01x22 - Love, Dean

Episode transcripts for the 2021 TV show "The Wonder Years". Aired: September 22,2021 - present.*
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Coming-of-age story of a 12-year-old Black boy in Montgomery, Ala., in the late 1960s.
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01x22 - Love, Dean

Post by bunniefuu »

["Hot Fun in the Summertime" plays]

ADULT DEAN: The start
of summer in the South


is always a time of new beginnings.

♪ End of spring ♪

For some, that means less clothes.

♪ And here she comes back ♪

For others, that means more work.

But this summer, it means
less mama for everybody.


She had just gotten a big promotion

that meant she'd be away for
a few weeks over the summer.


She was actually excited she
was going to be working
more.

Well, did you want me to put
them in order chronologically

or based on food type?

I want to be able to eat without
having to brush up on algebra.

This way, you'll have everything
you need while I'm gone.

I mean, Bruce can take care of himself,

and only thing Kim needs
is a purse and a phone,

- but Dean...
- When I was his age,

my parents forgot they had me
for two months, and I was fine.

- [Toaster clicks]
- The toaster's stuck.

Should I use a Kn*fe?

No.

[Sighs] Okay, I will look after him.

I'm more concerned about you out
on those roads to Birmingham.

How many miles on the station wagon now?

Getting close to , .

We may need to look into a new car
that can handle all those miles.

Really?

To be clear, when I said "new car,"

I meant "new used car."

You know, new for you.

Mama wasn't the only one
enjoying a new beginning.


Keisa had a new boyfriend that
turned out to be pretty nice.


So I wasn't losing the
potential love of my life


as much as I was gaining a new friend.

Yeah, that's... that...
that's an even trade.


Dean, it's your turn.

Broderick, for his part,

- got to have a gorgeous girlfriend...
- Double fives!

- ... that solidified his coolness...
- Watch out for this one.

- He's good.
- ... while also getting a new friend

he could be his geeky self with

in a way he couldn't
with his cool friends.


Yep, symbiosis at its finest.

You're saying you actually
like being the third wheel?

Well, we all benefit something from it.

Here, let me explain.

- It...
- Don't say "symbiosis."

That's weird, too.

Well, call it weird if you want,

but [sighs] all I know is,
it's kind of a relief

not to be worrying about Keisa

and what she thinks of
me all the time now.

Summer's gonna be great.

♪ ♪

- I saw that!
- Of course, to get to summer,

you had to get through
the last week of school.


But everyone knew that
was just a formality.


There were no tests, no homework,

- no attempts at discipline.
- [Yawns]

Even the bullies were phoning it in.

The high point of the last week

was getting and signing our yearbooks.

Guys, there's one of all of us.

We were the first Black
kids in the school.


Clearly the photographer
hadn't figured out


how to light Black skin yet.

And guess what... he never did.

Hey, Dean. You haven't
signed my yearbook yet.

So I saved you a spot
right next to Broderick.

Oh, cool.

- [Yearbook thuds lightly]
- [Sighs]

- [Pen scraping]
- [Indistinct conversations]

- [Scraping continues]
- [Conversations continue]

There you go.

See you, guys.

[Sighs]

[Chuckles]

What?

Not only did you just write
the longest note in history,

you signed it "Love you, Dean."

- No, I didn't.
- Uh, yeah, you did.

- Did I?
- I was so caught up

in my poetic genius,
I didn't even realize


I had accidentally confessed
my love to Keisa.


She probably didn't even notice, anyway.

I saw a whole bunch
of people write that.

Yeah. Girls do that to other girls.

You only say "love" to your mom or wife.

And your dad when he's about to die.

CORY: So, oh, wise Dean,

what do you think Keisa's
gonna think of that?

Or your new best friend Broderick?

If Broderick or Keisa
still thinks I like her,

then it could ruin our
delicate symbio...

- Ah!
- Balance.

Our balanced, three-way relationship.

Quick, Norman, give me your yearbook.

