I Reflect on Being a Boy Meets World fan... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Adamantium · 11-05-2013, 05:23 AM

With the DVD release of “Boy Meets World: The Complete Collection” today, I thought I’d give a few of my “Boy Meets World” memories.

First up, I watched the pilot episode when it first aired because it was a part of ABC’s TGIF lineup. I always watched TGIF, so it was a no-brainer that I would watch “Boy Meets World” when it came on. It seemed to be promoted as a show about a boy who’s teacher lives next door - like that would be the main plot of the show. Although that certainly remained a factor in the show all seven years, it did not stay the main plot. As for the actors, Lee Norris, who played nerdy Stuart Minkus was the biggest name for me at the time. I was a big fan of his previous sitcom “The Torkelsons.” I knew Ben Savage was Fred Savage’s brother and while I like “The Wonder Years” now, I wasn’t a big fan of it back then, so I didn’t think much about it. I also didn’t watch “Knight Rider,” so I didn’t make the connection from Mr. Feeny to K.I.T.T. and because I hadn’t watched anything else William Daniels had done prior to “Boy Meets World” he was an unknown to me. Funny because he was the actor with the most credentials.

Eric wasn’t much of a character in the early years and then he became the funniest guy on the show. Topanga wasn’t even there in the beginning and she became one of the most memorable characters in the show to the point where I’m sure some casual fans don’t know she wasn’t on from episode 1. It was also fun to watch Shawn go from being Cory’s sidekick to a complex and serious (yet still funny) character. As for Morgan, people tend to remember they switched actresses from Lily Nicksay to Lindsay Ridgeway in season three. But how I remember it is that Morgan was gone after season two and during the first half of season three, I figured she was an abandoned character like Judy Winslow from “Family Matters” or Chuck Cunningham from “Happy Days.” So when she returned, late in season three and was played by a different actress, I was shocked both that she was back but also that she was different.

Looking back, I think one of the main appeals of this show (and it’s not mentioned often) is that Cory, the star of the show, was an average kid. Whereas a show like “Saved by the Bell” has Zack Morris, the cool, good-looking, preppy, schemer as the star. It’s easier to identify with Cory because he quite often felt like he didn’t belong or fit in. It kind of became cool to be average.

Also looking back I realize certain characters that I remember so fondly and assumed they were in a bunch of episodes, really weren’t in that many. I believe Harley Keiner (Danny McNulty) was only in 7 episodes of season two and then 1 episode in season three. Somehow, I felt he was in all of the episodes from the second season. Joey and Frankie were in about 15 or so episodes each (spanning seasons two through five) and yet I remembered them also being in so much more. I knew Joey wasn’t in season four and only one guest spot episode in season five but I remembered Frankie playing a much bigger role in season four but I’m wrong. He only did about 4 or so episodes. It’s just the ones he was in gave him a bumped up role, since he was now considered an ally. Griff, Harley’s replacement (played by Adam Scott, now on Parks & Recreation) was only in I believe three episodes and yet I remembered him in being in more than that. I guess all this has to do with them being memorable characters. I know Andy Griffith said that about Ernest T. Bass, who was only in a handful of episodes yet the fans thought of him as being a regular.

One of the biggest problems for me was the grade skipping this series did. I noticed it back then as an original viewer because Cory was in the sixth grade in the first season. I was also in the sixth grade then. Yet, he graduated high school in 1998 and I graduated in 2000. No I wasn’t left back twice, Cory and his class all skipped two grades. When did it happen? Season two they were in 7th grade which was now located in the high school. Season three never really established their grade. Season four they were in 11th grade and graduated at the end of the fifth season. It’s almost as if at some point they just said “Pretend season 1 was 8th grade, season 2 was 9th grade and season 3 was 10th grade and… let’s go. Now they’re in 11th grade!” College was another issue for Eric. He started college in season five and graduated at the end of season seven. That’s three years but they acted as if it was four.

The finale was a big deal for my sister and I who watched the show every week together. I remember we got a pizza and made an event out of it. When it ended, The Disney Channel began showing reruns and so my sister and I convinced our parents to pay extra so we could get that channel (now, it’s part of the cable package. It wasn’t back in 2000) so we could record all the episodes. Of course Disney screwed over the show by editing for content and skipping a couple of episodes altogether.

