the "JTP". His nickname "Madman" is a form of ironic humor, given how good-natured and well-behaved he is, especially compared to Barry. Geoff is known for being infatuated with Erica and makes many futile attempts to win her affections. At the end of the third season, he begins dating Evelyn Silver just as Erica realizes she reciprocates Geoff's feelings. He later breaks up with Evey to be with Erica. Geoff takes a gap year as Erica prepares to return to college at the start of season 7. However, after months of following the Grateful Dead and starting a failed business venture, he decides to enroll in college full-time and moves into Erica's dorm room. Erica insists they break up in season 8 when she realizes how Geoff's extreme devotion to her has him putting his own dreams on hold. She urges him to find out who he is without her, but the break-up only lasts for a short time. They get back together near the end of the season, and ultimately get married in season 9.
Recurring cast Extended family Judd Hirsch as Ben "Pop Pop" Goldberg (seasons 3, 7–10, guest season 4), Murray's cantankerous, opinionated father, whom Murray views as a rival. Pop Pop first appeared in one season 2 episode, and was portrayed by Paul Sorvino where he is portrayed similar to Murray (though far worse) and patriotic such as believing E.T. should have been dissected for military purposes and Elliot should be arrested after Adam tried and failed to make him cry from watching the movie. Dan Fogler as Marvin Goldberg (seasons 1–7, 10), Murray's carefree, unreliable younger brother who is frequently involved in bizarre get-rich-quick schemes that always end up failing Lucky, the Goldbergs' pet dog introduced in season 3. While the family originally got the dog based on Barry's insistence for one, Lucky develops a bond with Murray.
Friends and classmates Natalie Alyn Lind as Dana Caldwell (season 1–3, 7; guest season 4 & season 10), Adam's classmate who becomes his girlfriend. In the season 2 finale, it is revealed Dana may be moving to Seattle. The season 3 premiere confirms she is now living in Seattle. Adam and Dana continue a long-distance relationship, but it ends when the two realize how different they have become. Dana returns to Jenkintown in season 7 after her grandmother in Seattle passes away, but makes it clear to Adam that she just wants to be friends. The real-life counterpart for "Dana" is named Amanda Caldwell. The first name was changed due to early legal concerns about the show's autobiographical nature. Kenny Ridwan as Dave Kim (seasons 1–9; guest season 10), an awkward classmate and friend of Adam's, who is always addressed by his full name, even by his own mother. He is known for his "bowl" haircut and thick glasses, as well as constantly wearing turtlenecks. He shockingly dates troublemaker Carla Mann for a brief time in season 6.