8.6/10402 votes#1 - The Lake
Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 10/2/1991
The Arnold and Pfeiffer family go on a joint family trip. Kevin meets a wild young girl who smokes! Kevin and Cara have a good time together, so much so that he ditches dinner with his family to see her one last time - expecting to never see her again.
Director: Michael Dinner
Writer: N/A
8.1/10305 votes#2 - Day One
Season 5 Episode 2 - Aired 10/9/1991
Kevin's first day of high school is not all it's cracked up to be. He tries to set himself up as the class clown, but it backfires. He is hassled by a nerd and his new teacher, Mr. Botner. Even Winnie can't make him feel better.
Director: Daniel Stern
Writer: Sy Dukane
8.3/10328 votes#3 - The Hardware Store
Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 10/16/1991
Fed up with the low pay at his first regular job, Kevin decides to try for a job at the mall where he can meet girls. He demands a pay rise, not expecting to get it. When he does, he quits anyway.
Director: Ken Topolsky
Writer: N/A
7.9/10337 votes#4 - 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.
Director: David Greenwalt
Writer: David Greenwalt
7.7/10293 votes#5 - Full Moon Rising
Season 5 Episode 5 - Aired 10/30/1991
When Ricky Halsenbach turns 16, Kev and friends decide to go cruising for chicks. Kevin gets into trouble with Cindy after she catches him in a lie. Purdle moons Kevin's parents from Ricky's car.
Director: Ken Topolsky
Writer: Mark B. Perry
8.4/10345 votes#6 - Triangle
Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 11/6/1991
Kevin does not understand why Wayne's new girlfriend, Sandy, is with him. The tables are turned when Sandy approaches Kevin behind Wayne's back and kisses him. In fact, they kiss all over the school. But when Sandy breaks up with Wayne to be with Kevin, Kev can't bring himself to betray his brother.
Director: Daniel Stern
Writer: N/A
7.4/10302 votes#7 - 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.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: N/A
8.2/10306 votes#8 - 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.
Director: Bryan Gordon
Writer: N/A
7.8/10314 votes#9 - Christmas Party
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 12/11/1991
Kevin doesn't want to attend his family's annual Christmas party for the neighborhood because it will only be his parent's friends - all his friends will be away. Jack is busy at work and Norma is busy at college and when several other problems crop up during the party, Norma and Jack argue. When Jack sends Kevin and Wayne to the store, they expect to return home to the worst.
Director: Jim McBride
Writer: Sy Dukane, Denise Moss
7.5/10290 votes#10 - Pfeiffer's Choice
Season 5 Episode 10 - Aired 12/18/1991
The Pfeiffer and Arnold families have always been friends, but that friendship is threatened when the Pfeiffers come into a lot of money due to a real estate investment that Jack Arnold passed on. When the Arnolds are invited to the Pfeiffers' country club, Jack cannot handle it. Norma saves the day with a toast to the families' continuing friendship
Director: Ken Topolsky
Writer: Mark B. Perry
8.0/10289 votes#11 - Road Test
Season 5 Episode 11 - Aired 1/8/1992
Kevin is motivated to get his driver's license by the promise of a date with Jessica. But Kev can't parallel park and he whimps out of taking his test and lies to his family about getting his temporary license. When Kevin tries to practice at night, he runs over the lawnmower - leading Jack to discover the truth about Kevin's license.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: N/A
8.2/10305 votes#12 - Grandpa's Car
Season 5 Episode 12 - Aired 1/15/1992
Grandpa Arnold is getting old and is involved in a minor car accident. He isn't ready to give up his driver's licence until his grandson, Kevin, tells him what he needs to hear.
Director: Michael Dinner
Writer: N/A
8.0/10313 votes#13 - Kodachrome
Season 5 Episode 13 - Aired 1/29/1992
Miss Shaw was one of Kevin's more memorable teacher's. She was young, black, anti-authoritarian and actually enjoys teaching. But her unorthodox methods get her in trouble with the school board.
Director: David Greenwalt
Writer: N/A
8.6/10330 votes#14 - 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.
