Boy Meets World: A Timeless 90’s Sitcom
When it comes to 90’s sitcoms, most people look at them today with a sweet sense of nostalgia instead of admiration for what the show was able to accomplish. Shows like Full House and Step by Step are talked about like children’s toys, series that people used to consistently love watching but have now moved onto bigger and better things. Interestingly, though, another 90’s sitcom, Boy Meets World, remains just as popular today as it did over a decade ago, even spawning a new spin-off series, Girl Meets World, on the Disney Channel. Some have wondered why this show has continued to be successful so many years later, and I think have the answer: Boy Meets World is a bunch of different shows all in one series.
Now, when I say this, I don’t mean that Boy Meets World is all over the place; it’s not a show that ever had an identity crisis (well, except for maybe some parts of the college years). No, what I’m trying to say is that Boy Meets World had a little bit of everything for people. Whether you were watching it for the familial relationships between the Matthews and the Hunters, the friendships between Cory and Shawn and later Eric and Jack, or the epic romance of Cory and Topanga, you could always find something that captivated you in a way that not every sitcom back in 90’s necessarily did, as each of these separate relationships worked because they were treated with a realness and honesty, even when the show was at its most absurd.
Authenticity: The Key to Boy Meets World’s Success
And that authenticity is another major reason why Boy Meets World reigns supreme over other family comedies of the time. Unlike Full House, which pretty much ended every single episode with the same exact overly sentimental music and a cheesy speech to one (or more) of the girls from Danny, Joey, or Jesse, Boy Meets World‘s more tender moments feel honest and earned, from Shawn telling Cory that he’s his real family to Cory and Topanga professing their love for each other to Eric telling Mr. Feeny that the his believing in him was worth countless points on his SATs.
Could the show still fall victim to after-school-special melodrama? Of course it could. Boy Meets World was very heavy-handed in episodes that dealt with physical abuse, drinking, and even one that involved organized crime. (And I’m not even mentioning the one where Shawn becomes a part of the cult called “The Center,” which is so over-the-top, even if it does produce some strong moments with Shawn, Mr. Turner, and the Matthews.)
Ultimately, the scenes that might be over-acted or written too on-the-nose are few and far between in Boy Meets World. More memorable are the realistic exchanges between Cory and his parents or the completely relatable moments of high school love between him and Topanga (and even the more extravagant ones, like the two of them dancing in the wrestling ring for her sixteenth birthday or their Disney World kiss work because of all the small, meaningful interactions that led to there). This was a sitcom that provided genuine emotion on a consistent, almost effortless basis, while also ensuring that its audience would be laughing hysterically at multiple times during an episode thanks to the comedic talents of actors Will Friedle (Eric Matthews), Ben Savage (Cory Matthews), Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter), and the always straight-faced (because he had to be) Williams Daniels as the best fictional teacher of all-time, Mr. George Feeny.
The Feeny Call: The Heart of Boy Meets World
But let’s be honest and forget everything else I’ve just written above. The real, true reason why everyone loves Boy Meets World is quite simple: it’s all about the Feeny Call.
What do you love most about Boy Meets World? And even if you haven’t check out Girl Meets World yet, make sure to this Friday for a very special reunion episode.
Photos via ABC
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