About this series
I have ranked and reviewed every episode of boy meets world. I will be dropping ten. The rankings are based on tiers. So, for example, you have to have received a B grade to be ranked above another B grade episode, and a B grade episode cannot be ranked higher than a B+ or A level. The grades were given mostly based on four major categories. Creativity, was the episode concept done interestingly. Subjective enjoyment is it enjoyable to watch? Logic, does the episode make sense, and are they successful in communicating the message they set out to share? Emotion, are the moments of drama, humor, and tragedy still significant.
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150. As Time Goes By, Season 7, Episode 20
This episode should be relatable to all type A and B couples. Topanga and Cory argue over how best to spend their time the day before a deadline, and they lash out at each other for handling it differently. Topanga then goes to the closet to organize for relaxation. She enters into a new world in a portal. It's a noir world, and Eric is narrating it. She meets alternate versions of her peers, like in every other time travel episode.
She falls In love with alternate Cory and stays in his world until her need to fix everything stresses everyone out, and alternate Cory kills her. Cory is brought into this world by alternate Eric and finds Topanga slain. Cory gives a speech about the value of Topanga. Topanga comes back to life and goes back with Cory.
Topanga should have been the one to give the speech because it was her journey. But at least we get an alt ending where they don't fight and instead relax together, showing Topanga did learn Cory's value as well. Although I feel Cory saying this is all just a cartoon, it's not real ruined the whole was it real or only a fantasy ending, alternative Eric gave. This episode was creative and funny, but it wasn't profound, and it wasn't doing all that much compared to the other episodes. I have seen them do dreamy episodes better.
Grade C
149. And In Case I don’t See Ya, Season 6, Episode 10
In this episode, Eric tries to become popular by recording his life and showing everyone. He thinks his plan is working, but everyone just wants to watch Rachel. He then begins to use Rachel for popularity before realizing it's not worth it. In the b-plot, Cory and Shawn try to use their relationship with Feeny to get advantages in class. This episode is entertaining, but it's built off of two half-plots, both of which don't have the strength to put this higher on the list.
This episode is an entertaining filler. It was fun to see them parody the Truman Show with Eric and Rachel. But let's be real. Eric didn't need to learn this lesson. He definitely knows that he shouldn't exploit his friends. Also, he has never been someone who has struggled socially that came out of nowhere. Cory and Shawn's story was just like Eric's. It was funny, and it tied in because it was about exploiting friends, but once again, Cory and Shawn should know this already. Especially with Feeny, he has never given them any reason to believe that he would let them take advantage of him.
Grade C
148.I Ain’t Gonna Spray Lettuce No More, Season 4, Episode 3
In this episode, Alan quits his job and tries to find a new one. Amy refuses to support Alan when he tries to take the easy way out, leading to a small fight. Amy buys a wilderness shop for Alan to run, ending his job search and giving him a rewarding career path. In a b-plot, Cory learns how to be poor from Shawn.
This episode was funny, and it separates itself from And In Case I Don't See Ya by having a story and message that advances the plot and is worthwhile and consistent with the characters. I like that they showed us a fight between Alan and Amy, but I wish they had let it go on a little longer. I feel like resolving it all in one episode took away from the drama of the episode. Also, this works better as a setup for other episodes as opposed to a stand-alone.
Grade C
147. What A Drag, Season 7, Episode 11
In this episode, Eric and Jack dress in drag to avoid crazy Luther. Cory remodels the house for Topanga. Topanga hates it and doesn't know how to tell him. This episode is hilarious and charming. Eric was great as a woman. Cory was killing it in the B-plot. The Cork World and Tack City gags make me laugh to this day. It was also sweet how the story came around, with Cory realizing Topanga didn't like it and changing it without her having to say anything, showing they know each other well. It was a pleasant little surprise at the end.
It was also nice of Topanga to worry about Cory's feelings instead of just cutting him down. I also like how they had Eric's story intersect with Topanga's. I will say Feeny calling Eric a bison was very unfunny and didn't even make sense when he said it. But Eric's whole journey to find inner beauty was entertaining. Also, I love how Jack was overcompensating after they blackmailed Luther. I like that it was Shawn who called it out cause he did this already, dressing in drag in season 4. This episode wasn't very deep, but it was hilarious and entertaining throughout.
Grade C
146. She is Having My Baby Back Ribs, Season 7, Episode 17
In this episode, Topanga and Eric go on a diet, but Cory and Shawn think she is pregnant. Cory shows Topanga he is ready to be a father by throwing her a surprise baby shower.
