Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Goldbergs' series finale "Bev to the Future." Read at your own risk!
The Goldbergs bowed at ABC after ten seasons, ending the adventures of Adam Goldberg and his eccentric family. "Bev to the Future" might've felt like just another episode outside of a montage at the end, and fans may be curious as to why there were future storylines teased in a series finale. Co-showrunners Alex Barnow and Chris Bishop shared why that is and what their hopes were for Season 11.
The final episode of The Goldbergs is one that will undoubtedly be rewatched by those with a Hulu subscription for years to come, but it didn't feel as big as most series finales are. Audiences saw Adam try to stop his mom from reconnecting with an old flame at her high school reunion, and Barry and Joanne eloped to prove they were responsible adults. It seemed as though the writers were setting up more hijinks in another season, and the showrunners explained to TVLine why that was.
The Goldbergs Cast And Crew Didn't Know Season 10 Was The End
While it seems like a growing number of shows as of late have early notice of an ending, The Goldbergs' team was not informed of its cancellation before finishing Season 10. Had the small montage of the characters at the start and end of the series been removed, viewers out of the loop might not have even known it wasn't returning.
Alex Barnow explained when they first found out about the show's cancellation and his thoughts on what they would've done had they known sooner:
We weren’t quite positive it was going to be our [series] finale when we wrote the final episode of the season. I think, truthfully, had we known it was really the final episode, we would have done a more full-bodied tribute to the show.
"Bev to the Future" was very self-contained and centered primarily around the movie Back to the Future. The episode was absolutely loaded with nods to the beloved Michael J. Fox movie, complete with a guitar solo that confused attendees and even a DeLorean.
It was great for those who love Back to the Future and all the complicated mother/son questions that come from it, but I wouldn't blame fans for feeling like it didn't have the weight of a proper series finale. Chris Bishop noted that had they known cancellation was coming, they would've rethought elements of the episode:
We would’ve dug in with a more emotional story and had more flashbacks and seeing the characters and how they grew across the decade.
The Goldbergs finale was still solid and constructed a good enough ending for its characters. There have been far worse conclusions for shows, and some that didn't even get endings at all. Plus, let's not forget that Season 10 happening at all despite Jeff Garlin's midseason exit in Season 9 was pretty impressive.
What The Goldbergs Season 11 Would've Covered
When The Goldbergs writers constructed the Season 10 finale, obviously, they were laying the groundwork for Season 11. Those who suspected that Wendi McLendon-Covey's Bev would have one of the major storylines of that season were right on the money, as the showrunners confirmed we would've seen more of her and her old boyfriend George.
Rather than just a hint that Bev would move on following the death of Murray, there was going to be a new relationship. Alex Barnow laid it all out and how Season 11 of The Goldbergs would've played out:
Our hopes were if there was a Season 11, that we could explore possibly a more permanent relationship for Beverly and the Rob Corddry character. We felt like this was a really nice way to end it, with the possibility of romance, the idea that she would find another person from her past that she would be really excited to be with, and that her kids could leave home and feel good that their mom was in a happy relationship.
Alex Barnow concluded by saying that they obviously didn't get the chance to play that story out, but the good vibes at the end might suggest a happy ending for all is possible.
The Goldbergs is done at ABC but will live on in streaming. Much like the '80s, it will never die, though I don't think anyone should hold their breath for spinoffs with Wendi McLendon-Covey landing a new tv project.
