S01:E19 Love & War

[AgentRXS]

Quote

Bruce returns home from Vietnam, and the family is shocked to find out he is dating an older woman with an 8-year-old son with whom he is eager to start his life. When they learn more about Bruce’s latest deployment, they begin to understand his survivors’ guilt and come together to support him.

Original Air Date: April 13, 2022

[callie lee 29]

Well fuck now I'm crying...

[Arcadiasw]

They got me with that ending. 😢

[JenLily]

Hoo, that knocked me out. 😭

[theredhead77]

Pass the Kleenex.

[pennben]

Chills. 

[txhorns79]

I appreciated the nod to the original series.  This show often has little moments that can raise the bar of an otherwise average episode and I think that was one of them.  Having said that, I'm not sure the continuity is completely correct.  From what I remember from the original series, Brian was killed in the pilot episode which took place in September 1968 (since the kids were just starting junior high), and I think here they are well into Spring 1969. 

[yanksno1]

Wow, I just got chills. They tied that in perfect. This show is really a surprise.

[Sarah 103]

18 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I appreciated the nod to the original series.  This show often has little moments that can raise the bar of an otherwise average episode and I think that was one of them.  Having said that, I'm not sure the continuity is completely correct.  From what I remember from the original series, Brian was killed in the pilot episode which took place in September 1968 (since the kids were just starting junior high), and I think here they are well into Spring 1969. 

Here's why I think the timing works. Bruce could have have put the medal in his desk when he was home in December. It's possible he could have done it more recently when Dean was out of room/wasn't looking. Clearly Dean respects his brother's privacy and doesn't go looking through his brother's things on regular basis, otherwise he would have already known about the medal. 

That being said, I don't know how much time usually elapses between the action and someone in the military recieving a medal for the action.

This episode had score that sounded more like Snuffy Walden than usual for this series, especially during the proposal scene. As soon Bruce said Brian, I though "Brian Cooper?!" and then went back and forth between "No way" and "Maybe." When Bruce mentioned Brian had a sister, I knew I was right the first time.

In my opinion, this was easily the best episode of the series so far. If we get a second season, I want to see a multi-episode story-arc on Bruce adjsuting to civilian life post-Vietnam. The story of a Black Vietnam Veteran adjusting to civilian life in the late 1960s/early 1970s isn't a story that has been told on TV/in movies a zillion times. 

[possibilities]

Especially right now, when there's a war going on and people are feeling very strongly about it in the present, this story has an extra impact. IT's not just thinking about the past. It's also highlighting that even when you are a hero, war is hell and it has a cost. It's hard to celebrate, even when you're getting told you did a good job. There's a grief no matter.

[januaryman]

https://deadline.com/2022/04/the-wonder-years-original-series-easter-egg-spoilers-1235001998/

I hope this series is renewed.

[Bookish Jen]

I got goosebumps when Bruce talked about his friend Brian. And when he showed the picture of Brian with his little sister Winnie, I got a bit verklempt. 

And on a shallow note, I think the actor who plays Bruce is really cute.

[Snow Apple]

I was waiting for this since the first episode, but when Bruce said the name "Brian" I was going "I'm not ready! I'm not ready! I'm not ready!" And then they showed that picture. 😢

[Empress1]

Hello Yvonne Oriji, aka Molly from Insecure!

”Who the fuck is this?” cracked me completely up. So did “unfortunately, Joey was still her son.”

20 hours ago, pennben said:

Chills. 

Tears. That was amazing.

[theredhead77]

This episode makes me want to go back and watch the original. I know I watched it but I have very few memories of it.

[madpsych78]

Yeah, we're going to need more of Bruce and his storyline. Besides the obvious reasons, but also Dean has a potential nemesis in Bruce's girlfriend's son, which could be funny. Adult Dean's "who the f*ck is this" was comedy gold.

