Parents' Guide to

The Goldbergs

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Loud look at '80s family life has positive takeaways.

TV ABC Comedy 2013
The Goldbergs Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 10+

Based on 16 parent reviews

Matthew B.
Matthew B. Parent
April 2, 2018
age 8+

It's based on a real family

The creator of this show Adam F. Goldberg has stated that this is based on his real family. His family acts like this and if you tell your child this it'll be fine. I watch the show all the time and I think it's fine for kids. Although it does cuss a bit you should be fine if you have a child that doesn't imitate stuff from television.

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Great messages
2 people found this helpful.
W.Parmer
W.Parmer Parent of 18-year-old
November 11, 2022
age 2+

Not typically Jewish

There are many light hearted themes present with in Jewish families, unfortunately non of them show up in "The Goldbergs". I understand that the Goldberg's is based on a real family, but the depictions seems more about a family, rather than a Jewish family. In one episode where the mother rescues her son from knowing he's not great in Spanish class by having him use all the stereotypes of Hispanic people in a oral presentation isn't a Jewish characteristic, nor is it funny. It is ignorant at best or racists at worst and it isn't related to being Jewish.
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What's the Story?

As seen through the lens of 11-year-old son Adam (Sean Giambrone), who carries a video camera with him virtually everywhere he goes, THE GOLDBERGS depicts a loud-but-loving family with a tendency toward yelling their feelings. However, their excessive volume is the perfect match for the excesses of 1980s popular culture, from mom Beverly's (Wendi McLendon-Covey) love of jazzercise to older brother Barry's (Troy Gentile) burgeoning romance with rap music. Rounding out the clan are bellowing patriarch Murray (Jeff Garlin), surly older sister Erica (Hayley Orrantia), and ornery octogenarian Pops (George Segal).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (16):
Kids say (84):

If you've ever seen The Wonder Years, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in the late 1980s, The Goldbergs will look and sound awfully familiar -- except that The Goldbergs replaces The Wonder Years' 1960s style with the flashy fashion of the 1980s and Daniel Stern's nostalgic narration with slightly snarkier commentary from Patton Oswalt. And lots of yelling. Still, although it doesn't play like an Emmy contender, The Goldbergs ultimately charms in its own way with memorable characters, solid takeaways, and goofy nods to '80s excesses.

A notable twist is that the fictional Goldbergs are modeled after the real-life family of writer and executive producer Adam F. Goldberg, who really did carry around a video camera as an awkward 11-year-old in the '80s and capture his mother, father, brother, sister, and grandfather in all their glory. (This point is made clear in the pilot's closing credits, wherein the young Goldberg's actual footage plays alongside clips from the show.) That's part of the reason these Goldbergs have heart, in spite of their loud way of showing it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the fact that The Goldbergs is based on the dynamics of a real-life family (that of writer and executive producer Adam F. Goldberg). What are the pros of using your own life as a springboard for creative inspiration? Are there any cons to turning your parents, siblings, and grandparents into two-dimensional characters? If your family life played out on TV, would audiences be laughing, crying -- or just plain bored?

  • Does the show's nostalgia for the 1980s appeal to today's kids or only to their parents? Was being a kid in the '80s a lot different than it is today? Has anything stayed the same?

  • How do the Goldbergs measure up as role models? Does a family have to be perfect to impart a positive message?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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