The Wonder Years is getting a reboot with a Black family, thanks to Lee Daniels, Saladin K. Patterson, Fred Savage, and ABC. The network announced its partnership with the creators earlier this week.
Breaking: #TheWonderYears is returning to ABC — with Lee Daniels overseeing a new take featuring a Black family in the ‘60s in Montgomery, Alabama. Original star Fred Savage and the show’s creator are also involved: https://t.co/esQM5Zxxlk pic.twitter.com/Tl54A7eRnV
— Lesley Goldberg (@Snoodit) July 8, 2020
The rebooted series will closely follow the original story line, which is that of a suburban White family living through the turbulent 1960s and 1970s eras in the United States. The significant difference, of course, is that the new series will shed light on the Black experience, as told from the perspective of a middle class Black family living in Alabama, during these times.
Some may remember Fred Savage as one of the stars of the original Wonder Years. The celebrity became the youngest actor ever nominated for an Emmy Award for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series because of his stellar performance on the show. Now, Savage is set to work alongside Lee Daniels and Saladin K. Patterson to revive the Coming of Age comedy series.
Lee Daniels is set to produce a reboot of #TheWonderYears: https://t.co/GmDzqYmADf pic.twitter.com/D8SVjU6MFH
— Complex (@Complex) July 9, 2020
Fred Savage’s participation in The Wonder Years reboot surprised some fans. Many remember the actor’s opposition to reviving the series with the same cast members from the original creation.
“My answer will remain the same — so I won’t get tired of people asking if everyone else doesn’t get tired of me saying, ‘No, it’s not going to happen,'” Savage previously said of his the possibility of The Wonder Years returning to television. “You know, I’ve always said that The Wonder Years, it’s not just the name of the show — it’s a time in your life, a very special, finite time in your life,” Savage continued.
I would love to see how that will pan out considering during those “wonder years” was Jim Crow laws, home loan red lining, and segregation. Yep, that’s a show I’ll be thrilled to see. #thewonderyears 😕 https://t.co/WhLJQor8g1
— Chaz (@chazapher) July 8, 2020
“And the way the show was written, it’s about looking back with some longing,” the actor shared. “I think we all look back at that time in our lives and long for it and idealize it.”
Stay tuned for more celebrity family news!
Photo: ABC Archives/Getty Images
