The Goldbergs has quite a few moments where you can just can't help but think "awww". Here are a couple:
- When Beverly and Mrs. Kremp get into a fight over their different parenting styles, the fact that Beverly can overcome her pride and stand up for Mrs. Kremp to get Adam's best friend back is truly touching.
- Also when Murray and Erica watch a video of her as a kid in the roller-rink and he finally calls her a "moron" again (it makes sense in context).
- When Adam and Barry put aside their differences in the Thanksgiving episode and stop fighting over the "Barry/Adam Cup" and make it anyone's game.
- Adam and Emmy's Friendship Moment at the ending of "Muscles Mirsky." Never has a parody of Hollywood declarations of love been so meaningful.
- Adam and Erica going to watch Star Wars (and dressing up!) together, and Adam leaning over and whispering "thank you so much" to Erica.
- When Murray's brother gives him the baseball he caught as a child to make-up and thank him for always being there.
- The whole "lesson/ending" of "Mixed Tape."
- In "The Most Handsome Boy on the Planet", after seeing Murray cry while watching E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Adam notices the bad relationship Murray has with his own father. After spending the whole episode trying to improve their relationship (and failing), Adam confesses to his father that he fears that the same could happen between them when he grows older. Murray assures him that it will never happen, and says "I'll always be right here"
while pointing at Adam's heart. - Barry and Adam's New Kids on the Block video was based on a video the real Adam made with one of his friends. The credits from the episode shows a comparison.
- After Murray gets banned from the video store he swallows his pride and returns just so he can get a membership for Adam, along with fifty pre-paid movies. Adam is so touched that he gets up and hugs his father, who returns it.
- Erica tries to distract Beverly with the prospect of making a scrap book together, just so Adam can go to the school dance alone.
- Combined with Tear Jerker in "Smother's Day." Murray reveals that his childhood was terrible, including going hungry and having to walk home five miles in the rain, and wanting desperately to spend time with his father. For the entire episode, Adam has been bugging Murray to go to Space Camp, and Murray resists. Finally, he gives in and gets Adam the ticket.
- Crossed with Awesome: In "In Conclusion, Thanksgiving": when things have blown up in everyone's faces, Erica gives what at first seems like a dispassionate speech about how messed up they all are, but it turns inspirational when she tackles how that's what pulls them together as a family and makes them important to each other because how dysfunctional proves just how normal they are.
- In "I Heart Video Dating", Erica tearfully expresses to Beverly how upset she is that she doesn't know what to do about her uncertain love life (or love in general) and how she messed up her chance to be with Geoff. Beverly comforts her and assures her she'll eventually know when she finds the right guy and be happy. To take things a step further, when Erica is gone, Beverly checks her "Yenta Rolodex" and guess who's name she has down for Erica's perfect match? Geoff Schwartz!
- "Han Ukkah Solo" deconstructs the Nostalgia Filter. Adam is excited to see the infamous The Star Wars Holiday Special and is horribly disappointed. He begins to see the flaws in other things he enjoyed as a kid, sees it as growing up, mopes around, and decides to give it all up. Pops tries to keep Adam from losing his sense of fun and ultimately watches the special himself—saying Adam must've missed the cool animated sequence with Boba Fett. Adam sees what Pops is getting at and thanks him for this.
- Murray was actually thrilled with Adam going through this (saying he did the same when he was six), but that didn't stop him from replacing the posters Adam threw out.
- In "The Lost Boy" Adam spends the whole day lost at Veteran's Stadium after Murray lets him go to the restroom by himself. When they reunite, all they can do is hug each other, and Murray reminds Adam that he's safe.
- In "Lame Gretzky" Murray reveals that he's worried that Adam might never speak to him again after what happened in his latest hockey game, he decides to help Adam with his new film.
- "Eight-bit Goldbergs": Adam makes a computer game based on his family and people at school, but once they figure out his inspirations, they either give him grief or demand changes that make them look better. Adam is ready to throw in the towel and promise to never write anything about this family again, but Murray says he liked the game. He calls it the best thing Adam ever made, saying it was funny (the way he was portrayed included) and made with love.
- When Erica is brutally dumped by her boyfriend, Drew, she's only able to talk in distressed squeaking. Barry is able to translate because, according to him, he's in a constant state of high emotion. It's oddly sweet that he translates for Erica when he could have easily turned the situation in his favor.
- In "Game Night," Erica and Geoff talk Barry into getting involved in Goldberg family game night, along with Geoff's parents. Geoff struggles and fails to hide the fact that he and Erica are living together, and suddenly he's the worst greaser since Harvey Starkweather in her eyes... that is, until Murray makes her realize she's overreacting.
- Murray: She loves him, he loves her. I don't like anybody, and I like him!' "
- In "A Night to Remember" Erica and Geoff ditching their prom dates to go as a couple and finally cementing their relationship.
- In "Alligator Schwartz" after Erica and Geoff have been broken up for a few episodes it seems like Geoff has moved on, but he reveals to Erica that he's taken her advice and figured out what he really wants out of life... and she's number one on his list and they finally get back together.
- In "The Proposal" Geoff proposing to Erica and her happily accepting.
- In "Uncle-ing" Erica has been getting increasingly annoyed with Beverly hovering over her, so takes some time away before the birth. Naturally she immediately goes into labor and Beverly has trouble getting to her. When she finally arrives, Erica just says "Mama!"
