The Wonder Years

Set in late 1960s Montgomery, the series follows 12-year-old Dean Williams as he remembers growing up in a Black middle-class family through the lens of his vivid imagination and the hindsight of his adult narration. Dean notices the small dramas of school, friendship and family life and turns them into moments of humor and reflection, while his parents juggle careers, expectations and community ties. Episodes balance light-hearted scenes with quieter examinations of the era, showing how everyday decisions shaped each character without revealing later plot turns. The show borrows the narrated-child format of the original Wonder Years but places a different family and historical context at its center.

Released in 2021 on ABC, the reboot was created by Saladin K. Patterson, Yael Galena and Amberia Allen. It reinterprets the original series for a modern audience, keeping the narrated perspective but shifting focus to a Black family in the South during a pivotal decade.

Awards-wise, the series drew some recognition for performances and writing, earning nominations and mentions in critics' circles, though it wasn't a dominant force in the major awards races during its debut season.

The show had a noticeable cultural footprint by prompting conversations about representation and nostalgia on network television. Its choice to center a Black middle-class household in the 1960s led to discussions about whose stories get remembered and how memory and history interact, and it helped renew interest in the original program among new viewers.

Critics and audiences gave mixed-to-positive responses, reflected in a roughly 6.99 viewer average from over 200 votes. Reviewers praised Elisha Williams' portrayal of Dean, noted the thoughtful treatment of family dynamics and racial context, and pointed to the series' blend of warmth and seriousness as its defining feature.