Fun Friday: The Girl Meets World Theme Song

I have a bad habit of not really listening to lyrics. No, seriously... I bought a lot of CDs in the late 90s because I'd like a song on MTV or the radio, and then I'd listen to it over and over and learn the words and sing along. But, 15 years later, I'm often only now understanding what the songs are about... and there are several instances where I was 180 degrees off, which is rather embarrassing! I've been trying to be better in recent years, so I don't declare songs as favorites without actually knowing what they're about, but sometimes I'm still swept away by how catchy they seem.

When Girl Meets World premiered, I was among the many skeptics from the start, as the theme song didn't resemble that of its predecessor, Boy Meets World. But, as I've been mentioning in my weekly remarks about the series, the spin-off needs to be judged on its own merit. So, in listening to the theme song without comparing it to anything else, I determined that I like it. It's upbeat and motivational and memorable. Give it a listen:

Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter sing about being unsure but confident, and it's pretty empowering. I'm hoping that the tweens, pre-teens, and teens watching the series are getting as much out of this message as I am! Although I encourage you to really think about the lyrics (only the first part of the song is seen on the Disney Channel, it actually keeps going!), here are a few excerpts from my favorite parts...

face to face with changes
what's it all about?
life is crazy
but I know I can work it out
'cause I got you to live it with me

I feel alright
I'm gonna take on the world

I've got a ticket to the top of the sky
I'm comin' up, I'm on the ride of my life

flyin' high
I won't look down
let my fears fall to the ground

what's your favorite part of the theme song?

Girl Meets World: Trio of Halloween Stories

Riley has learned to flirt sometime since the third episode. Unfortunately, seeing Riley pretend not to know how to put on a softball glove brought back memories of me faking similar confusion... in fifth grade. It was spring, we were doing an art project, and a boy I was crushing on was excelling at his... so I waited until he came by my side of the classroom and then mixed up my pieces and loudly exclaimed that I couldn't figure it out and needed help. Of course the girl next to me immediately jumped in to assist, and when I tried to explain my plan, it took her a moment to understand my game. Later that day (this was an ongoing art project after you finished each subject's work), I tried again, and he fell for it. I was pleased with my scheme and the attention he gave me for a minute or so... anyway, let's get to the episode...

Girl Meets World "Girl Meets World: Of Terror" (S01E11): Auggie hosts three mini-stories with a Halloween theme, the cutest of which is about his own fear of the monster under the bed. Cory and Topanga want Auggie to learn to sleep alone, but even the plush Mr. Googly isn't enough to soothe the boy. In fact, he learns that the monster under his bed has his own stuffed animal - Mr. Blobbity. Once the kids get to talking, it becomes clear that Auggie is no longer scared, and the monster must move on. [cute, but would have been better if there had been a scene in a previous episode where Auggie was afraid, to demonstrate that this has been a recurring issue for the kid.]

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Farkle tries to avoid gym class (it's softball week), but when Cory forces him to go, Farkle decides to try get in the others' heads. It works on Maya but not on Lucas, who proceeds to throw the ball at him to teach him not to be afraid. [kinda old-fashioned and boring, no?] This is also the part where Riley takes advantage of the sport to spend time with Lucas.

Riley is afraid to stay the night at Maya's, but Cory convinces her to try it (again). [this whole "call to come home in the middle of the night" thing has happened on a few television shows over the years (everything from The Cosby Show to Bob's Burgers), and I've never understood it... are kids REALLY not excited enough about a slumber party that they'd rather come home and sleep like every other night??] Every little thing scares her, including Maya's Gammy. [Riley asked Cory to DRIVE her to Maya's? are we not in Manhattan anymore?]

[on a side note, I believe this is the first episode in the series where I didn't notice any huge similarities to Boy Meets World... did you catch anything?] 

Girl Meets World: What's My Thing?

While I was excited to see the return to the subway that seemed like such a big deal when the series premiered, I wasn't thrilled that Jackee Harry was back in what seemed to be a different character entirely. Evelyn Rand is an important businesswoman who addresses the United Nations, while the unnamed character in the pilot "worked a 12-hour shift" possibly on her feet the entire time. Yes, these could be one in the same, and maybe that oddity will be explained in a future story, but I still thought it was odd and am curious as to whether it bothered others as well. That quirky continuity abnormality aside, I'm over here dying for Topanga to get a meaningful storyline, and I'd bet I'm not the only one, either!

Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Crazy Hat" (S01E10): The cute and quaint first: Auggie wants an allowance, and when he hints that he needs a specific amount of money, Topanga forks over a Hamilton, thinking that he wants to get her a birthday present. [are we hinting at an upcoming Topanga-centric episode??!?] Instead, he gets Ava some plastic jewelry, which further pushes her bossy ownership over him.

