Product Details

• Actors: Fred Savage, Daniel Stern, Jason Hervey, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Anchor Bay
• VHS Release Date: October 7, 1997
• Run Time: 48 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303918522
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,211 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

These first two episodes of the charming and perceptive series The Wonder Years are an appropriate setup for the uninitiated and a must-have for fans. The original pilot introduces Kevin (Fred Savage), his best friend Paul (Josh Saviano), his childhood playmate and budding girlfriend, Winnie (Danica McKellar), and his typical late-1960s, early-'70s family: older brother and nemesis Wayne (Jason Hervey), beautiful liberal sister Karen (Olivia d'Abo), mother (Alley Mills), and father (Dan Lauria). Kevin and his friends are entering Robert F. Kennedy Junior High School, Winnie gets contacts, her brother Brian (Bentley Mitchum) is killed in Vietnam, and Kevin and Winnie share a first kiss. The opener also features some fantastic music (the Byrds' "Turn, Turn, Turn," Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now," Tommy James and the Shondells' "Crystal Blue Persuasion," and Percy Sledge's "When A Man Loves a Woman")--a trademark of the series. Great music (Buffalo Springfield, Aaron Neville, Judy Collins) also highlights "Swinger," which follows with Brian's funeral and Kevin and his pals' growing obsession with sex, fueled by their curiosity with Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask. Daniel Stern's narration is warm and engaging and the voice-over is never intrusive. This series continues to be enchanting because of its ability to mix comedy and pathos, as well as infuse a sense of dignity and history in a period many consider their most awful years. --N.F. Mendoza

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wonder Years, but not the ORIGINAL PILOT!, July 28, 2004

By	Greg Zimmerman "9-11" (VA) - See all my reviews

Awh, what a treat. Without a doubt, this simply was the only television show that ever captured the beauty of living in America. The pilot episode takes us back, not only to 1968, but to every adolescence childhood memory of growing up.

What made the first season so enjoyable, this collection offers 2 episodes of the original six, is that they all inter-twang so perfectly with one another. Both the pilot episode and 'Swingers' portrayed and honest truth to everybody's youth without overdoing the essence of the time period. I often say, '1968' was a great character , something most shows about adolesence never use to there advantage.

When this show originally aired after the Superbowl 1988, narration for the pilot episode was done by Arye Gross. Daniel Stern redid it for its network run and the real 'pilot' seems to had gotten lost along the way. If hope pervails, maybe we could see it again with the original monologue of Kevin and Winnie sharing their only kiss together. I have to say, what a bummer that would had been if they kept that line in. Danica, oh Danica. Well, you know the rest.....

I recommend this tape to all fans of this show. Although some of the songs heard on this aren't the exact original recordings, ( Turn, Turn, Turn, and Young Girl) volume 1's episodes are some of the most brilliantly written and well thought out stories television has ever told. It's a shame no one dares to let the light of day shine with its ultimate release on dvd. Anyone can dream, can't they?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll look back with Wonder too!, November 9, 2003

By	Zachary (Midwest) - See all my reviews

You can't help but interject yourself Kevin's life. He is so relatable. Also with the narration it makes us think of our own glory days of youth and the important people in our lives. The first kiss. First experience with someone dying. The intrigue of sex ed. Our best friend and knowing everything about that person. Nagging brother or sister. Fighting parents who loved each other and us. The popular music that defined the era we grew up in. I'm sure there are special songs that conjure up powerful images from your past just as the special songs from the Wonder Years does the same for each episode.

With the narration of the young Kevin and the 60s setting it reminds me of the movie Christmas Story. The Messy Marvin actor and the narration of his thoughts/dreams of the Red Ryder bb gun. Another classic! But I digres . . .

You have to see this first volume of Wonder Years! It will tug at your heart strings again! You won't be disappointed!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kevin Arnold captures our memories as we go back to 1968., December 9, 1998

By	Dawn Higgins "danh15" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews

A 12 year old boy named Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage) growing up in the 1960's through the 1970's. He has to deal with this parents (Dan Lauria / Alley Mills), brother, sister, best friend, school and of course girlfriend Winnie Cooper (played by Danica McKellar). The person who narrates and describes everything for us is off screen adult Kevin Arnold (portrayed by Home Alone's Daniel Stern). This is a TVG comedy-drama the whole family will enjoy.