The Wonder Years won plenty of fans during its run from 1988-1993 as viewers watched young Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) grow up in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Now, the beloved sitcom is getting a reboot with Fred Savage on board, but that doesn't mean a show is on the way to revisit Kevin Arnold, his friends, and family. A new version is in the works at ABC, centered on a black family in 1960s Alabama.
The new version of The Wonder Years is developing at ABC with original series star Fred Savage on board as director and executive producer, according to The Wrap. Lee Daniels, who created the hit Fox series Empire, is also producing, although it's probably safe to say that any family at the center of a version of The Wonder Years isn't going to have a ton in common with the Lyon family of Empire. Fred Savage isn't the only person from the original Wonder Years attached to the new project. Co-creator Neal Marlens will serve as a consultant.
While the original Wonder Years never specified where the Arnold family lived, the new project is set in Montgomery, Alabama in the late 1960s. Centered on a black middle class family, they'll work to make sure that the late 1960s will be "wonder years" despite the turbulent times.
The setting in the late '60s means that the new project will be set in the same era as the original, if not the same place. It also means that any Wonder Years fans who hoped to see Fred Savage reprise his role for the reboot shouldn't count on it. Maybe if the new show was set in 2020 and accounted for a grown-up Kevin!
The new Wonder Years also isn't guaranteed to make it to the small screen. At the time of writing, the new project only has a pilot production commitment from ABC. A miniature writer's room will get started after the script for the pilot is approved. The reboot is a long way from becoming an ongoing TV show, and nothing is guaranteed.
That said, ABC is probably the ideal place for a Wonder Years reboot. Despite rumors of what led to the cancellation of the original series, The Wonder Years had a successful run of six seasons on the network in the late '80s and early 90s. ABC has had great success in recent years with new versions of classic comedies, such as Roseanne's incredibly successful (albeit brief) revival run and then the launch of The Conners. ABC also just lost Modern Family, which was a longtime comedy anchor. The network may be in need of a new family sitcom.
That's not to say that ABC gives the go-ahead to every new take on an old classic, as the network recently passed on a thirtysomething sequel series that would have starred Supergirl's Chris Wood, and several projects are further along in development at ABC than this new Wonder Years. Only time will tell if Fred Savage is able to bring another version of the show to the small screen.
For now, you can always watch (or rewatch) the full original run of The Wonder Years streaming on Hulu. If you're in the market for some more current and upcoming options, check out our 2020 TV premiere schedule.
