'The Wonder Years' ended its run in 1993. Set in 1968, 'The Wonder Years' looked at growing up in a suburban community. Neal Marlens explained, "It's the story of a family, but it's seen from the viewpoint of the boy (Kevin Arnold). We didn't set out to do anything deep. 'Leave It To Beaver' in its day (1957-1963) was well thought out. But I think the audiences (in 1988) want to be challenged by something more substantial."
Neal made the observation, "We grew up in a controversial period and we're more prone to writing that way. But there are some things about growing up that never change. Things that happened to the Cleavers could happen to the Arnolds, too." Carol Black added, "1968 was a year when a lot of amazing things took place...(But) the period is more of a backdrop than the essence of the show."
Carol made the point, "When you're young you don't have a context in which to place things. It's just part of the world. It's a time when you get your first impression of life." Fred Savage believed, "I think what I'm going through and what the boy in the '60s is going through is the same thing, to be totally honest...We are 20 years apart...That'd be a difference, what's been invented since then."
Daniel Stern played the grown-up Kevin, "I'd never done voiceover before so I've had to learn as I went along. I like my part. There's a lot of emotions and conflict to be acted out. I think it's good that the narrator is an adult. It wouldn’t be as effective if the narrator was Kevin’s age. It’s a good device that helps pull the stories together." Carol maintained, "Some people approach the narration by narrating it. Danny approached it as an actor by really acting." Neal made known, "We were really looking for someone who seemed like they were sort of sitting with a bunch of friends, telling a story...about when he was growing up in a suburban community."
It was noted, "The post-production is a lot more complicated than in most shows because we’re cutting the narration against the picture, which is actually rather complicated technically."
