Swingers

> *"Brian Cooper was the first person I ever knew who wasn't old that died. I guess we all had that moment when we realized that even somebody who was basically a kid...can cease to exist...and were never the same after that. But it wasn't just Brian's death that had changed me. It was also Brian's sister. I hadn't seen Winnie since the night we'd kissed in the woods, but I hadn't been able to think about anything else."* - Kevin Arnold describing his experience attending Brian Cooper's funeral.
>
>

## Swingers

Brian's ghost tells Kevin to give Winnie some time before committing to a relationship

### Director

Neal Marlens and Carol Black

**Swingers** is the second episode in the first season of the original series, *The Wonder Years*. It first aired on ABC on March 22, 1988.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold
* Josh Saviano as Paul Pfeiffer
* Dan Lauria as Jack Arnold
* Alley Mills as Norma Arnold
* Jason Hervey as Wayne Arnold
* Olivia d'Abo as Karen Arnold
* Danica McKellar as Winnie Cooper

### Recurring Cast

* David Huddleston as 'Grandpa' Albert Arnold
* Michael Tricario as Randy Mitchell
* Brandon Crane as Doug Porter
* Andy Berman as Chuck Coleman
* Lindsay Sloane as Alice Pedermeir
* John Frear as Brett
* Krista Murphy as Carla Healy
* Kathy Wagner as Lisa Berlini
* Crystal McKellar as Rebecca "Becky" Slater
* Wendel Meldrum as Mrs. Heimer
* Holly Sampson as Teri

## Plot Summary

The Arnold's attend Brian's funeral. At the wake, Kevin is thinking about Winnie, and posthumously given his blessing to be with her by Brian's ghost. Kevin begins sex education, part of which is taught in his gym class. However, Kevin thinks Coach Cutlip is a lousy teacher on that subject matter. He and Paul get word that there is a book which will answer everything, then rush to the bookstore. They see a book titled *Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex (but were Afraid to Ask)*, but get looks from the store owner. When the store owner takes a break, a female employee is manning the register. Kevin then sees desperation in Paul ("I had known Paul since he was 36 hours old, and never before had I seen such fire in his eyes") where he tells Kevin to buy another book while he shoplifts the sex book. Kevin does so, then the pair return to the Arnold residence. Their reading is interrupted by Wayne, who grabs the book and makes lewd remarks about Winnie, saying this book must be the "how to" guide for Kevin's plan to have sex with Winnie, which Wayne tops off with a baseball metaphor of "home run!" This enrages Kevin into attacking Wayne, and the fight comes to attention of their mother. While demanding to know what is going on, she sees the book. She says she does not mind that the boys have questions and are reading a book like that, but then demand to know why they were rummaging through her underwear drawer. Kevin, Paul and Wayne all look dumbfounded, as none of them have done such a thing. Kevin then understands that his parents own a copy of their own, and comes to accept that not even parents have all the answers.

Later, when walking with Winnie, Kevin sums up the courage to ask her out, but then hesitates. They reach the playground, where they decide to go on the swingset just like when they were tykes. The adult Kevin reflects on all this saying that in the grand scheme of things, it was best that he and Winnie not rush it and "stay kids a little bit longer."