“Once upon a time there was a girl I knew, who lived across the street. Brown hair, brown eyes. When she smiled, I smiled. When she cried, I cried. Every single thing that ever happened to me that mattered, in some way had to do with her. That day Winnie and I promised each other that no matter what, that we'd always be together. It was a promise full of passion and truth and wisdom. It was the kind of promise that can only come from the hearts of the very young.”



--- Kevin Arnold

Premiered January 31, 1988

Show Category: Comedy , Drama

Theme Song: "With a Little Help From My Friends" by John Lennon & Paul McCartney -- performed by Joe Cocker

Each episode "The Wonder Years" embark upon the social issues and historic events of the hippie counterculture and the Vietnam War (1960s and early 1970s) through the eyes of main character Kevin Arnold, who also deals on his way to adulthood with teenage social issues (mainly with his best friend Paul, and on and off girlfriend, Winnie Cooper), family trouble (brother Wayne, his sister Karen, his father Jack, and his mother Norma) and other issues. While the stories unfold, the story is narrated by an older Kevin describing what is happening and what he has learned from his experiences.

So what makes "The Wonder Years" influential? It is influential because Americans can identify what was happening in Kevin's life. Almost all teenagers can relate to Kevin's personal adventures. Kevin represents the American teenager. Most of us get our first kiss, our driver's license, heart breaks, and experience all these other crucial stages on our journey through childhood into adulthood. These times of our lives really are wonder years, the time when we learn how the world and its people work. “The wonder years” shows the world, how feels likes to grow up in America. Indeed, Kevin represents the American teenager that many of us were at one time.