Boy Meets World
Boy Meets World joined the ABC network's successful "TGIF" lineup in 1993, and instantly distinguished itself from the dewy-eyed hokum that passes for much family viewing with its relative sophistication, emotional complexity, and smart, stylish dialogue. In a way, Boy Meets World, starring Ben Savage, picked up where ABC's The Wonder Years (1988-1993), featuring older brother Fred Savage, left off. Both shows looked at the world from the point of view of largely unformed and untested boys as they faced dilemmas concerning love, loyalty, and ethics within their families, among friends, and at school. But where The Wonder Years was an arch and poignant series with nostalgic, grown-up appeal--and which had a young hero often at a loss for words--BMW looked more like a broader, conventional sitcom where chatter never ceased. The show was and is more easily taken for granted, but its unusual gracefulness and wit can't be denied after a couple of viewings.
Boy Meets World lasted seven seasons, and one of the real pleasures of following the series is that its story and character changes are largely organic, rather than forced by cast departures or other pressures. Thus the auspicious first meeting of Savage's 11-year-old Cory Matthews and his classmate Topanga (Danielle Fishel) in season 1 leads, quite sweetly and logically, to a deeper relationship in subsequent seasons. Cory's attachment to his formidable yet compassionate 6th-grade teacher, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels in a tailor-made performance), who also happens to be Cory's neighbor, grows and deepens as Feeny eventually becomes the principal at Cory's high school and a mentor beyond. Season 1 also introduces Cory's likeable father (William Russ), a grocery store manager, and mother (Betsy Randle), a homemaker and realtor, as well as appealing siblings Eric (Will Friedle) and Morgan (Lindsay Ridgeway) and best friend Shawn (Rider Strong). A slightly surreal tone (a little similar to Family Ties) keeps the jokes coming, but BMW is at its most touching when Cory's awareness of and empathy for the needs of others expands. --Tom Keogh
Cory is caught listening to the Phillies game in class while Feeny is trying to teach the class about love. Eric decides to take his girlfriend on their first date to the Phillies game instead of Cory, so Cory decides to live in his tree house.
When Cory's parents don't give him the money to buy a water gun for the classes water fight, he strikes a deal with Mr. Feeny to paint his shutters and Feeny will give him the money for the water gun. Corey rushes through the job and an accident occurs.
Alan wakes Cory up late at night to watch the end of a baseball game. Cory fails a test the next day and Mr. Feeny won't let him re-take it.
Shawn and Cory get split up from doing a project together, making Shawn work with Minkus and Cory with Topanga. Cory overhears girls making fun of his hair and decides to change it.
Cory enters a geography bee for a chance to be a bat boy at the World Series. Eric is going to an Aerosmith concert with a date and is embarrassed his mom is going to the same concert.
Cory cheats on an IQ test and decides to run with it. A Mensa representative comes to test him at home, so he finally comes clean to his parents and Feeny.
Feeny's niece comes for a visit and Eric gets Morgan to help in asking her out. The kids' grandma comes for the weekend, and she makes a promise to Cory but he is disappointed when she leaves early, and he misses out on the fishing trip with Shawn and his dad.
Feeny makes a bet with Cory to teach his class for a week, if more students pass Cory wins, and if more students fail, Feeny wins.
Mr. Feeny gives an assignment to the class to predict where their life will be by their 20th class reunion.
Shawn's dad gets laid off right around Christmas, so Cory vows to get Shawn a present for Christmas this year. Santa Claus has a heart attack when Morgan sits on his lap, traumatizing her.
When Cory and Eric find out that Alan has lied about the father/son softball game being cancelled because he knows they don't want to attend, they make amends.
Cory accidentally stumbles across a small cache of revealing clothing and comes to believe that his mother is having an extramarital affair.
Eric is brought in as a guest lecturer for high school to Cory's school. Topanga develops a crush on Eric, while Cory thinks she has a crush on him.
Cory is put on the second string in basketball and starts to think everyone around isn't paying attention to him.
Cory comes to realize that nobody's family is perfect when he and his classmates are assigned to work together as a cohesive family.
Cory and Shawn bet on racehorses for a school project, but they soon learn-the hard way-that there are things in life that are not worth risking.
Shawn and Cory find that their friendship has come under threat from the former's careless involvement in a cherry bomb prank gone wrong.
Amy and Alan go out and hire a babysitter, who cancels on them, so Feeny subs in. Eric takes his driving test and fails but still decides to take his dad's car for his date. Cory tries to sneak an R-rated movie into the house.
Alan gives Cory a gift for his birthday, a necklace with silver boxing gloves on them. Without explaining the meaning of them to Cory, he is careless with them and loses them. Cory feels terrible after hearing what they meant to Alan.
Cory gets cast as Hamlet in the school play, but when he thinks the material is too soft, he quits.
Cory feels pressured to jump-start his romantic life after being forced to sit through an educational film in puberty and learning that Shawn has a date.
Cory and Shawn wish that Feeny would get sick so they don't have to take their Geography exams. Feeny winds up in the hospital and Cory feels guilty.
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Lily Nicksay | Morgan Matthews |
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William Daniels | George Feeny |
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Will Friedle | Eric Matthews |
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Lee Norris | Stuart Minkus |
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William Russ | Alan Matthews |
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Rider Strong | Shawn Hunter |
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Betsy Randle | Amy Matthews |
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Ben Savage | Cory Matthews |
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Danielle Fishel | Topanga Lawrence |
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Trevor Larkin | Student |
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Marty York | Costumed Kid #1 |
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Thomas Wilson Brown | TV Announcer |
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Kristopher Kyer | TV Voice #1 |
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Willie Garson | Leonard Spinelli |
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Jason Marsden | Jason Marsden |
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Sam Horrigan | Costumed Kid #2 |
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Lisa Wilcox | TV Voice |
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DeJuan Guy | Ellis |
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Kelly Packard | Tracy |
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Matt Kirkwood | TV Voice |
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Gisele MacKenzie | Narrator Voice |
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Stephanie Dicker | Erin |
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Christina Laskay | Student |
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Breanne O'Donnell | Hilary |
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Keri Russell | Jessica |
| Edition | Special Edition |
|---|---|
| Packaging | Custom Case |
| Nr Discs | 3 |
| Screen Ratios | Standard 1.33:1 Color |
| Audio Tracks | ENGLISH: Dolby Digital Surround |
| Distributor | Touchstone / Disney |
| Layers | Single side, Dual layer |
| Edition Release Date | Aug 24, 2004 |
| Regions | Region 1 |
| Purchased | For $ 49.99 |
|---|---|
| Index | 16 |
| Added Date | Dec 12, 2012 01:15:22 |
| Modified Date | Nov 14, 2019 01:43:37 |