20. Girl Meets Triangle
Summary
In this episode, Maya's art teacher accuses Maya of losing her voice, leading to some shocking revelations. In the side plot, Lucas makes his choice in the triangle.
Reference
When Maya gets an incomplete, that is a reference to BMW season one when Cory got an incomplete on his assignment about his future. The Jellybean test is an infamous reference to how Cory decided Topanga over Lauren. This episode reminds me of Cult Fiction in terms of episode themes when Shawn lost himself and Cory had to pull him back.
Review
Starting at the beginning, I think this episode started off light and funny with the girls watching the shoes of all the high schoolers and seeing all the over the dramatic girls In high school. I also think this is a little meta-joke about people wanting Riley and Maya to have a more dramatic high school arc because school isn't just about academics. Regardless I think this episode was a nice way to bring the triangle back to the forefront.
I also liked the comedy with Maya's mom. She was hilarious in this episode and made the most of her screen time. Giving her advice for Maya through the North Pole scene, I bet the actors had to shoot that more than once cause it was hilarious. Scenes like this make me want to see more Katy.
I like that there was a complex issue presented in this episode, and that is Maya's codependency on Riley to the point that she is not even herself anymore, and she is becoming Riley. Also, I think the show did a good job of establishing why it was a problem. Because Maya is right: she is doing well in school, she is not getting in trouble, and she likes a good guy; what is the problem? The problem is that she is shrinking herself. Maya isn't being who she truly is, and that is not a good thing. She has jumped over friendship and landed in codependency. She stopped being herself, and that is not true growth.
It is like Girl Meets Communism when she was learning but cheating. She has to grow as Maya, not by copying Riley. I loved Riley's attempts to snap Maya out of it in the bay window and Maya being very defensive and emotional. That was a strong selling point of this episode. Also, the abstract art part of the episode was genius. It looked like Maya didn't know who she was, but you can see the purple cat she is painting like Riley when you step back. Chefs kiss moment.
Also, the side plot had huge implications lurking underneath the surface. I am still team Riley, and I feel the writers did a good job making a case for Maya that sounded good, but they were reaching, in my opinion. Nothing happened at the campfire—the moment in the library with Riley was much more significant. Also, yes, Maya was a good friend to help Riley speak to Lucas, but Riley was the one in his lap whom he gaped at and has come to know. It is clear to me that it's Riley. Also, I don't think Maya making fun of him every day is a point for her. She is giving good friend vibes. However, I love that they brought the jelly beans back, and I think Lucas revealing he made his choice was an excellent cliffhanger.
Grade A
Streaming Assignments
The homework is the BMW episode, which I think shares a similar theme to this Girl Meets World episode. The extra credit is where you can find all the smaller references Girl Meets World made to Boy Meets World.
Homework Cult fiction season 4
Extra Credit Class Preunion season 1
19. Girl Meets Goodbye
Summary
Topanga must decide whether or not to take her family to London or not.
References
When they talk about leaving Philly, they are talking about the last episode of the Boy Meets World series when they came to New York. Turner, being Cory's English teacher, is a reference to his role in Boy Meets World. Turner, saying he regretted not adopting Shawn, references the episode where he waited to sign the adoption papers because he was not sure he was ready. Also, Cory's family trying to adopt Shawn in the 7th season in Family Trees. The Two Morgan's refers to the fact that one of the actresses, Lily Nicksay, played Morgan for seasons 1 & 2, and Lindsay Ridgeway played Morgan from season 3 on. When they say Feeny gives the best advice, they reference Feeny being there for almost every significant life choice. One of the times they reference is Feeny advising Topanga to go to Yale. Amy and Alan are in the episode, and they are Cory's parents. They are also referenced when Cory says I know Topanga will make the right choice. Alan told Cory and Topanga that he knew Amy would make the right choice when deciding what to do about Topanga running away to Cory.
The nook that Cory and Topanga wanted was in a house they could not afford back in college in season 7. The scene of Joshua and Cory when Joshua was a little kid is from the finale of Boy Meets World, and they recreated that final monologue. The guy who walked into Topanga's at the end was the original Boy Meets World Josh from the clip, and he also had written episodes for Girl Meets World.
