The Wonder Years

A coming of age story set in the late 1960s that takes a nostalgic look at a black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama through the point-of-view of imaginative 12 year-old Dean. With the wisdom of his adult years, Dean’s hopeful and humorous recollections show how his family found their “wonder years” in a turbulent time. Inspired by the classic series of the same name.

The Wonder Years (2021-2023) is a United States family comedy-drama series created by Saladin K. Patterson for ABC. Set in late 1960s Montgomery, Alabama, it follows imaginative twelve-year-old Dean Williams (Elisha Williams) as he navigates school, friendships and home life with his parents Bill (Dulé Hill) and Lillian Williams (Saycon Sengbloh). Don Cheadle narrates as the adult Dean, recalling his childhood with wisdom and humor. The engine of each episode is the small domestic and social stakes a boy faces while his family works to build a stable, dignified life amid a turbulent era of civil rights struggle. The show runs across two seasons and thirty-two episodes, with each installment built from a single family story woven into the wider historical backdrop. Its tone is warm, nostalgic and hopeful, balancing gentle comedy with the weight of racial injustice. Fans of the original The Wonder Years, as well as family dramas like Black-ish, will find resonance in its blend of humor, memory and heart.

Audiences rated this remake of the classic coming-of-age sitcom as mixed, with its warmth and nostalgic family portrait valued more than its narrative.

• The Wonder Years (1988)nostalgic coming of age narration, warm family comedy-drama, childhood perspective on social change
• Black-ishblack family sitcom-drama with warm humor and social commentary
• The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugarreflective retrospective narration of a family's past with humor and heart

Created by

Saladin K. Patterson

Release Date

2021-09-22

Episode runtime

21 min

Rating

6.6 / 10 (214)

What is The Wonder Years about?

A black middle-class family in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama is seen through the hopeful, humorous memories of a imaginative twelve-year-old boy.

What is The Wonder Years like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Wonder Years as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The Wonder Years violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Wonder Years.

What did critics think of The Wonder Years?

Audiences rated this remake of the classic coming-of-age sitcom as mixed, with its warmth and nostalgic family portrait valued more than its narrative.

Which shows are like The Wonder Years?

Shows with a similar feel include The Wonder Years (1988), Black-ish, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.

How long is The Wonder Years?

The Wonder Years: 2 seasons, 32 episodes.

Is The Wonder Years still running?

No, The Wonder Years was canceled.

Where can I watch The Wonder Years?

In United States, The Wonder Years streams on Disney Plus.