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Cory splits the class into two muffin businesses, with Riley & Farkle leading one while Maya and Lucas spearhead the other. [seriously? only the kids we know (and the teacher's daughter) get to be in charge??] Lucas believes in treating his employees well, having integrity, and using organic ingredients, but he's only selling 14% as much as Farkle, who is loading his customers with pure sugar in a cupcake image. [of course the Texas boy has more values than the son of a very wealthy businessman.] Farkle buys out the other company and begins downsizing, keeping Lucas as the face of the company. Riley and Maya are thrown out, and realize that the continuous rain is ruining everyone's week, so they come up with an umbrella-share non-profit. [I would understand Maya wearing a green garbage bag as a poncho, but Riley doesn't have a raincoat?? and it was totally unbelievable that a sanitation worker would just toss a 100+lb girl into the dumpster.] The girls' subway mentor, Evelyn, will fund the start-up costs, and they get to work putting the system into action. [I don't see that kind of thing working, but I'm not the eternal optimist a preteen is.]

A notable similarity to the original series: Cory struggled with finding his "thing" throughout Boy Meets World, with several episodes devoted to the topic. (I'm thinking of Season 5's "How to Succeed in Business" and Season 7's "The Provider" off the top of my head...)

Girl Meets World: Generations of Friends

I wasn't the biggest fan of the Boy Meets World episodes where they traveled back in time (and I can think of three of them!). Therefore, maybe it's no surprise that I was left unimpressed with this episode, which brought the kids to 1961 (Boy Meets World took two swings at the 1940s and one at the 1950s). Furthermore, the revelation that Farkle, Maya, Riley, and Lucas's ancestors all met is beyond absurd... we know Farkle and Riley both have families who hail from Philly, and Lucas is fresh from Texas. But, contrived plots aside, I liked where the storyline came from, as Cory assigning a living history assignment makes more sense than a freak microwave accident or a cat with a magical ball (there was a Sabrina crossover causing the time travel once). Overall, I think the biggest downfall of this episode is having it so early in the run... audiences still want to get to know the characters, not their ancestral incarnations! 

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Girl Meets World "Girl Meets 1961" (S01E09): The kids aren't caring about Cory's 1960s history class, so he tries to get them to realize that every little decision makes a difference. They then need to interview older people and give reports about the sixties. Riley gets her maternal great-grandmother's journal, and learns that "Rosie McGee" was a beatnik who frequented Ginsberg's coffeeshoppe, owned by Farkle's family. ["chick. down here I'm a chick" seems to be something Riley strives for, as she says the same thing the first time she takes the subway without her parents.] Maya descends from a Maya Clutterbucket, a free spirit who seems like a lying depressed sneak, and Lucas has a country-western great-grandfather named Merlin who was a singer who wound up in jail. [Topanga Canyon!]

A notable similarity to the original series: The kids sit in Cory's class early, asking what they're going to learn today - Cory, Shawn, and Topanga once headed to Feeny's class when they didn't need to be there, wanting more of the man's knowledge passed on.

Girl Meets World: Crushes and Crushed

The first time my husband and I talked, we were in the seventh grade. I can't quote the conversation, as it meant nothing at the time... he was just the boy who sat behind me for a quarter of geography class. Three years later, we began our lifetime of being inseparable, and only three episodes of Boy Meets World aired after that, so I never thought to strive to "be" Cory and Topanga. Years later, though, I thought about how we were similar to the couple in many ways, and how teenagers SHOULD be aiming for a relationship like theirs. They didn't give up when times were tough, they stuck to doing what was right when it wasn't easy, and they grew together while growing up. So, the conversation Topanga and Auggie have about how first loves aren't always lifelong was tough to hear, as I believe they can be. I didn't like the "oh no, I married Feeny" revelation, though!

http://boymeetsworldgifs.tumblr.com/post/97354316461

It really begs the question, though... do enough people try to follow in the Matthews' footsteps? 

Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Smackle" (S01E08): Cory teaches the kids not to assume, using Ancient Troy as his example. [I'm really struggling to see how much history he's actually teaching alongside those Feeny-ish life lessons...] There's an interscholastic debate over school uniforms that Farkle loses to his crush/nemesis, Smackle. When Farkle doesn't return Smackle's affection, Riley and Maya give Smackle but Farkle sees that Smackle is just trying to conduct an experiment to prepare for the next debate: "is beauty only skin deep?" [how did I not see that immediately??] So, he uses Lucas to distract her, but it doesn't work and she wins again. [what is with Riley's red pants??]

Girl Meets World: Parents

It has already been explained that Farkle, like his father before him, counts his As. What's new, however, is the idea that Topanga and Riley might have as many As as the father-son duo, which suggests that Riley is more her mother's daughter than her fathers; Cory was known as more of an average student on Boy Meets World. While the return of Stuart Minkus was fun for long-time fans, it also brought up some questions for the viewer... if Minkus is incredibly wealthy (as illustrated by arriving via helicopter), why is Farkle attending this public school rather than a more exclusive one? 

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Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Maya's Mother" (S01E07): It's career day in Cory's class, and Topanga comes in to talk about being a lawyer. [remember when Mr. Turner hosted career day and Alan handed out coupons as he talked about being a grocer??] When Farkle's father arrives, he believes that Maya and Riley are the girls are always after his son, and they're polite enough to play along.  [Cory didn't obsess over Topanga at the same time Minkus did, so the rivalry was a bit odd. "do you have a helicopter, Cory?" "Nope, do you have a Topanga, Minkus?"] Maya's mother, Katy, shows up a day late, with a tall tale about having a baby in the Colorado River the day before. [I didn't even understand what the point of this shenanigan was!] In reality, she was auditioning for a soap opera, as she's an unsuccessful actress who really just waitresses. [what was with Maya's "our imaginary father" line??]

