A Black Family Reboots & ReImagines ‘The Wonder Years’ on ABC & Hulu Tuesday 21 September, 2021
I am so happy we don’t have to ‘Wonder’ anymore as The Wonder Years has returned with fresh new faces! The Wonder Years is reimagined as the coming of age tale will be presented with a new family, and this cast is black!
The original The Wonder Years Cast “88-93”
It seems the 21st century can’t get enough of 90s reboots. If you can’t beat them, remake them? This isn’t a reboot, it’s a reimagine. We all loved the late 80s and 90s original The Wonder Years. That story still lives and nothing about that will change.
This new version of “The Wonder Years” is still set in 1968, but this time in Montgomery, Ala., focusing on a Black family at that same point in the ’60s. The 12-year-old boy, now named Dean, is played by Elisha Williams. And the narrator this time, as the adult Dean providing play-by-play of his own childhood, is Don Cheadle.
Elisha “EJ” Williams the lead in the role of 12-year-old Dean Williams.
Instead of starring in the show as “Kevin Arnold,” actor Fred Savage will serve as executive producer alongside Lee Daniels, Saladin K. Patterson, and Marc Velez. Actor Elisha “EJ” Williams will take the lead in the role of 12-year-old Dean Williams.
The cast includes actor Dule Hill as Dean’s father Bill Williams, Laura Kariuki and Saycon Sengbloh as Kim and Lillian Williams, and Milan Ray who plays Keisha, the new-age version of “Kevin Arnold’s” crush Winnie.
Executive producer, Lee Daniels, knew this new version of The Wonder Years needed to be told with a different perspective.
“When you think of this time period in Black America, you don’t really think of middle-class Black people,” fellow executive producer Lee Daniels said. “You think ‘impoverished’; you think of what the media portrayed us to be. This really sits with me and Saladin because we are around the same age. This is our story, a story that hasn’t been told to America.”
Though the original show’s “Kevin Arnold” still is on board — since his portrayer, Fred Savage, is an executive producer now rebooted age-old classic while telling a familiar story in an entirely new way. “The fact that it’s a brand-new family and brand-new characters allows us to maintain some of the things we loved about the original, while also telling a wholly unique and new story,” Savage said.
The Wonder Years reboot debuts on ABC Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 8:30 p.m.
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I grew up with this show, I can not wait to see the new take on it. Thanks for sharing!
I am so into reboots at the moment and will have to check this out!
I used to love watching the Wonder Years so much through my childhood. I would definitely watch this
I never watched the original show, but this reimagined one sounds like it’ll be a good one to watch!
I will definitely be checking out the reboot. I really enjoyed the original and it will be interesting to see what this show has to offer.
I’ve been a long time fan of Dule Hill since Psych! Can’t wait to check this out..looks like a great reboot!
What a clever idea to reboot this show with a black family. I look forward to checking out the show.
How cool is this? I love this for a show! Super cool.
Its been so long. The new look on the show seems interesting
I haven’t yet the original The Wonder Years show, but am interested to watch the new one Thanks for sharing the details
I just saw someone talking about this show on Twitter. I am definitely going tohave to check it out!
Oh wow this looks really good. I grew up in South Africa so I never saw the original when I was younger but this reboot looks super cool
Laura x
I think reimaginings are better than reboots as there’s not quite as much comparison as you’re using an idea but changing it completely x
I have to be honest that I’m not familiar with the show but it’s interesting. I hope I can find a copy of it in my country.
Sounds like it’ll be good. I didn’t see the original series, but I have heard of it.
It really sounds like something fun to watch, can’t beat a good sitcom
Looks amazing, I have to start watching it soon with my son, I loved the original show
Sounds interesting! I’ve never seen this show (or the original for that matter) but I may just have to try it.
Never watched this show, But I can’t wait to see it. Thanks for sharing!