Review
This episode was excellent. Everyone immediately assumes it is the end of Girl Meets World and the end of Riley and Maya. At first, Maya does not believe it, but after Josh pops up, she even believes life is trying to replace Riley. I love that they brought back Belgium 1831. Time and time again, we erased Belgium 1831 in favor of more important things, and when we finally got the lesson, we realized it was the lesson we didn't want to learn about branching off.
I think they did a great job with eight cameos as well. Bringing back the old cast and giving them each a chance to have a heart-to-heart with Topanga was the perfect excuse. The stand-out sessions were with Shawn because he adopted Maya, and we finally got a scene between Turner and Shawn as adults, and it was beautiful. To see Turner hug Shawn as a proud father figure was everything, and to see Shawn take on Maya was amazing.
Also, I loved the meeting of the minds between the youngest children, Morgan (1&2 )and Auggie; that was a fantastic crossover I never thought I would see. Speaking of the youngest children, Ava was hilarious in this episode trying to go to London with Auggie, and their bay window scene was super cute. Ava and Auggie are actually a better couple than Riley and Lucas. I am glad Riley and Lucas got a moment, but they are terrible together, and I do not know why they don't do anything together at all. Even in their scene together, it seemed like a breakup.
Which I think was the best choice. They were better as a couple than Maya and Lucas, but Riley ended up not being the one for him. However, I enjoyed their goodbye. It was a sweet cap to their relationship. All the members of the new cast got an excellent send-off.
However, the part that makes this episode so good is that after we have said our tearful goodbyes and come to grips with the reality that Riley is leaving, it turns out that she stays even though Girl Meets World never got picked up. I think that was the right choice. They made a life in New York, and they would be giving up too much if they left.
This episode is great because it takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. It makes you believe it is over when it is not. It lets you say goodbye to favorites while still keeping hope alive that you will see them again. It balances the nostalgia of Boy Meets World with the current-day superstars very well. That is a credit to the writer Michael Jacobs, whose biggest asset to me has always been how much he can develop an episode and create different pockets of conflict, leading to a big emotional journey in a very short time.
Grade A
Streaming Assignments
Homework Brave New World Part 2 season 7, Long Walk to Pittsburgh Part 2 season 4
Extra Credit season 3, I Never Sang for My Legal Guardian, Back 2 School season 2, Family trees season 7, risky business season 1, season 3 a kiss is more than a kiss , season 5 graduation, season 7, picket fences
18. Girl Meets 1961
Summary
In this episode, Cory teaches the kids about history through their own personal history.
References
This episode's problem is related to season one's class preunion(BMW) when the kids went to their futures because they didn't care about history. Also, this episode is related to when Cory traveled to the fifties and learned why it was important to learn about history and that he, Topanga, and Shawn would be friends in any timeline. Lastly, when the kids arrive in class early, this is a reference to Boy Meets World, where the kids arrive to show Feeny they appreciate him and that they have learned what he taught. They do this in Quiz Show and other versions of that in other Boy Meets World episodes.
Review
I think this episode did a good job improving on the time travel element of the show. Having the past juxtaposed with the present adds a tragic finality to the stories we are watching in the past, but it also gives the story stakes like this wasn't a completely unrelated one-off past episode; it was related to the present. This is also one of my favorite Cory lessons. He sees the kids don't care about the '60s, and he knows what to do right away. He brings their grandparents into the lesson and shows them how history has shaped the present. It was a brilliant move. Also, I love his quote about history being about missed opportunities because that implores people to learn from history, so we don't make the same mistakes.
I love how Maya's story teaches her not to make the same mistakes her ancestors did, which would be giving up without truly trying—beating yourself before the match had even started. I also loved how the show tied the kid's ancestors together, and they had this one chance meeting in a new city. This storyline choice was a great way to wrap the episode. My one criticism of the episode is that May and Rosie's friendship is meant to be really strong while also being based on nothing. Comparatively, when Shawn and Cory met in BMW in the fifty's and Cory tried to be Shawn's friend, he had to prove himself to gain Shawn's friendship here. May just pretty much becomes Rosie's friend like they are in kindergarten saying want to be friends, ok. However, despite that minor moment, I still think this is a phenomenal episode.