For art class, Farkle poses in a singlet, and Maya once again astounds everyone with her drawings. [a 48-pound seventh grader? that's pretty undersized.] Maya is asked to submit a piece of artwork to the school exhibit, but she'd rather avoid the spotlight. But, Riley decides that her talent is helping people (and she sees that as superior to her father's close-up magic skills and her mother's hip-shaking abilities), so she enters Maya in the show and invites Katy to attend. [I didn't really "get" the hip thing, and can't recall Cory ever doing magic before...] Maya gets upset, the girls have a paint fight, and in the end the Matthews support Maya in the show because Katy doesn't come anyway. [I was dumb and didn't get the "half of the woman" in the painting until Farkle mentioned it, LoL.] Riley goes to the diner to talk to Katy, and learns that the woman feels she's not good enough for her daughter. [just like Chet thinking Shawn was better off with Turner or the Matthews family.]

Additional notable similarities to the original series abound in this episode, including a showcase of Cory's love/preoccupation with mashed potatoes, and the idea that sharing a parent is tough. Eric once explained how tough it is for two sons to share a father using a metaphor that half a coconut isn't enough for either monkey, but here we saw Maya happy to have half a tuna melt, because having half a mom was still better than no mom at all.

Girl Meets World: New Looks, Same Heart

This is the first episode my husband watched with me, even if he only made it through the first act. I point this out because I thought this installment was particularly well-done in updating the classic Boy Meets World characters and plotlines but keeping the same humor and cuteness that the original series held. As soon as Riley got an invitation and Maya didn't, I knew it was a geek party, a la "The Uninvited," and thoroughly enjoyed the "reveal." This is where my husband laughed and said that the series was doing a good job at being exactly like the old one, but different. This point was further driven home when first-season Topanga made an appearance via mirror. This episode not only marked Topanga's first scene outside the apartment, but also showed that she, like Cory, has not lost touch with her younger self. Though Topanga became that corporate lawyer, she still wishes to have the hope for world peace that her pre-teen self did. [and, strangely, I was feeling a lot of HIMYM's Marshall in that moment as well.] Let's look at the details of that story first...

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Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Popular" (S01E06): Auggie begs Topanga to get him a baked good at Svorski's Bakery, which may soon be closed because of a loophole in the rent-controlled lease. [boo bad loophole!] Auggie wants his LawyerMommy to take care of it, but Topanga doesn't have a say in the clients her firm represents, and her firm is the one pushing out the family business. Topanga realizes that she set aside her hopes for the world to succeed, and decides to embrace her former self. [I think she went a little too granola, but whatever.] She and Auggie show up at the bakery and fight for Mrs. Svorski, by buying part of the business to help Svorski make the tripled rent. [hmmm... I'm not sure how great of an idea this is! but, it will give Maya and Riley (and their pals) somewhere to work...]

Riley notices a classmate putting papers in lockers, and starts getting excited at the boy-girl parties on the horizon. [so it's occurring to me in this moment that I can't even remember my first boy-girl party... but more on that another time.] After practicing her "party walk," she begins to celebrate Maya, who is destined for popularity while she is not. [awww!] However, Riley is the one granted an invitation, because it turns out to be a geek party. [ha!] Because she's the center of that crowd, she decides to embrace the semi-popularity and dresses and acts like a geek. A Harajuku girl, to be exact. She continues to enjoy the influence she holds, but when she can't even spell Harajuku at a spelling competition, she realizes that she can't keep up her position as Queen of the Nerds. [a) what's a group spelling bee?? b) Einstein Academy, the opponent here, is the same show that Cory, Shawn, and Topanga face in the BMW episode "The Quiz Show."]

Girl Meets World: A Locket and a Chicken

Five episodes into this show now, I'm ready to make some larger observations. First, I love the theme song. It's very fitting for both the characters and the time period. Second (and this might be because I watched some Full House this week and no show was better than that one at highlighting the lesson of the episode), I'm okay with the overly sweet morals the series shoves down your throat... Boy Meets World made me feel secure in being a "good kid," and if it worked for that show, may this assist many adolescents today.

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Third, the settings are mid-boggling on both ends of the spectrum! On the one hand, Riley's school has stairs, lockers, classrooms, benches, walls, and even bathrooms (conveniently a girls' room where Cory had a boys' room) in the same place as John Adams. And Cory's classroom being where Mr. Turner's was certainly brings back memories! However, at the Matthews' home, what's with the artwork in the hallway? It seems very odd...

Girl Meets World "Girl Meets the Truth" (S01E05): Maya wears a large gold locket, which Riley won't stop harassing her about until she learns how Maya came to own it. [I was surprised that Riley would buy either that Maya "went to France" or that her "dad sent it" to her.] Maya saw the necklace in a lost-and-found of a store in the Village for months, and claimed it because it was an orphan. [she didn't really expand upon "why" she did that, though. also, what was with the pigeon? ] Riley still claims that Maya took something that didn't belong to her, but Maya wants to keep it because there's a family inside with a father and a mother. [ooohhh...] But, when the girls are out and about and see the family that matches the picture, Maya returns it. [well, yeah. it would have been weird not to at that point.]

