The Goldbergs season 5, episode 18 recap: MTV Spring Break

This week on The Goldbergs, Erica and Barry head to Florida for Spring Break and it doesn’t go as planned. Back at home, Adam does something terrible but it backfires when he tells his parents the truth.

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It was 1980-something and going to Florida for Spring Break was all the rage thanks in part to MTV. Erica is home from college and she can’t take spending her break in her boring hometown while witnessing all the fun on TV. Barry is having the same feeling so the two Goldberg kids cook up a plan that their parents can’t say no to.

The episode of The Goldbergs, titled “MTV Spring Break,” not only takes a look at Erica and Barry’s Florida adventure but also the mess that occurs back in Jenkintown. Beverly gets her hands on something very meaningful to her and Adam inadvertently destroys. What ensues is a role reversal of epic proportions.

Spring Break scheme

As Erica and Barry are stuck at home during Spring Break, the mischevious duo come up with a foolproof plan. Their mission is to get to Ft. Lauderdale to party with the Beastie Boys during MTV Spring Break. They realize that Pops now lives in that area so they try to convince their parents to let them take a trip to visit him. With some fake tears and money-saving persuasion, the plan works and off they go.

Unfortunately, on their arrival, they discover that Pops doesn’t live in a fancy beachfront condominium, he lives a half hour away from the beach in a retirement community. Instead of fun and sun, they are surrounded by grumpy elderly residents. Erica and Barry hope that the community’s pool and bar will change the tune of the trip but that is also not the case. The pool has a multitude of rules that don’t allow anything that would be considered fun. Also important to note is that the “bar” is actually just a snack bar.

Beverly’s beloved fur coat

While the older kids are away, Beverly is distracted at the sight of the latest fashion trend–fur coats. She can’t get her mind off of them and constantly throws out hints to Murray. He finally gives in and surprises Beverly and to say she was elated is an understatement. She is so excited that she wears the coat (nicknamed “Minky”) everywhere, even to aerobics class. Murray also benefits from the coat since his wife has become extra giving in light of his generous gift.

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Adam convinces his mom to let him borrow the coat despite the fact that he seems against the use of furs. He tells Beverly that he is filming something to send to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and needs her coat. She allows him to borrow Minky in what would become a very costly decision. Adam and his friends are using the coat as part of a Bigfoot costume. The sight of the Bigfoot startles Geoff who is passing by and he throws his slushie on the coat. Matters become worse when Adam tries to wash and dry the coat with a hair dryer while accidentally setting it on fire. RIP Minky.

Geriatric beach club

So far Erica and Barry are surprised about how awful their trip is going but the most surprising thing is how much Pops has changed. Their grandfather is always the life of the party and now he is turning into the traditional grandparent stereotype. He eats an early bird dinner and goes to bed before the sun even goes down. The revelations shock the kids but they refuse to let this ruin their trip.

Late at night, Erica and Barry hop the fence and break into the pool. Blasting music and breaking all the rules, they finally have their pool party even if its just the two of them. Meanwhile, Pops hears the ruckus and calls the cops. They come just in time when Erica breaks into the snack bar and the two are locked up in the local jail with fellow spring breakers.

Pops eventually comes to rescue them and they find that he was the one to call the cops. He has changed a lot since moving to Florida but he reveals how much he is enjoying his new lifestyle and they have a change of heart. Erica and Barry feel pretty guilty considering everything they did to get to that point. They still want their MTV Spring Break but only if they have Pops at their side. The three of them finally end up partying it up in Ft. Lauderdale.

Web of lies

Adam is used to getting in trouble but this time around he plans on trying a new tactic from the beginning. He decides to be an adult and tell the complete truth. Surprisingly, his parents are still furious and seem to endlessly yell for days until Adam gets sick of how they are reacting. Beverly and Murray think they have lost control as parents. They think he is hiding something bigger than the fur coat fiasco so they go snooping in his room. Instead, they tear apart his room and accidentally send his shelves of beloved toys crashing to the ground.

Instead of coming clean to their son, they make up an insane story that their house was robbed and that is why Adam’s room is a mess. The lie becomes more intense until Beverly slips up and Adam realizes it was their fault. He is so angry that he sends his parents to their rooms. To make it up to Adam, Beverly fixes one of his favorite toys but then they find that he has a very big secret. The toy contained a stash of money because Adam has been stealing dollar bills here and there over the past few years from Murray. Beverly takes the money back and uses it to fix Adam’s shelves. They all realize that they all need to stick to the truth more often seeing how fast lies can spin out of control.

Next: Watch The Goldbergs Season 5, episode 18 online

New episodes of The Goldbergs air Wednesday nights on ABC at 8/7c!