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The Best Episodes of The Wonder Years

Every episode of The Wonder Years ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Wonder Years!

A coming of age story set in the late 1960s that takes a nostalgic look at a black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama through the...
Genres:ComedyDramaFamily
Network:ABC

Best Episodes Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "The Wonder Years". It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Fred Savage and written by Saladin K. Patterson, it aired on 9/22/2021. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Happy Birthday Clisby".

  • Pilot
    10.0/101 votes
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    #1 - Pilot

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2021

    Struggling to figure out where he fits in, Dean decides to pursue his calling as "The Great Uniter" and attempts to organize the first integrated baseball game between his team and his friend Brad's team.

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Saladin K. Patterson

  • Happy Birthday Clisby
    10.0/101 votes
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    #2 - Happy Birthday Clisby

    Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 8/16/2023

    The Williams gather to celebrate Clisby's 75th birthday - including Bill's brother Melvin and his daughter Cassie. While Bill and Melvin try to one-up each other for Clisby's approval, Cassie shares big news with Lillian and Kim.

    Director: Katie Locke O'Brien

    Writer: Kendra Cole

  • The Happiest Place on Earth
    10.0/101 votes
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    #3 - The Happiest Place on Earth

    Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 8/16/2023

    When the Williams family decides to go on a family vacation, Kim suggests a road trip to Austin College and Dean proposes a stop at Disneyland. After meeting up with his old bandmates, Bill reflects on his life choices.

    Director: Ken Whittingham

    Writer: Yael Galena

  • One Small Step
    9.5/102 votes
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    #4 - One Small Step

    Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 6/14/2023

    It’s the summer of 1969, and Dean and Bill are experiencing new walks of life in New York City where Dean has tagged along for Bill’s career-making songwriting gig. Back in Montgomery, Lilian’s infamous sister, Jackie, pays a memorable visit.

    Director: Ken Whittingham

    Writer: Saladin K. Patterson

  • A Star is Born
    9.0/101 votes
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    #5 - A Star is Born

    Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 8/2/2023

    In search of a new hobby, Dean joins the drama club - only to find himself mixed up in drama of his own. Bill and Kim grapple with Bruce's choice to campaign for a local politician.

    Director: Lisa C. Satriano

    Writer: Melanie Boysaw

  • Blockbusting
    8.0/101 votes
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    #6 - Blockbusting

    Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 6/28/2023

    Bill and Lillian consider moving into the first integrated neighborhood in Montgomery; Dean develops a crush on Brad's mom during a sleepover at their house.

    Director: Nefertite Nguvu

    Writer: Jacque Edmonds Cofer

  • Bill's New Friend
    8.0/101 votes
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    #7 - Bill's New Friend

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 7/26/2023

    After Bill befriends Dean's music teacher, Bill and Lillian attend a party at his house and the evening takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, with their parents away, Dean, Bruce and Kim make their own plans for the night.

    Director: Ken Whittingham

    Writer: Max Searle

  • Like a Boss
    7.0/101 votes
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    #8 - Like a Boss

    Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 8/9/2023

    After Lillian's boss announces budget cuts, she is forced to make a decision and enforce boundaries between her personal and professional life. Meanwhile, Dean and Cory's friendship hits a few speed bumps as they work together for the boxcar derby.

    Director: Michael Schultz

    Writer: Tom Young

  • Green Eyed Monster
    NaN/100 votes
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    #9 - Green Eyed Monster

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/2021

    While Dean reckons with his first taste of heartbreak and betrayal, the adults in his life are overly empathetic and assume his grief is from mourning current events.

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Mary Fitzgerald

  • The Club
    NaN/100 votes
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    #10 - The Club

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/6/2021

    Dean stumbles upon some “racy literature” and shares it with friends at school. When he is caught by the school principal, Bill and Lillian navigate uncharted territory as parents and Dean learns that manhood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Max Searle

  • The Workplace
    NaN/100 votes
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    #11 - The Workplace

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/2021

    It’s “Take Your Son to Work Day” and Dean heads to band practice with Bill. But the “grown folks’ business” at the music studio prompts Lillian to have to pick up Dean. While at her office, Dean finally learns what his mom does while he’s at school all day, gaining a newfound respect for her career and ambition.

    Director: Shiri Appleby

    Writer: Kendra Cole, Meredith Dawson

  • The Lock In
    NaN/100 votes
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    #12 - The Lock In

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/20/2021

    Dean is reluctant to attend the annual church lock-in until Kim tells him it’s where she got her first kiss. He enlists his friends to help him pair up with Keisa, but his plans are thwarted when he instead gets paired up with the pastor’s daughter, Charlene.

    Director: Molly McGlynn

    Writer: Amberia Allen

  • Be Prepared
    NaN/100 votes
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    #13 - Be Prepared

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/27/2021

    When Coach Long and Bill take the boys on a camping trip as part of their newly formed scout troop, their starkly different approaches to the outdoors show Dean that his father isn’t good at everything. As a thunderstorm threatens an eerie quest through the woods, Bill leans into his expertise to save the day.

