The Wonder Years Review: Goose Grease (Season 1 Episode 18)

The Wonder Years Season 1 Episode 18, “Goose Grease,” resonates because of its timeliness and hard-hitting themes while delivering a substantial cliffhanger.

This episode marks the first time the show didn’t end on an uplifting, neatly-tied-in-a-bow note. It’s a refreshing change of pace for The Wonder Years. So far, every outing feels insular, with little to no references to events in previous episodes. But “Goose Grease” breaks the narrative mold by presenting a potential multi-episode arc. 

DEAN: Then, you get to the third child. You’re lucky if you can get them to point that camera in your direction.

Additionally, “Goose Grease” blesses us with the return of the hilarious Richard Gant as Granddaddy Clisby. Gant and Dulé Hill harbor pitch-perfect onscreen chemistry as father and son, and this episode digs deeper into the dynamics between Clisby, his son, and his grandson.

The Wonder Years excels in the character development department, and “Goose Grease” is no exception. This series thrives on the intriguing relationships between our core cast and Dean’s growth as an adolescent. As usual, the writers knock it out of the park in that regard. 

DEAN: All of us Williams men were gonna rough it together. It was gonna be just like rabbit hunting, minus the hunting and the rabbits.

While there are humorous moments aplenty in “Goose Grease,” the outing doesn’t pull punches or shy away from relevant themes. As if the chickenpox storyline isn’t enough to prove history repeats itself, the story touches on the medical field’s abhorrent mistreatment and discrimination against the Black community, especially with the infamous Tuskegee study reference. 

Granddaddy Clisby’s reluctance to seek medical treatment when Dean goes to the hospital for a blood infection artfully and poignantly addresses how terrifying it was for Black people (and still is) to put their lives in the hands of a racist institution.

The Wonder Years effortlessly balances humor and heart to explore real-world issues in a family-friendly setting.

“Goose Grease” also delves into the pervasive sexism of the 1960s (still existing today), notably with Clisby questioning the acuity and know-how of his female doctor. He’s even more bewildered to discover she’s not married. For shame! Despite the occasional cotton-candy warmth and comfort-food tone of this show, it never circumvents actual issues. 

DEAN: This was before N95s, people.

Overall, “Goose Grease” is another standout episode of The Wonder Years, brimming with stellar performances, lighthearted humor, a thought-provoking examination of history through a modern lens, and a heartbreaking ending that could kickstart the show’s first multi-episode storyline. 

Stray Observations: 

• If you were born before 2000, chances are you vividly remember contracting chickenpox. Consider this episode your waltz down Memory Lane. 
• Goose grease was legitimately used as a decongestant back in the day for whooping cough and chest colds. But did it make you smell like a barnyard?
• If watching Lillian talk about quarantine gave you wartime-esque flashbacks to the pandemic’s beginning, you’re not alone. 
• The Tuskegee syphilis study is a genuinely dark, horrifying, and shameful part of our history. Dean’s right — it should be covered extensively in our schools. 
• Bruce better be alive in next week’s episode, or heads will roll. 

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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