The Wonder Years (2021 TV series)

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This article is about the 2021 American television series. For the series it was inspired by, see The Wonder Years.

The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years (2021 Reboot) logo.jpg
Genre
Created bySaladin K. Patterson
Inspired by
Starring
Narrated byDon Cheadle
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes11
Production
Executive producers
Camera setupSingle-camera
Production companies
  • Lee Daniels Entertainment
  • Matthew 6:33
  • The Crest Lamp Company
  • 20th Television
DistributorDisney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 22, 2021 (2021-09-22) –
present (present)
External links
Official website

The Wonder Years is an American coming-of-age comedy television series developed by Saladin K. Patterson for ABC. Inspired by the 1988 series of the same name, 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. The series premiered as a fall entry in the 2021–22 television season on September 22, 2021.

Premise[]

The Wonder Years is set in the late 1960s and takes a nostalgic look at the Williams family, Black middle-class residents of Montgomery, Alabama, through the point of view of imaginative 12-year-old Dean.[2]

Cast[]

Main[]

  • Elisha "EJ" Williams as Dean Williams
  • 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, the apple of Dean's eye

Recurring[]

Guest[]

Episodes[]

No.Title [3]Directed byWritten byOriginal air date [3]Prod.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Pilot"Fred SavageSaladin K. PattersonSeptember 22, 2021 (2021-09-22)1EDT013.23[4]
2"Green Eyed Monster"Fred SavageMary FitzgeraldSeptember 29, 2021 (2021-09-29)1EDT022.69[5]
3"The Club"Fred SavageMax SearleOctober 6, 2021 (2021-10-06)1EDT032.45[6]
4"The Workplace"Shiri ApplebyMeredith Dawson & Kendra ColeOctober 13, 2021 (2021-10-13)1EDT052.72[7]
Dean spends the day at his mother's office. Lillian is an accounting executive with a master's degree. Dean finds new appreciation for how hard his mother works, despite the fact that her co-workers generally do not. At the end of the episode, she is promoted over Coach Long (who also works in the office).
5"The Lock In"Molly McGlynnAmberia AllenOctober 20, 2021 (2021-10-20)1EDT062.08[8]
6"Be Prepared"Numa Perrier & Fred SavageBob DailyOctober 27, 2021 (2021-10-27)1EDT072.57[9]
7"Independence Day"Robert TownsendJacque Edmonds CoferNovember 3, 2021 (2021-11-03)1EDT042.23[10]
8"Science Fair"Matthew A. CherryYamin SegalNovember 17, 2021 (2021-11-17)1EDT082.47[11]
9"Home for Christmas"Fred SavageBob DailyDecember 1, 2021 (2021-12-01)1EDT092.18[12]
10"Lads and Ladies and Us"Ken WhittinghamYael GalenaJanuary 5, 2022 (2022-01-05)1EDT112.41[13]
11"Brad Mitzvah"TBATBAJanuary 12, 2022 (2022-01-12)1EDT102.54[14]
12"I'm With the Band"[3]TBATBAJanuary 19, 2022 (2022-01-19)TBATBD
13"The Valentine's Day Dance"[3]TBATBAFebruary 2, 2022 (2022-02-02)TBATBD

Production[]

Don Cheadle at the Magic City Classic in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2018
Actor Don Cheadle is the show's narrator

The Wonder Years was announced on July 8, 2020, when the ABC gave the project a pilot order with Fred Savage, the star of the original series, attached to direct and executive produce.[15] In January 2021, the pilot was confirmed, with production taking place in Atlanta, Georgia.[1][16][17] In March 2021, Saycon Sengbloh,[18] Elisha "EJ" Williams,[19] Dulé Hill, Laura Kariuki,[20] Milan Ray, Julian Lerner, and Amari O'Neil joined the cast,[21] with Don Cheadle announced to serve as the show's narrator.[22] On May 14, 2021, The Wonder Years was given a series order.[23][24] In July, Allen Maldonado was cast in a recurring role.[25]

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."[26]

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.[27] In November 2021, it was reported Richard Gant and Spence Moore II would also star.[28]

Release[]

In the U.S., the series premiered on ABC on September 22, 2021, airing on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm, with availability the next day on Hulu.[29][30] In Canada, the series aired on CTV.[31] The series is also set to premiere on Disney+ via the streaming hub Star as an original series in selected countries.[32][33] In Latin America, the series premieres as a Star+ original.[34]

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.[35]

Reception[]

Critical response[]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 24 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Sweetly nostalgic without sacrificing substance, The Wonder Years captures the magic of the original while adding necessary nuance and context to its tale of Black life in America."[36] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 75 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[37]