- What are you doing?
- If I write "love you"

in everyone's yearbooks, then
it's just Dean being Dean.

Then I can say it's my "thing."

Hey, Stephanie, love ya.

Tyler, love ya, too.

Hey, Coach, love ya.

I'll see you in detention.

[Indistinct conversations]

♪ All I know ♪

♪ Ohhh, through the highs and the lows ♪

♪ I'mma find my way home ♪

♪ ♪

I'm a genius.

You haven't said that in three days.

I was starting to worry.

I got Broderick's yearbook first,

so now I'm just gonna
sign "Love, Dean" in it.

Then it'll feel the same as
how I wrote in Keisa's.

- Problem solved.
- You know what?

In that ridiculous little third-wheel
relationship you got going on,

that actually makes sense.

Not only was I solving my problem,

I also found myself putting in words

how much my friendship with
Broderick actually meant to me.


I mean, it wasn't at
"Me and Cory" level,


but he'd definitely jumped to the top

of my "If Anything
Happens to Cory" list.


"Love, Dean."

My best work yet.

♪ ♪

Thanks for signing my yearbook.

Here's yours.

See ya, Dean.

Uh-oh, something ain't right.

Just "Broderick"?

Is that good?

Is it bad?

What the hell, man?

♪ ♪

Well, I gotta say... this
is good news, real good.

[Laughs] I can't believe it.

Hey, Mama, can you sign up for snacks

for the class party instead of Daddy?

- He always buys the cheap stuff...
- Well, all right.

- ... and [sighs] I can't be that kid.
- Uh-huh.

Shhhh! Your father is on the phone

- with Marvin Gaye's manager.
- Yeah.

[Chuckles] Thanks, yes.

Well, I look forward
to meeting you, too.

[Receiver clacks]

[Sighs]

Did I just hear you say Marvin Gaye?

Is that Marvin Gaye with
an "e" or without the "e"?

- With the "e."
- Oh! [Laughs]

His manager heard one of
my songs and loved it.

He wants me to slide me
into his songwriting stable.

- Oh!
- Could possibly help Marvin

- create his next hit.
- Oh, my God, Bill, that is just... Oh!

- What's happening?
- Guess who Daddy's working with.

Ain't no mountain high enough
to keep me from finding out.

- Oh!
- Girl!

[Laughs] So when do I
get to meet Marvin Gaye?

Be cool.

And first, they want me to head
to New York for the summer,

make some connections.

Wait, New York?

In fact, he said he wants me
up there next week. [Chuckles]

- Perfect timing.
- [Water running]

Um, are you forgetting about something?

[Faucet squeaks, water stops]

[Sighs]

Birmingham.

I'm supposed to be there all next
week as a part of my promotion.

And a bunch of weeks over the summer.

Who's gonna take care
of things around here?

Lil, we're talking about Marvin Gaye.

You know I've been waiting on
this kind of break since we met.

And this promotion isn't something
I've been waiting for?

Look, I [sighs] I understand,
and I'm sorry.

I wish there was a way to make
both of our opportunities work.

But writing for Marvin Gaye is a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

You'll get another promotion.

♪ ♪

I'll figure out the snacks later.

♪ ♪

[Door closes]

Mm, mm-mm-mm.

Good morning, sweetie.

Don't worry about the bus.

I'll take you once I finish these
brownies for your class party.

Girl, I was hotter than fish grease.

We didn't speak the whole night,
and here he come this morning

with his ol' "You okay, baby?"

Who's that? Daddy?

[Sighs]

- Ooh!
- But maybe he's right.

Maybe I need to turn down this promotion

and support my husband and family.

Lillian, if Cliff would've
got this opportunity,

he wouldn't even included
me in the discussion.

He just would've told me
he made the final decision

and then tell me how much
money I could spend.

Oh, Viv.

Oh, no, I'm not complaining.
It's the system we have.

I like it. I agreed to it.

But what I'm saying is when I do
feel some type of way about it,

I like to look at you.