The side story of Topanga dieting drug this episode down, the pregnancy scare, was actually quite entertaining. It would have been better if they leaned more into that. I would have liked it a lot better if we, as the audience, thought she was pregnant too. But it's still good as is. However, because they didn't take the pregnancy scare that seriously, it ended up being half as effective.
Grade C
145. Rave on, Season 3, Episode 9
In this episode, Eric and Cory throw a rave, but when their parents overhear them talking about it, they think it's a party for their anniversary. So the boys scramble to try and change the party. But Eric throws the rave anyway, so they have to pretend the rave is for their parents. Of course, they get busted, but they redeem themselves by playing their parent's wedding song.
I side with Eric on this one. He is graduating. He has limited time to try and make his mark. For his parents, this is like their 21st anniversary. It's not a limited-time thing. As we saw in season one and season two, the boys have never been involved in their parent's anniversary. It's their parent's day, and they have always had plans for just the two of them. So them hearing the boys make plans and assuming it was for them is kind on them. But the boys are not entirely off the hook. Alan is right; a card would have shown some consideration. But knowing their parents would think the rave was for them and allowing them to come and thus have their special day ruined was selfish. They could have easily moved the rave to another day.
This episode was just ok. Nice to see Cory and Eric together, but the story plot drags this episode down. It's an easily solvable problem and a lesson the boys should have learned by now, and doesn't move the show forward in any way. Boy Meets World can do a lot better. They made up for it with a lot of interesting moving parts. The comedy is especially on point in this episode, and the cameos were well done. My favorite joke was Reg Reginald Fairfield! He was hilarious for the entire episode.
Grade C.
Question for the comment section: Is Wanda Eric's cousin, or was Amy messing with his head?
144.Angela’s Ashes, Season 7, Episode 21
In this episode, Jack's dad cuts him off. Topanga is interviewing for a new job In New York. Eric, Rachel, and Jack are graduating soon. Most importantly, Angela's dad returns and asks her to come to Europe for a year.
I remembered this episode as a good one, but it does not stand up. The characters are, for the most part, not done well. Cory is a terrible boyfriend and friend in this episode. He blatantly Ignores Topanga, and it's not funny. The cheap joke is not worth making Cory and Topanga's relationship look bad in one of the last images of the Cory and Topanga relationship for over a decade. His advice to Shawn makes no sense. He is yelling at him and calling him trailer trash, something he knows Shawn has been sensitive about, and it's just dumb. This advice plot point would have been far better If Cory had advised Shawn seriously and given him genuine advice instead of stupid jokes. Topanga seems fine with being ignored in this episode in a way that is not realistic.
Eric is funny in this episode, but I've seen him do better, especially in season 7. Jack is a super greedy daddy's boy, and it's more like a caricature than the actual Jack, not to mention Jack has learned many times about greed in this season and the last, so this doesn't make sense for his character at all. Rachel is flat. She is graduating, and it seems like it barely matters to her. We get hints on the peace core, but that's it. She is there to play off Jack for most of the episode. Shawn, Angela, and Angela's dad are the saving graces of this episode. Their scenes belong in another episode cause their part in the story is on another level. Shawn and Angela's father arguing over Angela was a great scene. Shawn stands up to him and vows to marry Angela but changes his mind after Angela thanks him for giving her time with her father. It just twists the knife in such a dramatic way that Angela has no idea Shawn has vowed to marry her. Sad and beautiful, and you feel for all three of them. Angela and her dad need time together, and Shawn needs Angela. Someone had to lose, and it was honorable that Shawn did what was best for Angela.
I will say it was a crappy move to have Angela get sent off before the season finale. This plot flew in the face of the storyline they had earlier this season. Angela didn't want to get with Shawn because she didn't want to leave him like her mother left her and her dad. Shawn has trouble committing to Angela because of all his trust issues. But for them to put them together and then have them fall into their generational curses was severely disappointing. It didn't seem like what they were building to before. The actor's charm and delivery carried the writing, and Angela Shawn's story carried the episode.
Grade C
143.Killer Bee, Season 1, Episode 5
Cory enters a geography contest with Feeny, and Eric goes to the same concert as his parents. This episode is actually pretty important. It's the episode where Feeny learns that Cory is really smart when he is invested in what he is learning. I think you can tie a lot of Feeny's unorthodox lessons to this episode. It has a lot of good parts. At the same time, it's not done as well as it could be.
In the beginning, Feeny criticizes Cory for not studying hard enough, which would make sense in any other episode but here, Cory did study, but the textbook was wrong that shouldn't be on Cory. The Minkus' story is a highlight. Minkus is tricked into not doing the geography tournament by Cory and friends so he can be cool. For the rest of the episode, Minkus is trying to dumb himself down and be like everyone else, and it's hilarious.
