History YMMV / TheWonderYears

** In the episode "Square Dance", Adult Kevin looks at a yearbook and speculates that Becky Slater either became a gossip columnist of an attorney specializing in divorce. [=Crystal McKellar=], who played Becky, would quit acting and study Law at Harvard, becoming a corporate lawyer.

** In the episode "Square Dance", Adult Kevin looks at a yearbook and speculates that Becky Slater either became a gossip columnist of an attorney specializing in divorce. Crystal McKellar, who played Becky, would quit acting and study Law at Harvard, becoming a corporate lawyer.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: While it would have been hard to really focus on it since the shows entire focus was on Kevin and the last episode ended during the summer, it's a shame that they couldn't have shown Chuck and Jeff's summer road trip in the last episode, or even have the narrator reveal anything that happened to them on that trip.

** "Hey, it's The Doctor from ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' as the asshole Gym teacher!"
** And Karen is married to Ross from ''Friends'', you do remember Karen don't you?
** Both [[WesternAnimation/InvaderZim Dib]] ''[[WesternAnimation/InvaderZim and]]'' [[WesternAnimation/InvaderZim Tak]] are on here!
** Creator/SethGreen plays a student in "Lunch Stories" and "Sex and Economics".
** The narrator would later be one of the [[Film/HomeAlone Wet Bandits]], and the voice of ''WesternAnimation/{{Dilbert}}''.
** Hey! It's [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Elaine]]'s boss Mr. Lippman playing the high school principal in "Kodachrome"!
** [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] with Music/MarilynManson. Despite the urban legend that he played Paul, the role actually belonged to Josh Saviano.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that hurt her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]], stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. It's understandable that she would hold a grudge against him after all that; even if she did go too far with it at times.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that hurt her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie,[[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]] stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. It's understandable that she would hold a grudge against him after all that; even if she did go too far with it at times.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that hurt her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]], stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. It's understandable that she would hold a grudge against him after all that; even if she did go too far with it at times.

* RetroactiveRecognition:
** In addition to their work on ''Series/TheWonderYears'', creators and executive producers Carol Black and Neal Marlens are also best known as co-creators and co-executive producers of ''Series/{{Ellen}}'' and Marlens is also best known as creator and executive producer of ''Series/GrowingPains''.
** David Greenwalt directed four episodes and wrote three episodes. Greenwalt is best known as co-creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/{{Angel}}'' and ''Series/{{Grimm}}''.
** Neal Israel directed two episodes. Israel is best known for co-writing the screenplay for ''Film/PoliceAcademy''.
** Peter Horton directed an episode. Horton is best known for playing Gary Shepherd on ''Series/{{Thirtysomething}}''
** Bob Brush wrote 14 episodes and served as co-executive producer and executive producer. Brush is best known as developer and executive producer of ''Series/EarlyEdition''.
** Matthew Carlson wrote ten episodes. Carlson is best known as creator and executive producer of ''WesternAnimation/GodTheDevilAndBob''.
** Mark Levin also wrote ten episodes. Levin is best known as co-creator and co-executive producer of ''WesternAnimation/BigMouth''.
** Sy Rosen wrote seven episodes. Rosen is best known for co-creating ''Series/GimmeABreak''.
** Jon Harmon Feldman wrote five episodes. Feldman is best known as creator and executive producer of ''Series/TruCalling'' and co-creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/NoOrdinaryFamily''.
** Robin Riordan wrote four episodes. Riordan is best known as creator and story editor of ''WesternAnimation/MaryKateAndAshleyInAction''.
** Tammy Ader wrote two episodes. Ader is best known as co-creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/StrongMedicine''.
** Michael J. Weithorn wrote an episode. Weithorn is best known as creator and executive producer of ''Series/NedAndStacey'' and co-creator and executive producer of ''Series/TheKingOfQueens''.
** Kerry Ehrin also wrote an episode. Ehrin is best known as co-developer and executive producer of ''Series/BatesMotel''.
** Winnie Holzman also wrote an episode. Holzman is best known as creator and co-executive producer of ''Series/MySoCalledLife''.
** David Kohan and Max Mutchnick also wrote an episode. Both are best known as creators and executive producers of ''Series/BostonCommon'' and ''Series/WillAndGrace'' and co-creators and executive producers of ''Series/ShitMyDadSays''.