- Really?
- Oh, girl, please.

Now, don't be acting like
you ain't the Miss Boss Lady

clacking and clacking around
here with your work outfits

and your lunch breaks
and your typewriter,

using your white girl voice.

- "Alabama State Treasury Department."
- [Laughs]

I've heard her use that voice before.

[Sighs]

Now, listen, you deserve to go as
far as the Good Lord will let you.

And I'm-a keep watching.

[Bowl clinks]

Oh, no, Lil, you know you're
wrong to send him to school

all hopped up on that sugar like that.

That's his teacher's problem, not mine.

♪ ♪

Just in time.

And grab a hose and get to rinsing.

[Birds chirping]

Mnh-mnh. Don't.

[Gasps]

Did you just get my hair wet?!

Dean, get on your bike and ride away!

Kim, put the shoe back on!

- Now, Dean!
- Yeah.

[Horn honks]

[Wilson Pickett's "Mustang Sally" plays]

♪ ♪

[Gearshift clicks, engine shuts off]

[Car door opens]

♪ ♪

♪ Mustang Sally ♪

- ♪ Unh ♪
- Excuse me.

♪ Ha ♪

♪ Guess you better slow
your Mustang down ♪

- Whose car is that?
- It's mine.

I went and traded my old car in

and got this one fresh off the lot.

You did what?

You know we don't make
purchases like that

- without discussing it first.
- Oh.

I didn't think we discussed
things anymore

before making final decisions.

Like you did about going to New York.

[Birds chirping]

♪ ♪

Dean, you get my hair
wet with that hose,

and you gonna wish you didn't.

♪ ♪

Get out, I'm using the bathroom.

You're not using the bathroom,
you're brushing your teeth.

[Faucet squeaks, water runs, stops]

BILL: This isn't about
the car and you know it!

LILLIAN: Bill, I'm not
getting into this.

Well, we gotta figure something out.

Why don't you figure it out this time?

Like I figured out what to do
when I got into Michigan

for my master's, but chose to go to A&M

because you wanted to stay in Alabama.

Why are you bringing that stuff up now?

Why aren't you bringing it up?

- [Spits]
- [Spits]

Hey!

Sorry, but you kinda had it coming.

Ugh.

♪ ♪

[Indistinct conversations, laughter]

They're mad at me. I know it.

I guess your new friend over there knows

that you still got a Jones for his girl.

Man, he was right.

Maybe it was crazy to
think I could be friends


with both Broderick and
Keisa in the first place.


Hey, uh, who wants cake?

- Me!
- Me!

Things were weird between Mama and Daddy

at home and still weird between me,

Keisa, and Broderick at school.

And I felt like both situations
were because of me.


We need to talk.

- [Thunder rumbles]
- Uh, well, uh,

- uh...
- MS. ANDERSON: Dean?

It's fixing to storm something awful.

Will you run to the utility
room and get a table?

We're gonna bring all these
refreshments inside.

- Yes, ma'am.
- Uh, you'll need some help.

I'll go with you.

♪ ♪

[Exhales deeply]

♪ ♪

[Door closes]

Ah, th-there's a table right there.

Uh, I'll grab one end,
y-you grab the other.

Here, let's go.

[Siren wailing]

That's the tornado warning.

'Kay, uh...

We should just stay here.

Uh... 'Kay.

[Wailing continues]

[Rattling]

[Thunder crashes]

BOTH: One Mississippi,
two Mississippi, three...

[Wind rushing]

[Thunder crashes]

[Wind rushing]

It's really close.

[Sighs]

Can I talk to you about the yearbooks?

On second thought, uh, I
got my running shoes on.

I think I'm-a just run
to the main building.

Dean, don't be stupid.

[Wind rushing]

I'm sorry I haven't signed
your yearbook yet.

It's just... I don't know
how to tell you...

my parents are sending me
to Oklahoma for the summer.

Wait. What?

Broderick is really upset.