Cory gives his class a lecture on truth, then faces the wrath of his wife when the chicken dinner she makes isn't awesome. [we don't hear what Riley has to say about the meal, though.] He keeps making the situation worse by comparing the dryness of the poultry to that of dinosaurs, so Topanga locks him out of the house. [funny to see him try to get back in through multiple window!] Auggie helps his father realize that he should be thankful Topanga cooks for him, even if it isn't always what he wants. [Auggie's line was cute.]

Lucas plays Romeo to Riley's Juliet, but in the kissing scene, Farkle interrupts and calls Maya to the stage. [I don't understand how none of the teachers stopped the situation! also, why wasn't Riley the least bit nervous about Lucas potentially kissing her??] Afterward, Riley doesn't want to tell Farkle that he ruined the play, as she doesn't want to crush him, but because she encourages him, he becomes pompous about his future in acting. He even quits the chess and chemistry clubs, only to find out that he's not very good at acting. He still thanks Riley, though, because she gave him the courage to try something new... and he kisses her chin. [the kiss was weird enough, but I am hard-pressed to believe that he was still grateful in that moment...] Lucas sees it all, and hints at the fact that he wants to kiss Riley when the moment is right. [well, maybe she'll be nervous in the future?]

Another notable similarity to the original series: Riley telling Maya "if you tell me you did it, then I believe you," which Cory said to Shawn.

Girl Meets World: Tradition and Failure

Yes, this show is a little saccharine (see image below). But I rather adore how cute it is. That said, the episode naming scheme is crossing the line. I don't know what sparked the idea to roll with the titles describing what Riley will encounter next, but I also appreciate seeing what parenting obstacles Cory and Topanga must face as well. The idea that "I just don't want to fail" is one that I face regularly, and would like to see illustrated and conquered by multiple characters on this series. Fortunately, with it already coming up for Maya and Cory, I think it will be an ongoing theme. What other recurring topics would you like this family comedy to tackle? 

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Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Father" (S01E04): Maya gets an F on a paper about Darwin, and claims that she must be a failure and Cory has nothing more to teach her. [Shawn says this to Feeny!] Despite the fact that Maya walks out, Riley believes that nothing will change. [um, hello... Cory believing that nothing will change between him and Shawn over and over!] Maya skips school and starts an online program... only to fail immediately. Cory helps Maya realize that she needs to stop trying to sound smart and just say what she knows, because she knows things. [how do the girls leave earlier for school than Cory does?] Maya admits that her father has moved out to live with another family. [Shawn would tell Cory things about his home life that nobody else knew.] 

Farkle wants to dance with the girls at the upcoming event, to which Riley wants to wear makeup. Topanga turns her down,but the bigger issue is that the dance conflicts with the final night of the season at Coney Island. For the Matthews family, that means it's time for the annual "ride the Cyclone" night, which Cory deeply adores. [Maya not wanting to attend the school dance is apparently only a passing thought. Cory asking Topanga to make it all better reminded me of many times in Boy Meets World, particularly when he thought she could save premature Joshua.] Cory eventually realizes that his daughter is growing up, but still has a father-daughter dance to end the school night... and he does it with Maya. [um, I think Riley is a little young to understand the logic there, and would have probably seemed a little more jealous.] 

Another notable similarity to the original series: Farkle counts the number of As he has received, much like Minkus did on Boy Meets World.

Girl Meets World: Riley is the Focus

I think the toughest adjustment to make in watching this series is recognizing that Cory and Topanga aren't the main characters. It makes sense that they're not, but it seems that most spin-offs center around the character(s) that make the jump, rather than other people entirely. [although Harriet was certainly not the focus of Family Matters, LoL.] Still, it's taking me a little while to adjust to relating to Riley and her friends as the protagonists. Of course, Farkle is absolutely adorable, has the best lines, and is disarming beyond belief, but I'm still a little hesitant to fall in love with Maya or Lucas. Auggie has started to win me over, but that's really not much of a chore for a five-year-old! I think that as the series continues, it'll get easier, especially if Riley keeps doing things that I remember her father doing on Boy Meets World, like hiding out in a locker! 

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Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Sneak Attack" (S01E03): Riley is in a great mood, but when she sees Lucas talking to another girl, Missy, she becomes completely jealous. [windows from the hallway into the classroom? that seems like an odd expense, though it's probably safer.] Riley decides to stand up for herself when Missy asks Lucas to the movies, but she doesn't know how to flirt and winds up sticking her finger up his nose. [no guy would hold still like that!] She's beyond embarrassed and plans to stay in her locker, but, fortunately, Farkle is always there to help his friend out. [how does he know how to flirt when Maya doesn't? Shawn certainly knew what he was doing! also, the whole "barf! barf, I say!" thing was totally Cory!]