The DVD releases seemed to be a struggle since Buena Vista abandoned the show after season three. I was so upset by that. Luckily, Lionsgate released seasons 4 thru 7 in a timely fashion but they didn’t include any bonus features (I loved the commentary the first two seasons provided). That’s why I’m so excited about this complete series release. Yes, I already own the episodes but I really want to see the two brand new features. That may not be enough of a reason for a casual fan to re buy a series on DVD but this is my third favorite sitcom of all-time. I’m excited that it’s so popular these days because it felt like it wasn’t as popular during it’s original run.

tlc38tlc38 · 11-05-2013, 07:20 AM

For me, this show holds way too many memories to list. However, I will sum up all my memories with just one word: TOPANGA!

I already own all 7 seasons so I'm debating if I should buy the new set just for the new features. I probably will next year but I can't afford it now.

tlc38tlc38 · 11-05-2013, 07:24 AM

Adamantium, you said that BMW is your third favorite sitcom, I'm just wondering what 2 & 1 are.

Adamantium · 11-05-2013, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlc38tlc38

Adamantium, you said that BMW is your third favorite sitcom, I'm just wondering what 2 & 1 are.

#1 is "NewsRadio" which is another show I watched when it originally aired.

#2 is "Taxi" which I became a fan of on Nick at Nite around the late '90s.

tlc38tlc38 · 11-05-2013, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamantium

#1 is "NewsRadio" which is another show I watched when it originally aired.

#2 is "Taxi" which I became a fan of on Nick at Nite around the late '90s.

Nice choices. Very diverse.

JamesG · 11-05-2013, 09:06 AM

Nice reflection.

I too am debating on getting the Complete Collection for the new features since I purchased the Lionsgate releases as they came out.

_K_Boogie_ · 01-12-2014, 05:45 PM

I bought the new set. Very happy with it.

Svenfan1234 · 05-05-2016, 09:33 PM

I've never seen BMW but I really want to. My favorite show as a kid was either "Arthur" or "Teletubbies".

