What’s Worth Watching: The Goldbergs Get Behind the Wheel

The Goldbergs, “Van People” (Wednesday, Feb. 18, 8:30/7:30c, ABC)

We’ve said it a thousand times: “Why aren’t more people watching this show?” So funny, so well written, and so perfectly cast. Sure, it doesn’t get the heat or awards that Modern Family does, but like the equally worthy The Middle, The Goldbergs is a sweeter, more smile-inducing look at life with the fam. And it’s set in the ’80s, which just makes it totally tubular.

Tonight, Barry (Troy Gentile) takes one step closer to becoming TV’s greatest over-reactionary since George Costanza. Not only does he buy a rundown van but he also moves into it after his dad, Murray (Jeff Garlin), forbids him and sister Erica from using the family car. These showdowns between Garlin’s professional curmudgeon and Gentile’s hilariously unhinged teen nightmare are always spot-on hoots; anyone who ever tried to one-up his or her own overbearing father while growing up knows that it never turned out in the kid’s favor. Thankfully, we have The Goldbergs to help us laugh about it now.