Riley tells Lucas that she doesn't think he should hang out with Missy alone, but the temptress gets detention with Lucas for the express purpose of being alone with him. [I officially don't like Missy, LoL.] Riley and Maya follow suit. [in a much weirder way!] But, in detention, Lucas talks about having more fun with a group of friends while in seventh grade. [a little preachy and afterschool special narrator-y, no? and who walks out of detention? but the placecards were cute.]

At home, Auggie decides that five-year-olds shouldn't have plush toys from children's television shows, and starts hanging around with Ava, a bossy six-year-old neighbor. She irritates Topanga, and Auggie learns there's no rush to grow up. 

Other notable similarities to the original series: Maya saying "pleasure doing business with you" was an exact quote of Shawn's. Also, the "what was I supposed to do? I xxx, I yyy." was totally Cory! [I think catching little things like this is my favorite part of the series currently!]

Girl Meets World: Fairness and Communication

When I was in seventh grade, our language arts teacher assigned The Giver. One of the journal prompts we had encouraged us to write about the most attractive thing about living in that world, and I wrote with ease on that one. Plain and simple, I appreciated how every kid had exactly the same things... they wore the same clothes, had the same model of house, and all had one sibling and two working parents. As a have-not, I dreamed of equality amongst my peers, so to see how the seventh graders in this day and age deal with similar concerns really played to my interests. Learning that Maya was the one kid in class without a smartphone was a bit eye-opening for me (practically every kid I know is under 12), and Cory deciding to take on the responsibility of connecting her was cute.

Girl Meets World "Girl Meets Boy" (S01E02): Riley has been texting with Lucas at school, and Maya encourages her to talk to him in real life, but she can't manage. [fun fact: there appear to be 12 desks in Mr. Matthews' classroom; Mr. Feeny's was famous for only having 9!] Her shyness regarding personal communication moves to the forefront when Cory talks about the kids not being able to communicate or show emotions because of technology. He assigns a computer-free project, where the kids can't use their phones and must go to the public library to do research. [Cory not thinking his daughter could handle not having her phone seemed odd. As her father, you'd think he would have tried harder from earlier in life. Also, can a teacher actually take away kids' phones like that? I don't think so.]

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Maya, Riley, Farkle, and Lucas are a group, and they actually learn things about one another, like Maya can draw, Riley had a hamster, and Lucas wants to be a vet. [24 horses - wow!] Cory overreacts to his daughter connecting with Lucas, and gives Maya a smartphone so she can keep him posted about Riley. [mixed feelings, but interesting nonetheless.]

In a side story, Auggie draws on the walls and refrigerator, and his parents aren't sure how they should appropriately react.

More Boy Meets World parallels: the obvious one with Cory and Maya having a private conversation in the stacks of the library, just like Cory and Shawn once did. also, when Farkle exclaims that he had no idea Maya could draw, and she responds "neither did I," I'm reminded of a couple different Cory/Shawn moments, with both having the revelation at distinct points in their friendship. [which reminds me... how long until we get to see the adult Rider Strong??!?]

NEW SHOW: Girl Meets World: Riley is Cory

Many fans hoped that Girl Meets World would be just like its predecessor, Boy Meets World, only with females as the center of the show. In many ways, it is, and not every parallel is an easy one... having a paper plane in the theme song and a stylized Earth in the "O" of Girl Meets World come easy, as does naming Riley's school John Quincy Adams Middle (Cory attended John Adams). Having Riley and her friend sneak out a window, however, is tougher, as instead of a woody area of Philadelphia, this generation of Matthews lives in the West Village, so a treehouse becomes a fire escape.

In watching this spin-off, however, viewers might begin to wonder how much of facsimile will really work, though. At school, Riley has her best friend Maya by her side (Cory's Shawn) and deals with Farkle, the class dork crushing on her (Minkus always wanting to hang out with Cory and Shawn), while at home, she has to deal with her weird brother (Auggie as Eric). From previews, we know that there will be generational differences (mobile devices, ahoy!), but how many ways will this series really deviate from the classic 90s family comedy? Already in the pilot, we see the storyline of Cory fighting for the independence to drive a car at sixteen, but Riley sees her nearly-earned her MetroCard as that mark. It's apparent that her personality is design to be just like Cory's, with his anxious behavior, poor lying ability, nervous laugh, deep desire to be cool, and naivety. Maya mirrors BFF Shawn's relaxed demeanor, carefree attitude, and rebellious side. [her smile is a lot like the one Rider Strong always flashed, too.] We'll be here to ride out this series and continue to point out where it's keeping pace with the beloved ABC program and where it runs off the rails.

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Girl Meets World "Girl Meets World" (S01E01): Riley is immediately introduced as being her father's daughter when she's skeptical of what her best friend, Maya, is suggesting. Still, Riley goes against Cory's wishes and takes the subway, where she meets Lucas, a new kid from Texas, who just happens to be in her history class at school. [that lunchroom is the spitting image of the one in BMW! also, Cory as an overprotective father is a nice shift.] She tries to further rebel by not doing her Civil War paper (on "anything you believe so strongly in that you'd fight for it"), but does not just her own three-page essay, but one for Maya as well. [please tell me I wasn't the only one seeing this as a callback to the BMW season 2 episode "Me and Mr. Joad" ?? also, think about the Season 7 episode "Singled Out" where Cory tells Feeny that he always did his homework, he just never turned it in... similar to Riley pretending she didn't complete her assignment.]

