The BEST episodes of The Wonder Years
Every episode of The Wonder Years ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Wonder Years!
The Wonder Years tells the story of Kevin Arnold facing the trials and tribulations of youth while growing up during the 1960s. Told through narration from an adult Kevin, Kevin faces the difficulties of maintaining relationships and friendships on his enthralling journey into adulthood.
#1 - Independence Day
Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/12/1993
After Kevin loses all his money and his car in a poker game, he decides he has to leave the resort - there's nothing to keep him there now. The next day he says goodbye to Winnie, punches Eric and storms out. Hitchhiking out of town, he runs into Winnie who has been fired from her job. They begin to argue and lose the ride they had flagged down. Later, sheltering in a barn they talk about how much has changed between them. Winnie thinks it's just inevitable - that everyone grows up. Kevin doesn't want to believe it and neither does Winnie, not really. They kiss, passionately. The next day they both return to Kevin's hometown for the last 4th of July he will ever spend there. Karen has returned home and she is pregnant...
#2 - Pilot
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/31/1988
Kevin and Paul attend Robert F Kennedy Junior High for the first time. Winnie's brother is killed in Vietnam. Kevin and Winnie kiss for the first time.
#3 - Summer Song
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/3/1989
Kevin enters unchartered waters when he meets an older girl during his summer vacation.
#4 - Swingers
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/22/1988
Even at Brian's funeral, all Kevin can think about is Winnie. Sex Education begins at school, but the boys want to learn more - so they steal a book.
#5 - My Father's Office
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 3/29/1988
Kevin learns more about his dad by spending a day at his office.
#6 - Square Dance
Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 5/2/1989
When Kevin is partnered with class weirdo, Margaret Farquhar, he tries to keep away from her - especially when she tries to become his friend.
#7 - Math Class
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/10/1989
Kevin has trouble in math class when he comes up against a teacher who Kevin thinks is completely unreasonable.
#8 - The Tree House
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/20/1990
When Kevin and his dad build a treehouse in the backyard, they discover they get a good view of an attractive neighbor planting her tomatoes. Meanwhile, Doug is in shock after having heard ""the talk"" from his dad.
#9 - White Lies
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/28/1992
Some people never find true love, but Kevin believes he did. He had what most people search all their lives for, but he blew it. When Winnie comes over for a study session while his parents were away, Kevin wants to relationship to go further. Winnie sees through his plan. She does stay, but they just fall asleep together. The next day, though, he tells his friends a different story. When Winnie finds out, she dumps him.
#10 - Growing Up
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/19/1990
The family attends Jack's company picnic. Kevin is not looking forward to seeing Mimi Detweiler, who used to have a crush on him. Wayne's new girlfriend Angela annoys everyone but Wayne. Kevin beans Jack with a baseball at the father-son baseball game. Karen leaves for college.
#11 - Politics as Usual
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/1992
Kevin gets jealous of a charismatic political campaigner who has encouraged Winnie to help him out.
#12 - Pottery Will Get You Nowhere
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/1/1989
Norma begins taking a pottery class, but receives no support or encouragement from Jack.
#13 - Scenes from a Wedding
Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/1992
When the Arnolds attend the wedding of Jack's boss' daughter, one of the bridesmaids turns her attention to Kevin. He tries to get a bottle of champagne for them to consume together, but ends up drinking it while he waits for her. When she does arrive, Kevin vomits on her. Later, Wayne tells Kevin that he's had sex with the bride.
#14 - Soccer
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/20/1991
Kevin joins the school's soccer team in an attempt to become involved in school sports, but becomes very frustrated with the team's lackluster performance and an extremely apathetic coach.
#15 - Angel
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/5/1988
Karen doesn't communicate with her parents anymore. It's made worse when she brings home a new boyfriend. Kevin takes an immediate dislike to Louis.
#16 - Wayne on Wheels
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/24/1989
Kevin wants to get to the mall to see a girl he can't stop thinking about, but the only way he can is by begging his brother to drive.
#17 - Little Debbie
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/7/1990
Paul's sister Debbie needs someone to take her to a cotillion and Kevin is guilted into the task. Meanwhile, Paul, Doug and Randy go to the football game to watch cheerleader Donna Delgado.
#18 - The Accident
Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/24/1991
Kevin sees Winnie for the first time since they broke up. He discovers that she a Roger have split up, too. When Winnie is in a car accident, Kevin rides over to see her at home, but her parents say she doesn't want to see him. Kevin leaves, but returns and climbs up to Winnie's bedroom window. They tell each other, ""I love you.""
#19 - Carnal Knowledge
Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/25/1992
Kevin, Ricky and Chuck plan on sneaking into an R-rated movie, while Paul decides he'd rather stay home and talk marine biology with a family friend's daughter. Kevin, Ricky and Chuck get thrown out of the movie theatre where "Carnal Knowledge" is playing, while Paul is at home losing his virginity. Paul confides in Kevin, but his secret gets out the next day.
#20 - Alice in Autoland
Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/13/1993
When Kevin is offered a great deal on a used car from Alice's dad, Pistol Pete, Kevin has to decide whether to betray his friend, Chuck, who has broken up with Alice again.
#21 - Private Butthead
Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/5/1992
While Kevin is asked to consider his future, Wayne makes a decision to leave school and join the army. Jack and Norma try to talk Wayne out of it, but he won't listen. Wayne and his friend Wart go together to the army testing station. Jack follows and apologises to Wayne for not being a better father to him.
#22 - Kodachrome
Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/29/1992
Miss Shaw was one of Kevin's more memorable teachers. She was young, black, anti-authoritarian and actually enjoys teaching. But her unorthodox methods get her in trouble with the school board.
#23 - Dinner Out
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/4/1991
It's dinner out for Jack's forty-third birthday. But Jack is grumpy, mainly because he is still not talking to his daughter. Norma and Michael try to mediate the arguments between the two, but the dinner - which Kevin is paying for - ends badly.
#24 - Frank and Denise
Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/23/1991
Denise and Frank seem to be made for each other, until Denise turns her eye to Kevin because he understands poetry. Although she breaks up with Frank and kisses Kevin, Kev thinks it would be better if she went back to Frank because they are a perfect match.
#25 - Heartbreak
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/23/1991
Kevin is excited when a joint field trip is organized with Winnie's school. But things do not work out so well when Kevin has a hard time tearing Winnie away from her new friends. Things go from bad to worse when Winnie tells Kevin she has met someone else.