* HilariousInHindsight: In the episode "Heart of Darkness", Paul says that he's allergic to contact lenses, but in the last two seasons he switches to contacts. In the episode before he starts wearing contacts, when Winnie informs Kevin that there's something he doesn't yet know about Paul, one of Kevin's guesses is that he's wearing contacts.
** John Corbett playing a [[MyBigFatGreekWedding character that doesn't eat meat.]]

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Miss Shaw. An idealistic teacher with bold new ideas that was unfairly driven away by a conservative school board that never gave her ideas a chance? Or an irresponsible teacher with terrible ideas that walked out on the students that needed her when she was forced to compromise with the school board? Lampshaded at the end when Adult Kevin notes that he didn't know if he should be angry at her or the school board.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Miss Shaw. An idealistic teacher with bold new ideas that was driven away by the conservative school board? Or an irresponsible teacher with terrible ideas that walked out on the students that needed her when she was forced to compromise? Lampshaded at the end when Adult Kevin notes that he didn't know if he should be angry at her or the school board.

* TheScrappy: Winnie Cooper draws the ire of many fans of the show. For one, she is a main character, but is particularly bland, with no discernible character traits that made her shine. And this on a show where she was surrounded by distinct personalities in virtually every character, even minor characters. She's essentially a "Jane Everywoman" who could be replaced if it weren't for the "GirlNextDoor" arch. Two, she is often seen as a major {{Jerkass}} to Kevin throughout the show, yet he continues to pine for her. However, it must be noted that the show is about adolescence, and Kevin is plenty a jerkass himself. Thus, teenagers will be jerkasses who will hurt the ones they love. However, several minor characters introduced either for one episode, or over a several-episode arch, have been more well received by fans as love interests for Kevin. In particular, Madeline Adams, who is often a fan favorite. Madeline is in turn made out to be a jerkass by Kevin. Although fans debate whether her behavior was actual jerkass behavior, or just behavior of someone who was sick of seeing Kevin wrapped around Winnie's finger. Especially given Winnie's disinterest in Kevin during that story arch.

* TearJerker: Built on a metric ton of these. Special stand-outs include:
** The first episode's final revelation
** Kevin's "I love you" to Winnie while she's sick at home.
** Kevin failing his piano recital utterly and admitting (in narration) that he doesn't even remember how to play anymore.
** The episode Summer Song where Kevin meets a girl he really likes while on vacation and she promises to write back to him. He gets one letter but then [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse he never hears from her again]]
** The time a teacher Kevin was starting to bond with passed away.
** The episode "Private Butthead", where Wayne intends to join the army instead of going to college, causing a fight between him and Jack. He's rejected after his physical reveals he suffers psoriasis, and he ends up crying on Jack's shoulder when he realizes he's not sure what he's going to do with the rest of his life.
** Wayne comforting his friend Wart, who's come back from the war to much scorn and feels unwelcome in their home town, by literally giving him the shirt off his back. Really, any moment that shows Wayne's human side due to his being the BigBrotherBully 90% of the time.
** The SeriesFinale's ending commentary. The entire finale has to be one of the saddest, yet most enlightening in TV history.

** Though it didn't seem like he was lying about not liking Winnie anymore when he got back with her. By then, he seemed to be over her, or at the very least, when Becky broke up with him, he seemed to genuinely like her at that point.

* Anvilicious: Much of The Greatest Generation can be summed up as "Conservatives suck."

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that wronged her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]], stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. It's understandable that she would hold a grudge against him after all that; even if she did go too far with it at times.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that wronged her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]], stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. You can't blame her for holding a grudge against him after all that; even if she did go too far with it at times.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that wronged her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]], stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. Her grudge against Kevin was justified, even if she went to far with it at times.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that wronged her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Winnie [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady, Winnie was dating someone else, and Becky was available and liked him[[/note]], stringing her along and using her to make Winnie jealous until she got wise to it and broke up with him. Then he got her to take him back by lying to her about not liking Winnie anymore and only finally came clean with her and ended it when it became clear that Winnie's current relationship was over and that Winnie might still like him. However, Becky definitely goes too far in her retaliations and Kevin did feel bad about hurting her.

* JerkassWoobie: Becky Slater. DisproportionateRetribution aside, Kevin was the one that wronged her first. He's the one that asked her to go steady when he really still liked Wendy [[note]]at the time he felt insecure about being the only kid not going steady and Becky was available[[/note]] and strung her along until the truth came out. However, she definitely goes too far with her grudge and Kevin did feel bad about hurting her.