The Wonder Years Reboot Teaser Trailer Will Have You Feeling Nostalgic
What would you do if we sang out of tune? You won't want to stand up and walk out on this new teaser trailer for ABC's reboot of "The Wonder Years," which just appeared courtesy of the network.
This is the first footage of the show, which ABC picked up for the fall on May 14, according to Entertainment Weekly, that has been released to the public. Yes, the show's signature theme song — "With a Little Help From My Friends," a Beatles cover sung by Joe Cocker over the opening credits of the original sitcom — appears in this teaser, though it's given a gentler treatment in this incarnation. The overall atmosphere is one of gentle nostalgia and family love, with a tender warmth permeating underneath the surface.
You can spot a number of lovely references to times past and get excited for the upcoming adventures of the Williams family, the characters who will lead this 1960s-set dramedy. We've got even more details to discuss after seeing this teaser.
The Williams family is coming to your home
According to Rolling Stone, the "Wonder Years" reboot will take place in 1968, just like the original, but the setting has been shifted to Montgomery, Alabama.
The show's protagonist is Dean Williams (Elisha "EJ" Williams in the '60s and Don Cheadle narrating as EJ in the present day), who wistfully narrates about his past over flashes of the show's first episode. "It's the little things that you remember all your life. Your first hit, your first kiss, the first time your dad lets you know that he sees you — well, I still hadn't had the other two, but, boy, did that third one feel good!" says Dean, smiling at his dad Bill (Dulé Hill), who has shown up to watch him play in a baseball game.
The cast is rounded out by Saycon Sengbloh (Lillian, Dean's mother), Laura Kariuki (Dean's sister Kim), Amari O'Neil (Cory Long), Milan Ray(Keisa Clemmons), and Julian Lerner (Brad Hitman).
Fans of the original show are likely to note that Fred Savage, who made his name as an actor as young Kevin Arnold in the original version of the show, is an executive producer of this version and directed the show's pilot. Also on board are the inimitable Lee Daniels and Saladin Patterson, who co-executive produced "The Big Bang Theory" and wrote the Cuba Gooding Jr.-Beyoncé Knowles film "The Fighting Temptations."
The "Wonder Years" reboot already looks like a promising blend of respect for the original show and a brand-new interpretation through a different set of eyes. ABC could have the next feel-good hit on its hands when the show premieres this fall.