Happy Mom, Happy Life

**Happy Mom, Happy Life** is the fifteenth episode of the second season of *The Goldbergs*, and the thirty-eighth episode overall. It aired on March 4, 2015.

## Overview

When Dana and Adam have to parent a doll for class, Beverly becomes a grand-smother and compromises both their project **and** their relationship. Meanwhile, Erica is annoyed that Barry takes up all her best friend time with Lainey. To get back at him, she joins the JTP and they shun Barry out of the group, but it later backfires for Erica.

## Full Recap

Adam chooses Dana as his partner for a health project where they must raise a Cabbage Patch Kid, and Beverly becomes the "grand-smother" without permission. Adam is pressured to back up Beverly over Dana, much to the latter's chagrin, so Adam asks for advice from Murray and Pops, who tell him to tell Dana that she should call the shots in the relationship. Unfortunately, things get even more messed up when Adam lets Dana talk to Beverly, against Murray and Pops' wishes.

Meanwhile, The JTP are upset that Barry chooses to hang out with Lainey instead of them, and Erica is upset about the same problem with Lainey. Erica decides to join the JTP in an attempt to break the couple up. Barry is less than thrilled, and it doesn't take long before all three other members of the JTP believe themselves to be in love with Erica, which proves confusing for her.

Meanwhile, Adam and Dana decide to take a break from the project and enlist Murray to watch the baby. Beverly finds out and takes over the project entirely, unbeknownst to Adam and Dana. Things go surprisingly well until a dog steals the baby while Beverly is walking it in the park, and she is forced to go to a black-market toy dealer to try to buy what she thinks is the doll out of the trunk of a car, but turns out to be a knockoff.

Adam and Dana soon find out, and Adam is torn when Dana storms out of the room after she finds out the truth.

The three members of the JTP begin to stand outside of Erica's room and try to serenade her by playing the song "Alone" by Heart on boomboxes (parodying the film *Say Anything...*). Barry and Lainey come in and tell Erica her plan was hurtful, and Erica states that she didn't want to lose Lainey just because she now has a boyfriend. Lainey gets Erica tickets to a Heart concert, and Erica apologizes. Barry also gets his spot back in the JTP after he says that Erica can't stay in the group because she is torn between who she loves.

Meanwhile, Adam stands up to Beverly and tells her she needs to butt out, and is commended by his teachers soon after. Beverly invites Dana over, and she and Adam hang out in the tree house. Beverly tries to tough it out, and Murray helps her by saying that Adam is having a good time.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg
* Jeff Garlin as Murray Goldberg
* Hayley Orrantia as Erica Goldberg
* Troy Gentile as Barry Goldberg
* Sean Giambrone as Adam Goldberg
* George Segal as Albert "Pops" Solomon

### Guest Stars

* Michaela Watkins as Miss Taraborelli
* Natalie Alyn Lind as Dana Caldwell
* A.J. Michalka as Lainey Lewis
* Sam Lerner as Geoff "Madman" Schwartz
* Noah Munck as "Naked" Rob Smith
* Matt Bush as Andy Cogan
* Kenny Ridwan as Dave Kim
* Heather Moiseve as Kerri Doherty
* Nick Swardson as Rick

## Trivia

When the boys try to impress Erica are a reference to the film *Say Anything in which a guy holds a boombox to impress his crush*

The health teacher claims that the ginger rip-off doll looks haunted and could terrorize a lake referencing both Child's play (1988) and Friday the 13th(1980)

Rick the toy dealer shows Beverly serval popular toys from the 1980's such as a Voltron action figure (1984) and a She-Ra doll (1985) which rick calls heroine Beverly misinterpreted as heroin