Small Wonder: S3E6: Read My Lips

Looking Back On My Wonder Years: A Wonder Years Podcast

Hey Everyone, Angela Bowen here, the host of She's A Small Wonder: A Small Wonder Podcast. Today, I covered Read My Lips, which aired on October 17, 1987. In this episode Jamie befriends a deaf boy for the wrong reasons. I'll be honest here, and tell you that I wanted so much more from this episode that I didn't get. It was sorely lacking. I mean, sure, it had a teachable moment (Jamie learns a valuable lesson, when doesn't he), but we could have utilized the character of Josh, the hearing impaired or deaf boy as he is referred, where he is in the class room and Vicki is translating the lesson in sign language. I was hoping we would get that. Instead we have her in the hallway being a translator between Josh and Jamie. Or Vicki could have taught Jamie sign language to communicate with Josh. We see Warren again and he just comes off like a jerk, thinking Josh would find him funny because he's speaking really fast and Josh has no idea what he 's saying and he's not even looking at Josh when he's speaking, Josh can only read lips but the person has to be facing him for that to happen. We get another reason for Ted creating Vicki in this episode, to help children with learning difficulties. Actually, Punky Brewster did an amazing episode about a hearing impaired girl who taught Punky sign language. Join me next month when I cover S3E7: The Promotion, which aired on October 24, 1987. In this episode to win a promotion over Brandon's boss fawning, Ted decides to reveal Vicki's robot secret to his boss at a company picnic unaware that Brandon is out to sabotage Ted's effort. Have a great weekend, enjoy the podcast episode!