Guest Author - Amy Ralston Young

What would you do if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and walk out on me?

If you can sing the next line, you are not alone. For many television viewers in the late 80s, this song served as a personal anthem. Partly because Joe Cocker’s remake of The Beatles classic, “With a Little Help From My Friends” also served as the theme song to “The Wonder Years.”

Set in the turbulent 1960s and 1970s, “The Wonder Years” follows Kevin Arnold through the trials of the era, and the disappointments and wonders of growing up. The story is told from an adult Kevin’s point of view, with Daniel Stern acting as the narrator, reminiscing on his youth through flashbacks.

Kevin (Fred Savage) is an average kid, growing up in a middle-class suburb, surrounded by friends and family. As the show begins Kevin, his best friend Paul (Josh Saviano), and his first true love Winnie (Danica McKellar) are preparing to start Junior High. The show follows the three as they move through adolescence and into adulthood.

Kevin receives plenty of help from his friends, and his family. Jack Arnold (Dan Lauria) is the hard-nosed, Korean-War-vet patriarch. Jack’s opposite comes in the form of his wife, the sympathetic Norma Arnold (Alley Mills). What family would be complete without the rebellious older sister Karen (Olivia d’Abo), and the older brother, Wayne (Jason Hervey), whose sole mission in life is to ruin yours.

The show brings back memories of our first crush, our first kiss, our first car, even our first school dance. Everyone knows someone like Paul, Winnie, or the handsome jock Doug Porter. We all have experiences that parallel at least one of Kevin’s memories. That was what made this show successful – we could all relate. Perhaps Daniel Stern’s Kevin said it the best when he ended the show with these words of wisdom:

“Growing up happens in a heartbeat. One day you're in diapers, the next day you're gone. But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul. I remember a place, a town, a house like a lot of other houses, a yard like a lot of other yards, on a street like a lot of other streets. And the thing is, after all these years, I still look back, with wonder.” (Daniel Stern, narrator, “The Wonder Years,” ABC)

Destined to be a hit from the first airing, “The Wonder Years” won and Emmy for best comedy series in 1988, after only six episodes. The show went on to win a Golden Globe and 22 other awards, with 47 more nominations.

Starting April 2, “The Wonder Years” will make a return to television, with rebroadcasts shown on ION Television. Started by Lowell Paxson, co-founder of the Home Shopping Network, ION is a station devoted to family-oriented programming. The channel also features reruns of “Mama’s Family” and the Dick Van Dyke show “Diagnosis Murder.” The network only broadcasts shows that contain little or no sex, overt violence, or strong language, making “The Wonder Years” a perfect fit.

Watch: ION Television, Mondays through Fridays, 10 and 10:30 PM
Stars: Fred Savage, Danica McKellar, Daniel Stern, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, Olivia d’Abo, Jason Hervey, Josh Saviano