Cory has to beg and scheme to get Minkus's spot in the tournament, but honestly, I don't blame Feeny Cory has never taken geography seriously, and Feeny is smart enough to see through his lies. But when Minkus is out, Cory makes a good point telling Feeny he is motivated because the prize is to be a batboy in the World Series. Feeny takes Cory up on his proposal now that he knows Cory is serious. They make a big deal about Feeny having won all five previous times and him wanting number 6. Cory studies hard and actually learns. But then, at the tournament, the questions are way too hard, and Cory loses. It just doesn't make sense, it seems like Feeny is the one who failed because he didn't have Cory studying the right material. Feeny has won this tournament five times. He knows what it's like. Yet, the stuff that Cory learns is nothing like what they asked, and that's on Feeny. When they start the tournament Feeny is there, but when Cory loses, he is alone. Why isn't Feeny there for him?
They have an excellent moment in the classroom where Feeny says Cory got and A on the latest geography test, and he considers that as important as winning the tournament, and he puts it up on the wall in place of the sixth tournament award. But to me, this moment is undercut a little by the fact that Feeny didn't Better prepare him for the tournament. Also, Minkus comes to his senses all on his own, realizing he isn't cut out to be average. He'd rather be himself.
Eric whined all episode to his parents for going to the same concert as him, and to me, this storyline was garbage. It only had two redeeming qualities. One Alan's message at the end "I had a father like the one you want, and I wanted one like the one you got deal with it." It also ties into the theme of the episode, realizing that you still have it good despite somewhat disappointing circumstances. Cory feels like a loser when he can't win the tournament as Minkus would have, but Feeny points to his grade to show how far he's come. Minkus didn't like being unpopular, but he is the smartest kid in the class, and he shouldn't dumb himself down. Eric didn't want to be into the same things as his parents, but that means his parents are pretty cool. But the thing that made Eric's storyline trash was his parents didn't bother him at all. It would have been better if they cramped his style in some real way.
Grade C
142. How to Succeed in Business, Season 5, Episode 9
In this episode, Cory gets fired from a work-study program, and Shawn is promoted. Cory has a tough time failing while Shawn succeeds, and Cory and Shawn have to deal with the divide. Amy comes to Eric's school and tells sexual stories in their creative writing class, and Eric must deal with his mom invading his space. This episode loses points because I didn't like how much of a jerk Cory was. The episode's main message for Cory seems to be don't put so much pressure on yourself, but I felt importantly, Cory should have given Shawn more credit. I know Alan says that to him, but it's understated in the episode.
If you only support Shawn when you are doing better than him, then you aren't a good friend. Shawn has many reasons to be jealous of Cory, but Shawn has always been a supportive friend. Cory has, for the most part, been a great friend to Shawn also, but he wasn't here. I didn't particularly appreciate that they portrayed Cory as someone who thinks Shawn is supposed to mess up and Cory is supposed to save him. But to be fair, this time, it wasn't too out of character, and they brought it around.
The b-story was semi-interesting. It was nice to see Amy and Eric together. Whereas with Killer Bee I thought Eric was a brat here, I thought he had a legitimate gripe. Reading stories about sex with Alan in front of his friends is super embarrassing, and Amy should know that. If she wouldn't want her mom reading them, why should her son read them? Although I will say if you exclude that undermining aspect, the story of Eric learning to accept his mom as a person and not just his mom is a good lesson and a relevant storyline.
Grade C
141. Grandma was a Rolling Stone, Season 1, Episode 7
In this episode, Cory's grandma (Alan's mother) blows into town unannounced, and she makes big promises to the kids. She delivers on Morgan and Eric's but whiffs for Cory. In a B-lot, Eric starts dating Feeny's niece (of Beverly Hills 90210 fame). This episode is fine, but the lesson of dealing with disappointment from people you care about, while important, wasn't done in a way that I felt was interesting enough for a whole episode. I was more interested in the b-story with Eric. However, the father-son moment was very touching and well done. It feels like some backstory for Alan, and it was nice to see Alan using his childhood experience to help Cory. I also thought the jokes about Shawn stealing Cory's dad were hilarious. Also, it was nice to see what Eric's dating life was like finally. This is probably the most transparent picture we get of how Eric operates in the first season. Plus, the fact that it was Feeny's niece added to the comedy between Eric and Feeny.
Grade C
Question: Did Cory's grandmother get that baseball card at a swap meet, or did she kill a man in Reno just to watch him die? Could be why we never see her again. She is on the run.