Generation In-Between: A Xennial Podcast

TGIF Series: Boy Meets World, Revisited

Dani & Katie Season 1 Episode 155

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Was your first TV crush named Shawn or Topanga? 

Did you learn life's tough lessons from your neighbor/teacher?

If you watched TGIF for the shenanigans of Cory Matthews and friends, you might be a fan of Boy Meets World, and a Xennial, and so are we. 

Join us as we rewatch, revisit and chat about one of TGIF's later hits, Boy Meets World. We also talk about the 2017 sequel, Girl Meets World, and the current podcast Pod Meets World. 

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Cold Open: Boy Meets World Nostalgia

SPEAKER_00

Did you ever wish that your favorite teacher could also be your neighbor? Are you still trying to grow your hair out to Tapanga length? If you considered skipping an invitation to attend Yale to marry your high school boyfriend, you might have been inspired by the 1990s sitcom Boy Meets World, and we were too. Maybe we'll see. Um, no.

SPEAKER_02

Hi, I'm Katie. And I am Danny, and you are listening to Generation in Between, a Xennial podcast, where we remember, revisit, and uh sometimes relearn all kinds of things about being 80s kids and 90s scenes. And sometimes we even re-watch things that are from both of those decades. And you're here on our next installment of our TGIF series, and we um have been discussing some of the iconic shows from the Friday Night Block of TV on ABC.

SPEAKER_00

And today is Boy Meets World, which entered the pop culture zeitgeist in 1993, and it ran until May 2000.

SPEAKER_02

Listen, my apologies, audience, because I I had to just channel my stepdad. Hold on. If y'all ever met him, he he's always says this. My apologies. My apologies. Really? Just like that. Yeah, yeah. Instead of I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00

What? You know what I'm talking about? I said, I sit. That's what, yeah. I heard I saw that chicken saying that. He's a rooster, not a chicken.

SPEAKER_02

Chickens are female.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, you're right.

SPEAKER_02

Look at me knowing about farm animals.

SPEAKER_00

If that is the hill you want to die on this evening, what was his name? Oh, it's because he's a cartoon. That's why. What was I gonna call? I I don't remember his name.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, anyways. Um, anyway, he always says, My apologies. So, anyway, my apologies, listeners, because I when whenever we talked about TGIF, our like intro episode, Katie says I'm at Boys Meets World, and I was like, I was too old for that show. I was absolutely not because they graduated high school the same year as me.

SPEAKER_00

I noticed that.

SPEAKER_02

I do not know why I remembered the show being for kids younger than me. I don't know why either. They were your age. It just felt like I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

I don't I just missed it. I I I was I don't know. Who knows? But um we are recording in the evening. Oh, God help us.

SPEAKER_01

Adulting is a trick, everybody.

SPEAKER_02

It's a trick. Don't do it. Corey, Chipanga. Don't. I'm just saying, if you ain't in the adult world yet, enjoy that for a little while. Do not rush it because then you're gonna have to get things like new hot water heaters because bugs called mud daubers. Do you even know what these are?

SPEAKER_00

No.

SPEAKER_02

Girl, look them up.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

They are so annoying. They can infest. We have a tankless hot water heater, they can infest them.

SPEAKER_00

That's what happened?

SPEAKER_02

Fucked up the sensors. Uh-huh. Well, also, we had a gas leak.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So that's fun.

SPEAKER_00

I remember that. I said it's so serious.

SPEAKER_02

I remember that gas leak.

SPEAKER_00

I remember that.

SPEAKER_02

Anyway, it sucks. Adulting, stupid dumb.

SPEAKER_00

Stupid dumb X. Big X. Um, and actually the show we watched for this week. Was people like right up to getting up to adulthood, those final years before. Yeah. For the most part. Well, you kind of already said in the intro, but before we get started with the show background and the cast info that I have, and then we'll talk about the episodes we watched. Okay. Which was a lot. Which ended up being a lot. Yes. But it's fine. It was fine. Um, and I did watch the sequel episode this time. Girl Meets World.

SPEAKER_02

Oh God. Yeah. That was bad.

SPEAKER_00

Sabrina Carpenter, though.

SPEAKER_02

I about died. We'll get there. I had no idea she was a kid actor. I had no idea.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Yeah. Didn't I? I know. It's hard to believe. She was past my time. Oh, yes. Obviously. Me too. Um, so did you like the show, Danny?

SPEAKER_02

Not really. I mean, some of the episodes were good. I I appreciate I mean, not good. Hold on. I think I don't want to jump ahead. But obviously, I didn't I don't remember watching this when it was on. I thought I was I thought it came out like a generation after us. And I like I feel like younger kids watch I don't know why. I was probably because I was watching things I wasn't supposed to be watching, but I watched dinosaurs and all that nonsense, so I don't I don't know. That's true. Because that was around the same time. I guess I just you know, I don't know. Maybe I watched it and I was like, I don't know, I don't like this show. I remember it. Like, and I remember, you know, the reruns were in desyndication forever on Disney Channel or whatever. Like I've seen it, right? But I wasn't like a fan.

SPEAKER_00

Were you at that? Um, sort of the same. Like, I do remember watching it. I think I mentioned this in our kickoff episode. My high school boyfriend loved to panga. Well, okay, let's just clear that up now.

SPEAKER_02

A lot of people in our generation love to panga.

SPEAKER_00

I hated how as the seasons went on, her hair got straighter, though.

SPEAKER_02

I know.

SPEAKER_00

I didn't like that because I loved it like so crazy and curly at the beginning.

SPEAKER_02

Well, you know, Eurocentric beauty standards.

SPEAKER_00

I know, I know, or whatever of the time's trends. But so we would like watch it at his house, like after we did whatever go to football games or whatever. After we did whatever.

SPEAKER_02

And I meant like go to football games.

SPEAKER_00

After, but before, anyway. So yeah. That's funny. So I remember watching it then, but I don't like remember watching it much of my own or in reruns. I enjoyed the episodes we watched. I I like I not all of them, but I like a lot of the individual characters a lot.

SPEAKER_02

You know who is my favorite? Well, I did have a crush on Ryder Strong back in the day.

SPEAKER_01

Fair.

SPEAKER_02

But you know who I feel like I like the most out of all the characters is the is Eric.

SPEAKER_00

Is the brother?

SPEAKER_02

He is fucking hilarious.

SPEAKER_00

He was really funny.

SPEAKER_02

And we listened, they have a podcast, him and Ryder Strong, uh, Will Friedel is his name, right?

SPEAKER_00

Will Friedel.

SPEAKER_02

And um, who put what's to ping as Danielle official? They have a podcast together, and I was listening to it, and he's still hilarious. He's like he's really funny, he's funny in real life. But I was like, and then I realized as I was watching, I was like, oh my god, he looks like a kid I went to school with like my whole life, who was a friend of mine, and he was also hilarious in that same kind of like dry humor, like funny, and his name was Josh. I swear, I'll show you a picture. Totally reminded me of him.

SPEAKER_00

That's wild.

SPEAKER_02

Never put those two things together.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I enjoyed him too. I thought he was funny. I like the mom too. You didn't like her as well.

SPEAKER_02

The parents fell flat for me.

SPEAKER_00

Really? I don't know. I felt they were like better than other parents around that time on sitcom. I just didn't really like this show. Yeah, that's fair. I I I get it. We'll get to it.

SPEAKER_02

I don't want to jump ahead.

SPEAKER_00

I don't want to jump ahead. All right, well, let's jump into Boyne Meats World.

SPEAKER_02

Nice transition. That's good. That's good.

SPEAKER_00

I've had all day to think of it because we're recording at night.

SPEAKER_02

And I was late.

SPEAKER_00

So 9 a.m.

SPEAKER_02

me is can't come up with those things off the cuff. The the challenge for you tonight, y'all remember back one time when Katie fell asleep and I was talking?

SPEAKER_00

Except I'm talking. So she can't fall asleep while she's talking? I can't. You will know definitively if I fall asleep. It will be quiet. Or loud if I'm snoring. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Did you see, did you see? I I posted that flashback in my personal social media that went the other day. Did you see OP went, oh wow? It was like, oh God, or something.

SPEAKER_00

It was like, dang. Like she I even said, like, for some reason on the flashback, it hit me hard. I was like, what was actually happening?

SPEAKER_02

Well, that was right when well that I know what it was. It was right when you were about to be done with that one job and you just had opened the studio. Mm-hmm. You were literally not sleeping.

SPEAKER_00

Literally not. Yeah. Not like now when I don't sleep, but it's like four hours.

SPEAKER_02

Katie never sleeps, guys.

SPEAKER_00

Four hours. It was like zero hours at that time.

SPEAKER_02

Well, and also your stress level was like It was.

SPEAKER_00

I would say, like, I was thinking about that today when I was at a venue my studio is renting, waiting for something to come get fixed. I was like, this is a cool problem to have.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Like, I'm like sitting here waiting to fix something in this cool ass building that like we get to do stuff in. Like, yeah, there's a lot of challenges and things we have to figure out, but I mean that's true of anything. Might as well be doing it here. I know. I was just sitting there all by myself. Oh, that's what it was. It's because you're like, ah, it's like giant building alone. And what's interesting is so I I our family uses the Life 360 app.

SPEAKER_02

Uh-huh.

Adulting Tangent And Life Updates

SPEAKER_00

And so I looked on there to actually see where my husband was because he was going to see his parents, and I wondered if he was leaving in time to pick someone up from school. And sometimes rather than just asking, you just look. Has he left yet? And so I look and it says where I am at the time in that building, and then it says, My son is a block away. And I was like, What? So I text him, I'm like, You look like you're near me. I'm at this address. Um, come by if you want. It's the place my studios rented because he hasn't been in there yet. And he's like, Are you in the same building as and he names this other business that's in the building? And apparently he was in there getting his hair cut.

SPEAKER_01

So he walks over.

SPEAKER_00

He walks over and he's like, Hello? And I was like, Come in, come in. And he like looks around and he's like, This is sick. What's going on in here? And I was like, Yes, well, we're gonna. He's like, Are you guys moving in here? I'm like, no, just temporarily. He like walks down the whole building. He's like opening the bay door, he's like messing with the soundboard. I was like, Yeah, he's like, I'm I'm really proud of you. And it was really sweet because I'm looking around and there's like scraps of costumes, and like, I don't know, there's like nothing is put together yet.

SPEAKER_01

Of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But he was like, This is this is super cool. Yeah, he had just been next door. That's so cute. So then we left.

SPEAKER_02

I have a funny sun story. Oh, I want to hear it. Caden was on the Jumbotron at the FSU game last night.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, that's so cute. Did you see him on TV?

SPEAKER_02

Well, he was on TV. I didn't see it, but he texted Kate Troy and I. I'm listening I don't hear from him much. Jumbotron is but he's like he's like, me and my frat brothers were just on the jumbotron, and it's on TV. I mean, it's Florida State. He's like at the basketball game. I was like, what? And so did y'all get a picture? Of course, me. I like have to see it. I was like, Did you get a picture? He's like, Well, we got all we got was this one. I'll show you later.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Kate's wearing like a basketball. Um, I always say a basketball tank top. That's incorrect. But it's just a jersey. Okay, it's just a jersey. Cooper's like, Mom, it's not a tank top. I'm like, I said, Why is he always wearing tank top? He's in his basketball camisole.

SPEAKER_00

You know. Oh my god.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

All right, what are we doing? Let's Okay, here we go.