When Maya's attempt to light homework on fire results in setting off the sprinklers, Lucas tells Riley that she's better than Maya, and Corey confronts Maya about negatively affecting Riley. [yeah, the "I have nobody at home to help me with my homework" line was contrived, but let's call it an establishing character moment and move on.] Still, Riley decides that her friendship with Maya is worth fighting for, and tells her parents that. [a few too many make-my-world-your-world comments if you ask me!]

Other notable similarities to the original series: Corey's use of "here's what I'm thinking" and "for as long as I can remember," plus Feeny's line "you always do." Farkle using Minkus' line,

HIMYM: The Mother's Story; Barney's Night Out

Ted had a balloon best friend when he was seven, which caused him to fear ever letting anything go, even for a second. This is a terrible way to live life, and I cannot imagine that motto working in any regard. Ted has not shown himself to be the most mature adult on this show, so part of his personality certainly matches with this value, though at the same time, it's still just frustrating beyond belief. Fortunately, the Mother can't let go of things, either, as she can't bear to live life with another man EIGHT YEARS after her previous serious boyfriend died. The two of them will clearly have an interesting and irritating life together, though perhaps the similarity will work for them.

How I Met Your Mother "How Your Mother Met Me" (S09E16): In a fresh breath of fresh air, the audience is treated to the background on the Mother, and how she narrowly escaped meeting Ted multiple times throughout the years. In September 2005, she leaves the bar and goes to a different MacLaren's. She turned 21 the night Ted met Robin, and Marshall and Lily got engaged. Her boyfriend at the time, Max, died, and she was turned off from dating for a few years, but in April 2008, her roommate drags her out with the yellow umbrella, and she leaves early to donate her cello to her old orchestra camp instructor, Mitch. [wearing red and it's St. Patrick's Day??!?] His "naked man" doesn't work on her, but he does suggest that she base every decision on her ideal that she wants to end poverty. This pushes her to get a degree in economics, which she starts in fall 2009.

Ron P. Jaffe/Fox © 2013 Fox Television. All Rights Reserved.

She makes friends with the girl sitting next to her in class, who becomes the roommate who breaks up with Ted in January 2010, due to the fact that everything he liked was the Mother's. [remember when Shawn fell in love with Angela's stuff and didn't know it was hers on Boy Meets World?] Mom meets Louis in April 2012, and after a drink at MacLaren's, she blows him off, not believing she could win the lottery again. [awww. that's the night of Ted in the green dress!] They wind up dating for a few years, but it wasn't love. Still, Louis has a beachhouse in Farhampton, and that's where the Mother is staying because she's playing in the band that was suggested when Ted ran into Cindy.

Louis proposes on the fly, and the Mother talks to Max in heaven, asking if it's okay if she moves on. [it's been EIGHT YEARS!] But, she still turns down Louis, packs up her things, and heads to the Inn, where she gets Robin's mother's room. She sings and plays the ukelele on the balcony, a wall away from Ted, who hears the little performance. [it's all slowly coming together!]

Oh, and Barney is missing!

How I Met Your Mother “Sunrise” (S09E17): Sunday, 5am, 13 hours before the wedding. Barney is drunk and walking along the road when he runs into two dorky guys, whom he decides to mentor. He leads them to a strip club, gets them suits, and “trains” them to talk to women. At a party, he even passes them a miniature playbook. [that made me smile!]

A few days earlier, Ted talked to Stella and Victoria to see if they had Robin’s locket. [omg, this is still going on??!?] Victoria had it, and sends it overnight to Ted… but Jeanette intercepted it. [ugh!] She won’t give it to him and throws it into the river, even though he told her he loved Robin. [b!tch!] Ted finally reveals to Robin that she’s the reason he and Victoria broke up, and that she’s been his #1 relationship. She fears their future friendship will be weird, but he assures her it won't be, because he’s moving to Chicago.

Marshall imagines PresentGhostLily and 2006GhostLily, and they make him realize that he can’t hide things from his wife, though she later comes and says that they will stay in New York. [this makes me sad, even if it was the right thing to do.]  

Michael J. Fox: Golfing, Renting, Dating

I know that I have seen a lot of television, but when I just see recycled bits thrown together, I get annoyed. Cory and Shawn pulled the "rent out the house" gag on Boy Meets World, and Ross and Joey got locked on the roof on Friends (and it happens to Daphne on Frasier as well). The sad thing is, even with those memorable moments, the Ian/Eve storyline was still preferable to that of Mike/Annie. The low-yielding fundraiser and disability jokes just weren't that interesting! I could have done with more of Leigh/Graham, but only if it played out the right way... parts of it was predictable, though parts were also adorable. I keep saying I'll give this show one more shot, and here I am reiterating that once again!

