There were approximately 115 episodes of the Wonder Years before it was cancelled. It began in 1988 and ran till 1993 on ABC. The Wonder Years by far one of the most wholesome and entertaining TV shows I have ever watched.
Kevin Arnold (aged 12- played by Fred Savage) is the main character, he lives with his mother Karen (Alley Mills), father Jack (played by Dan Lauria), sister Karen (played by Olivia d'Abo), and brother Wayne (played by Jason Hervey) during the 70’s.
The show is basically an entire narration on Kevin’s life, from childhood, growing into an adult.
Kevin as a child has an extremely over active mind. Throughout the show you will find yourself laughing hysterically at just how crazy some of his thoughts can get. There will be times when Kevin zones out, and you are taken straight into that thought. It’s always strange, abnormal, and yet it’s funny.
Kevin is madly in love with his neighbor Winnie Cooper from the very start (played by Danica McKellar), he also has a nerdy best friend who goes by the name of Paul Pfeiffer (played by Josh Saviano) A lot of content involved in The Wonder Years has to do with Kevin and Winnie.
Now, let me explain some relationship statuses:
KEVIN AND PAUL
Kevin and Paul are not actually the ‘cool’ kids, or nowhere near being considered as part of the ‘in’ crowd. As a matter of fact their both pretty much average kids, some may even consider them to be losers. However they have been friends since they were 3 years old, so no matter how harsh others are towards them, they still have each other. Throughout the show you will watch how their friendship is affected as they grow up. How peers around them affect their long lasting friendship, and how they conquer these distractions, even when you think the friendship is about to fail.
KEVIN AND WINNIE
Kevin and Winnie throughout the show go through the ups and downs of the relationship roller coaster. From being friends, to dating, from break ups, to make ups.
The entire time you will be rooting for the couple to be together, and stay together. However there are so many episodes where you seriously will be cussing out the teen aged girl wondering why she does some of the things she does. For me, she is sort of a whiny distraction throughout Kevin’s life. Probably why she was given such a great name. Winnie.
KEVIN AND WAYNE
Wayne is Kevin’s older brother. He is basically a younger siblings worst nightmare. Every moment in the show when Wayne is present he is doing nothing but finding more and more ways to make Kevin’s life miserable. Throughout the show you will lean more towards hating Wayne, but at the same time loving him as well. Just like Kevin. You know he can’t stand him, but at times you know he has a whole lot of love for him.
KEVIN AND HIS FATHER JACK
Kevin has a lot of respect for his father, but throughout the show you will learn that he actually feels sorry for him most of the time. Jack is like the king of the castle and when the boys act up, he comes down with an iron fist, so most of the time Kevin and Wayne fear him in many episodes, yet in other episodes, they adore him.
Jack is a retired Vet, so in quite a few episodes you will hear him refer to the war, and how bad war is… etc.
KEVIN AND HIS MOM NORMA
Kevin adores his mother; she is an extremely sweet well-spoken woman. For her, Kevin is still her baby, no matter how old he grows, so in the show you will see a few episodes where Kevin tries to break free of her babying him.
Norma in the beginning is a stay at home mother, who doesn’t really have much input except for at dinnertime, and when there is a family crisis. During this time though it was not uncommon for a woman to be a stay at home mom. However as time goes on throughout the show Norma begins to rebel. You’ll have to watch to see exactly what I am talking about.
KEVIN AND HIS SISTER KAREN
Karen is a much older free spirited person compared to Kevin, she is practically bursting into adulthood in the beginning of the show. She is ready to graduate high school while Kevin is just entering Junior high. There communication does not happen to often, but you can definitely tell they have love for one another.
Karen is also extremely rebellious towards her father’s strict rules, she has this whole hippie vibe going on with her, where all she wants is freedom, yet her father is not willing to give it to her. She was a really neat character to add to this show, to give it that ‘nostalgic’ feel.
These are all pretty much your main characters. Throughout the show you will be introduced to other characters, however none of them stick around and remain in your heart quite like the main characters.
You will see new girlfriends come into Kevin’s life, you will meet up with teachers whom Kevin falls in love with, bullies who Kevin and Paul have to defeat, other boys/men who come into Winnies life that steal her away from Kevin, and the battles that he must go through to win back her love.
