“It’s the same tone as The Wonder Years,” original series star Fred Savage explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the night before the reboot’s Sept. 22 premiere. Savage, who’s now 45 (do you feel old yet?), also jokingly passed a literal baton to the show’s new preteen star, Elisha “EJ” Williams. Empire co-creator Lee Daniels, an executive producer on the project, told Entertainment Tonightback in February 2021 that he was both “really excited” and nervous about the reboot, while creator Saladin K. Patterson has said the inspiration for the new series stemmed from a desire to tackle the 1960s from a different worldview. “We wanted to really take the opportunity to show a part of Black middle-class life that had not been seen before,” Patterson told The Wrap. “Usually when you talk about the late ’60s, it’s talking about the struggle and the civil rights movement and things like that that are very valid and a part of our story as well, but the perspective of the Black middle class during that time specifically was something that I know stood out to Lee and then stood out to me as well when we first started talking about doing a reimagining of the show.” Here’s everything you need to know about the new Wonder Years reboot—including who from the original series is involved and how to watch it!
Will there be a reboot of The Wonder Years? Is there a new Wonder Years coming out?
Yes! The Wonder Years reboot will take place in the late 1960s and feature the Black, middle-class Williams family living in Alabama. The show’s stories will be told through the eyes of their 12-year-old son, Dean.
When does the new Wonder Years come out?
The new Wonder Years will premiere on ABC on Wed., Sept. 22, 2021, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Who is in the new Wonder Years?
The main cast of the new Wonder Years features:
Don Cheadlenarrating as adult Dean WilliamsElisha “EJ” Williams as young Dean WilliamsSaycon Sengbloh as Dean’s mother Lillian WilliamsDulé Hillas Dean’s father Bill Williams, a music professor and master grillerLaura Kariuki as Dean’s popular cheerleader sister Kim WilliamsJulian Lerner as Dean’s friend Brad HitmanAmari O’Neil as Dean’s friend Cory LongMilan Ray as Dean’s tough cookie crush Keisa ClemmonsAllen Maldonadoas humorous baseball coach Coach Long
Creator Patterson said Maldonado, who is of Afro-Latino descent, was specifically crucial to the show’s casting. “What I’ll say about casting is that we really 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,” Patterson told reporters. “He certainly fits into that tableau that we want to set. What was most important in the casting of Allen is that he’s a fantastic comedic actor who can also handle the grounded moments and the gravitas that we need as well.”
Is there a new Wonder Years trailer?
Yes, and it serves up a knowing nod to what America’s like in 2021 while throwing it back to the late 1960s. In the trailer’s opening moments, a young girl who gets harassed on the bus to school by a boy refuses to sit there and take it, instead putting the kid in a headlock—which reads like a nod to the #MeToo movement. Later on in the preview, Cheadle says in his narration, “It’s weird to grow up in a time when your mom and dad had to give you ’the police talk.’ Or when a presidential election creates a racial divide”—which may sound like the very recent past, until Cheadle adds, “But… it was 1968.”
What year is the new Wonder Years set in?
The new Wonder Years takes place in 1968. Williams revealed that the show will cover some of the biggest historical moments of that period, including the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Being able to look back at that time and learn about it and then reenact it—I’m not gonna lie, I cried,” the young actor said. “Dean’s perspective and me learning were two different situations. For me, it was hard to process even though I’ve already learned about the era but when you’re deep into a situation you think of things you’d never have thought of before like the death of Dr. King.” Hill said the tragedies of the era will reflect and parallel those of today, as well as the strength and resilience of the Black community throughout. “What sticks out to me is, as much as things have changed they’ve stayed the same. As tragic as Dr. King’s passing there’s still so much tragedy that’s gone on between now and then that’s still happening right now,” he explained. “That’s what’s been interesting to me about exploring this time period: if you see the trauma and you see the hurt, you also see the strength of the people from that time and you reflect on where we are now and you see that same strength, that same power, and the same fortitude to press forward that has always been there for people who look like me.”
Is Fred Savage in the new Wonder Years?
Savage (who played original Wonder Years lead Kevin Arnold) doesn’t star in the new Wonder Years, but he directed the pilot and is an executive producer on the project. However, you’ll still be able to tune into ABC soon to see Savage and his onscreen childhood cohorts! It was announced in late August 2021 that, to help promote the reboot, Savage and O.G. Wonder Years co-stars Danica McKellar(who played neighbor Winnie Cooper) and Dan Lauria(who played dad John “Jack” Arnold) will each respectively guest-star in The Conners, Home Economicsand The Goldbergs on episodes airing Oct. 13, 2021.
Where can I watch The Wonder Years 2021?
You can watch the new Wonder Years live on ABC on Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m., stream it via Hulu and Hulu+ Live TV and on-demand after airing through your cable provider.
Is The Wonder Years on Disney Plus?
You can stream The Wonder Years (new and old) via Disney+ overseas, but not in the United States. Next, here’s everything you need to know about the Frasier reboot!
