My So Called Life and The Wonder Years

General discussion about the nineteen episodes of "My So-Called Life". Note: Our episode guide can be found here.
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Frances Farmer
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My So Called Life and The Wonder Years

Post by Frances Farmer » Oct 22nd 2003, 12:37 pm

Are my two favorite television shows of all time. Maybe I'm a fan of teen angst. I think it's because both were very funny and moving in the same episode and felt real. Anyway there are many similiarites, same ideas for storylines but they go different ways but start the same.

- Both are about teens, in different time periods, but both have the same feel to me, just different clothes and different times.

- Both have an episode about having zit, and both episodes are called The Zit, and both are dramatic points for the characters.

- Both have storylines where main characters do Our Town and its both very dramatic for reasons not having to do with the play, Winnie Does it with Kevin operating the light with her divorced parents in the audience and Winnie hopes this could bring them together, and of course reyanne does it when she's apologizing for Jordan and saying goodbye to Angela.

- Both have an episode that revolves around a guy asking out another girl but wanting to ask another girl and then the second girl asks him out and he dumps the first girl then feels guilty, Krakow with delia but wanted Angela, and Wonder Years did it about twenty times, winnie and he go on double dates, one where his science partner likes him and he agrees to go with her then asks another girl, they did it a lot.

- Both have a main character helping a guy to get with a girl who he wants to be with, Krakow with Jordan and Angela, and Kevin with Kirk McCrae and Winnie, in the famous "Does she like me, like me, or just like me?" episode.

- Both have things that they don't reveal to the audience but always giving clues, wonder years had never naming the town and other things, and mscl had many things like that, tino for example.

- Both got cancelled

Now I understand these are generally plots of teenager shows but still as I'm watching mscl every episode reminds me of wonder years while still being very unique on it's own.

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Post by Nothingman » Oct 22nd 2003, 1:40 pm

Both A.J. Langer and Devon Odessa appear in episode #110 “The Eclipse” where Kevin goes on a field trip to the planetarium. This episode makes many of the same comments as MSCL does in the beginning of “Why Jordan Can’t Read” where Angela goes to the museum. AJ plays “Mary Jo Genaro, senior year. She became the first girl with McKinley to take her parole officer to the prom.” Kind of reminds you a Rayanne doesn’t it? Devon Odessa is one of AJ’s friends on the bus and a small part of her face can be seen to the left of AJ in the picture at the following link. Devon, makes a bet with AJ that she won’t make out with the extremely nerdy kid on the bus, she later does and gives him a hicky.
http://home.t-online.de/home/reynders/wy/langer.htm

Both have musical scores by W.G Snuffy. He performed the musical score for episodes 1-6.

And though it is true that both got cancelled, The Wonder Years (TWY) was canceled due to the maturing of its stars and the fading of it’s “wonder”. It debuted directly following the 1988 Super bowl, and enjoyed 6 seasons of play. TWY was given it’s chance and it shined, MSCL never was.
"To come to your senses, you must first go out of your mind." - Alan Watts

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Post by Sascha » Oct 22nd 2003, 1:44 pm

Winnie Holzman wrote episode #43 of TWY: "Cocoa and Sympathy". It was one of her first screenwriter jobs.

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Post by Frances Farmer » Oct 22nd 2003, 2:57 pm

I know aj was in it I didn't realize devon was in it, I got it taped somewhere I gotta find it!

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Post by pistolpeg » Oct 22nd 2003, 3:29 pm

Both shows also do episodes about a class poll.
Sometimes someone says something really small, and it just fits right into this empty place in your heart.

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Post by Frances Farmer » Oct 22nd 2003, 3:54 pm

Right the lisa berlini poll.

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Post by Hunee » Oct 22nd 2003, 9:04 pm

I love that show!!! the wonder years that is!!! I think my favorite episode is the last one only because it was a really satisfying ending but when kevin goes to find winnie it is really funny when he is wearing that tomato shirt and he jumps in the pool... I just recently saw the star trek episode when becky slater punches him in the stomach... that was funny!!! I cant really remember the seasons to well... umm the episode where david schwimmer is on there lawn and it starts to rain and everyone is staring at him threw the window... just really a great show!!! i cant wait till it comes on dvd
so make the best of this test, and dont ask why
its not a question, but a lesson learned in time its something unpredictable, but in the end is right i hope you had the time of your life

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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Oct 23rd 2003, 2:12 am

Don't hold your breath - the music clearance is too expensive which is one of the main reasons why it hasn't been released yet.
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Post by Natasha (candygirl) » Oct 23rd 2003, 2:24 am

Natasha aka candygirl :: MSCL.com

Look, if this is weird for you, being tutored? I don't mind helping you a little longer.
You could have sex with me if you really want to help...I guess that's a "no"?

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Post by Jody Barsch » Nov 17th 2003, 12:11 am

Also two episodes that are very similar is MSCL's "The Substitute" and WY episode about Kevin and a female teacher-- I don't know any Wonder Years episode names. (I am no thinking of the music teacher, I don't hink, my memory may be confusing two) But with an english teacher: the students could sit on their desks, they had a class outside on the grass, the students were empassioned and excited, she also gives kevin a ride in her car just as Vick does with Angela. Kevin's teacher also leaves (I do not remember if she is fired or leaves for personal reasons) and after she leaves, the class is boring and tame, they have to sit in the desks, just as at the end of "The Substitute" things go back to normal, Rayane and Rickie stick their heads in and see the fat old lady substitute. I love both of these episodes, but maybe that is because I am a high school English teacher.

My absolute favorite Wonder Years episode, is when Apollo 13 is in trouble and Norma has misplaced the reciepts for that year, and Kevin is freaked out that his father is going to kill his mom, he follows her to a church and sees her praying, but it turns out she is praying for the astronaughts, and the parents spend all night recounting the year's purchases together. This series was amazing!!

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Post by emmie » Nov 17th 2003, 12:41 am

I also loved The Wonder Years. I think there is something about having a commentary of a teenager's life that is so poignant. I loved the friendship/romance of Winnie and Kevin. and while I really liked the final episode, I cried at the very end. and to this day I am still upset that they did not allow Winnie and Kevin to stay together in the future.


emmie

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Post by Nothingman » Nov 17th 2003, 12:36 pm

The episode about the teacher you are refering to is called Kodacrome. Ms. Shaw is the English teacher fresh out of college who inspires her students and makes them think much as Vick did. After the school regects her pass/fail grading system she decides to let the students pick their own grades. When the school demands she grade the tradition way, she leaves.

Here's a transcript:
http://mytwyyearbook.tripod.com/ep082.html
"To come to your senses, you must first go out of your mind." - Alan Watts

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Post by Nothingman » Dec 8th 2003, 2:10 pm

In Episode 76 "Soccer" Paul Dooley, who plays Patty's father, Chuck, is the soccer coach. He is a large part of the story but has very few lines. He plays ex-footbal coach who was once considered great, but later replaced by a younger man. One year from his pention he is sent to coach Kevin's budding, yet utterly horrible, soccer team. He could care less about the team at first, but later on provides a few words of wisdom for the players.
"To come to your senses, you must first go out of your mind." - Alan Watts

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