'The Goldbergs' '90s-Era Spinoff Coming to ABC
"The Goldbergs" is finally getting a '90s spinoff.
Last year, ABC considered a spinoff of the '80s-era comedy, focusing on teachers at the high school that the Goldberg kids attended. It even shot a pilot, which wasn't picked up to series and ended up airing as a one-off in January. Now, ABC has changed its mind and ordered 13 episodes of the spinoff.
Formerly titled "Schooled," the project stars Tim Meadows as Principal Glascott (in the original series, he was the guidance counselor). Bryan Callen's Coach Mellor is also still kicking around William Penn Academy. And joining them will be AJ Michalka's Lainey Lewis, who was formerly Erica Goldberg's best friend and Troy Goldberg's girlfriend.
Michalka was not part of the pilot that aired in January. Instead, Nia Long played Glascott's sister, a teacher with two teen daughters who attend William Penn. However, Long is no longer available now that she's a series regular on "NCIS: LA."
ABC passed on the pilot last May, but show creator Adam F. Goldberg persuaded the network to air the pilot as an episode of the mothership series on January 24. It was watched by 6 million viewers and a 1.7 rating in 18-49, the top show in that advertiser-coveted demographic for the night.
That successful performance and the possibility that "The Goldbergs" might end next season likely spurred on ABC to pick up the series.