Set in the 80s, Amazon's 'Red Oaks' is 'Wonder Years'-Lite

There is no shortage of TV shows that attempt to mine nostalgia. Most notably this year was Netflix's "Stranger Things," which struck a huge chord in the zeitgeist in the summer, becoming a cultural sensation.

Unlike the 80s inspired sci-fi-adventure-romp, Amazon's coming-of-age comedy series "Red Oaks," which returned for its second season earlier this month, has sparked very little Internet chatter. It's unclear how many people are actually watching the series (like most streaming services, Amazon does not release viewership) - or why more people aren't watching and discussing it with the same verve as "Stranger Things." "Red Oaks" isn't a flashy series and never takes advantage of the decade in which it's set. (Don't expect a huge sythnwave score or retro stylization.) But similar to ABC's family drama "The Goldbergs," also set in the 80s, "Red Oaks" has a lot of heart.

Set in the summer of 1986, the show, created by Gregory Jacobs and Joe Gangemi, follows New York University dropout and aspiring filmmaker David Myers (Craig Roberts), who is trying to figure out who he is and what he wants to do with his life while coping with his parents' divorce. In the meantime, he teaches tennis lessons at the New Jersey Red Oaks Country Club during the summer. There, David, his goofball pals and coworkers navigate their love lives while planning for their future during the Reagan administration.

David, however, isn't the typical Red Oaks employee - he happens to be dating the daughter of the country club's president. That David is romantically involved with Skye (Alexandra Socha), a manic pixie dream girl who has the charm of Molly Ringwald and the looks of Ally Sheedy, creates a unique dynamic in his work life, where father/boss Doug Getty (Paul Reiser) makes things as difficult as possible; no one is good enough for his little girl.

At the end of Season 1, David and Skye's relationship just started to bloom, after David and his high school sweetheart Karen (Gage Golightly), who is an aerobics instructor at Red Oaks, realized they were on different paths and split. Functioning like a prelude, the premiere episode of Season 2, which is one of the best episodes of TV this year, shows the new couple's relationship in full blossom. Skye has moved to Paris for the winter and the episode follows David's brief time visiting the City of Light, which is interrupted by Mr. Getting and Mrs. Getty (a "Real Housewives of New Jersey" type played by Gina Gershon).

Helmed by director Hal Hartley ("Trust," "Armature," "Henry Fool"), the episode "Paris" is stunning and romantic, making what could be a banal and basic episode of TV into something extraordinarily universal yet specific. Paris has never looked so good.

The soundtrack helps, too. While "Red Oaks" is not over-reliant on 80s music, the show's creators know the exact moment and song to highlight a specific moment. When David pulls away from Skye on his last day in Paris, longingly looking out the car window, back at his girlfriend, New Order's "Ceremony" kicks in, giving the scene a blast of euphoric nostalgia.

The rest of "Red Oaks" Season 2 unfortunately does not reach the same emotional peaks that are displayed in "Paris." In its second season, "Red Oaks" spins its wheels a bit, preventing plot lines from naturally developing until the last two episodes of the season. It does feel like the creators are stalling on the story, but "Red Oaks" has never been about the destination; it's a joy spending five hours over the 10 half-hour-episodes with these characters.

Boasting an incredible cast, which includes Jennifer Grey as David's mother Judy (who is coming to terms with her sexuality after her divorce); Richard Kind as David's father Sam (a dopey and irritated man who works for the IRS); Oliver Cooper as David's close friend Wheeler (a pothead and a Cornell dropout) and many more, the folks who inhabit "Red Oaks" are impeccably developed and nuanced, resulting in a crew with whom you really want to hang around.

"Red Oaks" could go a lot of different ways - 80s pop culture was over-the-top - but the series is mostly restrained, focusing on David and how life can change summer to summer. Adding just the right balance of humor, family drama and ennui, "Red Oaks" is best described as a modern day "The Wonder Years"-lite. Unlike the seminal late 80s/early 90s show (set in the late 60s/early 70s), "Red Oaks" never gets sappy or overtly emotional (although a scene in which Richard Kind is alone singing "Rhinestone Cowboy" at karaoke is heartbreaking). But the series captures a specific time in a young man's life, during a specific era in a specific place. It's an affirming, smart and extremely watchable series, which shows us it's OK if you don't have it all figured out.