    Director: Fred Savage, Numa Perrier

    Writer: Bob Daily

  • Independence Day
    NaN/100 votes
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    #14 - Independence Day

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/3/2021

    As Kim’s campaign for a car coincides with the need to take Grandaddy Clisby’s keys away, Bill proposes a solution that is only pleasing to him: Kim can drive, so long as she takes her grandfather and Dean around town. Later on at the mall, Dean is worried about seeming uncool when Clisby ends up chaperoning him and his friends, but Clisby has a few crowd-pleasing tricks up his sleeve.

    Director: Robert Townsend

    Writer: Jacque Edmonds Cofer

  • Science Fair
    NaN/100 votes
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    #15 - Science Fair

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/2021

    After seeing Dean bullied by Michael after school Lillian goes to confront his parents and learns he needs more compassion than discipline. Much to Dean’s dismay, she takes Michael under her wing and helps him with his project for the science fair – an event where Dean typically excels

    Director: Matthew A. Cherry

    Writer: Yamin Segal

  • Home For Christmas
    NaN/100 votes
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    #16 - Home For Christmas

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/1/2021

    Dean can’t wait to spend Christmas with his older brother, Bruce, when he returns home from Vietnam. But adjusting to life back in Montgomery comes with unexpected challenges for Bruce, and the rest of the Williams family rely on their favorite holiday traditions to bring cheer

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Bob Daily

  • Lads and Ladies and Us
    NaN/100 votes
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    #17 - Lads and Ladies and Us

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/5/2022

    Bill and Lillian decide to join high society club Lads & Ladies as a way to introduce Kim and Dean to positive influences in the community. Bill, Kim and Dean fit right in, but things take a turn when Lillian is treated differently for being a working mom.

    Director: Ken Whittingham

    Writer: Jacque Edmonds Cofer

  • Brad Mitzvah
    NaN/100 votes
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    #18 - Brad Mitzvah

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/12/2022

    Brad works through his nerves preparing for his bar mitzvah speech while Dean ends his friendship with Keisa when Charlene tells him he can’t be friends with other girls. Things come to a head when the whole group comes together to celebrate Brad’s bar mitzvah.

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Yael Galena

  • I'm With The Band
    NaN/100 votes
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    #19 - I'm With The Band

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/19/2022

    When Dean loses his position as first chair saxophone in the school band, Bill lays the pressure on him to earn it back.

    Director: Victor Nelli Jr.

    Writer: Jordan Black

  • The Valentine’s Day Dance
    NaN/100 votes
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    #20 - The Valentine’s Day Dance

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/2/2022

    Dean’s plans to ask Keisa to the Valentine’s Day Dance are foiled when another boy asks her out first after a new makeover makes her the talk of the school. Meanwhile, Bill and Lillian make Kim sign up for a Big Sister program to have extracurricular activities for her college applications.

    Director: Victor Nelli Jr.

    Writer: Brett Melnick

  • Country Dean
    NaN/100 votes
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    #21 - Country Dean

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/23/2022

    The family spends spring break with Lillian's parents in the countryside, and Dean lies to his cousins about city life in Montgomery to impress them. Meanwhile, Lillian helps to settle a land dispute between her parents and their neighbors to impress her difficult-to-please mother.

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Bob Daily

  • Black Teacher
    NaN/100 votes
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    #22 - Black Teacher

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/2/2022

    When their teacher goes on maternity leave, Dean, Cory and Keisa are excited to be taught by Mr. Brady, the school’s first Black teacher. Mr. Brady encourages the students to try out for the Knowledge Bowl team where Dean faces some unexpected challenges

    Director: Fred Savage

    Writer: Amberia Allen

  • The Sleepover
    NaN/100 votes
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    #23 - The Sleepover

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/16/2022

    When Dean learns that Corey’s dad, Coach Long, is in the doghouse, he struggles to keep this secret from his friend.

    Director: Shiri Appleby

    Writer: Jordan Black

  • Jobs and Hangouts
    NaN/100 votes
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    #24 - Jobs and Hangouts

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/23/2022

    Kim is excited to start her new job as a waitress at the local diner, which Dean adopts as his local hangout. When Kim experiences drama with her friends, she finds unlikely allies in a tough coworker and her younger brother.

    Director: Aisha Tyler

    Writer: Jacque Edmonds Cofer

  • Goose Grease
    NaN/100 votes
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    #25 - Goose Grease

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/6/2022

    When Dean comes down with the chicken pox on his way to a hunting trip with Bill and Grandaddy Clisby, Lillian forces the three of them to quarantine together. Clisby pushes homemade remedies on them out of his mistrust of doctors, but he’s forced to reckon with this when Dean’s condition worsens.

    Director: Ken Whittingham

    Writer: Yael Galena