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.
The Six Million Dollar Man: The Complete Collection
I loved this show!!
I’d get the dean martin celebrity roasts. I love those.
I would love to have “The Wonder Years” set. I remember it being just being a great show, good for the whole family and it had funny and serious moments. My boys are early teens and I think they would relate to Kevin and his friends. Thanks!
I would love to have the The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection. I loved watching her show when I was growing up.
Mama’s Family – The Complete Series. I remember growing up and watching this show with my dad on Saturdays! Such good memories!
I would love rock balads ! I grew up on those tunes
The Power Rangers: From Mighty Morphin to Lost Galaxy set – so i can relive childhood memories and see some new content too. It looks pretty awesome.
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. I grew up watching that show. It was LOL funny and had all the big name actors.
I would love Mama’s Family: The Complete Series. I used to love watching reruns of that show with my grandmother.
I would love The Real Ghostbusters: The Complete Collection. I used to watch that cartoon as a kid and it takes me back to some childhood nostalgia.
Best of Carol Burnett – Harvey Korman and Tim Conway were hilarious together – my family watched that show together every week
There is not doubt, I would get The Midnight Special Collector’s Edition because I absolutely love all that music. There are some really great bands on it.
I would like the Best of The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson…he was the best!
I would have to go with Mama’s Family or The Wonder Years. They both remind me of my childhood and were great shows! Would love to sit down and watch these with my brother!
I want the Mama’s Family collection. This show still cracks me up.
I’d like the The Real Ghostbusters: The Complete Collection. My dad and I used to watch this so it would be fun to own.
I would love The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection! I remember watching Carol Burnett when I was a little girl…and it was sooo funny!
I would love the Best of the Carol Burnett Show because I have always loved her skits!
I’d love to have “Uktimate Rock Ballads”, the entire collection of CD’s would be great!!! BUT… I’d actually MUCH rather have the collection of these DVD’s showing all the episodes of ‘The Wonder Years”!!!!! LOVE ME SOME KEVIN ARNOLD!!!!!!!! Classic!!!!!!! 🙂
Pick me!