I mean, I know he's gonna get a
new girlfriend while I'm gone.

After all, he's in high
school next year.

- [Wind rushing]
- [Sighs]

I thought you guys were mad at me.

Why would we be mad at you?

'Cause of what I wrote in your yearbook.

[Thunder rumbling]

You know, the "Love you."

[Sighs]


All my friends said that it's weird

that I'm friends with you and Broderick,

and I thought it would be weirder

if I put "Love you" in it.

They're right.

It would be weird if they did it.

But not you.

Why's that?

'Cause most boys aren't
as sweet as you, Dean.

Unless "Love you" meant "I love you."

Like "Love" love.

Ah, yeah. Love "love." I mean, yuck.

[Laughs]

You know, this is gonna
be the first summer

we're not together.

[Wind rushing]

Wow.

You're right.

I was spending so much time
worrying about Broderick...

[Wind rushing]

I can't imagine not seeing
you for that long either.

[Thunder crashing]

BOTH: One Mississippi, two Mississippi.

[Thunder crashes]

- [Rain pounding]
- [Lights rattling]

[Wind rushing]

♪ ♪

We had every reason to be scared.

But something about that moment,

in spite of all the storms
outside that room,


made me feel oddly safe.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

What if it was "Love" love?

♪ ♪

[Electricity crackles]

♪ ♪

[Thunder crashes, wind rushing]

♪ ♪

[Clattering]

♪ ♪

[Wind whistles, rain pattering]

PRINCIPAL: Attention,
teachers and students,


the tornado warning has passed.

Please return to your classrooms.

ADULT DEAN: As we returned to
our friends and classmates,


everyone was relieved
the storm was over.


But me and Keisa knew that
kiss turned things upside down


more than a tornado ever could.

[Indistinct conversations]

- [Locker opens]
- BRODERICK: There you are!

[Indistinct conversations]

I was wondering where you were.

W-W-Why were you
wondering that? [Chuckles]

W-We weren't doing anything.

Relax.

We had to take shelter
in the utility room.

Oh, okay.

I'm glad you two are all right.

We still didn't do anything.

[Laughs]

Always with the jokes.

[Chuckles]

I finally got the chance to read
what you wrote in my yearbook.

Oh, uh, y-you can forget that.

Can I see yours again?
I-I want to add something.

In my guilty state,
I imagined him writing


how much he truly appreciated
me and how he was glad


we became friends.

I didn't think there was anything

that could have made me feel any lower.

- [Locker shuts] _
- Huh, I was wrong.

Want to get ice cream
sodas after school?

- Okay.
- See you later, Dean.

[Indistinct conversations]

[Sighs]

After you've been through a few
tornado seasons in the South,


you learn that no matter
how big the storm,


life still goes on.

That meant me and Daddy still had to get

our "start of summer" haircuts
after the last day of school.


Now, now, now, this one wasn't nothing.

Y'all remember the twister
that came through in ' ?

That bad boy was a mile wide.

Pulled my daddy's mulberry
tree straight out the ground.

Please, my friend Cooper
came home... house gone.

[Laughter]

But Daddy and I weren't
in the mood for jokes.


Uh, what's the matter?
Cat got your tongue?

Well, now, maybe he's upset

because his mama went
behind his daddy's back

and bought her own vehicle.

- Dad, I told you that in confidence.
- What?

You're like a bad refrigerator.

- Can't keep nothing.
- Now, if you ask me,

first mistake was letting
her learn to drive.
: : , --] : : ,
[Laughter]

So she bought a car with your money?

Seems like that should be illegal.

Our money.

What was that? Please, please,
s-s-say it again a little louder.

- Our money!
- Ah, now,

s-see, that's the mistake, right there.

Next thing you know, the man will
be staying at home with the kids,

and the wife will be working.

[Chuckles] Maybe we
should just surrender

to the commies if that happens.

Better learn how to say "collard greens"

and "sweet potatoes" in Russian.