[Raja]

On 4/13/2022 at 9:19 PM, Sarah 103 said:

Here's why I think the timing works. Bruce could have have put the medal in his desk when he was home in December. It's possible he could have done it more recently when Dean was out of room/wasn't looking. Clearly Dean respects his brother's privacy and doesn't go looking through his brother's things on regular basis, otherwise he would have already known about the medal. 

That being said, I don't know how much time usually elapses between the action and someone in the military recieving a medal for the action.

This episode had score that sounded more like Snuffy Walden than usual for this series, especially during the proposal scene. As soon Bruce said Brian, I though "Brian Cooper?!" and then went back and forth between "No way" and "Maybe." When Bruce mentioned Brian had a sister, I knew I was right the first time.

In my opinion, this was easily the best episode of the series so far. If we get a second season, I want to see a multi-episode story-arc on Bruce adjsuting to civilian life post-Vietnam. The story of a Black Vietnam Veteran adjusting to civilian life in the late 1960s/early 1970s isn't a story that has been told on TV/in movies a zillion times. 

Just judging by war movies, medals for valor  beneath a Silver Star were given rapidly after the unit commander recommended it. You would think a General had the authority to issue them on the spot if he heard a combat report. General Patton handing out medals before he slapped the soldier in that biopic. And some were later upgraded to higher level medals after someone like Denzel Washington's Lt Colonel in Courage Under Fire did an official investigation.

Even though I mentioned Winnie when I first saw that Bruce returned injured I didn't make the connection until the picture was being sent back to her.

[bybrandy]

Add me to the group that got a little "gasp" when he started talking about Brian and a little teary when we saw Winnie.   

Bruce's episode has been the most powerful me so far.  And if we get a second season I'd love to see more Bruce.  

[PRgal]

17 hours ago, bybrandy said:

Add me to the group that got a little "gasp" when he started talking about Brian and a little teary when we saw Winnie.   

Bruce's episode has been the most powerful me so far.  And if we get a second season I'd love to see more Bruce.  

Same.  And I have to admit that I chuckled a bit when Dean said that Winnie was pretty.  Whoever wrote this may have had a crush on Danica! 

[Raja]

35 minutes ago, PRgal said:

Same.  And I have to admit that I chuckled a bit when Dean said that Winnie was pretty.  Whoever wrote this may have had a crush on Danica! 

 

Who wouldn't have a crush on Winnie Cooper?

[Sarah 103]

17 hours ago, bybrandy said:

Add me to the group that got a little "gasp" when he started talking about Brian and a little teary when we saw Winnie.   

Bruce's episode has been the most powerful me so far.  And if we get a second season I'd love to see more Bruce.  

If we get a second I want them to do a slight reset. Focus the show on the older siblings, have Dean commenting via voiceover on what is happening at home, and give Dean a subplot. I'm not sure when/how this happened, but I found the older siblings to be more interesting and enjoyable characters than Dean. 

[Bookish Jen]

17 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

If we get a second I want them to do a slight reset. Focus the show on the older siblings, have Dean commenting via voiceover on what is happening at home, and give Dean a subplot. I'm not sure when/how this happened, but I found the older siblings to be more interesting and enjoyable characters than Dean. 

I totally agree with this. Dean is a cutie, but I find Kim and Bruce to be more compelling. I want to see Kim find herself in both civil rights and second wave feminism. I want to see Bruce navigate a world that can be quite hostile towards Vietnam vets. The show can develop so many interesting stories featuring these two.

[tennisgurl]

Damn, I really should have seen it coming as soon as Bruce said his buddies name was Brian, but I didn't catch on until he said his sisters name was Winnie. I am glad that I'm not the only one who gasped, got serious chills. Best episode of the show so far. 

I hope that we can focus more on Bruce, his episodes have been the most compelling so far. 

[andromeda331]

I really wasn't expecting Bruce's friend to be Brian Cooper. That hit really hard. What a great job.

I loved Dean's rivalry with the kid. That was hilarious.

[Scarlett45]

My Mom didn’t catch the connection during her first watch, but when we just rewatched the episode together I said “wait for it”, and she leaned forward “that’s Danica McKellar!”.

This was a good episode.