Dulé Hill hopes that the second season of The Wonder Years will inspire conversations and empathy about accepting everyone regardless of their differences.
The Emmy-nominated actor spoke to The Wrap ahead of Wednesday’s (June 14) Season 2 premiere, which saw Bill (Hill) and his son Dean (Elisha “EJ” Williams) heading to New York City for Bill’s new songwriting job. Upon arriving in the Big Apple, Bill and Dean make friends with their neighbor, Lonnie (Tituss Burgess), a drag performer who dresses as a woman both on stage and at home.
“What I appreciate about the first episode is that we expand the lens when we say, men dressed as women have always been here. They exist. They are valued. They thrive in the world. They own their space and it’s not something new,” Hill said.
“This country has never been a monolith. We’ve always been a group of diverse, unique, valuable people and the more we can show that and honor that then I think the better things will be,” he continued.
The episode starts with Bill being unsure about his new neighbor, initially showing reluctance to interact. However, after Dean invites Lonnie for dinner, the three have a heartwarming conversation that brings them all closer.
“My hope is that audiences can receive that and apply that to where we are today,” Hill added. “Instead of looking at people as being foreign, or passing judgment, maybe lean in and engage and maybe you might find some ways that you can truly relate to each other and make all of us have a better existence in the world.”
The second season of The Wonder Years saw various setbacks, initially pushed to midseason and then moved again to ABC’s summer schedule after Fred Savage’s departure. Season 2 returned on Wednesday night with a two-episode premiere.
The Wonder Years, Season 2, Wednesdays, 9/8c, ABC