The entire show is like taking small peeks into a young boys diary that he has kept had for his entire life, and I’m glad I stuck around to the very last page.
THE EPISODES:
01. Pilot- this is where you will be introduced to Kevin, and his family. You will learn about Kevin’s infatuation with Winnie in this episode. Summer vacation has just ended, and Kevin, Paul and Winnie are about to start junior high school the very next day. You also learn about a tragedy within Winnies family.
This is the episode that sucks you in.
02. Swingers- Kevin and Paul are learning about sex education in school and end up buying a book about it, to understand sex better. However Wayne caught them reading the book, and exposes them both. This episode even though is a touchy situation, is actually pretty funny.
03. My Fathers Office
04. Angel
05. The Phone Call
06. Dance With Me- Kevin asks a girl out to the school dance. She tells him yes through a note they had been passing during class. However right after the bell rings, and she steps outside another boy asks her right in front of Kevin, and she says yes.
Although he is torn, during lunch he realizes just how much he loves Winnie, and he is not so upset over the situation anymore. He actually ends up having a dance with Winnie at the school dance.
07. The Heart of Darkness- Winnie leaves Kevin behind when she starts hanging out with the ‘cool’ kids. She also starts to date a popular older boy named Kirk.
08. Our Miss White – Kevin gets a crush on his teacher Mrs. White. This particular episode uses Kevin’s imagination to the extremes, it’s pretty hilarious
09. Christmas – Kevin goes nuts trying to find Winnie a present after she tells him she bought him something. He buys her something extremely extravagant, only to get something not so… great in return.
10. Steady As She Goes- Kevin is sick and tired of being alone. Paul has a girlfriend, Winnie is seeing someone, and he is alone. He decides to ask Becky Slater out, not because he likes her, but because he wants to have a girlfriend.
11. Just Between You & Me ... & Kirk- Becky gets mad at Kevin when she finds out he doesn’t really like her, and that he in fact has it for Winnie. Kirk wonders if Winnie likes him or Kevin.
12. Pottery Will Get You Nowhere
13. Coda
14. Hiroshima, Mon Frere
15. Loosiers
16. Walk Out
17. Nemesis- In this episode Kevin talks a lot of junk about his friends (including Paul and Winnie) to Becky before they break up. Becky goes back and spreads the word causing a bunch of chaos between Kevin, Paul, and Winnie. Paul ends up being mad, as well as Winnie. Kevin gets the nickname ‘meanie’.
18. Fate
19. Birthday Boy- Kevin’s birthday is on the exact same day Paul is having his Bar Mitzvah. In this episode there friendship is tested when Kevin feels jealous about how much of a big deal everyone is making Paul’s party out to be, vs. his non-existent one.
20. Brightwing
21. Square Dance
22. Whose Woods Are These? – Kevin and Winnie try to stop Harpers woods from being destroyed by builders. These are the woods they had played in as children, and shared many fond memories together. This is also the place they shared their first kiss, so they do not want to see the woods go.
23. How I'm spending My Summer Vacation- this episode covers Kevin’s last day in school. He also learns that the teacher he had a crush on throughout the year is getting married. There is also some family drama involving the Winnies parents splitting up. Winnie also gets mad at Kevin for not caring.
24. Summer Song- Kevin meets an older girl during his families summer vacation.
25. Math Class
26. Wayne on Wheels
27. Mom Wars- this episode is about Kevin and his mother. Kevin wants to play tackle football, however his mother is so overprotective that she tells him he is not allowed to play. Kevin however wants his mom to let him grow up and goes against her wishes. The lesson- Mom is usually right.
28. On the Spot
29. Odd Man Out- Kevin and Paul’s friendship is tested once again. The two start to bother each other so much that they actually become friends with other boys. However, it may not be such a good thing.
30. The Family Car
31. The Pimple- An old family friend is coming out to visit the Arnold family. Kevin thinks about his old friend Gina, with the fondest of memories, and then gets nervous when he wakes up to a giant pimple on his face. However when Gina shows up she’s got one too. This episode is pretty funny.
32. Math Class Squared
33. Rock 'n Roll- When Kevin joins a band he comes to realize that he isn’t going to get famous once he learns that he, and his band stink. Another really funny episode.
