90s nostalgia: ‘The Wonder Years’ should be the next spin-off
With “Fuller House” premiering this week, I started to think about other ‘90s television series that should consider producing a spin-off shows. Number one on my list was “The Wonder Years.”
Told from the point of view of 12-year-old Kevin Arnold, “The Wonder Years” takes place during the late 1960s and ‘70s. Showing the life lessons of typical American families from the television generation, “The Wonder Years” is the ultimate coming-of-age television series that aired from ‘88 to ‘93.
The actor who played Arnold was Fred Savage, older brother of Ben from television series “Boy Meets World” and present spin-off “Girl Meets World.” If one brother’s show can make a comeback, so can the other’s.
Although the final moments of the show are sweet and sentimental, “The Wonder Years” left fans with more questions than answers — the perfect tone for a future spin-off.
My proposition for the new spin-off would feature Kevin’s son growing up in the mid-’90s and early 2000s. In a weird way, the spin-off’s time period would closely resemble “Boy Meets World.” However, there are major differences that “The Wonder Years” was known for.
Representing the United States’ history within the show is pivotal. From the draft during the Vietnam War to the hippie movement to the rise of feminism, “The Wonder Years” showed you a slice of an era through the eyes of a wide-eyed, loud-mouthed growing boy.
The most difficult challenge for the new spin-off would include finding a way to unite the principle characters of cast.
In “The Wonder Years,” Arnold’s main interest is his childhood neighbor and friend Winnie Cooper, played by Danica McKellar. In the series finale, it is revealed they did not end up together romantically, breaking the hearts of many fans.
Older Kevin as the narrator said that when Cooper went on to study art history abroad in France, she and Arnold wrote to each other every week for eight years until her return to the U.S. He then greeted her at the airport — along with his wife and eight-month-old son.
Any fan of the original show wonders who this mystery woman is. What happened to Cooper when she got back to the U.S.? Does Arnold later divorce his wife for his original true love? How does Arnold’s book turn out? These are important questions that need to be answered!
Ultimately, the ‘90s had some great shows and strong sibling actors. Kirk and Candace Cameron dominated on “Growing Pains” and “Full House,” just as the Savage brothers were amazing in “Boy Meets World” and “The Wonder Years.” It would be great to see them all grown, passing their wisdom to a new generation.