Boy Meets World: Season 1 (9/24/1993)

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

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 9/24/1993 1. Pilot

Cory Matthews winds up with detention after trying to listen to a Phillies game in class, while his teacher, Mr. Feeny, is trying to teach the class the great value that love has in all of their lives. However, Cory doesn't find love and girls such a good thing when his older brother, Eric, takes a girl to a Phillies game instead of him. This prompts Cory to move into his treehouse.

Director: John Tracy Writer: Michael Jacobs / April Kelly

Guest starring: Chauncey Leopardi, Cynthia Mace, Krystin Moore, Trevor Larkin

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 10/1/1993 2. On the Fence

Cory is worried about the class water gun war, as he has no heavy-duty water gun to compete with. However, he soon strikes up a deal with Mr. Feeny, who makes Cory a deal: if he paints Mr. Feeny's shutters, he will give Cory the money to buy a new water gun. However, Cory rushes in haste to buy the water gun, and he gets green paint all over the fence.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Jeff Sherman

Guest starring: DeJuan Guy

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 10/8/1993 3. Father Knows Less

While Alan and Cory stay up late to watch a baseball game, Cory fails a test the next day at school, and Mr. Feeny refuses to let him make it up.

Director: David Trainer Writer: April Kelly

Guest starring: Willie Garson, Thomas Wilson Brown

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 10/15/1993 4. Cory's Alternative Friends

Cory becomes friends with his school's outcasts when he changes his hair and finds that the consequences are very fatal.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Patricia Forrester

Guest starring: Marla Sokoloff, Megan Parlen, Katie Johnston, Matthew Bartilson, Marty York, Sam Horrigan, Chris Owen, Christina Leigh

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 10/22/1993 5. Killer Bees

Cory is determined to be in the geography bee when he finds out that the winner gets to be bat-boy at the opening game of the world series. But, when he and Minkus trade places in the acedemic world, they end up trading places in the social world, too. Meanwhile, Eric is embarassed when his parents show up at the same concert as he and a date.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Susan Estelle Jansen

Guest starring: DeJuan Guy, Nikki Cox, Gisele MacKenzie, Branelle Dahl, Laurel Diskin, Thomas Wilson Brown, Tom Kelly, Christina Leigh

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 10/29/1993 6. Boys II Mensa

Cory is going to be shipped off to a "smart" school, after he and Shawn find the answers to an I.Q. test and Cory cheats, using those answers. He tries to play dumb when a representative from the school comes to interview him. Amy and Alan know that he cheated and act like he really is smart and that they want him to go to the school. Cory comes clean with them and Mr. Feeny and learns that cheating is not right.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Janette Kotichas Burleigh

Guest starring: Jane Carr, Marty York, Sam Horrigan, Dusty Gould, Trevor Larkin

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 11/12/1993 7. Grandma Was a Rolling Stone

Cory gives up fishing with his dad when his grandma comes to town and makes him some great promises. But he's disappointed when she doesn't come through for him and Alan goes fishing with Shawn instead. Meanwhile, Eric uses Morgan to get the attention of Feeny's attractive niece.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Ed Decter / John J. Strauss

Guest starring: Keri Russell, Rue McClanahan

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 11/19/1993 8. Teacher's Bet

When Cory insists that teaching is easy in comparison to learning, Mr. Feeny agrees to temporarily switch roles on a bet, allowing Cory to handle social studies for one week.

Director: David Trainer Writer: April Kelly

Guest starring: Lindsay Price

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 11/26/1993 9. Class Pre-Union

Mr. Feeny has his class predict what their lives will be like by their class reunion. When he gives Cory an incomplete, Cory gives up on his dream of being a center fielder, until his dad realizes just what he needs. Meanwhile, Morgan trades her mother's gold necklace for a plastic one and has to get it back.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Ed Decter / John J. Strauss

Guest starring: Jim Abbott, Christine Healy, Marty York, Brittany English Stephens, Kristopher Kyer, Lisa Wilcox, Matt Kirkwood, Trevor Larkin

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 12/10/1993 10. Santa's Little Helper

Chet, Shawn's father, loses his job, and Cory vows that Shawn will have a Christmas gift this year. Morgan is also traumatized when a shopping mall Santa suffers a heart attack as she gets onto his lap.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Susan Estelle Jansen

Guest starring: Tom La Grua

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 12/17/1993 11. The Father/Son Game

The father/son softball game is coming up and Cory and Eric don't want to play. They try to come up with a plan, but before they can Alan finds out how they feel. He tells them that the game was cancelled, but Cory finds out (from Topanga) that the game, in fact, was played. Cory and Eric feel bad and make ammends withs Alan, planning a make-up game for the following weekend.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Bill Lawrence

Guest starring: Willie Garson

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 1/7/1994 12. Once in Love With Amy

Cory and Eric are convinced that Amy is having an affair when they find provacative clothing in her bowling bag, and do not open their mind up to any other possibility.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Ken Kuta

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 1/14/1994 13. She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

Cory's classmate Topanga develops a crush on Eric when he visits Mr. Feeny's class as a guest speaker.

