'The Wonder Years' Season 2 brings depth, relatability and summertime laughter

LOS ANGELES -- "The Wonder Years" stars Elisha "EJ" Williams and Julian Lerner share their excitement for Season 2 with On The Red Carpet as they talk about the highly anticipated continuation of the beloved series.

Williams, who plays the character of Dean Williams, explains how viewers can expect to pick up right where they left off. "You see us in New York, you see back in the relationship with Keisa (the apple of Dean's eye) and a whole bunch of other stuff that I'm excited for people to see as well."

Lerner, who portrays Brad Hitman, emphasizes the focus on character growth in Season 2. "There is more character development and there is a lot of humor," Lerner adds that will make Season 2 a truly remarkable journey.

"You get to see a whole lot more in-depth of these storylines," Williams added and teases about the appearance of special guest-star R&B legend Patti Labelle. "You hear about Dean's grandparents, but you don't see that relationship as much. So, when Patti LaBelle comes to play my grandmother, you can see that."

Lerner appreciates the camaraderie among the Wonder Years cast and crew highlighting the close-knit bond they have developed over the past three years. "In Season 1, we were all kind of figuring it out and becoming closer and then in Season 2 we were just right there, a big old family and we clicked," Lerner said.

Reflecting on their characters' relatability, Williams discusses the parallel between the actors and their roles. He emphasizes the importance of bringing their own experiences and personalities into their performances where "you have to commit and relate to in some sort of way," Williams explains. "The good news for us is that we're still kids, our characters are kids. They go through things that we go through in real life."

Both actors acknowledge that "The Wonder Years" is a coming-of-age series that transcends barriers and resonates with viewers from all walks of life. "Wonder Years is one of those shows everybody can relate to," Williams said. "It doesn't matter what race, height, gender. You can find something and I think that's what really matters with our show the most."

Watch "The Wonder Years" on ABC Wednesdays at 9/8C and stream next day on Hulu.