ABC has announced that hit sitcom The Goldbergs is coming back for a ninth season.
The network renewed the comedy series which stars Wendi McLendon-Covey, Sean Giambrone, Hayley Orrantia, Troy Gentile, Sam Lerner and Jeff Garlin.
On March 23, the series was struck with a tragic loss when co-star George Segal passed away at 87 years of age after complications from bypass surgery.
Coming back: ABC has announced that hit sitcom The Goldbergs is coming back for a ninth season
Segal played Albert ‘Pops’ Solomon, the beloved father of McLendon-Covey’s character Beverly, on the show.
Set in the 1980s, The Goldbergs based on creator Adam F Goldberg’s childhood experiences with his family.
Goldberg stepped down after season six and writer-producers Chris Bishop and Alex Barnow were named showrunners heading into season seven and the current eighth season.
Sad: On March 23, the series was struck with a tragic loss when co-star George Segal passed away at 87 years of age after complications from bypass surgery
The Goldbergs paid tribute to Segal on April 7’s episode, which was his last.
The show aired a special video tribute to the actor.
Some of the show’s cast members paid tribute on social media.
Tribute: The Goldbergs payed tribute to Segal on April 7’s episode, which was his last
Tribute: The show aired a special video tribute to the actor, while some of the show’s stars paid tribute on social media
The Goldbergs typically finishes each episode with throwback footage from series creator Goldberg’s family that he shot as a child, though the April 7 episode honored Segal.
The tribute, which was shared on The Goldbergs Twitter after the episode aired, began with, ‘Dedicated to Our Friend, George.’
The video featured shots of Segal combing his hair and spraying some Binaca in his mouth before he did a little dance.
Dance: The video featured shots of Segal combing his hair and spraying some Binaca in his mouth before he did a little dance
He was also seen in a full Ghostbusters costume alongside his on-screen grandson, played by Giambrone, as he humorously botches the catch-phrase with, ‘Who are you gonna telephone? The Ghost Fellas!’
Pops is also seen having a talk with his grandson, telling him that, ‘Some women like a sensitive man.’
The video goes on to show other memorable shots of Pops, ending with him giving everyone in the Goldbergs family a hug.
Ghost fellas: He was also seen in a full Ghostbusters costume alongside his on-screen grandson, played by Sean Giambrone, as he humorously botches the catch-phrase with, ‘Who are you gonna telephone? The Ghost Fellas!’
Sensitive: Pops is also seen having a talk with his grandson, telling him that, ‘Some women like a sensitive man’
Hugs: The video goes on to show other memorable shots of Pops, ending with him giving everyone in the Goldbergs family a hug
‘If you just believe in yourself like I do, you can’t lose,’ he says, as a final title card reads, ‘We will miss you, George’ as the video comes to an end.
McLendon-Covey, also shared tributes to Segal on Twitter.
‘Tonight’s episode was the last that George filmed, but not the last of our season. We had no idea at the time we filmed it, that it would be our last with him,’ she said.
Miss you: ‘If you just believe in yourself like I do, you can’t lose,’ he says, as a final title card reads, ‘We will miss you, George’ as the video comes to an end
No idea: ‘Tonight’s episode was the last that George filmed, but not the last of our season. We had no idea at the time we filmed it, that it would be our last with him,’ she said
McLendon-Covey added in another tweet, ‘We had so much fun filming this episode, and George was still game for anything. Always a total pro and a joy to be around! #TheGoldbergs.’
Orrantia, who plays Erica Goldberg in the series, retweeted the video message, adding, ‘We love and miss you so much.’
Series creator Goldberg also quote-retweeted another McLendon-Covey tweet where she made it clear they would ‘NEVER replace George in the role of Pops. If we get a season 9, we will address it then.’
Fun: McLendon-Covey added in another tweet, ‘We had so much fun filming this episode, and George was still game for anything. Always a total pro and a joy to be around! #TheGoldbergs’
Love: Hayley Orrantia, who plays Erica Goldberg in the series, retweeted the video message, adding, ‘We love and miss you so much’
Goldberg added in his quote retweet, ‘Tonight is George’s last episode. Fans are asking what’s planned for Pops. Even though my input and stories have not been used this season, I know the way to address this loss is to use my real experience of losing my Grandpa to honor George and my Pops. Hope I’m welcome S9! #JTP’
With the show now renewed, fans can expect to see how The Goldbergs handles the loss of Pops next season.
Welcome: Goldberg added in his quote retweet, ‘Tonight is George’s last episode. Fans are asking what’s planned for Pops. Even though my input and stories have not been used this season, I know the way to address this loss is to use my real experience of losing my Grandpa to honor George and my Pops. Hope I’m welcome S9! #JTP