34. Don't You Know Anything About Women?
35. The Powers That Be
36. She, My Friend and I- Paul’s girlfriend Carla breaks up with him in this episode. Kevin sets him up with Winnie, to make him feel better. However when Paul begins to have feelings for Winnie, Kevin gets extremely jealous. However Paul tells Kevin that Winnie said she likes Kevin. Kevin makes a fool of himself by knocking on Winnies door to let her know what Paul had said. ‘Paul says you’re crazy about me’ is the famous line in this episode. Winnie is embarrassed and slams the door on him.
37. St. Valentines Day Massacre- Kevin makes Winnie a Valentines Day card, however he places the card into Becky’s locker by accident. When Becky reads the card she thinks that Kevin has feelings for her again. However Kevin has to break the news to her that the card was in fact for Winnie. Becky doesn’t take this news too lightly.
38. The Tree House- Kevin worries that when his mother assigns both him and his father to build a tree house together that his father is going to give him the ‘birds and the bees’ talk.
39. The Glee Club
40. Night Out
41. Faith
42. The Unnatural
43. Good-Bye
44. Cocoa and Sympathy- Paul finds himself crushing on Kevin’s mother. Kevin who is becoming more aware that is mom seems to be spending too much time with Paul gets jealous.
45. Daddy's Little Girl
46. Moving- Kevin learns that the Coopers are moving, and gets very depressed when he realizes even though the Coopers are only moving across town, Winnie will no longer be his neighbor. He buys Winnie a ring to assure him and her that their relationship will continue even with the distance.
47. Growing Up
48. Ninth Grade Man- Kevin starts school without Winnie who is now in a new school. Winnie makes Kevin promise her that he will think about her the entire time. However he meets a new student Madeline who grabs his attention, and his thoughts of Winnie are almost non- existent. He feels guilty for this, and keeps trying to reassure himself that it is Winnie he loves.
49. The Journey
50. The Cost of Living- Kevin takes on his first job as a caddy.
51. It's a Mad, Mad, Madeline World
52. Little Debbie- Kevin gets talked into taking Paul’s little sister Debbie to a cotillion. Debbie has had a crush on Kevin for years, and when he isn’t the best of dates, he ruins her entire night. Although that sounds bad, it actually ended very sweetly.
53. The Tie That Binds
54. The Sixth Man
55. A very Cutlip Christmas- Kevin catches his gym teacher playing Santa at a local mall. He promises he won’t tell the coaches secret…
56. The Candidate
57. Heartbreak- Kevin and Winnies schools are planning to join together for a class field trip to the museum. Kevin has all these plans for the two of them for the day. However when Winnie seems to be spending more time with her ‘new’ friends, and not paying him much attention, he gets mad at her. Madeline, who is constantly trying to get him interested in her, also distracts him. When the two go there separate ways in the museum Winnie catches Kevin with Madeline. Winnie breaks up with Kevin.
58. Denial- Kevin is in denial of his and Winnies break up, so he has Paul plan a party and has him invite Winnie. Kevin is hoping that once they are together at Paul’s party things will mend between him and Winnie. When Kevin learns that Winnie will be showing up with a new boyfriend, he takes Madeline to make Winnie jealous. However his scheme backfires on him when Winnie tells him that she only wants to be friends and that he’s a jerk.
59. Who's Aunt Rose
60. Courage
61. Buster
62. Road Trip
63. When World's Collide-
64. Separate Rooms- When Karen moves out Wayne and Kevin fight over who has to move out of their shared bedroom, into the now spare bedroom. Things get ugly in this episode.
65. The Yearbook
66. The Accident- Kevin learns that Winnie and her new boyfriend have broken up, he sees her for the first time since the break up. He realizes that she is doing crazy and self-destructive things. Like hanging out all night. They have a face off, and later that night Kevin learns she is in a car accident.
67. The House That Jack Built
68. Graduation- Kevin’s graduation from junior high school is about to occur. However he learns that the following year Paul is now going to be leaving and going to a private school. He feels betrayed, and nervous that he will be starting high school without Paul and Winnie.
70. The Lake- Kevin meets a wild girl while he is on a family vacation. He falls madly in love with her, but then once the vacation is over, he knows he will never see her again. It was the first time since his break up with Winnie that he found himself having feelings for another girl.
71. Day One
72. The Hardware Store- Kevin gets annoyed with his hardware store job. He demands a raise, and tries to reason with the owner about store prices, and organization. Even though he gets the raise, he ends up quitting his job.
