ABC's The Wonder Years was one of the most notable sitcoms of the 1980s, well known for its theme song and generally saccharine tone. Going on for five years and six seasons, the show accumulated over 100 episodes and is a seminal series in the history of American television. Sadly for fans of the beloved TV series, The Wonder Years came to a close in 1993, and it did so in a way that not many of them appreciated. Featuring a hastily done voice-over and a future that was not at all what people expected, the surprising but realistic ending for the show is still a sore point among many who watched it.
What Was The Wonder Years?
The Wonder Years told the story of Kevin Arnold, a young boy growing up in the 1960s. Despite the political nature of the era, the show was known for its innocence and sense of nostalgia. Among the rest of the cast were Kevin's curmudgeonly father John, endearing mother Norma, free-spirited older sister Karen and bullying older brother Wayne.
Kevin's best friends were the nerdy Paul and Kevin's childhood crush Winnie Cooper, who he had an on-again/off-again relationship with throughout the show's run. The show focused on the comedy of their coming of age, while sometimes briefly touching upon darker themes such as the death of a teacher, as well as recent wars.
How Did The Wonder Years End?
The series came to an end with its sixth season, which featured a controversial 1-hour series finale. The Wonder Years final two episodes saw Kevin quitting his job at his father's factory, having grown tired of his overbearing nature. Leaving town, he went to see Winnie at the resort where she worked, hoping to spend the rest of the summer with her. Things became heated between the two of them when Kevin realized that she was in a relationship with a lifeguard.
After leaving the resort following his punching out the lifeguard, Kevin and Winnie both ended up in a barn during a rainstorm. The two made up amid their mutual fears of what the future held for their lives, and seemingly shared the night together in the barn. They eventually returned home where everything was essentially back to normal. With everyone celebrating a July 4th event, the future looked bright for the two young lovers.
The series' last moments incorporated a voice-over delivered on top of footage of the event. Kevin informed the audience of what came to pass for the characters in the following months and years. His best friend Paul got into Harvard and became a lawyer, though his susceptibility to any potential allergen remained. His sister gave birth to a son that bore a heavy resemblance to Kevin. Kevin fixed his relationship with his father, who passed away two years later, leaving his older brother, Wayne, to take over the factory.
Winnie went off to Paris to study art history, with neither her nor Kevin having a future in their hometown. She and Kevin stayed in close contact, up to the point where he greeted her return to America alongside his wife and infant son. Kevin remarked at how this turn of events wasn't what was expected, but that he still looks back on his childhood "with wonder."
This ending was both incredibly rushed and even more so disliked by the fanbase. The reason for the former was that the creative team didn't know whether or not they'd be returning for another season when it was shot. When the series was officially canceled, the voice-over was added onto already shot footage. Fans were disappointed that Kevin didn't end up with Winnie, though this was intentionally done by the showrunners to maintain a sense of realism. Nevertheless, it was definitely a letdown ending for one of the most wonderful sitcoms ever. The series can currently be streamed in its entirety on Hulu.