SPEAKER_00

Boy Meets World. Let's keep going. We're gonna go. All right. It is for those who have never seen it.

unknown

All right.

SPEAKER_00

You all with the drill. We haven't actually had wine. We don't have any. Thank God. Yeah, thank God. Oh, we're recording. Yeah, we're still recording. Maybe people will be like, Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Maybe you should.

Setting Up The Boy Meets World Rewatch Plan

SPEAKER_00

Maybe you should. Okay. Boy Meets World is an American coming of age sitcom created by Michael Jacobs that centers on Corey Matthews, played by Ben Savage, and his friends and family as he progresses from childhood to adulthood. Episodes chronicle the everyday events of Corey's home and school life. His teacher and neighbor, George Feeney, playing by William Daniels, delivers life lessons as Corey learns to cope with social and personal issues of adolescence. You put on that uh that like professional voice real quick. I'm auditioning for an audiobook here. No. Right now. You're hired for your phone book. So additionally, other characters on the show, his brother, Eric, played by Will Friedel, the younger sister, Morgan, played in younger years by Lily Nixay, and the parents, Amy, played by Betsy Randall, and Alan, played by William Russ. Sean Hunter, his best friend, played by Ryder Strong, and of course his romantic interest, Tapanga Lawrence, played by Danielle Fischel. And there's a few other people in later seasons. Their teacher, Mr. Turner, is played by Anthony Tyler Quinn. Oh, I did like that guy. Yeah. I liked him too. I I swore he was on like a bunch of other stuff. I don't know why. And but then when I like looked him up for this, he really wasn't. I figured he was too. Yeah, I don't know why. Was he ever on Blossom? I was thinking that, but no. And then I thought he was on ER. I don't know. Maybe he has someone else. Clearly, because it wasn't him. Um, also Matthew Lawrence was on the show. Yeah, I forgot about he popped in. And Trina McGee Davis, who was Angela, and then Rachel McGuire, who played Maitland Ward. I actually don't even remember that.

SPEAKER_02

That was um that was like in their later years.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_02

See, I remember bits and things about it. Uh-huh. Yeah, I remember at the in the last episode.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, who wanted to join the Peace Corps?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. I remember her. All right. So the reason for Boy Meets World is the Walt Disney Company. What are words, you guys? What are they? The Walt Disney Company commissioned the series for its youth-oriented TGI programming. Not this youth, not this youth oriented company. I did not want that. I wanted Baltic and Dinosaurs. Well, Jacobs had previously produced dinosaurs for the block and was asked to create another one for the 12 to 14-year-old audience. So Which was us. Yeah, I guess it was. It was right us. I was 13 in 1993. There you go. Um, Savage, Ben Savage, was under contract with ABC at the time. And so Jacobs chose to include him as the central character, and it premiered on September 24th, 1993, and as I mentioned earlier, concluded May 2000. And it says as a result of the aging cast. Oh, God bless. And a shift in the network's programming directives, which we know from other TJF, that's when kind of TGIF started to fall off a little.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, kids don't say young forever.

SPEAKER_00

They don't. Aging, it's just funny the way they said it. They're 22. But I mean, yes, they were no longer living at home.

SPEAKER_02

Nobody their age is watching the show anymore.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, after the graduation, the one we watched, there were still two more seasons. I mean, they're talking about it. That's pretty crazy.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, Dawson's Creek is like that too. Yeah. They had two seasons after.

SPEAKER_00

That's true. That's true. So they made it happen. Um, it did have strong ratings for the teenage demographic, not this teen. And then it was later syndicated on the Disney Channel, and several cast members were nominated for Young Artist Awards. And then Savage and Official reprise their roles, a series regulars in the spinoff, Girl Meets Worlds. That's that one made no sense. And you know it aired from 2014 to 2017. Okay, I hope the writing got better. Because that's three seasons or four seasons, depending when it started.

SPEAKER_02

It made no sense that episode we watched. And we'll talk about it when we get there. I had to quit paying attention. I'm like, this doesn't make any sense. I don't get it.

SPEAKER_00

I don't yeah, we only watched the one, thankfully.

SPEAKER_02

I mean.

SPEAKER_00

Did you even finish it?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Okay. I mean, I was not paying fully attention. Yeah. But I was like, this doesn't make any sense. And this is terrible. Also. Yes. Like, I okay.

First Impressions: Did We Even Like It?

SPEAKER_00

Yes. So the show inspired lifelong friendships between some of the cast members. Danielle Fischel, Will Friedel, and Ryder Strong do co-host Pod Meets World. They have over 570 episodes. But I noticed, like, when we went to find the ones we listened to, or the one we listened to, that um they come out several times a week. Yeah, and they've been doing it for a while. They have, and there's variations of it. So I think it kind of started as a rewatch, but then like the one we listened to wasn't a rewatch, so they have other people on the show. And then it sounds like Danielle Fishel has like a spin-off of it called Teen Beat, where she talks about different stuff. So, anyway, that's a lot of episodes. One day. Um, okay, so I have like a few random facts. I don't know. I tried to put them with the cast members if they made sense. But here's a few that didn't go anywhere that made sense. That's how my brain works. Fun fact. Okay, so the show had something called a death chair. Sort of. That's your first fun fact. No one actually died. Wait a minute. No one died when I was gonna die. Katie said, here's a fun fact.

SPEAKER_02

There was a death chair.

SPEAKER_00

There was.

SPEAKER_02

Rejoice.

SPEAKER_00

Rejoice, everyone. Okay, now I'm gonna tell you why. In season one, producers tried adding various friends to Cory and Sean's duo, but it seemed like any actor who sat in a specific cafeteria chair would never come back. That kid with the bowl cut in the first episode. He had lines and everything, he was in like two scenes, never came back. The kid with the bowl cut Rip. Because he was in the death club. His name was Rip. I was like, why was his name Rip? No. So the cast started calling it the Death Chair. Oh. Imagine it being your first time being on the city. What if you're like, fuck no, I'm in that seat? I'll just go over here. Um, and I have a little more about this with Topanga, but Danielle Fischel was originally just supposed to be a guest star.

SPEAKER_02

I heard about this today. I listened to that episode our friend told us to watch. I mean, listen to. Yeah, it was really good. Did you listen to it? Most of it.

SPEAKER_00

I ran on the time. It was long. Yeah. But yeah, it was good.

SPEAKER_02

She was supposed to be just fish girl or something.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And then she ended up obviously being so popular that they kept her as a series regular till the end of the series. Well, well, you know, they she wasn't to penga at Topanga. Topanga.

SPEAKER_02

She wasn't Topanga at first. But the girl who was was not working out.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So they like tried to coach her through that, and they were like, eh, let's try. So it was her and another little girl that were just like playing like little other little friends, and they had them both read on set. Also, we'll get there, but it was interesting to hear about Michael Jacobs. He was kind of an asshole, guys. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, he was. We'll get there. Um, and then that iconic jacket that Ryder Strong wore, Sean's leather jacket. He wore it like that's an iconic jacket? Well, he wore it basically the whole series. I did not ever realize that. Not every single series.

SPEAKER_02

Was it supposed to be like the Fonz or something?

SPEAKER_00

Must have been. But he kept it. He still has it. Aw. I know. That's so fun. I love it. Alright, let's talk about the cast. And we'll have some little tidbits as we go. Yay. I hope not. Katie's like, fun fact, death chair. Let's see. Who knows what's around? I don't know. Let's see. If that's my first fun fact, who knows? Well, we have to start with Ben Savage. I know. We just have to. Who played Corey Matthews, Xenial, born September 13th, 1980, in Chicago. And many of us know. Wow, he's like almost my exact age.

SPEAKER_02

He is my exact age. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

We're just so a little bit older than you.

SPEAKER_02

He's just uh two months older than me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, because your birthday's in November. Yeah. I was like, wait, I know. Yes. Yeah, two months away.

SPEAKER_02

I that's so crazy because I always thought he was so much younger than me. That's I girl. How old did you think you were when you were a child? I there is no telling. And now I've I like think I'm way younger, or I was aging myself a whole year, so that sucks.

SPEAKER_00

But so you were trying to be older.

Favorite Characters And Pod Meets World

SPEAKER_02

I don't be knowing because you know what? I had a crush on his older brother. Well, yeah. See? Fred. And so maybe that's why I thought he was younger. And he was little for a while.

SPEAKER_00

He was. He was tiny. Weren't you?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, no, no, no. I'm saying maybe that's why I thought he was younger. Do you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Not like I'm some monstrous tall person, but like he was little.

SPEAKER_00

I'm not judging him. I mean, that's me. Oh, he's small. Like I say a lot. I'm so sorry, I mean.

SPEAKER_02

I have listen, I am I am short, but I have tall energy. Don't you agree? Oh, definitely.

SPEAKER_00

My eyes just got huge. When I answered that question. I don't know if that's a compliment the way she said it. She was like, oh, oh. No, you know what? Like, you you have those mugs that you shared the other day online that are main character energy, back row bitch. I got both.

SPEAKER_02

Got both.

SPEAKER_00

You need tall person energy.

SPEAKER_02

I know.

SPEAKER_00

That's a different one. That can go with either of the others. I need that, though.

SPEAKER_02

You know, a lot of short people are that way. I was talking to somebody else who's short the other day, and she was like, I always I always felt like that. I'm like, but maybe that's because we have to be.

SPEAKER_00

It's like my little dog Annie. She wants you to think she's a Doberman and she will let you know. Yeah. So there you go.

unknown

You're like my dog.

SPEAKER_00

Thanks. I found a way. I found a way to tie it into dogs. Okay, so Ben Savage. Ben, and yes, his older brother, Fred Savage, is well known for um The Wonder Years and several other things. So Ben Savage made his film debut when he was nine in his older brother's movie Little Monsters.

SPEAKER_02

I was about to say Andy.

SPEAKER_00

We gotta watch that. And he was also in the future film The Big Girls Don't Cry, They Get Even. Oh, yeah. 1992, he was the brainy little brother. And then he was a It just says as a ten year old in Clifford. I think it's Clifford the movie. The dog? Yeah. In nineteen ninety. The big red dog. It was just a wait. Did they do a live action Clifford? How'd they do that? They must not have. I wonder if he was the voice. The live action. Did they do a CGI situation in 94? I mean, you do the research. It's a dog, I should know. Okay, moving on. I'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_02

It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_00

He also was a stage actor. He performed in the Laughter Epidemic at the Pasadena Playhouse. And then guest starred on The Wonder Years in the season three episode, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. He was a cupid-esque character named Curtis.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god, that's so cute.

SPEAKER_00

That's adorable. That's so adorable. And then his first significant speaking role on television was the recurring role of Matthew, who was the son of Judd Hirsch's character on the comedy series Dear John in 1980. I remember that show. And then he was one of a family of orphans who con Robert Mitchum into being their guardian in A Family for Joe.

SPEAKER_02

I don't remember that.

SPEAKER_00

That was an NBC show in 1990. I don't remember that one either. And then he's most known for Corey Matthews, Boy Meets World. Um, and then when Boy Meets World ended, he actually stopped acting for a while and went to Stanford, where he got a degree on political science and became a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Yes, he did. And he interned for Arlen Spector.

SPEAKER_02

I don't know what that is.

SPEAKER_00

He Arlen Senator. Have you never heard of Senator Specter? Obviously not. I guess not. Um he's a California senator and he's Republican. Well, there you go. He's not from California, he's from Texas. He's from Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_01

We are on.

