I think the do a pretty good job of portraying 1980’s life, but they are careful to say “1980-something” every episode. Don’t expect chronological order or 100% complete faithfulness to the decade.
The best part of the show is the actual 80’s footage from the creator’s childhood, which often is very similar to the actual episode they made.
They’ve had a couple of episodes that had unique, identifiable real events - Phillies winning the world series in 1980, Hextall scoring a goal in December 1987 - but yeah, best to treat it as just a mishmash of Adam Goldberg’s childhood memories.
I’ve only ever heard it in past couple of years. It phased in after “it’s on my radar screen” phased out. Looking it up, it looks like it started getting used more in the late 2000s.
Just because you’ve only heard the expression recently doesn’t mean that it didn’t exist previously.
“It’s on my radar screen”? When was this popular slang?
Both of these are figures of speech, but usually slang is associated with youth and pop culture.
These sound more like office meeting cliches than slang.
I just heard “put a pin in it”,last night on Chicago P. D. and it struck me as wrong. I grew up and live in Chicago and this is Not a common phrase here. “Table it” maybe, “let’s hold off on that for now” or “let’s revisit this later”.
Sounds like a writer from one of the coasts to me.
Yeah batsto’s complaint is pretty much de-rigeur for any conversation about the show. But in any interview you read with the creator, he says he doesn’t mean for it to be historically accurate and like control-z says they are careful to make sure not to give a year.
Here’s a good article about the show and how it mirror’s Goldberg’s real life, and it has a bit of info about the vague year, with info from another article.
You can only hope that Adam gets a pounding every time he sees his oldest brother Eric, for changing him to Erica in the show.
Absolutely right. At the same time, I was a kid in the 80s and never heard it, regardless of whether it existed. “23 skidoo” existed too, but was it ever said by a preteen in the 80s?
Exactly – not used by a preteen kid in the 80s!!
So because you never personally heard anyone say it in the 80s, that means it is impossible that anyone said it in the 80s? And sounds like you are also saying that all pre-teens are essentially the same? I think you are letting this bother you a little too much. The show is an homage to his childhood in the 80s. Its not meant to have every moment and production decision analyzed to death for anachronisms. Its being told from his perspective now looking back to when he was a kid, it isn’t meant to be seen as a documentary of actual footage from back then.
I think there was quite a variety of kids in the 80s. I don’t think we all talked exactly the same and had exactly the same experiences. I was quite different from my friends and we were all quite different from other groups of kids. Its just a figure of speech, that has existed since WW2 by the way, but if this is what makes you not like the show, that is certainly your choice.
No, it was the icebergs!
(I know: Goldberg, iceberg, what’s the difference? :))
Let’s spindle that.
It’s not just that one, but that there are so many! Every week something makes me grrr and change the channel. Yes, I’m aware it’s a personal problem.
It’s not The Goldbergs:80s Documentary. Really, it’s no different than That 70s show, which had all manner of inconsistencies as well. If it bothers you that much, either don’t watch it or make a better series. Personally, I like trying to spot the inconsistencies and trying to figure out what year it actually could have been no later than…
As I said up thread, I took it as the joke. He was trying to sound like big time video producer/director, so was trying to use that kind of lingo. He wasn’t using it as current slang.
It’s what made the scene funny, to me.
Really? Your enjoyment of this program is so interrupted by anachronisms that you’re changing the channel? If so, I’d suggest not watching it at all. Personally, I just find the show funny (in particular, the older brother).
Season 3, Epsidoe 19 (1985) of Knight Rider includes this quote:
I’m going to unilaterally declare that close enough and '80s enough to cover The Goldbergs.
In the most recent episode, someone said “suck it” which I don’t recall hearing until it became popular in mid to late 90’s wrestling. Certainly never heard it in the 80’s. Mind you “that sucks” and that sort of thing were common, just not “suck it”.
I also quite often notice, like I did in the most recent episode, blank VHS tapes sitting around the set that are definitely not from the 80’s. About half of them (the ones that don’t look dirty) seem to be from the 21st century, and some are in the very packaging they use today. I know it’s a small detail, but it’s like if they had someone drinking Pepsi and the can was the modern design instead of the 80’s one.
I still love the show, never forget.
I was wondering if anyone still watched this show. It’s one of my favorites still. Nothing tickles me more than seeing those Rush t-shirts!
I was thinking maybe the inaccuracies were part of telling the story now about something from the 80s. If I told a story about my childhood I’d probably struggle with getting all the details right. I couldn’t say what part of the decade I had my Jellies collection and when I started crimping my hair. I definitely didn’t have big hair until the later part of the decade. Most of the girls in my school kept it long and straight and all one length like Erica’s. I will never forget getting a new student from California (ooh so exotic!) with a short geometric sort of skater cut. Suddenly every girl wanted theirs that way. With my kinky curls I ended up with a triangle head. Not a good look.
And oh those sweaters! I am wearing one of those hideous bright sweaters in nearly every 80s holiday photo.
Yes, I still watch it and think it’s one of the funnier sitcoms on TV now.