Director: David Trainer Writer: April Kelly

Guest starring: Krystee Clark, Breanne O'Donnell

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 1/28/1994 14. The B-Team of Life

Cory and Minkus are put on the Basketball B-Team for their school, which, subsequently, never gets to play.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Jeff Menell

Guest starring: Ahmad Stoner, Hugh Dane, Phil Proctor, Robert Clotworthy, Trevor Larkin

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/4/1994 15. Model Family

Eric decides to quit his job at his father's store when he gets a modeling job at the mall. Alan wants to stop him, but Amy wants him to learn on his own. Meanwhile, Cory, Topanga, Shawn, and Minkus have to pretend to be a family for a school project.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Ed Decter / John J. Strauss

Guest starring: Jason Marsden, Kelly Packard, Stephanie Dicker, Matt Kirkwood, Kristopher Kyer, Kathy Ireland, Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, Jerry Mathers

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/11/1994 16. Risky Business

Cory and Shawn gamble on race horses and make a lot of money. But Cory realizes not every risk is worth it when he leaves Morgan home alone. Meanwhile, Cory's parents exchange Valentines. Also, Eric tries to get the attention of a girl.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Ken Kuta

Guest starring: Thomas Wilson Brown, Trevor Denman

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 2/25/1994 17. The Fugitive

Shawn is forced to stay in Cory's room, in secrecy, because of a cherry bomb prank gone wrong in Alan's grocery store mailbox, which keeps him from going home. Cory keeps it a secret the best he can, but Amy and Alan know something is up because Mr. Feeny saw Shawn climb up to Cory's window. They play along until Shawn leaves and Cory comes clean with them. Shawn finally comes clean and goes back home. Shawn and Cory both learn valuable lessons. Shawn learns that he is not forced to be a bad kid and can be on Cory's "side of the line."

Director: David Trainer Writer: Jeff Sherman

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/11/1994 18. It's a Wonderful Night

When Cory and Shawn try and sneak an R-rated movie into the house while everyone will be out, their plans are in jeopardy when Mr. Feeny substitutes for their baby-sitter.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Susan Estelle Jansen

Guest starring: Jason Marsden, Donald Gibb, Kelly Packard, Stephanie Dicker, Kristopher Kyer, Kevin Thompson, Lisa Wilcox

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 3/25/1994 19. Kid Gloves

On Cory's birthday, Alan gives him a necklace with two silver boxing gloves on it, and Cory accidently loses it. However, he'll regret that mistake when he finds out their true value.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Jeff Menell

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 4/29/1994 20. The Play's the Thing

Cory is cast to play Hamlet in the school production, but he quickly drops the role and it goes to Minkus, who, quite frankly, cannot act to save his life.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Ed Decter / John J. Strauss

Guest starring: Ryan Tomlinson

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 5/6/1994 21. Boy Meets Girl

When Cory's class watches a film on puberty and how it can affect your emotions, Shawn gets his first date, and Cory's jealousy toward the subject.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Janette Kotichas Burleigh

Guest starring: Breanne O'Donnell, Gisele MacKenzie, Gil Stratton

Seen it: Yes 30 mins 5/13/1994 22. I Dream of Feeny

When Cory wishes that Mr. Feeny could get sick so that his class won't have to take the exams, he ends up with more then he bargained for when Mr. Feeny ends up in the hospital.

Director: David Trainer Writer: Mark Fink

Guest starring: Janet Carroll, Juliette Jeffers

	Ben Savage	Cory Matthews
	Rider Strong	Shawn
	Danielle Fishel	Topanga
	Will Friedle	Eric Matthews
	William Daniels	Feeny
	William Russ	Alan Matthews
	Betsy Randle	Amy Matthews
	Lily Nicksay	Morgan Matthews
	Lee Norris	Stuart Minkus
	Lindsay Ridgeway	Morgan Matthews
	Anthony Tyler Quinn	Jonathan Turner
	Matthew Lawrence	Jack Hunter
	Trina McGee	Angela Moore
	Maitland Ward	Rachel McGuire