11-05-2013, 05:23 AM	#1
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,836	I Reflect on Being a Boy Meets World fan... With the DVD release of “Boy Meets World: The Complete Collection” today, I thought I’d give a few of my “Boy Meets World” memories. First up, I watched the pilot episode when it first aired because it was a part of ABC’s TGIF lineup. I always watched TGIF, so it was a no-brainer that I would watch “Boy Meets World” when it came on. It seemed to be promoted as a show about a boy who’s teacher lives next door - like that would be the main plot of the show. Although that certainly remained a factor in the show all seven years, it did not stay the main plot. As for the actors, Lee Norris, who played nerdy Stuart Minkus was the biggest name for me at the time. I was a big fan of his previous sitcom “The Torkelsons.” I knew Ben Savage was Fred Savage’s brother and while I like “The Wonder Years” now, I wasn’t a big fan of it back then, so I didn’t think much about it. I also didn’t watch “Knight Rider,” so I didn’t make the connection from Mr. Feeny to K.I.T.T. and because I hadn’t watched anything else William Daniels had done prior to “Boy Meets World” he was an unknown to me. Funny because he was the actor with the most credentials. Eric wasn’t much of a character in the early years and then he became the funniest guy on the show. Topanga wasn’t even there in the beginning and she became one of the most memorable characters in the show to the point where I’m sure some casual fans don’t know she wasn’t on from episode 1. It was also fun to watch Shawn go from being Cory’s sidekick to a complex and serious (yet still funny) character. As for Morgan, people tend to remember they switched actresses from Lily Nicksay to Lindsay Ridgeway in season three. But how I remember it is that Morgan was gone after season two and during the first half of season three, I figured she was an abandoned character like Judy Winslow from “Family Matters” or Chuck Cunningham from “Happy Days.” So when she returned, late in season three and was played by a different actress, I was shocked both that she was back but also that she was different. Looking back, I think one of the main appeals of this show (and it’s not mentioned often) is that Cory, the star of the show, was an average kid. Whereas a show like “Saved by the Bell” has Zack Morris, the cool, good-looking, preppy, schemer as the star. It’s easier to identify with Cory because he quite often felt like he didn’t belong or fit in. It kind of became cool to be average. Also looking back I realize certain characters that I remember so fondly and assumed they were in a bunch of episodes, really weren’t in that many. I believe Harley Keiner (Danny McNulty) was only in 7 episodes of season two and then 1 episode in season three. Somehow, I felt he was in all of the episodes from the second season. Joey and Frankie were in about 15 or so episodes each (spanning seasons two through five) and yet I remembered them also being in so much more. I knew Joey wasn’t in season four and only one guest spot episode in season five but I remembered Frankie playing a much bigger role in season four but I’m wrong. He only did about 4 or so episodes. It’s just the ones he was in gave him a bumped up role, since he was now considered an ally. Griff, Harley’s replacement (played by Adam Scott, now on Parks & Recreation) was only in I believe three episodes and yet I remembered him in being in more than that. I guess all this has to do with them being memorable characters. I know Andy Griffith said that about Ernest T. Bass, who was only in a handful of episodes yet the fans thought of him as being a regular. One of the biggest problems for me was the grade skipping this series did. I noticed it back then as an original viewer because Cory was in the sixth grade in the first season. I was also in the sixth grade then. Yet, he graduated high school in 1998 and I graduated in 2000. No I wasn’t left back twice, Cory and his class all skipped two grades. When did it happen? Season two they were in 7th grade which was now located in the high school. Season three never really established their grade. Season four they were in 11th grade and graduated at the end of the fifth season. It’s almost as if at some point they just said “Pretend season 1 was 8th grade, season 2 was 9th grade and season 3 was 10th grade and… let’s go. Now they’re in 11th grade!” College was another issue for Eric. He started college in season five and graduated at the end of season seven. That’s three years but they acted as if it was four. The finale was a big deal for my sister and I who watched the show every week together. I remember we got a pizza and made an event out of it. When it ended, The Disney Channel began showing reruns and so my sister and I convinced our parents to pay extra so we could get that channel (now, it’s part of the cable package. It wasn’t back in 2000) so we could record all the episodes. Of course Disney screwed over the show by editing for content and skipping a couple of episodes altogether. The DVD releases seemed to be a struggle since Buena Vista abandoned the show after season three. I was so upset by that. Luckily, Lionsgate released seasons 4 thru 7 in a timely fashion but they didn’t include any bonus features (I loved the commentary the first two seasons provided). That’s why I’m so excited about this complete series release. Yes, I already own the episodes but I really want to see the two brand new features. That may not be enough of a reason for a casual fan to re buy a series on DVD but this is my third favorite sitcom of all-time. I’m excited that it’s so popular these days because it felt like it wasn’t as popular during it’s original run.
	Last edited by Adamantium; 11-05-2013 at 05:53 AM.

01-12-2014, 05:45 PM	#7
_K_Boogie_ Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 12, 2014 Posts: 9	The New Set I bought the new set. Very happy with it.

05-05-2016, 09:33 PM	#8
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	I've never seen BMW but I really want to. My favorite show as a kid was either "Arthur" or "Teletubbies".
	__________________ [

11-05-2013, 07:20 AM	#2
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,258	For me, this show holds way too many memories to list. However, I will sum up all my memories with just one word: TOPANGA! I already own all 7 seasons so I'm debating if I should buy the new set just for the new features. I probably will next year but I can't afford it now.
	__________________ Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. Deuteronomy 15:10 In loving memory of my best friend, my Mama.

11-05-2013, 07:24 AM	#3
tlc38tlc38 Every day’s a Dolly day! Forum Star Join Date: May 02, 2008 Location: I’m just travelin’ thru Posts: 19,258	Adamantium, you said that BMW is your third favorite sitcom, I'm just wondering what 2 & 1 are.

11-05-2013, 09:06 AM	#6
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,136	Nice reflection. I too am debating on getting the Complete Collection for the new features since I purchased the Lionsgate releases as they came out.