SPEAKER_00

If you don't know who it is, he's from California. Pennsylvania is what I meant to say.

SPEAKER_01

We are operating on all four cylinders today.

SPEAKER_00

Um so he's kind of done a few things here and there. He's in TV guest spots.

SPEAKER_02

Wait, he was an intern for a Republican senator, but I thought he was very like. Um they can't hear you.

SPEAKER_00

Shaking her head. Um he I believe he's known for being Republican. Oh, really? Yeah. Maybe uh what about his brother?

SPEAKER_02

Am I the same? They are? Who am I thinking of then?

SPEAKER_00

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Well, I guess I'm thinking of the wrong person. That's wild.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, why?

SPEAKER_02

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

It just isn't. I don't know why either, but I mean, yes, it is. And you know, he was on a few other TV shows and guest spots until he and Fischle signed for the sequel series Girl Meets World, which as we mentioned went from 2014 to 2017. But he hasn't really done much else. And isn't as well liked by his castmates. Yeah, is is that one of the reasons? I I probably okay, because they're pretty outspoken, it seems on their podcast. Yeah. I'm so Anthony, our friend, who l who has listened to a lot of that podcast, did say they kind of just skirted around the issue of Ben for a while. Uh and now they really don't.

SPEAKER_02

Now they don't say anything.

SPEAKER_00

Now well, now they're more like Oh, now they are saying it.

SPEAKER_02

A little more like well, you know, because we're living in a a time where there's some new shit every day.

SPEAKER_00

Trying to like be above it for a while. But now you can't after like 570 episodes or whatever, like after a while, it's just you can't really keep that up anymore if you're not really friends and you don't really like that person.

SPEAKER_02

Well, and also if you are very, very in opposition of important things.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

There we you can't stay silent no more, guys. Neutrality is siding with the oppressor. Yes. Damn that. So good for them for being uh opening up and being honest about that.

SPEAKER_00

Good for them. Um, all right, so then let's talk about Ryder Strong, who you had a crush on.

SPEAKER_02

I did. I had a crush on lots of people. I feel like every episode, like, I had a crush on Balkie. Well, I had a crush on them.

SPEAKER_00

Like, I still can't get over you having a crush on Balkie.

SPEAKER_02

It makes so much sense. I don't Katie. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

How can you? I like Balkie, but I would I don't know that he's an attractive person. What? Oh, I need the outrage. Yeah. All right. Well, addressing at Katie if you're just if you're mad about this.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, I don't know what he looks like nowadays, but probably the same. Well, no, sometimes we be changing. I don't look the same as I did when I was watching Perfect Strangers. Thank God.

SPEAKER_00

Me too, thank God.

SPEAKER_03

Oh no.

SPEAKER_02

But also, yeah, he was attractive, he was funny and attractive, and he was nice. My sister-in-law, Melinda, was like, remember, I put a little clip on there that had a crush on him, and I was, and I said, he was attractive and he was funny, and I love funny people. And she said, and he was nice. And I'm like, that's true. He was very kind.

SPEAKER_00

He was very kind.

SPEAKER_02

So look, winner, winner, chicken dinner, three things.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I mean, okay. I just mean like a you're making it a very rational crush. You're like, like he's like, crushes are just well, he's a fictional character. That's true. Like we talked about the actual actor, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

The I'm not I didn't say I had a crush on Bronson Pin Show. I said I had a crush on Balkie.

SPEAKER_00

And maybe that's what I'm thinking of. That the purse, the actor. Oh, well, he is problematic. Well, also just yeah, I didn't have a crush on him in general.

SPEAKER_02

Katie has a hard time separating reality from fiction.

SPEAKER_00

I do, it's horrible.

SPEAKER_02

That's why you don't like cartoons.

SPEAKER_00

Why?

SPEAKER_02

Because it's all fiction. Like even the characters that's true.

SPEAKER_00

It's a real person walking around. That might be why. That's why I didn't like dinosaurs.

SPEAKER_02

But to be fair, there were people inside.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, but this they're not the ones engaging you in doing the storytelling.

SPEAKER_02

Well, they are with their body.

SPEAKER_00

That's true. Didn't like dinosaurs. Okay. So Ryder Strong, who Danny had a crush on. I did. Also a Zen. You did not? Um, I don't remember having a crush on that.

SPEAKER_02

That means no.

SPEAKER_00

You and Robert. I can see like the appeal. I think he was supposed to be the heartthrob of the show.

SPEAKER_02

See, I think maybe it was Eric who was supposed to be the heart throb.

SPEAKER_00

I did think Eric was cute.

SPEAKER_02

I mean he was.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I had a thing. I had a thing too. It's weird. I had crushes. Like, were you a Dylan or a Brandon person from Nina's Who and O? Dylan. Yeah. Well.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

And like I was Pacey, you were Dawson. Always liked the sidekick best friend.

SPEAKER_00

That's fair.

SPEAKER_02

A little bit edge.

SPEAKER_00

That actually makes sense. And they're usually funny.

SPEAKER_02

And then I'm married completely opposite of that.

unknown

You did.

SPEAKER_00

You did. In real life. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

But that's what happens because you have your fiction fantasy world and then you have your real real life reality.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

Like nobody's gonna marry Adele.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, someone would.

SPEAKER_02

Well, true.

SPEAKER_00

Well, not us. Okay. Ryder strong, also is ennial, December 11th, 1979. So he was a year old. He's older. Yeah. He is an actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. In addition to Boy Meets World. He was on Girl Meets World also. He wasn't in the episode we watched, though. That would have made it better. He also headlined the cult classic Cabin Fever. Yes. In 2002. I forgot he was in that.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, we gotta rewatch that.

Show Background, Cast, And TGIF Context

SPEAKER_00

And then he also co-directed an independent film called Irish Twins with his brother Shiloh. Okay. They have fun names. They do. Ryder and Shiloh. That's cool. Those are fun names. Um he also provided voices in Kim Possible and the Kim Possible movie. Kim Possible. And in Star versus the Forces of Evil, which apparently was on from 2015 to 2019.

SPEAKER_03

What?

SPEAKER_00

I don't even know what that is. Help. He was Tom Sator. It's your reset. Danny don't help. Other people help. I don't know. I don't know what that is. What is it called again? Star versus the forces of evil.

SPEAKER_02

Alright, I don't know that.

SPEAKER_00

Sounds like I mean it's a voice, so it's animated. Oh, I missed the part that it was a voice. It's a voice, yeah. So he was voices for the Kim Possible and then that show. Oh. Yeah. All right. Breaking news. He was in 2015, so this feels kind of late in the game. He was honored with the young artist former child star. I'm not done. Lifetime Achievement Award.

SPEAKER_01

Who does that award?

SPEAKER_00

Uh I don't think it's like the Emmys or anything. The Emmys. That's a good question. I don't know. And he's one of the hosts of Pod Meets World. Okay, let me say that again. Young Artist, former child star, Lifetime Achievement Award. Ooh, that's a lot of words. How'd they fit that on a trophy? Is it the young artist like organization, maybe? That gives it out.

unknown

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02

Why do you keep asking questions when you're the one who literally found this information?

SPEAKER_00

Why did I not? I guess I just assumed it was like a real award. And then when I read it out loud.

SPEAKER_02

What do you mean? Of course it's a real award.

SPEAKER_00

I mean, I hope so. Poor guy. Oh God.

SPEAKER_02

We just don't know who gave the award. I was just curious.

SPEAKER_00

We don't know. We don't know.

SPEAKER_02

Because I mean, if we're just gonna start making up awards, I'm gonna name myself something.

SPEAKER_00

Me too. I'm happy to.

SPEAKER_02

Podcaster of the year in Brevard County Award.

SPEAKER_00

Podcaster of the year who used to be 25. Lifetime Achievement Award in Brevard County.

SPEAKER_02

That records in Satellite Beach.

SPEAKER_00

Is that where we are? Yeah, we're in Satellite Beach. I will set our address. But I probably shouldn't do that. I probably shouldn't tell you where we are, listeners. Okay. To Pangalrence, Danielle Fischel. She was born um May 5th. Day after my birthday. Day after my birthday, but a year earlier, 1981. And she's an American actress and director. She actually started in community theater, but she made her screen debut with guest roles on Full House in 1992 and Harry and the Hendersons. Oh my god. I love that movie. Have you ever seen it? Is it a movie or is it? It's a movie.

SPEAKER_02

Well, they may have made a they may have made a show, but it was a movie. No, I've never seen it. Oh, you would hate it so much. We have to watch it. It's so stupid. It's like this family. I remember going to see this at the theater. This family um goes on vacation and they they um like hit a Bigfoot character and then he comes to live with them. They like take care of him and stuff. What? It's so good. Okay. I want to say the dad was John Lithgau. Is that wrong? Am I remembering that wrong? I don't know. We won't look it up right now. But Harry and the Henderson's is a Xennial. Alright, we might have to watch the movie.

SPEAKER_00

And we can spot Topenga in it. We can look through. I didn't realize she was in that. Well, she was a guest star, so she might be They must have made a TV show.

SPEAKER_02

How the hell did they make a TV show out of that?

SPEAKER_00

Well, I think I feel like they did. I feel like they did. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Well, but anyway, that movie was Bomber.

SPEAKER_00

Alright. So she um obviously was on Boy Meets World and then Girl Meets World, and she did receive a Young Star Award in 1998 for the role. And so her name, Topanga, came because producer Michael Jacobs was stuck in traffic on the Topanga Canyon Freeway.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, that's hilarious.

SPEAKER_00

And that's where he came up with the name. I know. So I guess if you're from that area and you heard that, that's probably what you would think of. But for the Well, in the show her parents were like hippies or whatever. So yeah, she's like, I'm a vegetarian. Not that, you know, vegetarians are so. Well, she also was like into like she said her parents and the different like this and stuff, yeah. And she brought him whatever that was when he said he had the flu. Oh, yeah. Some kind of interesting soup. Yeah. Well, that was in the first episode. Did they remain like that?

SPEAKER_02

I feel like as it went on, it didn't. She she was very type A. Because then at the end, on the last episode where she tells Mr. Feeney, like you were more of a dad to me than mine was, and stuff. So I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

That was weird. I feel like obviously we didn't watch the whole series, so we missed something. Um so after Boy Meets World, she was in a bunch of films. She was in the 2000 comedy Long Shot, and then she acted in National Lampoon Presents Dorm Days. Oh, yeah, they have tons of those. Tons of them. And she was in The Chosen One, these are later, 2007, and the Boiling Boiling Pot. Never heard of it. 2015. I'm like, is that what it's called? You're like, I don't know, Katie. Alright. She also um made her directorial debut in 2016 with episodes of Girl Meets World, which we didn't like, but that's okay. But she's since directed episodes of other series, including Raven's Home, Coop and Cammy Ask the World, Sydney to the Max, and Just Roll with It.

SPEAKER_02

Don't know what any of that means.

SPEAKER_00

Me either. I think Raven's Home is is the Raven Simone show. No, that was that so Raven. But I think it's like the sequel to that.

SPEAKER_02

Oh.

SPEAKER_00

I think. And then she was also a host, this is fun, of the Style Network show The Dish from 2008 to 2011.

SPEAKER_02

For those of y'all who aren't watching us on YouTube, Katie had to throw in a little neck.

SPEAKER_00

The dish there style network.

SPEAKER_02

What is that? What is that for? Like, what does the dish do?