73. Frank and Denise
75. Triangle- Wayne brings home a very attractive new girlfriend, however when she goes to kiss Kevin, all hell breaks loose.
76. Soccer
77. Dinner Out
78. Christmas Party
79. Pfeiffer's Choice
80. Road Test- Kevin lies about getting his license.
81. Grandpa's Car
82. Kodachrome
83. Private Butthead
84. Of Mastodons and Men- Kevin is invited over to dinner at his new girlfriends house. However when he sees the relationship between Julies mother and father, he notices a similar pattern, and does not want to end up like Julies father. He ends up breaking up with her at the dinner table.
85. Double Double Date- Winnie and Kevin end up getting back together in this episode. When the two hook one another up with dates and decide to double date, the dates go extremely wrong, they actually end up dating again.
86. Hero
87. Lunch Stories
88. Carnal Knowledge- ohhh this is a good one. Kevin and his friends plan to sneak into an r-rated movie. However Paul bails on them because friends of the family are coming out to visit. Later on the boys learn that Paul loses his virginity to the girl who came to visit. However it’s not as great as he thought it would be, and he was actually scared about the whole situation so he discusses it with Kevin, whom actually seems jealous about it. He makes Kevin promise not to tell anyone. However Kevin plays the role of cruddy friend in this episode.
89. The Lost Weekend
90. Stormy Weather- Drama is brought into the Arnold home when Karen returns home after having a fight with her boyfriend. This episode sort of drags on, and isn’t that entertaining.
A guy standing outside, in the rain, waiting for a girl to come out and talk to him… blah bla, this episode was an attempt at a wonderful short love story, only it failed to deliver.
91. The Wedding
92. Back to the Lake- Kevin decided to skip work and go back to the lake where his family had spent last summer. He tries to find the wild girl he kissed last summer. He ends up finding her, only to realize that time has allowed the wild girl to grow and become mature. Everything is different now, and Kevin realizes it. It is time for him to grow up, and face responsibilities.
93. Broken Hearts and Burgers
94. Homecoming
95. Fishing
96. Scenes From a Wedding
97. Sex and Economics
98. Politics As Usual
99. White Lies- Winnie and Kevin end up hanging at his house while his parents are away. Nothing happened and the two only ended up falling asleep. However the next day he tells a bunch of his friends an entirely different story. Winnie ends up breaking up with him, and getting extremely upset that sex is the only thing on his mind.
100. Wayne and Bonnie- Wayne brings home a new girlfriend. She however already has been married and divorced and has a child. Norma is livid when she learns of this. Kevin also apologizes to Winnie in this episode, and the two make up again.
101. Kevin Delivers
102. The Test
103. Let Nothing You Dismay
105. Alice in Autoland
106. Ladies and Gentlemen... The Roll
107. Unpacking
109. Nose
110. Eclipse- Winnie has another one of her hissy fits when her and Kevin play truth or dare, when she asks him a truth question he must answer truthfully. She asks him if he could change one thing about her, what would he change. He knew this was a dangerous question, so he says nothing, that she is perfect, then he makes the mistake by saying ‘too perfect sometimes’. Winnie whines about it and goes out of her way to try and prove him wrong by doing stupid immature things. This episode was just okay for me. More Winnie whining.
111. Poker
112. The Little Women
113. Reunion
114. Summer- it is summer time, Winnie has left town to go work as a lifeguard at a motel. Kevin decides to make a surprise visit, when he gets there though, he is not greeted with the love and attention he had been expecting from Winnie. He also learns that she just may have the hots for another lifeguard she is working with.
115. Independence Day- The great gusto, the blow out. This is the final episode; you learn exactly what happens between Kevin and Winnie.
Although some may say this episode was great, I was a little disappointed. I WILL NOT ruin it for you though. For me though, I just didn’t like the ending. But who am I to judge someone else’s life?
OVERALL
All in all The Wonder Years is an excellent show. Two thumbs up, 5 stars, the whole enchilada.
I would recommend that everyone take some time out from their daily lives and sit down and get through this show. You will not be disappointed. What sets this show apart from any other show is that it could so easily be compared to your own real life right now, even though it’s set in the 70’s.
It’s about family, love, heartbreak, and just growing up. It’s real.
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