The Michael J. Fox Show "Golf" (S01E07): Annie and Mike go golfing in New Jersey and stay in the same hotel they went to when they got engaged. A blind guy cuts in front of Mike at check-in, resulting in Mike getting a garden-view suite instead of an ocean-view suite. [I'm always amazed at how much people care about the view when they're at a hotel. I just want a clean room in a safe place, LoL.] Mike and the blind guy wind up golfing together, and after each makes rude comments, the duo is constantly trying to one-up each other. [only funny for an instant - then it got annoying.] The charity really doesn't raise much money, and the Henrys wind up leaving the banquet early and going into the blind guy's room, having sex and getting caught. [who does that??!?]

Eric Liebowitz/NBC

The older two kids rent out their 4/2, but they can't check into a hotel because they're so young. [18 isn't enough? I remember being 21 and staying in a hotel we booked ourselves, but can't put a finger on a trip any younger that wasn't school- or family-sponsored.] So, they buy a $200 tent to stick on the roof, but it blows away and they get locked out up there... in a thunderstorm. [not impressed.] They try to break into their house but wind up getting caught, and say that their parents are the ones who rented it out and left them with nowhere to go. [and somehow this didn't exactly blow up in their faces? also, shout-out to The Mighty Ducks!]

Leigh watches Graham, and he pretends to be her date for the evening. Though he doesn't impress her, when he calls her to watch a movie with the family the next day, she's happy. [awww.]

Last Man Standing: Vanessa and Eve

It comes as no surprise that in the Baxter family, not all of the daughters bond with each parent equally. Like in many households, one gravitates more toward her father while the others seem to favor their mother. Yes, this can lead to hurt feelings, but it really is par for the course, both on television and in real life. On Tim Allen's previous show, Home Improvement, Brad definitely bonded more with Tim, while Mark and Randy both tended to turn to their mother. Over on Boy Meets World, Eric and Cory both had strong relationships with their father, but in different ways - Eric's being more buddy-buddy while Cory's was deeper and more philosophical. The big lesson that the Matthews family takes away from exposing those differences is that family relationships need balance. Bringing that back to the Baxters, Mike and Vanessa just want Eve to be able to get along with both of them, even if it is in different ways. Mike pointing out how Vanessa talks about her work in a boring way when it can actually be exciting at times was just a cherry on top to make it all come together.

Last Man Standing "Driving Lessons" (S03E02): Mandy and Kyle are headed out on a date, but Mike asks Kyle to help with a car repair. Apparently, Mike has Kyle doing all sorts of household chores, and Kyle's time being monopolized upsets Mandy. So, she tries to get her boyfriend to say "no" to Mike, but Mike also tries to get Kyle to say "no" to Mandy. The kid eventually wises up, to mixed reactions. [Kyle is rather clumsy... why would Mike want him working with his personal stuff?]

facebook.com/LastManStandingABC

Mike teaches Eve to drive (in a classic truck, of course), but Vanessa is lonely and wants to bond more with her youngest daughter, so Mike has Vanessa give Eve another driving lesson. But, Vanessa doesn't think Eve is taking it seriously, and their time together is cut short. [what teen has road rage?!?] Mike confronts Eve about her attitude, and says that she might need to work harder at a relationship with her mother. Eve immediately tries, accompanying her mother on a work trip. [to blow up a mine. but, baby steps. also, I hated Mandy's jacket at the very end of the episode. grey with neon pink edging?]

Oh, and so that Kristin can make an appearance, she runs into the house purely to check Boyd's backpack for his missing hamster, Snickerdoodle. It's not there. [Trophy Wife AND Last Man Standing have dead hamster storylines the same week?]

10 Favorite Best Friendships

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Last Wednesday I was in Florida, having spent just about a week with various friends. The night before I left I had dinner with my two best friends and then we played Phase 10, our mutually favorite game. So, in honor of friendships, today we look at ten great pairs of best friends.

Now, before you look at this list, you kinda have to know that a) I specifically left out trios & ensembles, like Danny-Jesse-Joey on Full House, the six on Friends, the four on Seinfeld, the six/five on Saved by the Bell, the five on How I Met Your Mother, etc. b) there are some famous duos I've never seen, so I can't comment. This includes groups like Laverne & Shirley. c) I also left out shows that only focus on two individuals, like Square Pegs. And d) I didn't consider people who are work-friends only, since we rarely see them in a social setting.

I also struggled to find female-female best friends... and I'm not sure why. I came up with four or five female ensembles, but no one-on-one best friendships of note. Anyone think of any? I'm sure I'm just drawing a blank here, right??

10. Larry Appleton & Balki Bartokomous (Perfect Strangers) These two guys are thrown together by chance, really. Larry isn't thrilled with what's about to transpire, but he powers through and the two end up having a lot of fun over the run of the show. Balki's positive thinking and natural ability to find mischief keeps this pair on their toes. Sometimes you have to wonder what's keeping them together, but they are sure one hilarious pair to watch interact with each other and others!


9. Kevin Arnold & Paul Pfeiffer (The Wonder Years) Being a teenager is tough, and it's important to have a good best friend, especially one with whom you can learn about sex, deal with the woes of studying, rely on when times are tough, and turn to when all hope is lost. Kevin & Paul really go through the whole "coming of age" thing together, and although it's clear early on that their lives are destined for different paths, their friendship is always there. And, while we all know that girls tend to come between buddies as they get older, these two manage to get past the few such occurrences that happen in their lives.

