Donut on the horizon.
Warning: Full spoilers from this episode follow.
After nearly two seasons of fan service ranging from storyline callbacks to character cameos, I suppose it was only a matter of time before the characters of Girl Meets World were literally superimposed onto an old episode of Boy Meets World. “Girl Meets Cory and Topanga” didn’t really accomplish anything in terms of character growth, but it did still offer some funny and heartwarming moments along the way.
The idea of Riley not knowing what kind of person she’s going to be when she grows up is nothing new. Not only has the show tackled this subject multiple times already, but it’s also the entire mantra of the series. In truth, we probably didn’t need another episode about Riley freaking out over her lack of accomplishments. (Seriously, you’re 12! Go do kid stuff!) But the added twist that she couldn’t live up to parents did allow Riley to ponder her existence from that specific viewpoint — or the “horizon,” as it were.
Of course, the first half of this episode was pretty much showing how amazing and successful Cory and Topanga were, complete with golden-lit poses of the two of them, their hair waving in the wind. (Well, Topanga’s hair anyway.) Granted, the nunnery and the clown college scenes were a bit much, although I did enjoy the apathetic clown reluctantly playing all his pranks on the gullible Riley. This also segued nicely into the moment we had all been waiting for: Boy Meets World flashbacks.
Not surprisingly, there were a ton of meta-jokes in this storyline, and for the most part they worked, just as they did back in day. (“It’s not like someone recorded everything they did!”) It was also neat watching two classic Boy Meets World scenes unfold from Riley and Maya’s perspectives. (“Hey, Matthews, how you doin’?”) The nostalgia-meter was off the charts here too. Just seeing the old Matthews household gave me a rush of memories of watching that show.
But as adorable as it was to see “eensy” Cory and Topanga again, Riley’s arc just wasn’t that different from the many other times she’s compared herself to her parents. Ultimately, it felt like a retread of past events — literally, in the case of the flashbacks. Regardless, I did think Riley and Cory’s father/daughter moment at the end was really sweet (and class-inappropriate as always).
Meanwhile, Farkle and Lucas’s subplot was silly, but also much more enjoyable than I expected. (Anything to avoid another Auggie/Ava B story.) I could have done without the weird Terminator special effects, but their ongoing bromance continues to be a welcome addition to the show. It’s good to see the two boys getting their own storylines now and actually holding their own at that.
Flashbacks to Boy Meets World were inevitable on Girl Meets World, but whoever though Riley and Maya would actually be transported back in time to visit young versions of Cory and Topanga? While the storyline here wasn’t very original, it was pretty cool to see the girls’ reactions to Riley’s parents when they were her age. There were also plenty of meta moments, which made “Girl Meets Cory and Topanga” all that much more enjoyable for longtime fans.
