The Wonder Years Review: The Sleepover (Season 1 Episode 16)

The Wonder Years Season 1 Episode 16, “The Sleepover,” falters this week after delivering its strongest episode to date, but this outing still provides easy laughs and the show’s trademark heart. 

Perhaps it’s the episode’s simple premise: Dean has a sleepover at his best friend Corey’s house, wherein he must keep news of Coach Long’s financial woes under lock and key. Through a series of sitcom shenanigans spawned from miscommunication (always fodder for laughs), Dean learns secrets don’t make friends. 

COREY: You know, everybody told me you’d be petty, and I defended you.

Then again, countless shows predating The Wonder Years have executed simpler plotlines to masterful results. “The Sleepover” feels flat in comparison.

Maybe The Powers That Be wanted to showcase an easygoing story after the poignant, hard-hitting tale told in “Black Teacher.” Not every plot needs intricacy and profundity to resonate with audiences. “The Sleepover” features more lightheartedness than its predecessor, which is not necessarily a bad thing. 

BILL: We gotta put some bells on his shoes.

Balance is critical, and that’s something at which The Wonder Years excels. Elisha Williams and Don Cheadle achieve perfect synchrony, with Williams’ physicality and choices matching Cheadle’s pitch-perfect narration. 

Admittedly, Williams and Cheadle are the draws for every episode. They still shine, even in weaker outings. “The Sleepover” poses big lessons for Dean, and our two leads convey these brilliantly. 

It’s never easy overcoming envy and pettiness as an adolescent, and learning discretion, especially when it involves your best friend, is even more challenging. Even if a particular episode like “The Sleepover” feels lacking in narrative action, The Wonder Years never fails to deliver thought-provoking life lessons with a heaping helping of nostalgia. 

DEAN: The fact that Coach Long was entrusting me with a secret he couldn’t tell Corey made me feel mature, special.

Overall, “The Sleepover” isn’t the best episode of the bunch. Still, it serves its purpose by thrusting Dean into an uncomfortable, character-building situation where he comes out on the other side thriving. That’s the whole point of The Wonder Years, right? That and Dulé Hill’s exceptional dad jokes and biting humor as the show patriarch. 

Regardless, this series will always enthrall its audience with lovable characters, humorous one-liners, and endearing moments, no matter how top-tier or just-okay an episode might be. 

Stray Observations: 

• Who didn’t play the “The Floor is Lava” game when sleeping over at a friend’s house in grade school? It’s a classic!
• Dean’s innocence regarding his parents’ sexual escapades is endearing. Here’s hoping he stays that innocent for a while longer. 
• Parental discord always affects the kids — it’s a trickle-down effect. Ask any child of divorce. 
• Kim is a Fashion Queen, and all must bow down to her. 
• You’d need more than a knife to cut the sexual tension lingering between Bill and Lillian. 

What did you think of this episode of The Wonder Years? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Wonder Years airs Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c on ABC.

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