Grade A
Streaming Assignments
Homework: I was a Teenage Spy BMW season 3
Extra credit Boy Meets World: Quiz Show season 4, Class Preunion season 1
17. Girl Meets Year Book
Summary
In this episode, The gang gets some criticism on who they are in the yearbook. As a result, they struggle with whom they want to be.
References
There are three references in this episode. First, Farkle's desire to be a regular dude refers to when his father tried to be average in season one of BMW. Also, when Topanga talks about being strange and Cory being celery, that references her character in season one. Also, it references Cory feeling average( most of his school life) but specifically in season 6 when he compared himself to celery. Lastly, using the yearbooks to cause an identity crisis references the season two episode where Cory tries to become a jock by joining the wrestling team. Also, I am aware this could be a reach, but I think Riley's black gimmick referenced when Eric tried to be deep in season 6 to impress Rachel.
Review
I like this episode. I think they had a good balance of comedy and drama. They used a lot of the early part of the episode to have the kids explore themselves in great comedy bits. I thought the superlatives were hilarious, especially Lucas being ok with anything and then saying he is ok with that. Also, Riley and Farkle's personality changes were hilarious and Maya's mom imitating Riley was brilliant.
This episode was really good at doing multiple things at once. It set up the future Maya, Riley, Lucas triangle while also advancing the relationship angle with Shawn and Maya by having Maya's mom indirectly admit she had feelings for Shawn. In addition to that, they were able to tie in history quite well with the Iceland and Greenland lesson. But wait, there is more. Danielle Fishel has talked about how one thing that was different in making Girl Meets World is that the actors get so much feedback in real time. I feel like Girl Meets World spoke directly to their audience. I think the other student's comments in class were meant to represent fan comments online. Also, when Cory said, don't go crashing your ship because of what people said, that could be a reference to the ship of Lucas and Riley because fans ship Maya and Lucas. They were advancing the plot and talking to fans when Farkle tells Lucas to accept his evolution. I also thought having Farkle explore his identity was a clever way to change his character and make it known he did not do it out of peer pressure but self-discovery and growing up.
Grade A
Streaming Assignments
Homework Thrilla in Phila season 2 Boy Meets World
Extra credit Better Than the Average Cory Boy Meets World season 6. Killer Bee season 1, She Loves Me She loves me Not season 1, Ain't College Great season 6
16. Girl Meets Farkle
Summary
In this episode, Farkle finds he might have Asperger's.
References
There are a couple of references to Boy Meets World. First, they refer to Jenifer back in high school as scary. This is a reference to season four, when she dated Shawn and tried to break up Cory and Shawn. They also refer to her handcuffing Shawn, which is a reference to the first girlfriends club in season 5. Finally, the big episode theme of the kids getting IQ tests is a remix of a season 1 episode when Cory's class took those tests.
Review
I really like this episode. They are tackling a serious issue. Once again, they have real issues and real stakes. We all love Farkle, so of course, we wanted to know if he was on the spectrum. However, Girl Meets World didn't stop there. They also had the possibility of Farkle leaving to the Einstein academy. They still were not done. They had a romantic angle between Smackle and Farkle.
Smackle goes through a whole arc. She starts out as a villain here to take Farkle away. Then she is a love interest, but she is one of the gang by the end of the episode. Also, after revealing Farkle isn't autistic, they reveal that Smackle is a surprise twist. Smackle feels like she can't be with Farkle anymore because now they aren't alike but now that they are opposites, they attract, and Farkle comes to her.
This reinforces the lesson of the episode, which is that our differences make us who we are and make our world a better place, leading us back to the secret of life people change people. Just in this episode, we can see how people changed people. Everyone is afraid for Farkle at the beginning of the episode, but because they are his friends, they study and learn and support Farkle. This prepares them to do the same for Smackle at the end when she reveals she is autistic. It is an excellent episode with a wonderful lesson.
Grade A
Streaming Assignments
Homework: Boy to Mensa season 1
Extra credit: First Girlfriends Club season five, Boy Meets World, An Affair to Forget season 4
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