The Wonder Years (2021 TV series)

The Wonder Years is an American coming-of-age comedy television series developed by Saladin K. Patterson that aired from September 22, 2021, to August 16, 2023, on ABC. Inspired by the 1988 series of the same title, it stars Elisha "EJ" Williams as Dean Williams, and follows his life as he grows up in Montgomery, Alabama, in the late 1960s. Don Cheadle lends his voice as the narrator for the series as the adult counterpart of Dean. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on June 14, 2023. In September 2023, the series was cancelled after two seasons.

Premise
The Wonder Years is set in the late 1960s and takes a look at the Williams family, Black middle-class residents of Montgomery, Alabama, through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean.

Main

 * Elisha "EJ" Williams as Dean Williams
 * Don Cheadle narrates as an older Dean
 * Dulé Hill as Bill Williams, Dean's father
 * Saycon Sengbloh as Lillian Williams, Dean's mother
 * Laura Kariuki as Kim Williams, Dean's sister
 * Amari O'Neil as Cory Long, Dean's friend
 * Julian Lerner as Brad Hitman, Dean's friend
 * Milan Ray as Keisa Clemmons, Dean's friend on whom he has a secret crush

Recurring

 * Caleb Black as Norman
 * Allen Maldonado as Coach Long, Dean's baseball coach and Lillian's co-worker
 * Charity Jordan as Vivian Long, Coach Long's wife
 * Milan Marsh as Charlene
 * Andrew Tull as Hampton
 * Sami Bray as Future Karen
 * Spence Moore II as Bruce Williams, Dean's older brother

Guest

 * Richard Gant as Grandaddy Clisby
 * Malcolm-Jamal Warner as Melvin Williams, Dean's uncle
 * Patti LaBelle as Shirley Williams, Dean's grandmother
 * Josh Rhett Noble as Jim Fleming

Production


The Wonder Years was announced on July 8, 2020, when ABC gave the project a pilot order with Fred Savage, the star of the original series, attached to direct and executive produce. In January 2021, the pilot was confirmed, with production taking place in Atlanta, Georgia. In March 2021, Saycon Sengbloh, Elisha "EJ" Williams, Dulé Hill, Laura Kariuki, Milan Ray, Julian Lerner, and Amari O'Neil joined the cast, with Don Cheadle announced to serve as the show's narrator. On May 14, 2021, The Wonder Years was given a series order. In July, Allen Maldonado was cast in a recurring role.

At a Television Critics Association panel discussion in August 2021, crew members revealed that the series would tackle major events from 1968, including the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. When asked about casting Maldonado, whose character at the time was speculated to be Afro-Latino like Maldonado, writer and executive producer Saladin K. Patterson said they "wanted to represent the diaspora of Blackness for sure. And some of that is in appearance and looks but some of it is just in the background and those individual stories that come from those mixes of cultures. He certainly fits into that tableau that we want to set." The first season was originally given a 9-episode order. On October 26, 2021, the first season was expanded to a full season of 22 episodes. In November 2021, it was reported Richard Gant and Spence Moore II would also star.

Firing of Savage
In May 2022, Savage was fired from his roles as executive producer and director after allegations of inappropriate conduct, including "verbal outbursts and inappropriate behavior". Seven days later, ABC renewed the series for a second season, which premiered on June 14, 2023. On September 15, 2023, ABC cancelled the series after two seasons.

Release
In the U.S., the series aired from September 22, 2021, to August 16, 2023, on ABC. In Canada, the series aired on CTV. The series premiered as an original series in selected countries on Disney+ via Star on June 1. In Latin America, the series debuted on Disney+ as a Disney+ exclusive. On November 8, 2021, Hollywood Records made the show's theme song available to stream and download. The song is written by Roahn Hylton and Jacob Yoffee and features vocals by Scotty Granger. The first season of The Wonder Years was added to Disney+ on June 15, 2022. The second season of The Wonder Years was added to Disney+ on August 17, 2023.

Critical response
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 75 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

The pilot episode was given to critics to review the series ahead of its premiere. In a review for Variety, Daniel D'Addario said that while parts of the 22-minute pilot felt "rushed", its focus on the time period made "its characters' relationships feel vivid and real against the backdrop of changing times." In his final points, D'Addario gave positive feedback to the cast and said "the pilot's final insight is nicely communicated." The Hollywood Reporter Angie Han had similar comments, writing, "the series manages to invoke nostalgia for bygone days while also remaining relatively clear-eyed about the challenges of that period ... and it accomplishes this while delivering the cozy appeal of the best family sitcoms." Jen Chaney of Vulture stated The Wonder Years succeeds both at honoring its source material and providing something on its own, stating the series is one of the few reboots that is handled with "care, intelligence, and clear intention," writing, "This is what a smart reboot does: It builds upon what came before and honors the legacy of the original while doing something new and different. It seeks to illuminate and not just re-create. It proves that sometimes something worthwhile can be shaped out of the familiar, as long as the process is in the right hands. And The Wonder Years is certainly in some good ones."

Rebecca Nicholson of The Guardian gave the series a grade of 4 out of 5 stars and found it to be a charming and funny reboot, praising the humor and the characters, writing, "Happily, The Wonder Years has been done with care and innovation, and taps into the nostalgic appeal of the original late 80s/early 90s sitcom, while carving out a new path." Joyce Slaton of Common Sense Media rated the series 4 out of 5, praised the depiction of positive messages and role models, citing integrity and dignity, and applauded the diverse representations across the characters. Dave Nemetz of TVLine gave the pilot episode a "B," praising The Wonder Years for its vintage soundtrack, comedic tone, and focus on minorities for a story set in the 1960s. Nemetz summarized the series as "a decent enough remake, but one that lacks the groundbreaking verve of the original and pulls its punches a bit."