SPEAKER_00

I thought it was just I thought it was like um almost like fashion police on E. Kind of like celebrity chat and have guests on and stuff like that. And then she's a resident reporter on Pop Sugar and on their spin-off YouTube channel, Pop Sugar Girls Guide. Okay. And then just last year, she was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. That's right. She came in eighth.

SPEAKER_02

Aww.

SPEAKER_00

I know. But that's not bad.

SPEAKER_02

Was she good?

SPEAKER_00

I thought she was pretty good. I don't watch that show. I I don't watch it either, but I I just remember her like dances popping in my feed.

SPEAKER_02

I want to go on that show. Yeah, you'd be good on that show. I need to go. I mean, I I'm not a star, so that's what's the only issue. That's the only problem. That's the only reason why I'm not on dancing with the stars, guys. Yes. Other than that, on it.

SPEAKER_00

I think you'd be great. Maybe you'll become a star from this podcast. I'll be like 75. Look, I follow this lady, um, Kim Hale.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah, I love her. She's so great.

SPEAKER_00

She's not 80, but she's like No, she's in her 50s. In her late 50s, I think. She's amazing.

SPEAKER_02

I know.

SPEAKER_00

Wow.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I can't dance like that, girl. She's like a professional dance.

SPEAKER_00

But even some of the stuff she posted, even from like during the pandemic, 2020, 2021, she was still like rusty and getting back into it.

SPEAKER_02

She she's inspired. Let me tell you what though, Cooper was watching Titanic yesterday. Okay. He's never he started watching it this weekend, then it was because you know it's like so long. This this is this makes sense. Hold on. Just wait. Waiting. And he was watching, it was like almost over when I got home from my top class last night. And I was sitting there remembering how much I love that movie, and it was so good. But also I remember thinking the old lady that's in it. I'm like, you can still be an actor and be in some amazing movie that is iconic when you are whatever age she was. Now they aged her a lot, but she was older.

SPEAKER_00

She was older. I I saw something about her recently that she was an actress in the 20s. Yeah. Like in like silent films, and then came up through like when films were no longer silent and basically had done something every decade or whatever, and had taken a break, maybe hadn't been in anything for like 20 years or something, and then got cast in that one. Never too late, guys. And didn't she win awards for that? I feel like she was nominated for like a Golden Globe or an Oscar for supporting actress or something like that, or featured actress. I don't remember. I don't know either. But even if she wasn't, that's still pretty much.

SPEAKER_02

But anyway, I was I was thinking about that last night when I saw her. I was like, that's right.

SPEAKER_00

It's true though. It is true. It really is. You just never know, and you just keep working at it. And even if, like the way I see it, I'm just full of wisdom today after sitting in my empty building for a while alone. I'm refreshed, everyone. I am right refreshed. My perspectives are positive this evening. Um, but I always feel like, especially as like a young actor, it's after, and even as a young writer, yeah, it was always like chasing the thing, yeah. Like wanting to be famous, wanting to be right award-winning or best-selling or whatever. And now I'm kind of like, yeah, sure, like never say never, but also I just enjoy those things. Right. Well, your perspective on why you do it changes. It does.

SPEAKER_02

Especially when you go through a time where you don't get to do it.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Right?

SPEAKER_02

Which we both have experienced for lots of different things. So once you can do it and you know that it's fleeting, that anything could happen at any time where you couldn't do it again. You know what? Our friend Victoria said something that I loved so much, and I think about it all the time. So when we did Christmas Carol the second time, her and I had both been in the show before, and you were with us the first time we were in it. Um, but Katie be too busy to be in it a second time, and that's fine. Um, so she she's like, I'm not gonna be able to do this in two more years because her daughter will be a senior, which is why one of the reasons why Katie couldn't do it again this time. And um, so she said, our last show after we were done with Bows, she said, I just kept telling myself, feel your feet on stage right now. Remember your feet standing here right now.

SPEAKER_00

I love that.

SPEAKER_02

And I thought that was so profound of a something to tell yourself in the moment to remember. Like, whatever, remember how this feels, remember your feet on the stage and whatever else. And I was like, dang, I think about it all the time.

SPEAKER_00

I love that. I know, right? So awesome, so good. Yeah, I mean, that's and that's so true of like anything. Like, I had a moment like that. I love that exact tangible thing. Yeah, it's really cool. Our family just went out to dinner with my in-laws, and then um, my son wasn't sure if he could come. But long story short, we were all there, plus my in-laws, plus my mother-in-law's brothers visiting. That's why we all went out to dinner. So there were 11 of us. What? Yeah, and we went to hibachi. Wow, yeah, which was fun. But usually, like, I kind of sit by my youngest because she likes it, but she got a little nervous with the fire. It's just a lot, sensory-wise. So I was gonna position myself between kids, and but my kids all just sat together.

SPEAKER_02

Aww.

Fun Facts: Death Chair And Topanga Origins

SPEAKER_00

And my littlest was on the end, so I sat by her, but then and then like my husband, you know, and anyway, there were just a couple ends. My kids were just like all five of them, having a little line all together, and it kind of like curved, so they like my son could like see everybody. And at one point, my one daughter, she was cracking everyone up, Aaron. She was just on cut stand-up comedian fire last night. She caught a shrimp in her mouth, and I threw it. I've never seen somebody do that. She did it. We well, there's a point of contention because we have video, but Tegan zoomed in so much that it's like it's like I can't post that anywhere. But um, and she jumps up and just starts dancing like around the restaurant, and everyone's just like cracking up. That is hilarious. And and I I had that moment where I was like, this is a this is just really nice. Yeah, just remember We're all here, we're laughing, you know, and and you know, like we've got older people here, we've got kids who aren't at college yet, or my son who is but still home. Like this this configuration of people is maybe not gonna happen a whole bunch more. Yeah, or in everyone's in a good mood, and everyone feels true, and everyone's like everyone's happy at the same time. I mean, honestly, yeah, and it did make me just kind of go, this is so cool, this is so enjoyable, you know. So, anyway, all that to say. I don't know how we got to that. Oh, we're just talking about her. Oh, you being on Dancing with the Stars. Yes, that's how this all started. Wow, this episode's everywhere, everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Well, well, no, it's in a lot of places, it's a lot of places. So now we're gonna take it. I you know, I was just talking about the 20s. Well, let's talk about William Daniels, who played. Well, look at that transition. A little bit rocky there, a little rough, and we were talking about the 20s like five minutes ago. What? Um, Mr. George Feeney, yes, and he was born in 1927.

SPEAKER_02

He's still alive.

SPEAKER_00

He is still alive.

SPEAKER_02

He did a little cameo on Dancing with the Stars. I saw that clip on um is he still alive though? But I thought I saw he had she brought him out and he was like sitting in the thing.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I think he is still alive. Yeah, I yeah, remember, do you know what I'm talking about? He's almost 100 years old. Gosh, that's crazy. Wow, this man. Um, so before he was on Boy Meets World, I wasn't before he started dancing with the fire last year. Let me share that again. Before he was on Boy Meets World, he was Mark Craig on the drama series Saint Elsewhere, and he actually won. Two Emmy Awards for that role.

SPEAKER_02

Nice.

SPEAKER_00

And then he was the voice of Kit the Car. Yeah. I forgot about that. Yeah. And then he was on Boy Meets World. He actually earned four People's Choice Award nominations for that role.

SPEAKER_01

He's a good actor.

SPEAKER_00

And then he reprised the Knight Rider role in the sequel TV movie, Night Rider 2000. And he was on Girl Meets World. And then he was Carter Nash in Captain Nice.

SPEAKER_02

Katie Hereface is killing me today. Everything she says, she's like confused. It's like every actor she said, she's like, he was on. And her brow furrows, and it's like, you literally just typed this. I did. With mythical fingers. And she's like, he was on what? He got an award from where? He was a senator's helper. I don't think that's called that. Not a senator helper. Intern.

SPEAKER_00

Intern.

SPEAKER_02

Which basically that's what it is. That is what it is.

SPEAKER_00

All right. So he actually originally turned down the role of Mr. Feeney. He said it was too small.

unknown

What?

SPEAKER_00

That's true. And I knew that one. I said that one confidence. She did. She did. I was like, I know this one to be true. It's true. Um like I know. But they loop back to him, and I they a couple things I read said that they like um just kind of like offered him, I don't know if it was contractual or just spoken. Oh, he said it's too he said too small. I mean, that's valid. That's valid. I mean, we've done all this stuff, and he was older at the time then, too.

SPEAKER_02

So he was at the point in his career where he could be like, I ain't got time for that.

SPEAKER_00

That's right. He was on film too. He was Mr. Braddock in the graduate, he was in Two for the Road, and John Adams in the musical film 1776. John Adams. John Adams. And he was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1999 to 2001. And he actually led the union's efforts in the 2000 commercial actors strike. Oh, nice. Yeah. So you missed my Hamilton. He's out there. No, I knew it. Oh, but why did you Adam?

SPEAKER_02

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

SPEAKER_00

Sit down, you fat. That one? That's what he says. No, I'm talking about when King George says it. Oh. John Adams. Oh, okay. I thought you were talking about the part where Hamilton is talking about him. John Adams. Sit down, you fat. Nope. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

No, no, no, no, no. No.

SPEAKER_00

John Adams.

SPEAKER_02

I was doing I was being King George.

SPEAKER_00

I know him.

SPEAKER_02

There, okay.

SPEAKER_00

There we go. Who's what's he say? I know him. This can't be that little guy. Don't ask me where you're going to be John. Definitely got a couple. Good luck. Yeah. Good luck. Da-da-da-da-da. All right, let's go. Oh, I started dancing. Okay. All right. That's really it on him. Well Friedel, Eric, the brother. 76. So Troy's age. Yeah, he's Troy's age. Congratulations. He's still alive. Jeez. I just really go in all in tonight. Here we go, guys. Did you eat fruity candy? Did eat Starburst?

SPEAKER_02

I knew it. I knew it.

SPEAKER_00

They're those Starburst minis. They're like gummies.

SPEAKER_02

And they're really good. Candy does weird things.

SPEAKER_00

They're really good. Um, because I went and bought a bunch of nerds. Did you bring you didn't buy no chocolate candy? No. The nerds aren't here. Oh. I was like, she went and bought herself candy. I went and bought a bunch of nerds and took them to the venue. Oh. And I left a note saying it's for the hot nerds because it's the show we're doing. Oh, okay, okay, okay. It's okay. The whole thing was super hot last night. Oh, gotcha. So I felt like hot nerds. Here's a gift. Oh, that's funny. Also, the AC is working now. And so while I was getting all the nerds, I got myself some Starburst gummies. Okay. But this was at like 10 o'clock this morning. Oh, well. But I ate them now. I bought them.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, Katie. Well, let's keep going. Okay, I understand what you're throwing down.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. So, yes, he was Eric Matthews in animation. So maybe this is why you like him too. His first voice acting role was Terry McGuinness and Batman in Batman Beyond in 1999. Oh fun. He also was a voice in Kim Possible. He was Ron Stoppable. Oh, Ron Stoppable. Yeah. Let's go. From 2002 to 2007. Doyle Blackwell. I'm asking it as a question again. The Secret Saturdays.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, that is.

SPEAKER_00

And then he was in he was Blue Beetle in Batman, The Brave and the Bold. Never heard of it. Lion O in the reboot of the Thundercats. Is this they did a reboot of Thundercats? In 2011. Bumblebee and Transformers.

SPEAKER_02

Well, excited about that.

unknown

I love Transformers.

