Summary
- ABC has officially cancelled The Wonder Years after season 2, despite critical acclaim and an entertainment award win.
- The reboot of the 1988 show, which followed a middle-class Black teenager in 1960s Montgomery, Alabama, has now ended.
- Despite efforts to boost ratings with guest stars, the reboot fell short of the original show’s six-season run.
ABC is done with The Wonder Years. Having first premiered in 2021, The Wonder Years just finished season 2 in August. The show, which served as a reboot of the 1988 show of the same name, told the story of Dean Williams (Elisha Williams) as he worked to survive as a middle-class Black teenager living in the 1960s in Montgomery, Alabama. The show was a hit for critics and even won an entertainment award at the Peabody Awards.
Despite becoming a critical success, the show will not be receiving another season. The Wrap reports that ABC has officially cancelled The Wonder Years after season 2’s conclusion. While the show brought in multiple guest stars to boost ratings, it was not enough to keep the series alive. With just two seasons, the reboot falls short of the original show’s six-season run.
The Fall Of The Wonder Years Explained
While the show earned acclaim among critics, it has not been without its share of controversies. The Wonder Years fired Fred Savage, a director and executive producer, in 2022 after an investigation found that he had been alleged to have engaged in on-set “inappropriate conduct.” The investigation was sparked by three reports by six separate anonymous crew members.
The controversy was a poor sign for The Wonder Years, and the show never recovered its footing after those initial reports emerged. Season 2 premiered over the summer rather than its typical September-to-May time slot. That was another negative sign as a severe schedule movement can mean a loss of viewers and support. Season 2 ran from June to August and featured only 10 episodes — far exceeded by season 1’s 22-episode run.
The show’s inability to draw an increased number of viewers meant that cancellation was fairly inevitable. The sharp changes to the show left it listless, and it was never able to regain its footing after the reports about Savage’s alleged conduct. Unless another network agrees to pick it up, The Wonder Years will not be returning for season 3.
Source: The Wrap