The pilot episode was given to critics to review the series ahead of its premiere, and TVLine's Dave Nemetz gave it 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."[38] In their 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."[39] The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Han had similar comments, writing that "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."[40]

Ratings[]

Viewership and ratings per episode of The Wonder Years
No. Title Air date Rating
(18–49)		 Viewers
(millions)		 DVR
(18–49)		 DVR viewers
(millions)		 Total
(18–49)		 Total viewers
(millions)		 Ref(s)
1 "Pilot" September 22, 2021 0.67 3.23 TBD TBD 1.82 6.40 [4][41]
2 "Green Eyed Monster" September 29, 2021 0.50 2.69 TBD TBD TBD TBD [5]
3 "The Club" October 6, 2021 0.47 2.45 TBD TBD TBD TBD [6]
4 "The Workplace" October 13, 2021 0.54 2.72 0.13 0.68 0.67 3.40 [7]
5 "The Lock In" October 20, 2021 0.39 2.08 0.17 0.68 0.56 2.76 [8]
6 "Be Prepared" October 27, 2021 0.43 2.57 TBD TBD TBD TBD [9]
7 "Independence Day" November 3, 2021 0.41 2.23 TBD TBD TBD TBD [10]
8 "Science Fair" November 17, 2021 0.40 2.47 0.17 0.63 0.57 3.09 [11]
9 "Home for Christmas" December 3, 2021 0.34 2.18 0.10 0.62 0.44 2.79 [12]
10 "Lads and Ladies and Us" January 5, 2022 0.44 2.41 TBD TBD TBD TBD [13]
11 "Brad Mitzvah" January 12, 2022 0.50 2.54 TBD TBD TBD TBD [14]

Awards and nominations[]

Awards and nominations received by The Wonder Years
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
NAACP Image Awards February 26, 2022 Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series Elisha "EJ" Williams Pending [42]
Outstanding Performance by a Youth Elisha "EJ" Williams Pending

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production – The Wonder Years". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  2. ^ Petski, Denise (May 18, 2021). "ABC New Series Teasers: 'Queens', 'The Wonder Years', 'Abbott Elementary', 'Maggie' – Watch". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Wonder Years (2021) – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Porter, Rick (September 23, 2021). "TV Ratings: 'Wonder Years' Scores Decent Start for ABC". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Porter, Rick (September 30, 2021). "TV Ratings: 'Masked Singer' Edges 'Survivor' for Demo Lead". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (October 7, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Wednesday 10.6.2021 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals Updated". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Berman, Marc (October 14, 2021). "Wednesday Ratings: CW Season Openers Barely Resonate; 'The Wonder Years' and 'CSI: Vegas' Reboots Continue to Flounder". Programming Insider. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Berman, Marc (October 21, 2021). "Wednesday Ratings: 'Chicago' Trio Leads NBC to Victory; CBS' 'Survivor' Tops Night in Adults 18-49". Programming Insider. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (October 28, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 10.27.2021 Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (November 4, 2021). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 11.3.2021 Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Berman, Marc (November 18, 2021). "Wednesday Ratings: CBS and Fox Lead; 'Survivor' and 'The Masked Singer' Top Night". Programming Insider. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Berman, Marc (December 2, 2021). "Wednesday Ratings: Holiday Specials Lead NBC to Victory". Programming Insider. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (January 7, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.5.2022 Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  14. ^ a b Metcalf, Mitch (January 13, 2022). "ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 1.12.2022 Updated". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
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  17. ^ White, Peter (January 29, 2021). "'The Wonder Years' Reboot Scores ABC Pilot Order Along With Regina Hicks' Sorority Comedy & 'Maggie' From 'Life In Pieces' Team". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
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  19. ^ Petski, Denise (March 15, 2021). "'The Wonder Years': Elisha 'EJ' Williams To Play The New Kevin Arnold In ABC Reboot Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  20. ^ Petski, Denise (March 18, 2021). "'The Wonder Years': Dulé Hill To Star In ABC Reboot Pilot; Laura Kariuki Also Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
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  32. ^ "Disney+ stellt kommende Inhalte für Star vor". Cashys Blog. June 4, 2021. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
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  34. ^ "Star+ presenta una propuesta unica de streaming que combina todo el deported de ESPN con los estrenose exclusivos de las series, peliculas y comedias animadas mas aclamadas por el publico adulto". Star+. July 15, 2021. Archived from the original on July 15, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Disney Press Pack.
  35. ^ "Theme Song from ABC's 'The Wonder Years' Reboot Released". Film Music Reporter. November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
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  37. ^ "The Wonder Years: Season 1". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
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  40. ^ Han, Angie (September 15, 2021). "ABC's 'The Wonder Years': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
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  42. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 18, 2022). "NAACP Image Awards: Harder They Fall, Insecure Lead Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 18, 2022.

External links[]

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