SPEAKER_02

You do? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's shocking. I do. I like Transformers.

SPEAKER_02

Are you a Shia LaBeouf fan?

SPEAKER_00

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, really? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Shia LaBeouf. Um, and he was Star Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy.

SPEAKER_02

Well, he was not.

SPEAKER_00

That's the voice. The voice. In a cartoon. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

He is not Star Lord. That is what's his face.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. What is who Chris Pratt? Oh, yeah, Chris Pratt. No. The voice from 2015 to 2019. Alright. And then Kasha Vesh, the legend of Vox Machina. Never heard of that one.

SPEAKER_02

I don't.

SPEAKER_00

Anyway, he's done a lot of voice acting.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

But that's kind of it for him.

SPEAKER_02

I'm glad you listed his whole entire voice acting resume. Just to get it.

SPEAKER_00

Get it away. But but I got to tell everyone I like Transformers. But so that was, I mean, that was good.

SPEAKER_02

That's a good little Katie nugget that we did not see coming. The mystery thickens. I know.

SPEAKER_00

Why I like anything ever. That's bad.

SPEAKER_02

I know. Okay.

Deep Dive: Ben Savage Career And Distance

SPEAKER_00

Lily Nick Say was Morgan, the younger sister. She's known for that role. And then she was in the season three finale of Girl Meets World. She was raised in Los Angeles. Makes sense. She received her screen actors' guild card when she was four. Yep. But she ended up after being on TV, and once she was of age, she graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Wow. A Masters of Art degree in Latin and Ancient Greek.

SPEAKER_02

Damn. Well smarty. Did you hear on the podcast episode that we listened to where they talked to David uh whatever his face is, he was the director on like a couple seasons. Do you know which one I'm talking about? Yeah. And they he said, did you hear the story he told about her? Uh-uh. So I guess she didn't like being like she didn't like acting.

unknown

Oh.

SPEAKER_02

Or didn't like being on the show, which now that we heard that about a little bit about Mike Mike Jacobs, Michael Jacobs and how he's an asshole and not really great with kids. Um he said that he came out to tell the audience one time when they were filming, oh, we just got news that we're renewed for another season, and she started crying. And she said, No, I don't want to do this anymore.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, God bless.

SPEAKER_02

And she was like six. See, this is why. This is why I have such weird signs. I know. I just oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And some six-year-olds love it. Yeah. Yeah, but man. Okay, well, I don't have a lot of info on them, but I did want to mention Betsy Randall, who played Amy. Uh, she's born in 1955. Uh, she was also on seven episodes of Home Improvement, and then she guest starred on a few other things.

SPEAKER_02

She looks familiar.

SPEAKER_00

Mm-hmm. I thought that too. And I was like, do I just know her from this or something else? And then Alan, played by William Russ, born in 1950. He was Alan Matthews on the show, obviously. And then he was on the television series Wise Guy, but then he was also a soap opera star. He was on Another World and the Young and the Restless.

SPEAKER_02

That's right.

SPEAKER_00

He looks like a soap opera star.

SPEAKER_02

Two soaps that my grandma watched.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And then he was in The Right Stuff in 1983. He was? Who was he in that? I don't know. Troy loves that movie. Yeah, that's a good movie. Pastime in 1990 and American History X in 1998. Yeah. So pretty good. And then I just wrote down uh Anthony Tyler Quinn for Jonathan Turner, the teacher. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02

And then she has nothing after that.

SPEAKER_00

There's nothing. He was on the show, and that was it.

SPEAKER_02

Period. Like I just was I think it did say he was like married and has a kid, but so how many seasons was that little girl, the sister, and then there was another one that came out.

SPEAKER_00

There was another one, so I think she was the first three seasons. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And then obviously she I guess she came back for Girl Meets World for some reason. So there wasn't a whole lot of drama around the cast members specifically, a little bit with Ben Savage, not as much as his brother, but um I did look up some other pieces of drama surrounding everything. So the first one is Michael Jacobs, which we did hear about in the podcast episode we listened to, but I looked up a little more on it. Um so in that episode we listened to, the 2022 episode of Pod Meets World, Daniel Fischl revealed an uncomfortable experience with Jacobs that first day being on set. She was only 12. Right. So she basically said he was very condescending to her and spoke down to her and basically said, I have so many notes to give you that I'm gonna give everyone else their notes first, or they'll be here all night. Which I don't know. I could hear in my head like directors saying that, but she is like 12, and that's a power play.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, that is definitely a power play. And they say that in the episode. They do. And and then he when he finally did talk to her with her mom, her mom was there, of course. He was like, You have to get this right tomorrow or you won't be here. She had one day.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I just can't imagine the show without her. I feel like well, she was the only girl. She's the only girl. Well, that was on there the whole time besides the mom. Besides the mom, yeah. She like, I don't think it would have been on as many seasons without her. And without the her and Corey story. Yeah. I really don't. I think they would have run out of stuff. But maybe not. Um, but yeah, and then um, what else did I say about that? I kind of wrote all that out. Uh so Ryder Strong then um has called Jacobs a Wizard of Oz type character that he was kind of behind the scenes pulling the strings, and a quote he said is the way Michael is, he would maintain an omniscence about the show and how everything was planted. So micromanager, but also not like friendly with everyone, just kind of pulling all the strings, which to me, if you have a primarily youth cast, it's not the best personality to have in that situation.

SPEAKER_02

Oh no, no.

SPEAKER_00

Um so then Maitland Ward, who played Rachel Maguire on the seasons, show's last two seasons, explained in a 2022 interview with Yahoo Entertainment that she felt her character was constantly sexualized, but she was expected to be modest in real life.

SPEAKER_02

Ugh.

SPEAKER_00

If I was on the show, this is a quote from her if I was on the show like Boy Meets World, I could be sexy. I could wear a sheet with little feathers on it and nude pictures that I had for my boyfriend. That's fine. If I ever wore anything like that or did anything suggestive like that in real life, Disney and producers and Hollywood would have come down for me, come down on me, especially the producer Michael Jacobs, who's very adamant about me being chaste and a good girl. So now he's up in their business.

SPEAKER_02

I don't like that at all. I don't like that at all. By the way, you keep talking to the side of your microphone.

SPEAKER_00

Oh no, why am I doing that?

SPEAKER_02

I was like, this is what you're doing. You're talking over here. Then you're coming back. I sorry, I I'm interrupting because I was noticed.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, No, did it disappear a little?

SPEAKER_02

It did. Oh no. Okay. So I was letting you finish. Okay. But you were talking. I've never seen you do that before. She was literally on the side of her microphone. I don't know what's going on.

SPEAKER_00

I'm establishing new patterns.

SPEAKER_02

I can't wait for you to watch it back.

SPEAKER_00

No, I don't want to. Don't make me like hold on.

SPEAKER_02

Talk into it. You're doing it right now.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my god, I am. Okay. I need to.

SPEAKER_02

Why?

SPEAKER_00

What is happening?

SPEAKER_02

You guys, we have microphone problems because. Well, number one, we're us. Also, number two, I am a loud talker, and mine is I'm always too close to my microphone. Katie is the opposite.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. She's not a quiet talker.

SPEAKER_02

She's just a calm talker.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Yeah. No, I mean, no, it's serious.

SPEAKER_02

For serious. And so, like, so hers has to be closer and mine has to be farther away. Yes. But for some reason, we always mix it up, and I get closer and she go to the school. Completely do the exact opposite of what we need to be doing. I agree. It drives her husband crazy when he has to help us. It does. So therefore he's like, Y'all fucking know this. Well, he doesn't say this. This is me paraphrasing.

SPEAKER_00

He might say that.

SPEAKER_02

He probably says it in his head. Yeah. He's like, oh my God, why do they not? Danny, shut up. Katie, talk up, and y'all sit right.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Basically, one, two, and three. That's it. That's all you have to know.

SPEAKER_02

And yet, my little thing is still going in the yellow. And I am trying to be away from it.

SPEAKER_00

There you go.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Good. All right. Um, Trina McGee, who played Angela, has said that there was racist behavior toward her.

SPEAKER_02

No.

SPEAKER_00

So some of this kind of comes back around, but she um says that in she was in the last two seasons of the show. She was an essential part of their friend group. She said she was not treated very warmly behind the scenes, that she was called Aunt Jemima on set during horn makeup. And she was called a bitter bitch when she quietly waited for her scene to finish rehearsing. Um then she was told by someone, it was nice of you to join us like she was a stranger after she'd been on like 60 episodes. That's what she said. Well, I believe her. I love black women. Oh, I believe her too. Um, that is messed up. So in a 2020 Instagram post, she said that it was Friedel who made the Anchemima comment.

SPEAKER_01

Really?

SPEAKER_00

That's what she said. Um, but then apparently he saw that or something and they spoke, and uh he apologized, and I don't even know if he re ad remembered saying it or anything, but he did apologize to her and was like, I was an idiot if that's the case, and I'm so sorry. And he was like, apologized for it. So then she then came on the record to say, I don't think that Will at the time really understood the depth of that because he's not a black woman and that they've reconciled and they're fine. Well, she was on an episode of their podcast.

SPEAKER_02

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00

So that would have been maybe later then, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. So I mean, I mean, so I mean, I guess there she's there's not bad blood between them, I mean enough to be cordial on their podcast.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

Because even on the episode we listened to, the one with Busy Phillips, they were saying because Busy Phillips wasn't in the last it wasn't in the finale of Dawson's Creek. Yeah. And um, she said it hurt her feelings. And she said when she saw Kevin Williamson recently at the at the where they read the gala, yeah. He apologized to her, right? He said, I'm really sorry, I just didn't know. And they said Trina felt like that because she was not in the finale. Yeah, she wasn't. Right.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah, that's yeah. Ugh. I mean, it's probably hard to come into a show that far along. Same with Busy. Although I think in both cases, they at least on screen, they assimilated to their cast just fine, and they were really part of the show from an audience's perspective.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

But to always kind of feel like, but I'm not an original or I'm not like one of the whatever, I'm sure that weighs on you anyway. And then yeah, oh, yeah. Um, oh yeah, she okay, that's basically all the same things.

SPEAKER_02

Um also, I'm gonna say, like, the fact that Will Friedel apologize does not make it like excusable.

SPEAKER_00

Not at all. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_02

But I do think it says something to his character to realize his younger self um may have said something that his older self regrets. And and he didn't just try to excuse it away and say, like, well, I was young and stupid. No, he said, I'm sorry, that was wrong. Yeah. And that's all you should say. Like your intentions don't really matter if the implic if no, wait, the impact. Yeah, the intentions don't matter if the impact is bad.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

So whether you knew or not, it still was hurtful and racist. So I I think that's good that he was because not everybody does that. A lot of people in the public eye would be like, Well, oh well, like I didn't know. Yeah, I didn't mean it.

SPEAKER_00

Oh well, like, but he I was young, who cares? Yeah, right. But that was a long time ago.

