Travel Back to 1988 and the WONDER YEARS…
Were you there?
In 1988, I was 27 years old. WOW, it’s amazing to say that. That’s half my current age. I was working for GM for Buick Motor Division as a Marketing Analyst. Every Tuesday night, 8:00pm EST, I would be on the couch watching my favorite series, The Wonder Years. Needless to say, I was quite excited when Time-Life sent us along a copy of The Wonder Years the Complete Series for review.
The series featured the Arnold family as they struggled to live through the radical late 1960’s and into the early 70s. The target viewing market for this series was baby boomers and success for the series was immediate. As noted in Wikipedia:
The show achieved a spot in the Nielsen Top 30 for four of its six seasons.TV Guide named the show one of the 20 best of the 1980s. After only six episodes aired, The Wonder Years won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1988. In addition, at age 13, Fred Savage became the youngest actor ever nominated as Outstanding Lead Actor for a Comedy Series.
The reason I loved the series was the format and the time setting. Kevin Arnold, a 13 year old boy, was the “star” of the show with his family and friends filling out the storyline. However, the story was fleshed out with “Kevin’s voice” as a grown-up, so the “voice” could say things that Kevin, as a 13 year old, never could. All of this was set against a compilation of 60’s music which was a new approach in TV series at the time and the music became an indelible part of the beloved series, which ran on ABC from 1988-1993.
Really the best way for you to get a idea of the series (if you haven’t ever seen it) is to watch this short clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGr2UJLaTKE&feature=youtu.be
The Wonder Years Complete Series DVD brings it all back
Never before released on DVD in its entirety — THE WONDER YEARS COMPLETE SERIES will be presented as a 26-disc collector’s set featuring all 115 episodes housed in a replica metal locker, along with a host of extras including 23 total hours of specially-produced bonus programming — featurettes, an incredible cast reunion 16 years in the making and never-before-seen outtakes. THE WONDER YEARS COMPLETE SERIES will be available exclusively online at for $249.95
Fans of THE WONDER YEARS will thrill to the extensive list of cleared music, which includes 285 modern day classics and instrumentals such as “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)” by The Byrds, “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen, “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream, Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” The Trogg’s “Wild Thing,” “Good Vibrations” and “Wouldn’t it Be Nice” by The Beach Boys, “My Girl” by The Temptations and hundreds of others!
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Update: This post originally had a giveaway attached for The Wonder Years Complete Series DVDs. The Rafflecopter entry device has been removed and had 4321 entries. See Giveaway Winners.
I loved this show and would love to win this to give to my 14 yr old daughter.
I would probably get power rangers for my kids!! they are big fans! lol
thank you!
I would choose Motown 25 Yesterday Today Forever because I remember watching T.V. with my mom,when Michael Jackson did his famous moonwalk dance and I was mesmerized,I always loved the music that came out of motown.
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts! I LOVE Dean Martin (and the Rat Pack). I think I was born in the wrong era. :/
I would like to get The Real Ghostbusters collection. I know my husband really liked that cartoon as a kid, so he’d enjoy watching it with our kids.
I’d like to have The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show on DVD because it would bring back great childhood memories.
Mama’s Family and Wonder Years my mom loves both
I would love to get the best of johnny carson show because I miss johnny he was the best and it reminds me of when I was a kid.
I would like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season 1 for my grandson
I would choose Wonder Years because its my favorite show of all time.
I would have to get the best of Soul Train. I grew up with that, and would get so excited to watch it!
mama’s family, my mom loved it
I would choose the Power Rangers: From Mighty Morphin to Lost Galaxy. My son and grand children love the power rangers
I would love the Dean Martin Variety show! So many great moments there! I am such a huge fan of the Wonder Years though!
Mamas Family, my mom loved this show when she was younger
would be nice to win this, love all of the old tv shows
I would choose the Easy 80’s. I was in my teens and the music would bring back so many memories of my teen age years when i was having fun.
I grew up watching this show with my whole family. I loved it!
I’d love this set as well as the Carol Burnett series, these shows make us laugh, remind me of growing up
Well, besides this Wonder Years collection, which I LOVE, another product I’d like from their site is the The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Complete DVD Collection! I’d love this because those old roasts are so hilarious and I love seeing celebrities from yesterday 🙂