When It Comes to Love, Parents Just Don't Understand
In Season 2, Episode 12 of The Goldbergs, "Cowboy Country," both Barry (Troy Gentile) and Adam (Sean Giambrone) encounter major flak from their parents in pursuing the girl of their dreams. In the end, however, Murray (Jeff Garlin) and Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) come through in a big way for their boys.
BEVERLY EMBARRASSES ADAM AT SCHOOL
Adam wants to show Dana (Natalie Alyn Lind) that he's better boyfriend material than the more manly guys at school who are always hitting on her. Convinced by Pops (George Segal) and big sister Erica (Hayley Orrantia) that he's got to "go big" to keep Dana, he gives her his grandmother's ring. Once Beverly realizes it's gone, she heads straight to school to get it back, causing a scene that only makes Adam look like even more of a loser.
MURRAY LOVES FOOTBALL MORE THAN HIS SON
Meanwhile, Barry's path to true love with Lainey (AJ Michalka) looks smooth: As long as her dad (guest star David Koechner) approves of Barry's dad, all is well, so the two agree that having the dads meet over a football game would be the optimal setting. Murray, however, refuses to watch the biggest game of the year away from home. He'd have to put on pants!
MURRAY RUINS BARRY'S CHANCES WITH LAINEY
Murray finally agrees to make the sacrifice and watch the game over at Lainey's. He and Lainey's dad hit it off right away: Until Murray realizes that he's now in "Cowboy Country," since her dad is a diehard Cowboys fan! He tries to conceal the fact that he's rooting for the Eagles but when his team scores, his true colors come out. As the two dads scream insults at each other, Barry and Lainey realize their relationship is doomed.
BARRY CHOOSES FAMILY OVER LOVE
Once Murray learns just how much Lainey means to Barry, he goes over to apologize to Lainey's dad. But when part of the apology means saying, "The Cowboys are America's team," Barry just can't let his dad be humiliated like that. Luckily for him, once Lainey's dad orders her to never see Barry again, she finds their "forbidden" romance even hotter!
ADAM LOSES FACE, STILL GETS THE GIRL
Adam sneaks out of the house to attend a party where all the cool kids, including Dana, will be, even though he's been grounded and Beverly has forbidden him from seeing Dana again. His attempt to impress her and all the older kids backfires horribly. A furious Beverly is prepared to ground him until he's 21, until she finds her little boy crying. She drives him over to Dana's, where Dana reassures Adam he doesn't have to pretend to be a big shot with her: She likes him just the way he is.
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