SPEAKER_02

He owned up to it, and I think that's important. Like, and also she didn't have to forgive him forgiveness either. No, like, just because somebody apologizes doesn't mean that has to be accepted. I agree with that because that doesn't erase the hurt that you caused.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

Ryder Strong, Danielle Fishel, And Careers

SPEAKER_02

Think, I mean, you can think about it for something way less, way less severe than a racist comment. Like, if you said something that hurt my feelings, you could say sorry, but my feelings would probably still be hurt.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

You know? Like we've all been there. You don't owe that's a very little example, but you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00

No matter how much time has passed, if your feelings were hurt or are hurt or whatever. So it's still good on him. It was still his responsibility to own up to that, right? No matter what her response to that was, right? You don't do it for the forgiveness. Exactly. You do it because it's the right thing to do. But it does sound like at least publicly facing they discussed it. And yeah, and if she really thought all those years that they really didn't want her on that finale, I'm sure she had some resentment. And so basically, basically on that episode, they were saying that she Trina was told the rest of the cast didn't want her on that finale, which never happens. I liked how they were joking about it. They're like, Yeah, can you imagine like us back then? Yeah, they're like we had to.

SPEAKER_02

Well, they said like we had any power.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Or like the like but how would she know that? Like somebody made her feel that way. Right. On purpose.

SPEAKER_00

On purpose. Yeah, shitty. It sucks. I don't like that. Um, so then a little bit more on the Ben Savage stuff. Savage has been absent from kind of the friend groups back in the public eye. Um, Fischl Strong and Friedel haven't talked to him in at least three years.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

After Fischl's son was born in 2019, that's really when she stopped talking to him. To Variety, Daniel Fischl said, we were just so close, especially during that time. He was checking in with me regularly, and then he ghosted us. So Friedel has tried to contact Savage the most. At one point, he called him daily for nearly a month and never got an answer. And Friedel said, I've known him since he was 11, and we have a shared history, and we were doing these conventions together, and we were getting to know each other as adults, and then he just sort of disappeared. I don't know what that's I I wonder if he's upset that they're doing the podcast. I don't know. I think there's probably a lot there. There's probably a lot of things. Yep. Um, but I guess Danielle Fischel has gone on the record saying hopefully um they can all still like be friends again and reconcile. So I don't know. I don't know. That is all I have on that part. So do you want to talk about the episodes? Cool. Let's do it. Oh boy. Okay, right. Hold on.

SPEAKER_02

So so I watched most of these. I was texting Katie because Disney Plus had them labeled wonky. They did. Uh for some of them. And I'm texting her on like, it was like Saturday night, I think. Yeah. Because I was like, I was like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna get some of these knocked out on the weekend when I had some time. And I was like, let me drink some wine and watch Boy Meets World. That was my Saturday night, everybody. Cooper was watching um the newest Frankenstein because Troy and I had already seen it. Yeah. And Cooper was like, I want to watch it. And we're like, all right. So he was watching it. Troy was doing something else, I don't know. And so I was watching this.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, With wine. With wine.

SPEAKER_02

I had I had to. That was a good choice because yeah, hold on.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Alright, so season one, episode one's The Pilot. And man, these kids are young. I wrote, He looks like a baby. He does. Like those little boys, too. I know. They looked they were little. I will say that I felt like, especially in that opening scene by the vending machine with him and Mr. Feeney, that the banter was was fast.

SPEAKER_02

I will say that the and they even said it on Podme's World. He's a good actor. Oh yeah. Ben Savage. Oh, yeah. You know, like because they were saying his comic timing is good. You can't teach that to kids. Like some like you can you can develop it. You can practice it. But some kids just have it. I can think of five that I know like that can do it. And um, he has it. He can.

SPEAKER_00

And and that's the thing. Like, you felt like, and I'm sure it's a little bit of William Daniels Mr. Feeney knowing how to interact with fellow actors too. But you felt like Ben Savage and him were very much equals in that those scenes. Like they were like on it.

SPEAKER_02

I wonder too if it helped that his older brother was an actor.

SPEAKER_00

Probably.

SPEAKER_02

So he absorbed.

SPEAKER_00

I'm sure.

SPEAKER_02

You know.

SPEAKER_00

But even then, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

But even still, I mean, some I mean, look, I was around medical and science people my whole life. I didn't absorb none of that shit. I absorbed none. I hate it all.

SPEAKER_00

Get out of here.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, not really get out of here. I just don't want to do it.

SPEAKER_00

We love medical science. But like literally. Medical, comma, and science.

SPEAKER_02

Like, literally, my mom, my mom was a nurse, my dad was a scientist, my sister's a nurse practitioner. And I want nothing to do with any of that.

SPEAKER_00

And you're a podcaster here.

SPEAKER_02

And I'm a podcaster. Let's go. But like literally, so I guess maybe it helped because he was already good at it. So maybe if I did like math and science.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, probably. I'm sure that helped. I'm sure.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, doesn't your dad do construction? You may be doing construction.

SPEAKER_00

No, but people are actually surprised at the stuff I sort of sometimes will just know how to do.

SPEAKER_02

That's true.

SPEAKER_00

Um, there's a guy who delivered a bunch of pallets to our like literally empty pallets to our thing today because he's donating them for some set stuff we need. And I was just like pulling them off his pickup truck. He's like, Oh, thanks. And I was in these sandals that I'm wearing. You're like, bitch, on like work boots. He was like, I can get them. I was like, oh, oh, sure, sure. He's like, don't get a splinter. I'm like, I know, you just know what I grew up with. Do you know? Yes, exactly. I know how to hold them. I know how to do it. Um, I liked when uh Corey was listening to the baseball game on his little walk away. Oh, I know, that's so funny. That was so cute. So funny. Um and then someone says something about the emotional depth of Full House. What was that? They make a full house joke.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I don't even know.

SPEAKER_00

But I can't remember who said it.

SPEAKER_02

I just wrote there was a pretty deep monologue from Mr. Feeney already. Already he had I remember him having those like every episode. I was like, dang, that was like fast. And then the Nintendo gun, he was playing Duck Hunt or whatever. Actually, I think he was playing the name is escaping me. There was this game I used to play at the skating rink with a Nintendo gun where you're like, um, this is gonna sound awful, but you're shooting like bad guys. Like it's like a mafia game. Do you know what I'm talking about? No. I'll just say Hogan's Heroes, and that is wrong. That is not what it's called. I don't know either. I'll report back. My husband.

SPEAKER_00

Well, do you think that's what he was playing? I think so.

SPEAKER_02

I don't think it was talking about hunt.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, okay. Yeah, that was really fun. And then right away, we are like feeling bad for Mr. Phoenix. I know he moves alone because he sees him clearing a plate. And Katie's like, that looks amazing. I was like, he's eating dinner by can't salad, no less. Well, he was supposed to have a date. Well, it turns out it was his sister. Did you watch the video? Oh yeah, well, right. Right. But we're supposed to think that he's on it. Right. But it was a sister, right? I know. It's his sister. But anyway. So right away we feel bad for him. I said I like the parents on this show. I thought it was well casted.

SPEAKER_02

They're fine.

SPEAKER_00

Maybe it's because he's a soap opera star, and I just thought he was cute. It's a dad.

SPEAKER_02

And get out of here mad at me for Balkie. That's sad. You don't think he's cute? No, I'm not. You know, I got a dad complex. I said crash on that.

SPEAKER_00

And this dad, you don't think is cute?

SPEAKER_02

No, he didn't do it for me. Wow. I know. Soap opera star, dad, not for you. I mean, Uncle Jesse was he was cute. No, he's an uncle, not a dad. Maybe that's it. But I don't know. Dawson's dad had me every time. Yeah, Mitch. Come on, Mitch. Let's go, Mitch. Um I wrote, How do they have this big old house, but then there's only three bedrooms?

SPEAKER_00

What do you mean? Because their house was big. Well, no, even the inside.

SPEAKER_02

It's like very big.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. It's pretty strange.

SPEAKER_02

And then they only have like the boys are sharing a bedroom, and then I'm assuming the daughter has one, and then the parents like there would probably be another bedroom. That house is huge.

SPEAKER_00

You would think so, yeah. Full house is big. At least in this episode, we didn't see the upstairs at all. But oh yeah, we didn't because he shares with his brother. So I'm saying, huh? That's very full house, too. I know.

SPEAKER_02

It is. Very that's all I wrote for that. That's all I wrote for that one. All right.

SPEAKER_00

All right. So season one, episode 21.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, this is the one that I that we threw in because it was labeled weird, and I don't even know what happened. It was about puberty, and I was like, Lord, because I'm living that right now with my kid.

SPEAKER_00

Oh Lord. Puberty movie, but the boys and girls were watching it together. Yeah. They don't watch it together now, at least.

SPEAKER_02

They didn't even when I was even either and then. But it makes for better TV.

SPEAKER_00

It makes for way better TV.

SPEAKER_02

Well, I wrote, I actually wrote this episode was a good example of how kids develop at different times. Because Sean becomes interested in girls and Corey wants to go play baseball. And then was this the one where the brother took the date?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. And it's like, it's such a good example of how it just it's so different.

SPEAKER_00

It's different.

SPEAKER_02

Middle school is so crazy.

SPEAKER_00

And it doesn't matter if you're the same age or same gender, whatever.

SPEAKER_02

Like it hits you so different. Yeah. And it is torturous.

SPEAKER_00

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02

It's awful. It's so bad. I tell my kids that all the time, and they're like, thanks. And I'm like, I'm just telling you, like, it's not just awful for you. Because you ever every kid.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

Every middle schooler thinks. You want them to know it's just them. They are the weirdest, funkiest, weirdest kid. Then it's everything sucks. Every middle schooler thinks that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Everyone. And it's even the popular kids.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Everyone has the self-doubt. I liked, I mean, maybe I shouldn't have liked it, but I liked how the boys were trying to get info on the girls from the magazines.

SPEAKER_01

That's hilarious.

SPEAKER_00

I thought that was so funny. So funny. And what's Minkus? Is that his name? The one character. And they're like, what do what do they girls find most interesting or whatever? Or what do they find attractive in men or boys? And uh Corey's character says, When they give them loose change or something like that. And he's like, That's number 11, actually. No, number one is shared interests or whatever. I just thought it was cute that they were reading that.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, something that was not cute. I don't remember anything that was being said, but I wrote, The dad be saying all kinds of asshole chauvinist things. What is this? What did he say? It was when he was at I I should have written down some examples, but again, there was wine in my hand, and I can only do so many things. But yeah, uh, he was sitting there with the mom at the table, and like Corey comes down, they're talking about he and he was Oh, I know what you're talking about. Saying something about like, well, let me tell you something about women and blah blah blah. And yeah, and then he was just being like, I just did not like it.

SPEAKER_00

He's like, run away while you can. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then he's like, and I always thought when I got married, I'll get married, then I'll be the head of the household. And his wife's like, Oh, I'm sorry your dream didn't come. I don't know, or whatever.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it was very yeah, did not like it.

SPEAKER_00

He if essentially they were showing that the mom thought it was cute that maybe he had a date, but the dad was like, Oh, stay away from women. Yeah, like they ruined your lives in, and I was like, huh. Okay. And and yes, chauvinistic, but also just like not completely in character for who his character is either. It didn't really make sense. Yeah, I guess they changed him up. Maybe they did. I did think the basketball scene was funny with the socks and the hamper when he's trying to teach her. That was really funny.

SPEAKER_02

She walked over. I'm like, oh, that's what I would do.

SPEAKER_00

I'd be like, she just walks over, boop, slam dunk.

SPEAKER_02

Also, did they keep her whole like kind of weird and hippie vibe the whole show? I don't feel like they did. I think they just let that go.

SPEAKER_00

Because it was like really over the top in this episode. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I feel like maybe they didn't. I don't know. They left. All the diehard fans out there are like, oh my god, why do y'all have an episode about this? You know nothing. I mean, we could we didn't watch them all. And we no, thank you. No way.

