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A blast from Barry’s romantic past is coming back again on The Goldbergs.
AJ Michalka is set to reprise her role as Barry’s ex-fiancée Lainey Lewis in an upcoming episode of the long-running ABC comedy, TVLine has learned exclusively.
In the installment — titled “Two-Timing Goldbergs” and airing Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 8:30/7:30c — Lainey comes to Jenkintown to meet Erica’s baby, Muriel Goldberg-Schwartz. While Erica couldn’t be more excited for her best friend’s visit, her husband Geoff “is worried that Lainey’s return will cause chaos in Barry’s life, which is quickly written off by Erica as paranoia,” reads the official synopsis. But that all changes when the couple spots “Barry suspiciously visiting the Lewis home! After a series of hilarious misunderstandings, the truth is revealed.”
Lately, Barry has been in a relationship with Geoff’s sister Joanne, but like Geoff and Erica, we can’t help wondering if Lainey’s presence in Jenkintown might reignite some sparks between her and Barry.
Michalka heavily recurred during The Goldbergs‘ first two seasons before being promoted to series regular in Season 3. She departed the show in 2019 to headline the ’90s-set spinoff Schooled, which was cancelled after two seasons. Since then, Michalka has visited The Goldbergs on more than one occasion, most recently appearing last season in the episode “The Steve Weekend,” which found Barry coming face-to-face with his ex-girlfriends and their current boyfriends during Erica and Geoff’s joint bachelor/bachelorette party.
The Goldbergs fans, check out TVLine’s exclusive first-look photos of Lainey’s return below, then hit the comments to let us know if you’re rooting for a romantic reunion between her and Barry!
From the synopsis, it sounds as if everyone’s supposed to think that Lainey and Barry are getting back together (and that AJ Michalka is returning to the show), but what’s actually happening is something else entirely. It’s the “Three’s Company” method of sitcom storytelling.
I haven’t “watched” watched this show in years, but I still hope by the end of the series that Barry and Lainey wind up being endgame. I’ve loved them together since the beginning.
If you watched the spin-off series, you know that isn’t going to happen, unless they’re taking that show out of the Goldbergs continuity.
I did watch Schooled, so I do know what occurred on that. But it isn’t uncommon for a show to do a flash forward during a series finale, or even a voice-over explaining what characters went on to do in their futures, so I wouldn’t write off the possibility of them still ending up together. Despite their breakups, they did always continue to care for one another.
Schooled wasn’t a total waste of 30 minutes. I enjoyed it.
After a decade, its still a fun watch every week. Looking forward to lainey being back.
lainey’s return will be just the shot of pure resurrection the show needs right now. the loos of segal and garlin was a nail in the coffin….bringing lainey back can save the show
I was wondering the same thing
I completely agree
From the pictures, I’m going to guess that Barry is visiting Lainey’s home to hang out with her dad like Murray used to do. Barry may feel the need to fill that role for Lainey’s dad, but also be a bit embarrassed he likes hanging out with him so he’s keeping it a secret. All the sneaking around would make people suspicious and think he’s sneaking around with Lainey when it’s really her dad he’s sneaking around with. Lol.
Love Lainey ,my favorite Character actually.
Love the Goldberg’s.
Lainey is a better girlfriend for him. More chemistry.
I completely agree
The baby’s name is hyphenated?
It would be wonderful if she stayed on the show and they got back together. Can we just pretend that the SCHOOLED storyline never happened? Barry and Lainey had a perfect chemistry. Barry and Joanne are too similar and too much.
Unless they’re throwing the Schooled continuity out the window, we already know Barry and Lainey don’t get back together until she moves back to town, so this is clearly not going to be a “big misunderstanding”episode.