Black-led ‘Wonder Years’ reboot tackles Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in emotional debut episode

On the series premiere of the Black-led The Wonder Years reboot, inspired by the eponymous hit ABC show that ran from 1988 to 1993, we met Dean, a 12-year-old living in Montgomery, Ala., in 1968.

Throughout much of Wednesday’s pilot episode, Dean is seen dealing with usual kid stuff, like bullying and his best friend stealing his girl. But we also saw him and his family dealing with some heavier topics, like the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Addressing the historical moment in the series premiere definitely resonated with viewers on Twitter.

The emotional episode was directed by the original show’s star, Fred Savage, who also serves as an executive producer for the series. And if reactions on social media are any indication, the show is already making an impact.

Much like the original series, this version of The Wonder Years mixes humor with the heartfelt. And while the first one was narrated by Daniel Stern, the baton has been handed to a new narrator, Don Cheadle.

“Everybody in my family plays that day over and over in their minds,” Cheadle said, speaking as an older version of Dean in the show. “But for different reasons. For each of us, it felt like the world around us had changed forever.”

The Wonder Years airs Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

Watch how history was made on the latest season of Dancing With the Stars:

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