SPEAKER_00

Um, I did love, I did love her outfits and hair though. Cute. Loved, loved, loved. Okay, that's all I have on that one.

SPEAKER_02

Same.

SPEAKER_00

All right, season two, episode seven. Wake up, little Corey.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um I said they all grew a lot in one season. Good lord.

SPEAKER_00

Gosh. One season. Yeah. They they looked so much more grown up and sounded so much more grown up.

SPEAKER_01

Wild.

SPEAKER_00

Way bigger.

SPEAKER_01

Wild.

SPEAKER_00

Um, so they're making this video for class. Which I don't know if this is just me watching sitcoms where this was always a plot line in every sitcom of someone making a video for a class, or if this was like something that actually happened. Because it's like, oh, that's such a like 90s.

SPEAKER_02

We never did that.

SPEAKER_00

And we never did either. So it's just in on TV.

SPEAKER_02

I think so. Because who had video cameras?

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_02

Like nowadays, you have a phone, you got a video camera.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

But you had to like have a video camera. And most schools, public schools, did not have money for a bunch of A V equipment. They probably had one, one video camera that they were not letting kids use unless you were in a class with a teacher.

SPEAKER_00

And then according to Pangar, like editing and cutting out the city.

SPEAKER_02

And how do kids always get left in schools?

SPEAKER_00

Like, like always. And overnight. And yeah. And they do the old trick where she calls and says she's eating dinner at course. And also, are the parents not like freaking out before Mr. Feeney finds them in the morning?

SPEAKER_02

Well, no, because the mom went to bed, the dad was supposed to stay awake and he fell asleep. Okay, that's what it was. Which so they're gone all night. I mean, that does happen. Also, I had to I wrote the young hip teacher teacher vibe. They always go throw that in there.

SPEAKER_00

I said, cute teacher, Mr. Turner.

SPEAKER_02

Now I did say I was when Topanga calls the boys out as at some point. I don't remember if it's before or after, like they uh talk about her. But she like totally called them out, and I was like, okay, I like that.

William Daniels, Voice Of KITT, And SAG Work

SPEAKER_00

I like that too. And I like when she confronted Corey about it. She was like, you know, you were my friend, and I don't like you anymore. I don't like it. That's probably what it was. Maybe that's what it was. And it was just it wasn't like tears and crying and whatever. It was just like right to the point. Yeah. Like, this is what's wrong with this situation. Yeah. And also, I thought it was um like they showed this.

SPEAKER_02

First of all, also, I'm jumping ahead. That guy whose name is Harley, he's like 35. I know. Hello? Yeah. What I know are we doing in middle school? He's so grown up. See, time's not out. I can go be on middle school on TV. There you go. Listen, that guy was so old. And I just realized the title of the episode was this and the whole episode itself was not the title. Wrong tit. The whole theme of the episode was sex lives and videotape.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Do you remember that movie? Yes. Okay. Where they're like talking in video. That's exactly what it was. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, oh, it took me till the end until I realized that.

SPEAKER_02

Got it.

SPEAKER_00

I did put the fashion in this episode is on fire. So good.

SPEAKER_02

It was so 90s. So good. I did write like the straight boys and the rumors. That's valid. That is such a thing. And the double standard. I lived this in my high school life. I lived this. And it's so fucking stupid and unfair. Mm-hmm. That, well, I think I talked about this on a Dawson's episode or something. And I'm not, I'm not gonna go back down because I'll get myself all riled up.

SPEAKER_00

You get all worked up, guys.

SPEAKER_02

But the whole point of the matter of them being like, yeah, for him, and then calling her names, and it's like hurting her reputation, but it raised his up. Why does that make sense?

SPEAKER_00

It doesn't. It makes zero sense.

SPEAKER_02

That's a complete double standard and ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00

It's very ridiculous. Yeah, and I did feel like, especially at that time when this episode would have come out, it those things were relevant and I mean it still is. It still is, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

It still is because patriarchy, everybody is patriarchy. Oh, the janitor with the little pager. Yeah. Did you write that? Yeah. Yeah, that was really good. That was really good. Anyway. Okay, that's all I have for that one. Same, same, same.

SPEAKER_00

Alright, season four, episode 21. I was surprised you picked this one. Well, it was it was on like every list of like fan favorites that I found. Because I I because I will I would like read through the different titles and then I would look up like which ones people and everyone always says cult fiction. Um, just what it sounds like. Sean gets kind of pulled into a cult, and then everyone else has to save him from it. Um, but I did say good shot, good job showing the type of people that get pulled into cults.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00

They did a good job on that. Um, people who are vulnerable, people who feel like they don't have a support system, or that you're gonna offer them some magic way to change their life. I would say not even cults, that's a lot of just groups. Well, and even commercialism. Oh yeah. Like buy this thing and you'll feel better, you'll look better, you're whatever. Like so it's you know, I thought they did a good job on that. Um I did think like the cult leader himself. I mean, some of I don't know, I thought that was a little like I know maybe not nuanced enough. Yeah. And and how they just kept saying his name over and over again. I know. But I guess they were trying to I mean it's a set comment, but I get it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I I did write before we get to in the weeds with the cult, I said the intro of the show this season is the one I remember. Yeah, that's the one I I was like, okay, I remember this. And also, I said it's crazy how much they grow in between seasons because I said, did some seasons count as more than one school year? Because they started in sixth grade and by season four they're juniors.

SPEAKER_00

You're right, because by season five they're graduating, right? I guess it must have, or were they in eighth grade? No, they were in sixth grade. Deep thoughts brought to you by Cabernet.

SPEAKER_02

I love it. I don't know that. I was like, wait a minute. Right? Yeah. Because usually a season is like a full school year. That's usually how they do it. I mean, that's how they did it in Dawson's. So, like, they were in sixth grade in season one.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So confused.

SPEAKER_02

What happened? I don't know what happened.

SPEAKER_00

Anyway, um, I did like the part where Corey's talking to Sean and he's like, This isn't your belief system, and this isn't and Sean's like, Well, what's your belief system? A mom, a dad, a roof. Like I said, like I that was valid. But like people who don't have the same struggles as you telling you I mean, Corey was right, but basically being like, just be like this, because I'm like this. Right. And especially young people, but adults do that too. Oh, absolutely. So anyway, I thought that was good. And then um I like I like the part, well, I didn't like that Mr. Turner then ends up in the hospital for an accident. And Sean is talking to God, and he says, He's not done yelling at me yet, talking about Mr. Turner. I thought that was really sweet.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I I put um I I I applauded the dad, how he was very protective for Sean. Yeah. Um, and then Mr. Feeney too. Like they stepped in and they were like, Oh no, you're not, bitch man.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we'll remove you ourselves.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I was like, okay, see, that's what he needed. But I I did, I agreed with you. I put lots of organized religious groups, not just cults, guys, religions, period. Prey on vulnerable and troubled people, just like you said. Absolutely. I mean, it's just anyway, but then I wrote the hospital room scene is not good. Like, I did not think it was when he's in there with him.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I said squeezes his hand.

SPEAKER_02

He said, This is a hug, and it was like not even like a good hug. Yeah. Do you remember Corey? I was like, Oh, somebody should have helped them out with this acting. It was not good. It was not good. I mean, it's not their fault because I needed some help there, guys, or kids, but um, yeah, the part that I will say the part where he was yelling at God, I think we've all been there in life. Now he got a good ending, but I was thinking, okay, well, what if it wouldn't have ended well for him? Like, what if the teacher would have died or something? Would Sean have gone back to the cult? Right. Right. I don't know. That's a good question.

SPEAKER_00

I know. That's a good question.

SPEAKER_02

Again, deep thoughts by Cabernet. Deep thoughts by Cabernet.

SPEAKER_00

See, there's a reason fans talk about this one a lot. I mean, I didn't.

SPEAKER_02

I thought I didn't, I I don't know. I yeah. Yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_00

Did you have anything else on that one? That's all I got. That's all you got. All right, so now we're in season five in their 37. No, I'm just kidding. Season five, episode 17. And then there was Sean. So this is a fun Halloween. Oh, was it? Oh, it wasn't. Oh, I loved it. Okay. I loved it. I loved it.

SPEAKER_02

Can I just okay? By this time, I think I had refilled my wine glass because the notes get funnier.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, God.

SPEAKER_02

I said the first thing I wrote was, What is this friend style intro? What am I what was that about? It was a friend style. It was like friends. And then I wrote, The acting on the show just is not that good. And I said, it gets worse.

SPEAKER_00

Oh no.

SPEAKER_02

I said, I even wrote this also. Like, why am I writing also? You're talking about yourself also, Ben Savage be a mouth breather. What? I noticed this episode. He'd be standing around like this. That's because I noticed this because I am a mouth breather. So I had to consciously close my mouth all the time because my nasal passages are very little.

SPEAKER_00

So he must have little nasal passages.

SPEAKER_02

I'm serious.

SPEAKER_00

So this episode was so bad. It was so that you noticed Ben Savage is a mouth breather. Breather.

SPEAKER_02

I'm not done. I'm gonna read you all my notes and then you can talk because I just was on a tank. The writing on this show is also not that good. Like so much in every episode does not line up or it jumps around, and Eric is the only good actor.

SPEAKER_00

Of course he would say that. Of course he would say that. You love Eric.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god. I was so perturbed. I was so excited that it was gonna be a Halloween episode. And then I was like, oh my god, this is so bad. And nothing fucking made sense. It was not, it nothing made sense. It didn't make sense. Thank you. I'll give you that. I did love how Jennifer Love Hewitt was on. Oh, well, that was another thing. Oh did they write her in just for Eric to shove his tongue down her mouth immediately? Because that is what happened.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. Maybe.

SPEAKER_02

Well, that's gross. That they were.

SPEAKER_00

Do you think they were dating?

SPEAKER_02

Do you think that was like an Easter egg? Well, he didn't get to decide. I think the writers were like, oh, she's hot. She's in a horror movie. Let's put her in. And then I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

I did love the joke she made about Nev Campbell.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yeah, that was funny.

SPEAKER_00

They're like, who's that hot girl from Party of Five? Well, it's Jennifer Love Hewitt, but she's like, Oh, you mean Nev Campbell?

SPEAKER_02

Because they were both on the show.

SPEAKER_00

They both were.

Cast Notes: Will Friedle And Voice Roles

SPEAKER_02

Well, also, my last thing I wrote, and then you can tell me all your thoughts because you like this episode. I just wrote, What was this?

SPEAKER_00

So, listeners, if you re-watch any of them, you might want to watch this one just for that race. What was this? It was just so bad. It was so bad. It was literally so bad. Well, we're spoiled because the Dawsons ones that we've seen are pretty good. The Halloween That's not why this was bad. That's not it. Okay, tell me your notes. Fair enough. Katie liked it. I said the opening sequence is fun. That's the friend style sequence. Love a Halloween episode. Matthew Lawrence. That's it. That's it. He's there. Oh, they said something because also there was like this plot point of Cory and Topanga being broken up, which was weird. Yeah, which they were, but um, but I felt like this was a non-linear episode. Yeah, because nothing fucking made up. Like like it wasn't part of like the overarching.

SPEAKER_02

No, but it was because that was the whole point was he had a bad dream.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

That he was the villain. And he was the one.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I was like, okay, that was that was the whole thing. But one of the other characters says that Topanga doesn't belong to Corey anymore. Uh-huh. And I was like, Yeah, I know. Yuck. Um, I did think it was funny when they uh killed the one character and because, well, at least we remember he was this tall. Oh. I laughed out loud. Because the pencil mark. I don't know why. It was so stupid. And then they kept making the they killed Kenny just.

