Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Goldbergs season 10, episode 15.
While The Goldbergs season 10 will be the show’s last outing, the family sitcom just squandered a golden opportunity to fix one canon plot hole. The existence of sitcom spinoffs can sometimes mess with the continuity of the original show. The Conners retconned Jackie’s son from Roseanne, while Young Sheldon changed the personality of Sheldon’s father George Sr until he scarcely resembled the character described in The Big Bang Theory. However, some events are too major for a show to simply ignore, such as the eventual fate of its main characters.
In this regard, The Goldbergs season 10 faces a problem. The short-lived spinoff of The Goldbergs, Schooled, only lasted two seasons. However, in that time, the ‘90s-set sitcom managed to establish that The Goldbergs supporting character Barry would eventually end up reunited with his first love interest, Schooled heroine Lainey. This is a major problem for The Goldbergs season 10 since Barry is currently deep into a committed relationship with another love interest, Joanne. Even though Barry and Joanne appear to be happy, the events of Schooled ensure that viewers already know the couple will eventually break up.
The Goldbergs Season 10 Needs To Break Up Barry and Joanne
The creators of The Goldbergs need to break up Joanne and Barry and season 10, episode 15, “The Crush,” presented the perfect opportunity for this twist with the story of Barry renting an apartment without consulting Joanne. However, the episode then went on to waste this plot. Per the ending of The Goldbergs spinoff Schooled, Barry ends up single and reconnects with his high school sweetheart/former fiancée Lainey in the ‘90s. However, in “The Crush,” Joanne and Barry seemed happier than ever, which makes their eventual, inevitable breakup all the more tragic and unlikely.
Barry and Joanne have been dating since The Goldbergs season 8, episode 14, ”Love Triangle,” meaning their relationship has lasted quite a while. The longer this romance continues, the sadder their eventual breakup will be. As such, it would have made perfect sense for the couple to break up during “The Crush,” thus paving the way for Barry and Lainey’s later reunion. Moving in together is a major step for any couple and would have been the perfect catalyst for Barry and Joanne’s breakup, while Barry moving out of his brother Adam’s room would have solved another Goldbergs season 10 plot problem.
Season 10’s Missed Opportunity Was A Major Mistake
There are only about 10 episodes left in The Goldbergs season 10 and the show has barely even mentioned Joanne in the last few weeks. As such, missing a chance to end Joanne’s relationship with Barry (over a reasonably major misstep, too) was a big mistake. Even if The Goldbergs season 10 finds another excuse to break up the pair, it is unlikely that what gets between them will be as grounded and fitting as Barry deciding to move out on his own and ending his relationship as a result. Worse yet, The Goldbergs season 10 could end with Barry and Joanne still happily together, actively defying its spinoff's canon.