I feel super old right now. It's really hard to believe that 'Boy Meets World' came out over 20 years ago. I remember watching TGIF lineup and thinking it was the best television ever. Boy Meets World, Step By Step, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Full House... In reality they were all crap, but don't tell that to anyone from "Generation-Whatever-We-Are". That was TV gold.
So I was really nervous about 'Girl Meets World'. Bringing back Cory and Topanga is the best recipe for nostalgia, or the best recipe for complete disaster. To best understand the new show, I made sure to watch the pilot of BMW immediately following the pilot of GMW. So here's what I thought.
My first impression was that GMW is definitely a Disney show. It's got every gross trappings of a 'That's So Raven' or some other nonsense I would never subject myself to. But at the same time, it's cute. Maybe it's because I'm a father now, but I can imagine my son really enjoying it. If he were like 8 years older. Currently all he likes is sticking his hand in piss and shit while I try to change his diaper.
Rowand Blanchard plays Riley Matthews, the oldest of 3 kids by Cory and Topanga. So far I'm pretty indifferent about her. Her best friend is a wild child, she's got a crush on the new boy at school, and her dad is also her teacher. It's a standard character, in a standard pilot, but I will say this. The show's theme song, recorded by her, is pretty sweet. I dare you to not get it stuck in your head. "Take on the World".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDz4a9AlQ94
The scene stealer, by far was Jackee Harry. It's a bit part, but she plays a typical New York City subway commuter. Every line she delivers is spot on, I just hope she gets to be a series regular. And I miss her from the 80s #227. Also, that's gotta be the cleanest NYC subway car, and platform ever.
My only complaints are small, and maybe irrelevant as the series progresses past the pilot. Topanga was hardly there at all. I read a couple of reviewers afterwards, and they all complained about the lack of Danielle Fishel in the pilot. After watching the 'Boy Meets World' pilot, I would like to remind them that Topanga only had about 20 seconds of screentime.
Shawn, played by Rider Strong, also wasn't in the pilot, but he will be joining the show in the next aired episodes.
Finally, Cory is no where near the level of Mr. Feeny, William Daniels, as he gets run over roughshod by his students, and his daughter. My wife would tell you that it was extremely poor classroom management. And she'd be right. It was kind of unbelievable,
I also didn't make the connection that the goofball character Farkle is Minkus' until I looked it up on IMDB. Really? Your last name is Minkus, and you name your son Farkle? Like the dice game? That's child abuse.
Overall, I'd say watch it. It only takes 23 minutes of your life, and it'll remind you of the early nineties. I liked the nineties. It was fun.
Thanks for reading, and yes. I refused to address the fact that I haven't posted anything in months.
#JustWrite