SPEAKER_02

They killed Kenny. And it was like, okay.

SPEAKER_00

And then they said it the same way for they killed Fiend. I know. You didn't like it. I did say Angela is a scream queen. Yeah, she can scream. And then yeah, just the Jennifer Love Hewitt thing.

SPEAKER_02

I bet you're a good screamer, huh?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. I'm not doing it now. I didn't you do Scream Lit? You didn't have to scream? No. Samira was the screamer. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Yes. No, I was just, I got to be creepy and funny. Okay. So, well, done. Done. But no, I I could do a good evil laugh. Ooh. Well, because I pretty much cackle anyways. You cackle. I was listening to somebody on a podcast the other day, and who was it? Oh shit. And they were like, why do I tilt my head back and cackle every time I laugh? And I'm like, oh my God, am I related to this person?

SPEAKER_01

You're like, why do I?

SPEAKER_02

Because it drives me nuts when I'm trying to go and get our pod clips to find one of me not doing that. It's impossible. It's okay for you to be doing that. No, no, no, it is. But like every time I laugh, I don't need to have my head back like a Muppet.

SPEAKER_00

So here we go again. My little dog Annie. When she barks, she can't just bark. She has to go, see? And then catch her breath and then do it again. Well, that's how I laugh.

SPEAKER_02

Great.

SPEAKER_00

I love it. Who knew who knew? It's so good. All right.

SPEAKER_02

So now we're on graduation.

SPEAKER_00

Graduation, season five, episode 24.

SPEAKER_02

I wrote, I said it, I did like the funny joke they had at the beginning of the episode where Minkus comes back and they're like, Oh, you were on the other side of the school. And they meant the audience. And they were like, Yeah, we never go on that side of the school. And they're like, Yeah, that's where Mr. Turner went to is too. And I was like, okay, that's funny. I thought that was really funny. That was a good joke, writers. That was a good joke. Maybe they had new writers by then. That was a good job. And then, and then uh the other thing where Matthew Lawrence's character, who I forget is Sean's, he's Sean's brother.

SPEAKER_00

He's Sean's brother, I can't remember. Jack, maybe? Girl, that's Dawson's Creek. Or is it Jack? Yeah, Jack. Oh, it's a good thing.

SPEAKER_02

Look at that. Uh, where they're like trying to like have like a heart to heart and they start wrestling. And they're like, why do we always end up wrestling? And they're like, I don't know. I think it's how we communicate. Listen, that is brothers. Yes. That's my kids. And they just keep it goes on. And we're always like, can y'all stop? Like, what are you even doing? Like, some I swear, sometimes they could just be like, and it doesn't matter. Caden is 19 and they still do this. They'd be sitting there watching TV or something, and all of a sudden I'll be looking over and they're like wrestling. And I'm like, what are y'all even doing? And they're like, get off. And I'm like, what happened? Like, yeah, you were just sitting nicely. Now you're wrestling. And then somebody always ends up crying, or somebody always ends up being called a jerk.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And I'm like, Yeah, always. Yeah. I thought that I like it. Do your girls do that? Um, I mean they don't wrestle, but they get in each other's space. There's always someone being antagonistic.

SPEAKER_02

Not the wrestling, it's just words.

SPEAKER_00

Right. And then it's like, and then someone gets overly offended by it, and then they're in each other's space, taking each other's things, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02

Tell you what, I wouldn't want to wrestle with London because she's a lacrosse player and they know how to hold it down. London is strong as well. I know that's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00

Oh my god. She's really strong. No thing. And now she works at a restaurant, and so she's like doing more lifting and stuff like there. Get it, London. Get out of the way. Move over. Um, I did say I was really realizing how much these kids really literally grew up on this show. Literally. On in this episode. The whole show was their like most awkward time of your life. Honestly.

unknown

I know.

SPEAKER_00

And then it kept going into more awkward times. I know. So when they're talking about Topanga going to Yale, Corey says, I got you some information from the internet. I know.

SPEAKER_02

From the internet.

SPEAKER_00

From the internet, and like hands it to her.

SPEAKER_02

But literally, we still do that.

SPEAKER_00

This is the information I got from the internet. We still do that. Yeah, which is funny. The way he said it. I know you're right. And he probably still does it. Um, and then I said, class of 98, wasn't that Danny's year? Yeah, I okay.

SPEAKER_02

Literally, we already talked about this, but I said this is I'm showing Katie. I actually wrote this down. Um, okay. They are class of 98, which was my class.

SPEAKER_00

Actually, I said underlined.

SPEAKER_02

And I said, why did I think I was too old for this show? I don't understand this. I don't, it's so bizarre. And then my last thing for this episode, I wrote again the writing for this show. Dot dot dot dot dot dot.

SPEAKER_00

I actually said, um It's so bizarre. This graduation episode is chaos. It doesn't nothing make sense. Nothing makes sense. And it's just not a good idea. And then Tupenka's gonna give a speech, but then Sean gives a speech. Yeah, and then all he says is good job, those of you that did a good job. And then Eric is done better.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I should have done better.

unknown

What?

SPEAKER_00

And then Eric is sitting there, and then he thinks that's fall. What's happening? And his parents leave. Anyway. This has gone off the deep end for me. All right, so then that brings us to the series finale. The series finale season seven, episode 23, A Brave New World Part 2. And I just said this was a little bit of whiplash, so much back and forth. Yeah, it was too much. It was too many flashes.

SPEAKER_02

And so I had questions because obviously we didn't watch the whole thing. Right. So I answered my own questions as I was watching it. I was like, wait, so they did get married? Because like, you know, they flash back, but then I'm like, well, did it happen? Yeah. So I Googled it. Yes, they did. The beginning of season seven, they did get married. Okay. Then I wrote, wait a minute, who is this little kid? He's a brother. Yes, the mom had a baby, the end of season six.

SPEAKER_00

I had the same thought because I don't know, but then Topenga's carrying him, so I was like, is he Topenga's brother? Is he Corey's brother?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I didn't know, but yes. So it that is his brother.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

And then I I just wrote, Oh my god, this episode is too emotional. It was a lot.

SPEAKER_00

It was a lot, and it was like flashbacks of every character with every combination.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

It was like the mom and Mr. Feeney, but then the mom and the dad, but then the dad and Corey, but then Mr. Feeny and Topenga, and but then Eric and uh Corey, and like I don't know. It was just like a lot.

SPEAKER_02

The editing for this episode must have taken forever.

SPEAKER_00

Forever. And I get it, like most finales do have some flashback stuff. But this was like every second.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I like that.

SPEAKER_00

That was really good because it was linear too. It was like earliest to up to date, and it was all the highlights. Yes. But this was like highlight of everything, and then it goes back again to the conversation. Now we're in real time. Yeah. But now we're gonna go back again. Yeah, this next character. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

This wonkadoo.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I didn't love it.

SPEAKER_02

Sorry, go ahead.

SPEAKER_00

And then they leave for New York.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Which is where Girl Meets Worlds they're still in New York. Got it. So that was interesting to go from like that to that. I was like, oh, okay. Okay. So they stay there.

SPEAKER_02

I wrote, It is so different than the dinosaurs finale.

SPEAKER_00

Much less bleak. Emotional.

SPEAKER_02

I preferred the dinosaurs one.

SPEAKER_00

I know you did. I know you did.

SPEAKER_02

Alright, so then then we watch you have anything else on that? No. Mm-mm. Then we watched the first episode of the spinoff, Girl Mates World, and Lord, I thought this that show had bad writing. This one I watched Stone Cold, No Wine, Sober on a morning. It was yesterday morning, I think. And I wrote, What is happening? And then I went, is that Sabrina Carpenter? Okay, what? I had no idea she was a kid actress.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I miss that memo. And I like her music. I just had no idea I had no clue.

SPEAKER_00

There's like all this like lore, I guess, or T surrounding like her and Olivia Rodrigo and like other like Disney kids of that era. I did not realize. And friendships and boyfriends and all kinds of things. Did not realize she was part of such a good actress. She is. Like when you see her now, she looks exactly the same. I know. Like the second you see her, you're like, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Well, obviously, that's the first thing I wrote down.

SPEAKER_00

She went down too so I was like Carpenter.

SPEAKER_02

And then I said, Is this the same writers? Because sheesh, it is bad.

SPEAKER_00

And I thought it was weird. Okay, so the dad then, Corey, is like a teacher where his daughter goes to school. That's he's like the Mr. Feeny in the show, maybe. Right. But it's his daughter. But then Topenga supposedly has a job, but the whole show you just see her in the apartment. Yeah, I don't know. She's always at the apartment, never anywhere else until like they go to the subway. And then they're like, We trust you to get on the subway. But wasn't she on the subway at the beginning? I know.

SPEAKER_02

I'm like, what h that first five minutes was like, I don't understand what's happening. Right.

SPEAKER_00

What is they're like, I thought they were sisters, maybe, but they're not.

SPEAKER_02

Bad. And I just wrote, I could not pay attention to this nonsense.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it was a lot. It was just it was a lot. And I mean, I guess for people who it's kind of like with Fuller House, people who loved the original. You just love seeing the characters and imagining, like, oh, they are still in New York. And they did have a kid. Oh, and they had another kid, and you know, but yeah. Girl, I don't I didn't feel like um Ben Savage was very enjoyable to watch in the sequel. No. Like I still like Daniel Fischel. I thought the kids were okay. I the plot line was a bit much, but I I just wasn't enjoying his him.

SPEAKER_02

I didn't enjoy none of it. None of that. None of that.

SPEAKER_00

You guys, we've made it through TJ F. There's more shows, but we've made it through the part that we are going to cover at this point. Yeah. So when we get back together. Hello? Are you okay? I just saw it out of the corner of my eye.

SPEAKER_02

What happened? I went to tuck my hair by my ear and I hit the mic. It's just the front. I couldn't tell her.

SPEAKER_00

I was like, is she having spasms? It's a podcast. You're fine. You're fine. It's a podcast. Don't worry about it. Um, but yeah, so next time we get together, we're just gonna recap everything we did watch and talk about some more feelings if we haven't got them. Oh wait, we gotta give this a star rating. Okay, let's go. You go first. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_02

Because we always have some um I probably do three and a half. Okay, mine's gonna be a two. Okay. You know what I just thought about?

SPEAKER_03

What?

SPEAKER_02

Oh my god. So I had this idea that we should start um messaging celebrities listening to the podcast. What if these celebrities actually start listening and then they hear us like rake their show over the cold and say how much we fucking hated it?

SPEAKER_00

Well, maybe we won't write to those celebrities. Although usually I like one and you don't, or you like one and I don't. Yeah, but this one this one's kind of I'm gonna give it a two, guys. Yeah, I I I didn't mind it for nostalgia purposes, but yeah, it wasn't my favorite watch of all of these. And boy, we'll talk about this on our wrap-up episode too. But boy, did a lot of these uh sitcoms follow a formula. Oh god, one way or another. One way or another. Literally, yeah, literally. But anyway, well, thanks for sticking with us, guys. Wow, this one's really long.

SPEAKER_02

This is so long, it's because we were so off track.

SPEAKER_00

We were we were really off track. But if you're still here, god, thank you. We love you. Thanks for listening. Um, leave us please leave us a good review. Oh gosh, please listening, and um, we'll see you next time on Generation in Between. Bye.

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