COLUMN: ‘Boy Meets World’ bears female successor
Inspired by what could only have been fate, the loving heavens and a strict brown rice noodle diet, I glanced upon my Twitter feed and happened on upon something so special that special just doesn’t describe it. It’s phenomenal. It’s wonderful. It’s everything the Wild Berry Pop-Tart was supposed to be but sadly wasn’t, and even more than that – “Boy Meets World” is coming back.
Like, officially: like, with the same principle cast: like, they start filming early next year.
This is huge. Everyone go outside and, in the spirit of the Eric Matthews, exclaim the “Feeny call” into the night sky as loudly as you can, because the television god has finally said, “It’s an idea. We have no clue if it will work in this day and age, but for the good of the sanity of those who still want stations solely for music videos, we will give this a try.”
And try we will. “Boy Meets World” is back!
Okay, okay – it’s kind of back. The running title is “Girl Meets World” and will outline the story of Cory and Topanga raising their coming-of-age 13 year-old daughter Riley.
Will this transition to a new show based off of a once highly-guarded television program work as swimmingly as those of us of the ’90s TGIF era are hoping? We honestly don’t know. But in this current era of overly-done musical programs and shows that built momentum off of pure controversy – and then there’s “Yo Gabba Gabba” – we need some sort of blessing that in its own harmonious way brings us back to our roots, and this may just be it.
This does beg me to wonder, however, of some TV shows from my childhood that also need stern evaluation. While we’re at it, why don’t we categorize them?
The TV show from Steve’s childhood that must come back is “Freaks and Geeks.” Anyone who has seen this show knows two things: Jason Seigel does not know how to age, and this show was viciously robbed for only lasting a season. This program was the “Wonder Years” of our time, an homage to young people who have young people lives and tell young people stories about their young people problems with their young people friends. It hit its demographic perfectly and then bad marketing took it to its grave. Come back, “Freaks and Geeks,” and promise us we can all be cool again by trying more than we need to.
The TV show from Steve’s childhood that should never come back is “Hey Arnold.” Among the theories that this show had run its course and was running out of creative storylines in its time, my real argument is this: We don’t officially know Arnold’s last name, and for the sake of our kindred spirits, it is best it stays that way. No temptations.
The show that should have never existed is “7th Heaven.” Look, we get it: You were the moral rebuttal to “Dawson’s Creek.” We know that, we respect that, and the knowledge that Jessica Biel was of legal age the entire time will still not motivate us to watch this show. Save the feel good, family-type shows for “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”
The show that should be real life is “Superhuman Samurai.” You and your rock-and-roll friends double as robot-transforming crime fighters who travel via the Internet, and one of you is a Lawrence brother? I sho
uld have to explain this one any further.
I’m glad I could get that well-needed television analysis off of my chest. Here’s to hoping our children and children’s children can have such experiences with “Girl Meets World” in decades ahead.
– Steve Schwartzman is a senior in communication studies and linguistics. When he isn’t trying too hard to make people laugh he is usually watching sports, watching 90’s cartoons or experiencing all things Aggie Life. Got a good idea for Steve to rant about? Hit him up at steve.schwartzman@aggiemail.usu.edu
or on Twitter @SchwartZteve