[Laughter]

There shol' is a lot of talk
about "man's work" from cats

who got three hours
to sit in a barbershop

- in the middle of the day.
- [Chuckles]

♪ ♪

And he lets her write checks.

- Hey!
- What!

- No!
- MAN: Oh, no...

[Sighs]

♪ ♪

Mama, it'll be okay.

At least you weren't hurt in the storm.

You're right.

Count our blessings.

It'll never be the same.

We need to talk.

[Sighs] If this is about my work,
then I've said my piece.

- It's your turn to handle it.
- I did.

I came up with a solution
that'll make us both happy.

Okay. Let's hear it.

You'll spend the summer going
back and forth to Birmingham,

like you planned.

I'll spend the summer
in New York, and...

- Dean's coming with me.
- Wait, what?

Why does Dean get to go to New York?

I'm the one who looks like this.

- Y'all hush.
- [Sucks teeth]

We just spent minutes
in the car together,


and he couldn't give me a heads up?

Bill, are you sure about this?

Absolutely.

I don't want to be the kind of husband

that doesn't support his wife's dreams.

So I thought about what
my father would do...

and decided to do the opposite.

[Laughs]

Mama was overwhelmed
by what Daddy had done.


He bucked society's norms
for the woman he loved.


Then she turned on a dime.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Where's Dean gonna live?

What's he gonna do while you're
working? What's he gonna eat?

I think they have food
in New York, Lillian.

Dean Williams, you listen to me.

Don't you go anywhere
without your father.

There's a lot of traffic
in New York City,

so make sure you look both ways

- before you cross the street.
- [Sighs]

You know what? Just don't
even cross the street.

Just stay on whatever street
you're on and make all lefts.

Oh, my baby.

♪ ♪

[Bike thumps lightly]

♪ ♪

- Hey.
- Hey.

Um... just wanted to tell you

that I'll be going to New
York with my dad, so...

I'll also be gone all summer.

That's cool.

Sounds more fun than Oklahoma.

[Sighs] Um, I also wanted to...

talk to you about yesterday.

Um...

You know, in the utility room.

- [Horn honks]
- Keisa, get in the car!

We gotta hurry up
before traffic gets bad.

Yes, sir.

Guess I gotta go.

[Dog barking in distance]

♪ ♪

Guess I'll see you in September.

♪ ♪

- [Car door shuts]
- [Engine starts]

Boy, get out of the way!

♪ ♪

Almost forgot to give you this back.

♪ ♪

_

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- BILL: All right.
- [Grunts]

[Grunting]

♪ ♪

Aren't you gonna miss me?

- Miss sharing a bathroom?
- [Trunk closes]

- Not a chance.
- [Sighs]

But I will miss watching
Andy Griffith with you.

He's gonna be okay, Lillian.

I'll bring him back in one piece.

- These aren't for Dean.
- [Chuckles]

You just focus on your promotion.

♪ ♪

Okay.

We'll call when we stop overnight.

Be careful.

Don't worry.

I promised my dad I'd bring it.

[Both chuckle]

I think he wrote half of it.

[Both laugh]

- Love you, baby.
- I love you.

I love you.

- Will you put some clothes on?
- [Laughs]

[Sly and the Family Stone's "Hot
Fun in the Summertime" plays]

Be cool now.

In just one week, my perfect summer

had turned into a series
of question marks.


What's going on with me and Keisa?

Will I ever be able to look
Broderick in the eye again?


Maybe I would figure
it all out in New York.


I'd have plenty of time,

since I'm not allowed
to cross the street.


DEAN: I-I gotta use the bathroom.

Too late. We already left.

- B-But the house is right there.
- Nope.

But... But you could've stopped by now.

We're gonna make good time to New York.

- Don't worry.
- ♪ Ooh ♪

♪ Ooh, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Hot fun in the summertime ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, ooh ♪

♪ Hot fun in the summertime ♪

♪ Ooh, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Hot fun in... ♪
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