WONDER YEARS, THE: OUR MISS WHITE (TV)
Summary
One in this series about Kevin Arnold, a young boy growing up in the suburbs during the late 1960s, whose experiences, thoughts, and reactions are recalled by the adult Kevin, who narrates and makes wry observations throughout. In this episode, Kevin watches Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech in class, although he is distracted by his crush on his warm, passionate teacher, Miss White. He eagerly answers her questions and is pleased at receiving her approval, but then is dismayed when she asks him to portray Robert Kennedy in the class play, “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” which concerns civil rights and which she herself wrote. Disliking plays and having no acting ambitions, Kevin nevertheless agrees out of affection for her. The Arnolds are surprised to learn about Kevin’s sudden interest in drama, but Karen approves of the play’s message and Jack reluctantly agrees to pick Kevin up from his after-school rehearsals. At practice, Kevin puts on his best Boston accent and acts out a scene with Paul, who plays J. Edgar Hoover, and Miss White compliments his performance, much to his delight. Jack soon arrives, however, and embarrasses Kevin by telling Miss White about his first disastrous childhood play. As rehearsals wear on, Kevin worries that Miss White is more interested in Jack’s tragic war memories than in him, and he becomes jealous.
Finally, Kevin comes up with a plan: he calls Jack during a rehearsal and says he does not need a ride, leading Miss White to offer him a lift. Once they arrive at his house, he tries to steel himself to “make a move” and tells her that she is pretty, but then is struck with how “ridiculous” it is for him, at age twelve, to hope for a romance with her, and he gives up. When the play finally goes on, Kevin watches a classmate playing King delivering his speech onstage and worries that his emotions for Miss White will overcome him, but when it comes time to give his own speech, he looks to her for encouragement and pulls it off. As the audience applauds, Miss White is greeted backstage by her very grown-up boyfriend, and Kevin is saddened to witness it, but he decides that some dreams are more “lasting and real” than others. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 7, 1988 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:30:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:81110
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1988-1993
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Neal Marlens … Executive Producer, Created by
- Carol Black … Executive Producer, Created by
- Bob Brush … Co-Executive Producer
- Steve Miner … Supervising Producer
- Jeffrey Silver … Producer
- Caroline Baron … Associate Producer
- Michael J. Weithorn … Writer
- Peter Baldwin … Director
- W.G. Snuffy Walden … Music by
- Fred Savage … Cast, Kevin Arnold
- Dan Lauria … Cast, Jack Arnold
- Alley Mills … Cast, Norma Arnold
- Olivia d'Abo … Cast, Karen Arnold
- Jason Hervey … Cast, Wayne Arnold
- Danica McKeller … Cast, Winnie Cooper
- Josh Saviano … Cast, Paul Pfeiffer
- Wendel Meldrum … Cast, Miss White
- Shea Farrell … Cast, Steve
- E'lon … Cast, Young Martin Luther King
- Krista Murphy … Cast, Carla Healey
- Matthew Kohnt … Cast, Hoover Aide #1
- Dustin Wride … Cast, Hoover Aide #2