Alas, “The Goldbergs” has been renewed by ABC for a 10th season.
Already the height of mediocrity, “The Goldbergs” lost its star, Jeff Garlin, last winter, and its showcase performer, George Segal, in March 2021.
This show has no reason to exist other than it can pull in around 3 million viewers per outing, is inexpensive (no stars now at all), and is familiar enough for audiences to “not mind it” when it’s on. It’s the kind of ABC sitcom (think “The Middle”) that no one knows is on, gets no awards or attention, but advertisers can put family oriented products on it.
In network terms, it’s golden.
But “The Goldbergs” still has a problem. They pretended all year that Garlin’s character, Murray, the father in the family, was still there. They used stand ins or made oblique references. But Garlin is not returning, and neither is Murray. The production ousted Garlin because wasn’t politically correct off stage. (He doesn’t care. Garlin is on a prestige show, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and is beloved by his fans.)
So what will “The Goldbergs” do? Kill off Murray? Send him to Alaska? Put him in a coma? Why not recast him with a bland TV actor? They’re going to have to make a choice this spring when they write the 10th season bible.
And here’s one funny thing about “The Goldbergs,” a show about was conceived as a Jewish family. None of the remaining Goldbergs is played by a Jewish actor. Indeed, one of them is actually named “Troy Gentile,” the most non-Jewish name I can think of.
