Girl Meets World – S1E1 – Pilot
I, like many 90s kids, was very excited to hear that Disney Channel was planning on creating a spin off to the much loved Boy Meets World. The idea of catching up with Cory, Topanga, and the rest of the gang was a fan’s dream come true. It’s one of those things you always hope for with your favorite television shows, but rarely does the opportunity seem to come around. So, over the last few months, I have anxiously awaited for the premiere of Girl Meets World, and now that it has come, I thought I’d offer up my two cents.
For fans of Boy Meets World, there are many fun moments to appreciate that would likely go unappreciated by a new audience. Aside from the obvious connection between Riley and Maya and Cory and Shawn, there are other small tributes to the original series. The school is John Quincy Adams Middle School, no doubt named after the beloved John Adams High. Farkle bares a striking personality resemblance to one Stuart Minkus, and is in fact, based on the previews for the rest of the season, actually Minkus’ son. Heck, even the title sequence has the airplane and globe The one moment that really got me though, was the ghostly appearance of Mr. Feeny to conclude the episode. It just wouldn’t seem right for him to not make an appearance.
As for the episode itself, while it is clear that the new show is geared towards a young audience, being a Disney show and all, it is also equally obvious that the family values and smart writing present in Boy Meets World have been passed on to its spin off. This episode, while filled with many great comedic moments, also contains within it an important life lesson. Riley learns that she can’t rely on other people’s versions of the world to guide her through life. She needs to be her own person and make the world her own, which means making her own choices and recognizing what is important to her. In the process of this, there is also a very pointed distinction made that this is no longer Cory and Topanga’s world, it is the world of the new generation. A world with its own challenges, experiences and adventures.
Already I like this series better than many of the shows currently on air for this particular audience. It isn’t stupid humor for the sake of comedy, it doesn’t underestimate the intelligence of the pre-teen/teenager, and it presents real, relatable scenarios and characters. I personally, despite no longer being a pre-teen/teenage audience member myself, look forward to continuing to watch the show and following Riley, Maya, Lucas and Farkle wherever the writers plan to take them. It is not Boy Meets World, a distinction made clear by Cory and Riley in this episode, but based on what I have seen, the show certainly appears to be a worthy successor.
Best Moment(s):
-The “he wrote you a note” gag
-Mr. Feeny’s ghostly appearance
-The woman on the subway at the end.
Best Quote(s):
Auggie: Do bears know how to smile? Why is cake always so delicious?
Farkle: (Maya takes a sparkler) Hey! That’s a pivotal part of my diorama! (She takes another) And there goes Virginia.
Cory: Riley, take Farkle for a walk.
Cory: Apparently you have a better sense of direction than I anticipated. You are a really good looking guy.
Farkle: The night has always been a mystery to me. Because I go to bed at 7:30.
Maya: You got two deserts?
Riley: Angels food cake.
Maya: And devils food cake. Let me guess who’s who.
Farkle: Hey. Farkle’s just hungry. Not everything is about you.
I, like many 90s kids, was very excited to hear that Disney Channel was planning on creating a spin off to the much loved Boy Meets World. The idea of catching up with Cory, Topanga, and the rest of the gang was a fan’s dream come true. It’s one of those things you always hope for with your favorite television shows, but rarely does the opportunity seem to come around. So, over the last few months, I have anxiously awaited for the premiere of Girl Meets World, and now that it has come, I thought I’d offer up my two cents.
For fans of Boy Meets World, there are many fun moments to appreciate that would likely go unappreciated by a new audience. Aside from the obvious connection between Riley and Maya and Cory and Shawn, there are other small tributes to the original series. The school is John Quincy Adams Middle School, no doubt named after the beloved John Adams High. Farkle bares a striking personality resemblance to one Stuart Minkus, and is in fact, based on the previews for the rest of the season, actually Minkus’ son. Heck, even the title sequence has the airplane and globe The one moment that really got me though, was the ghostly appearance of Mr. Feeny to conclude the episode. It just wouldn’t seem right for him to not make an appearance.
As for the episode itself, while it is clear that the new show is geared towards a young audience, being a Disney show and all, it is also equally obvious that the family values and smart writing present in Boy Meets World have been passed on to its spin off. This episode, while filled with many great comedic moments, also contains within it an important life lesson. Riley learns that she can’t rely on other people’s versions of the world to guide her through life. She needs to be her own person and make the world her own, which means making her own choices and recognizing what is important to her. In the process of this, there is also a very pointed distinction made that this is no longer Cory and Topanga’s world, it is the world of the new generation. A world with its own challenges, experiences and adventures.
Already I like this series better than many of the shows currently on air for this particular audience. It isn’t stupid humor for the sake of comedy, it doesn’t underestimate the intelligence of the pre-teen/teenager, and it presents real, relatable scenarios and characters. I personally, despite no longer being a pre-teen/teenage audience member myself, look forward to continuing to watch the show and following Riley, Maya, Lucas and Farkle wherever the writers plan to take them. It is not Boy Meets World, a distinction made clear by Cory and Riley in this episode, but based on what I have seen, the show certainly appears to be a worthy successor.
Best Moment(s):
-The “he wrote you a note” gag
-Mr. Feeny’s ghostly appearance
-The woman on the subway at the end.
Best Quote(s):
Auggie: Do bears know how to smile? Why is cake always so delicious?
Farkle: (Maya takes a sparkler) Hey! That’s a pivotal part of my diorama! (She takes another) And there goes Virginia.
Cory: Riley, take Farkle for a walk.
Cory: Apparently you have a better sense of direction than I anticipated. You are a really good looking guy.
Farkle: The night has always been a mystery to me. Because I go to bed at 7:30.
Maya: You got two deserts?
Riley: Angels food cake.
Maya: And devils food cake. Let me guess who’s who.
Farkle: Hey. Farkle’s just hungry. Not everything is about you.