MovieChat Forums > The Wonder Years (1988) Discussion > the family episodes were the best

the family episodes were the best


i always really enjoyed those

the last 2 seasons were more about kevin and his friends and i just felt those were lacking

reply

My favorite were the ones where Jack's real character came shining through all that superficial gruff exterior.

My Father's Office
The Cost of Living (my favorite)
Private Butthead
Our Miss White (I love the scene at the end when he is the first to stand and he's staring straight at Kevin)
The Family Car
Math Class
The Powers That Be
Daddy's Little Girl

reply

I loved the house one

The house that Jack bilt

when he said

"I HAVENT CHANGED!"

THAT REALLY SIGNified who hsi character was

reply

That was a good one, too. The scene where Kevin is watching his parents try to comfort each other was pretty powerful. Times have changed so much, it may be hard for younger people to understand how Jack could react so strongly to what Karen was doing. Even when it first aired, I remember thinking that he was overreacting, but I could still understand that it was a controversial move that most parents (back then) and even many (at the current time, when it aired) would not have approved.

I always found the show so relatable- I was exactly Kevin's age during the airing, so even though it was set 20 years earlier, it felt so parallel to me. Also, my dad is very much like Jack. Underneath all that exterior, he is an absolute stand up guy who is always there when you need him. I guess it's obviously why I like the episodes with him in them so much. In the My Father's Office episode where he comes in to talk to Kevin as he's pouting in his room- that is exactly what my dad would have done. Though he'd have done it on his own, without prompting from my mom.

reply

Also what was the episode where Kevin had a party and Wayne took all the blame? That made me tear up I think. Just where they never got along and when the parents blamed Wayne, he just didn't say anything. I think there was a cameo by one of the Friends (maybe Matthew Perry) in that episode too if I'm not mistaken. LOVED that show!!

Doesn't involve the parents much at all, but it still shows the family coming together.

reply

Yeah, "The Lost Weekend" was a good one, too.

Another one that really touched me was "Grandpa's Car." My first car was also my Grandpa's last- I'm sure I didn't grasp that significance at the time, I was just so glad I was getting a car, I didn't really think about how he would never in his life own another car. Maybe because it was a little different, since my grandmother was alive and she could still drive in her car. But the episode still gets to me every time.

reply

Even your post got to me a little bit. The progression of life I suppose, but its touching to say the least.

reply

My father's office will always be my favorite episode. It was so well written.

reply

Yeah those episodes were entertaining

https://youtu.be/evzGr5GYJfQ

reply