WONDER YEARS, THE: GROWING UP {FOURTH SEASON PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The fourth season premiere in this series about Kevin Arnold, a young boy growing up in the suburbs during the late 1960s, whose experiences, thoughts, and reactions are recalled by the adult Kevin, who narrates and makes wry observations throughout. In this episode, in the summer of 1970, Kevin and his friends admire the local girls at the pool, and Kevin then walks Winnie home, reflecting on their "perfect" romance. At home, though, things are less idyllic, and the Arnold family argues about various matters, including Wayne's new girlfriend Angela and Karen's upcoming college classes. Norma suggests that they "get away" and attend Jack's company's Labor Day picnic, and though no one is enthused, they cheer up slightly on the way over by discussing Detweiler, Jack's goofy, joke-cracking co-worker. Wayne then crashes his clunker car into Jack's, however, and the picnic proves to be little fun. Wayne and Angela head off alone, and Jack quickly squashes Kevin's hopes of joining in the softball game.
Kevin then encounters the obnoxious Detweiler and his daughter, the recently-developed Mimi, and ends up out on a boat with her. She confesses that he is her "hero," but then reveals that her father received a promotion over Jack, and when she suggests swimming, a distracted Kevin falls into the lake. Upset, he declares to Jack that he will play in the game after all, and Jack ends up pitching to him. After a taunt about Detweiler, Jack throws him a vicious fastball, which Kevin triumphantly hits—but then realizes that the ball struck Jack in the head. Kevin runs away from the picnic and later encounters Wayne, who has recently been dumped by Angela, and the two share an uncharacteristic brotherly moment. When Jack arrives, Kevin worries that he is in trouble, but then realizes that his father is deeply disappointed about the promotion, and Kevin reassures him. The whole family then reconvenes around the campfire, and Kevin reflects that they must "forgive themselves for growing up." Later, Karen heads off to college, and her family bids her an emotional farewell. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 19, 1990 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:30:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:20106
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1988-1993
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Dodge automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Energizer batteries
- TV - Commercials - Jell-O Jigglers
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Sears Portrait Studios
- TV - Commercials - State Farm insurance
- TV - Commercials - Uncle Ben's rice dishes
- TV - Promos - "America's Funniest Home Videos"
- TV - Promos - "America's Funniest People"
- TV - Promos - "Family Matters"
- TV - Promos - "Father Dowling Mysteries"
- TV - Promos - "Full House"
- TV - Promos - "Gabriel's Fire"
- TV - Promos - "Going Places"
- TV - Promos - "Growing Pains"
- TV - Promos - "Life Goes On"
- TV - Promos - "Peter Pan" home video
- TV - Promos - "The Wonder Years" upcoming episode
CREDITS
- Bob Brush … Executive Producer, Writer
- Jill Gordon … Co-Executive Producer
- Ken Topolsky … Supervising Producer
- David Chambers … Producer
- Michael Dinner … Producer, Director
- Bruce J. Nachbar … Associate Producer
- Sue Bea Belknap … Associate Producer
- Neal Marlens … Created by
- Carol Black … Created by
- J. Peter Robinson … Music by
- Fred Savage … Cast, Kevin Arnold
- Dan Lauria … Cast, Jack Arnold
- Alley Mills … Cast, Norma Arnold
- Olivia d'Abo … Cast, Karen Arnold
- Jason Hervey … Cast, Wayne Arnold
- Danica McKellar … Cast, Winnie Cooper
- Josh Saviano … Cast, Paul Pfeiffer
- John Anthony … Cast, Walter
- Soleil Moon Frye … Cast, Mimi
- Meredith Scott Lynn … Cast, Angela
- Brandon Crane … Cast, Doug
- Jay Byron … Cast, Umpire
- Mark Drexler … Cast, Big Guy
- John T. Olson … Cast, Man
- Rick Hurst … Cast, Harry