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 would choose The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts: Complete DVD Collection. I remember seeing parts of these ‘on the sly’ when I was young. They were rcy at the time but I remember my Mom and Dad laughing like crazy and we werent allowed to watch them!!!
I love old movies. So, I’d choose Vintage Hollywood
50 Classic Films on 25 DVDs. I hate when they’re “cut up” on tv and where I live, I can’t stream.
I’d love the China Beach complete series to give to my mom – she loved that show!
Out of all the choices I’d probably pick the Wonder Years. I always wanted to watch that show when I was younger but it was on at a time I couldn’t watch it and no VCR for recording. The other show that looks interesting is China Beach. I’ve heard great things about that show as well.
I liked the Carol Burnette show.
I like the Christmas treasury cd!
I would love the best of the Ed Sullivan show because I remember my grandma always watching that show!!!
I would get the The Real Ghostbusters: The Complete Collection as I remember watching them and would like to share with my grandkids
I want The Carol Burnett Show: The Ultimate Collection for my mom because she loved that show.
I would love to watch this show – Mama’s Family – Seasons One & Two because I heard that it was really funny!
There is no doubt that I would choose The Six Million Dollar Man the complete collection. I had no idea that this existed!!!!! I loved this show as a child. In fact, when I was 6 years old I was run over by a riding lawn mower. It was horrific. It was miraculous that I did not
Bleed to death and I won’t go into the gory stuff but I was sent to Jackson and was crying as they wheeled me down the hall to one of many operations. Mama was walking beside me condoling me then I told her I was missing the six million dollar man!!! Rather than worry about my leg hanging on by very little, yes indeed, I’m worried about the six million dollar man. I didn’t lose my leg and I’ve participated in sports, both water and land sports, so God blessed me!!
Hello, I would love to get my husband the Vintage Hollywood Collection because he loves all of the old movies, he watches TCM all the time. Thanks for a great giveaway!
I would love either the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers complete set or Ghostbusters Complete set. They’re both close to my heart and childhood
I would like the Power Rangers: From Mighty Morphin to Lost Galaxy, I think my boys would enjoy it.
I love the Johnny Carson dvd collection. I grew up watching his show.
I’d love to own The Real Ghostbusters: The Complete Collection because we loved the movies and I watched the cartoons as a kid 🙂
I would get the Carol Burnett show for my mom and dad. Most of these shows I only vaguely remember since I very seldom watched tv as a kid (had too many forts 🙂 to build).
I would choose the Get Smart Complete Collection. I was youngish when it was on but still enjoyed it. I know I’d love it even more now!
I would love the best of the carol burnett show because it’s a show that I used to watch with my mom when I was little and it reminds me of her!
I would choose the Motown Set if I could have anything from the Time Life website. That music genre is so uplifting and light and is feel good music!