With Wonder...

[Colton]

Found a box of old VHS tapes (unlabeled, of course), so I found a VCR (remember those?), hooked it up and explored a bit.

And I stumbled across some episodes on what is perhaps my favorite television show, "The Wonder Years."

Watching a few episodes reminded me just how much I loved this show, especially for the writing and the amazing use of music, the one that tugged on my heartstrings the most being Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" at the end of the episode, "The Accident." (the song wasn't released until 1979, but that's beside the point).

They don't make 'em like this, anymore...

 

[WriteThinking]

I agree. Great show -- one that should still be on, regularly, even if only in reruns.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

I've been watching a bunch of episodes through Netflix. I love that show.

 

[Versatile]

Found a box of old VHS tapes (unlabeled, of course), so I found a VCR (remember those?), hooked it up and explored a bit.

And I stumbled across some episodes on what is perhaps my favorite television show, "The Wonder Years."

Watching a few episodes reminded me just how much I loved this show, especially for the writing and the amazing use of music, the one that tugged on my heartstrings the most being Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight" at the end of the episode, "The Accident." (the song wasn't released until 1979, but that's beside the point).

They don't make 'em like this, anymore...

Get Netflix.

 

[partain]

Also available online through Amazon. I think right now they have the entire series free to Prime members.

 

[JRoyal]

They had to change a bunch of the songs for Netflix and Amazon streaming. Still no DVD release for that reason. Sucks. I'd love to own that.

 

[playthrough]

If you know what songs were switched, that will drive you crazy. Same thing happened with WKRP.

Wonder Years was awesome though.

 

[Starman]

I never (not once) watched the show when it was originally broadcast, but occasionally I heard and read good things about it.

Then a few years ago I was channel-surfing after getting out of work late at night and it was on the Hub. So I started watching and over a year or so, saw most of the episodes.

Kevin's fictitious age was within a couple years of mine, so most of the topical pop culture references were right up my alley. Overall I'd give the series about a B+ for chronological accuracy (although I do remember there were a few glaring gaffes).

Having never seen the shows in original broadcast, I didn't hear the original soundtracks, but I do remember thinking some of the background music seemed weird and kind of arbitrarily stuck in there.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

What is the deal with the songs?

 

[Starman]

What is the deal with the songs?

Copyright and royalty issues. The producers probably got only limited performance rights to many of the songs and would have to pay extra to use them in re-releases.

I suppose if I had been the series producers, I would have scoured around and come up with a really really good 60s/70s cover band, and simply had them do cover versions of the songs for the show, since period music was obviously going to be a big part of the show from the get-go.

 

[CHETtheJET]

Copyrights

 

[Versatile]

Holding the rerun music against The Wonder Years is silly. Most of the stuff that seems out of place is that way because it wasn't the original music.

Has any show ever gone against contrivance more than The Wonder Years? I think it's the most realistic depiction of male adolescence ever in any pop-culture format.

 

[Starman]

Well, there was plenty of contrivance in the wrapup of the series, but that was more or less out of necessity because as I understand it, they only got notice of cancellation a couple weeks before shooting of (what turned out to be) the final season wrapped up. So they were really only able to write a couple episodes with knowledge things were wrapping up.

The producers planned on the show going another season, so when the plug was pulled a year earlier than that, a lot of loose ends had to be tied up (or chopped off) very abruptly.

 

[Versatile]

Well, there was plenty of contrivance in the wrapup of the series, but that was more or less out of necessity because as I understand it, they only got notice of cancellation a couple weeks before shooting of (what turned out to be) the final season wrapped up. So they were really only able to write a couple episodes with knowledge things were wrapping up.

The producers planned on the show going another season, so when the plug was pulled a year earlier than that, a lot of loose ends had to be tied up (or chopped off) very abruptly.

Yes, the last season was originally supposed to be the penultimate season, and I'm pretty sure Winnie and Kevin weren't supposed to reconcile at the end of it.

Obviously, they had to in order to wrap things up. But the defining season for me will always be Season 5, when Winnie barely appeared. That type of writing is why the show failed, ultimately, but it was so true to life. Of course there'd be a year in Kevin's life where Winnie basically didn't matter and he spent all his time driving around with his friends and getting into trouble. That's the real world.

 

[Colton]

Started from scratch last night on Netflix and made it through half of Season 1, having it play on the Ipad while writing from midnight to 6 a.m. The narration is akin to having an ebook playing in the background.

(Enjoyed every minute of it, too).

 

[Versatile]

Started from scratch last night on Netflix and made it through half of Season 1, having it play on the Ipad while writing from midnight to 6 a.m. The narration is akin to having an ebook playing in the background.

(Enjoyed every minute of it, too).

Season 1 is six 24-minute episodes.

 

[Colton]

Version: just checked, got through 7 episodes, to this point. 107 to go!

 

[Colton]

Just finished the entire series.

While you can tell the end game was indeed rushed, it was a terrific show.

They definitely do not make them like that, anymore.

 

[Versatile]

Sure, they do. Maybe not exactly like that, but similar. Parenthood has a very similar feel of family atmosphere, though it's told through the parents' perspective. And The Goldbergs draws on nostalgia similarly and has been compared to The Wonder Years for that aspect.

I love The Wonder Years, but it definitely isn't the only show of its kind. Boy Meets World was a pretty blatant ripoff for two seasons (before becoming entrapped by its love story in a way The Wonder Years refused to be). Freaks and Geeks offered a lot of what made The Wonder Years so special, too.

 

[Colton]

V: Good points. Perhaps you're correct. I'd offer a better opinion if I actually watched much of that type of show, anymore. My tastes have definitely changed.

That having been said, The Wonder Years has a special place in this heart of stone.