“What do you do around here when you just want to look at each other’s faces a little longer?”
Warning: Full spoilers from the episode follow.
All told, this was probably the most relationship-heavy episode of Girl Meets World thus far. Luckily, the previous “Girl Meets Texas: Part 1” helped set up the events of “Part 2,” which expanded more on the love triangle between Riley, Maya and Lucas. At the same time, this episode did a good job of keeping the whole group involved, even if certain aspects didn’t come together as well.
For its part, this second installment of the “Texas” arc was an improvement over the first, especially in the early going. For instance, I thought Riley exaggerating her “brother and sister” feelings for Lucas was a smart, funny way of showing that she was conflicted about the decision she made moments earlier. (It was also very Cory-like.) I was also glad that Lucas stood up for himself and told Riley upfront that his feelings for her weren’t necessarily platonic. After all, he should have as much of a say in the matter as Riley and Maya.
“Part 2” also featured a Boy Meets World alumnus of sorts — not really a character, but an establishment: Chubbie’s Famous! Well, okay, not the Chubbie’s that Cory and his friends hung out at back in the day, but definitely a spiritual successor (and likely owned by the eponymous Chubbie). And despite the relationship drama, there were plenty of humorous moments to be had here. Farkle’s unexpected obsession with Texas culture, for example, was pretty funny. (“I grew up here!”) I also enjoyed the musical interlude featuring Maddie & Tae and their oh-so catchy single “No Place Like You.” It kind of reminded me of Boy Meets World’s road trip episode, guest starring Nobody’s Angel.
That said, Zay’s subplot with Vanessa started out promising but didn’t really live up to the hype. The idea of Maya and Riley pretending to be Zay’s girlfriends was amusing, but Vanessa later showing up at the Friar homestead to ask Zay out for ice cream was sort of strange. I thought there would be more to it than just Vanessa realizing the error of her ways immediately.
Meanwhile, the campfire scene was a little touch-and-go. On the one hand, Maya’s vague unwillingness to come out and just say what needed to be said felt frustratingly realistic for a 13-year-old. In general, the proceedings here were pretty melodramatic, especially with moments like Riley basically blurting out, “Maya likes you, Lucas! What do you think of that?” On the other hand, Maya and Lucas’s conversation at least cleared the air on some things.
Of course, the big moment here was Lucas and Maya’s almost-kiss, but it was sort of just that: almost something. Ultimately, this scene didn’t resolve much, but they’re obviously saving the final verdict for “Part 3” — at least I hope. For now, I guess Riley and Maya have given Lucas a lot to think about.
The second episode in Girl Meets World’s “Texas” arc proved that the matter was far from settled on the love triangle front, and it was fun to see the gang’s night out at Chubbie’s (!) Famous Barbecue. While the big campfire scene was a little hit-or-miss, it did delve deeper into the group’s dynamic, specifically as it pertained to Lucas and Maya.