Director: Nick Marck
Writer: N/A
8.0/10305 votes#15 - Of Mastodons and Men
Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 2/12/1992
Kevin has been dating Julie Aidem for two weeks when she invites him for dinner with her family and asks him to tell her parents they are going steady. When he sees Mr. Aidem is dominated by Mrs. Aidem, Kevin decides he doesn't want to end up like that and breaks up with Julie.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: N/A
8.5/10328 votes#16 - Double Double Date
Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 2/26/1992
Kevin wants to date Inga and he uses Winnie to help him get a date. Winnie does the same thing to Kevin, getting set up with new guy Matt Stevens. They end up double-dating at the Spring Dance, bringing some tension to the evening. But when Matt and Inga begin to dance together, Winnie and Kevin rediscover their feelings for each other.
Director: Peter Baldwin
Writer: Mark B. Perry
8.1/10339 votes#17 - Hero
Season 5 Episode 17 - Aired 3/11/1992
Kevin is on a first-name basis with McKinley's High's basketball hero, Bobby Riddle. When the team makes it to the regional finals, Kevin's dad decides to attend the game and embarrasses Kevin by talking strategy with Paul and Chuck. Later, though, Kevin apologizes to his dad for how he treated him.
Director: Stephen Cragg
Writer: David Greenwalt
7.8/10294 votes#18 - Lunch Stories
Season 5 Episode 18 - Aired 3/18/1992
It's lunchtime at McKinley High and the cafeteria is full of life. Chuck spies a potential date. Ricky worries about an assignment he is yet to finish. Wayne tries to win $20 by finding out Maniac's first name. And Kevin is convinced by Winnie to donate blood.
Director: Ken Topolsky
Writer: Sy Dukane, Denise Moss
8.0/10297 votes#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.
Director: Nancy Cooperstein
Writer: David Greenwalt
8.3/10310 votes#20 - The Lost Weekend
Season 5 Episode 20 - Aired 4/8/1992
When Kevin's parents go away for the weekend, he invites his friends around for a poker game. But when the game gets boring, Chuck and Ricky call all their friends and Kevin ends up throwing the mother of all parties at home - ruining the house. Norma and Jack return the next day, earlier than expected.
Director: Arthur Albert
Writer: Sivert Glarum
8.1/10293 votes#21 - Stormy Weather
Season 5 Episode 21 - Aired 4/22/1992
When Karen returns home one night, Kevin and Wayne's living arrangements are thrown into chaos. She's had a fight with Michael and they're not talking. Jack discovers that Michael had asked Karen to marry him, but she didn't want to do anything so traditional. Michael camps out on the Arnold family front lawn in the hopes of getting Karen back. Ten days later, Karen proposes to Michael herself.
Director: Ken Topolsky
Writer: Sy Dukane, Denise Moss
8.1/10295 votes#22 - The Wedding
Season 5 Episode 22 - Aired 4/29/1992
While Karen has agreed to marry Michael, she has not agreed to have a traditional ceremony like her mother wants. She also doesn't know how to tell her family that she and Michael are moving to Alaska, where he has found work.
Director: Peter Baldwin
Writer: Mark B. Perry
8.0/10297 votes#23 - Back to the Lake
Season 5 Episode 23 - Aired 5/6/1992
Summertime used to be fun, but now everyone's gotta work. Kevin has a job at a Chinese Restaurant with Paul, but one day - after finding a Christmas card he received from Cara, decides he will visit her at the lake. Paul has no choice but to tag along because Kevin is driving. Kevin feels like recapturing the wonderful time he had last summer, but things don't go to plan.
Director: Michael Dinner
Writer: N/A
7.6/10298 votes#24 - Broken Hearts and Burgers
Season 5 Episode 24 - Aired 5/13/1992
Kevin is torn between whether to try getting back with Winnie or just enjoying his time at the diner with friends. Includes flashbacks of Winnie in the pilot, "Steady as She Goes," "Nemesis," "How I'm Spending My Summer Vacation," among many others. There is also a flashback to Becky Slater in "Just Between You and Me and Kirk and Paul and Carla and Becky," to Lisa Berlini in "Dance with Me" and to Madeline in "It's a Mad, Mad, Madeline World."
Director: Ken Topolsky
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of The Wonder Years Season 5
Every episode of The Wonder Years Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Wonder Years Season 5!
The story of Kevin Arnold facing the trials and tribulations of youth while growing up during the 1960s and 70s. Told through narration from an...
Genres:ComedyDramaFamily
Network:ABC
Season 5 Ratings Summary
"The Lake" is the best rated episode of "The Wonder Years" season 5. It scored 8.6/10 based on 402 votes. Directed by Michael Dinner and written by N/A, it aired on 10/2/1991. This episode is rated 0.5 points higher than the second-best, "Day One".