8. Philip J. Fry & Bender (Futurama) Time, space, and species no longer matter in this one-of-a-kind friendship. Fry has a difficult time fitting in when he's fast-forwarded 1,000 years, and so his fellowship with robot Bender seems to come natural. Not to mention the fact that they met in a suicide booth, LoL. Neither of them are particularly bright, and both enjoy a good time causing mischief, so their pairing off fits the show well, and allows for a great number of storylines where their close-knit relationship is apparent but not overwhelming.

7. Hawkeye Pierce & BJ Honeycutt (M*A*S*H) If ever there was a pair who had more fun together trying to make the best of a bad situation, let me know! These two goons are absolutely hilarious together, and are always there for one another around camp. The tricks that they come up with to play on their fellow doctors and nurses are clever, and their banter in any given situation is comical. They may very well be the funniest duo on this list! Thank goodness for their sense of humor, because otherwise the war would have been much less exciting for the 4077th!

6. Michael Westen & Sam Axe (Burn Notice) Sam used to snitch on Michael... and not like you tell the teacher on a copycat. Sam was an informant for the FBI, haha. But, that was a long time ago and Michael is now a free agent, so he and Sam are free to be the best of buds. This is handy, since they can't seem to pull off their antics by themselves, really. The fact that they think fast on their feet is probably the biggest asset to their friendship, as one generally needs to bail out the other at a moment's notice... sometimes even less.

5. Gregory House & James Wilson (House, MD) For most of the series, it's not really known how many other friends these two have besides one another. The friendship is kinda one-sided, in that House mooches off of Wilson in every way one can think of, but Wilson takes it and is generous towards House. Wilson does do nice things for him, even if they're kinda out there... like drugging and kidnapping House to bring him to his father's funeral, LoL. All in a day's work for these doctors.


4. Will Truman & Grace Adler (Will & Grace) These two are just so good together, and have been from the get-go. They need each other to stay sane at times, but have proved that they can also function independently. They are probably the most similar in personality on this list, since they have a lot of common dislikes and hobbies, and are on the perfect wavelength to be one another's partner in games like Tribond (which is good, given hoe competitive Grace can be!). They do things for one another, large and small, time and time again, and it just warms my heart with how much consideration and compassion they have for each other. The fact that they seem to fall out of touch in the look-into-the-future at the end of the series just broke my heart.

3. Kimmy Gibbler & DJ Tanner (Full House) I learned a lot about friendship by watching Kimmy and DJ. There's always a prettier friend, there's always a smarter friend, and there's always a sluttier friend. While it's more often DJ putting her neck on the line for Kimmy than vice versa, their friendship stands out for the realism of it all. Kimmy changes a grade for DJ here, DJ helps Kimmy study for a Spanish test there, etc. Although, DJ does things with Kimmy for at least three of her birthdays on the show, whereas DJ really only has one major birthday on the show, and I always found that to be a bit weird. But, running off to Reno at a moment's notice to stop your best friend from marrying the wrong guy is probably one of the crowning friendship moments for this pair.

2. Tommy Pickles & Chuckie Finster (Rugrats) The adventures that these tiny tots get into are often remarkable, especially considering how fortunate they are that no adult is ever paying attention to them when the chaos is about to start or already in progress. Tommy and Chuckie would never turn their backs on one another, despite Chuckie often being portrayed as the coward of the group. They share everything, there's no adventure too treacherous, and we know that they remain best friends when they are pre-teens (All Growed Up).

1. Cory Matthews & Shawn Hunter (Boy Meets World) These two are the epitome of best friends. From middle school through high school to college, from one relationship to another to one's wedding and the other's constant family issues, no two friends can be closer than Cory and Shawn. I laughed with them, I cried with them, my heart was touched as they stumbled through some of life's biggest moments together. Shawn's continuous search for love and acceptance (through friends, girlfriends, parental figures, the cult...) is always aided by Cory's everlasting dependability, and Cory's always wanting to live more wildly and unpredictably is covered by Shawn's creative and devious nature.

Who's left out? I left out Tucker & Becca on (the old) Flash Forward, since you could argue that they don't do a lot for one another on a regular basis, and both had other "best friends," too.

10 Best TV Weddings

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Last week I posted about my thoughts on Little Family, Big Values, but the week before that I did my 10 favorite television weddings that DIDN'T happen... now it's time to look at those who took the plunge and went through with it. My main rule here was that I would only pick one wedding per show (because otherwise FOUR slots would have gone to Friends, LoL).

10. Luka & Abby on ER. I was one of the seemingly few who didn't really care if these two ever got together in the end. But, they did. Abby seemed so afraid of commitment for so long, and Luka arranged the wedding as a surprise, with the help of Hope (who disappeared not too long after the wedding). I think that, besides the surprise, the most memorable things about their wedding are Archie and Hope using the suite at the hotel, and Ray ending up a paraplegic after he leaves the reception.


9. Robert & Amy on Everybody Loves Raymond. Of course there's family drama... it would be a completely different show if there wasn't. It's really a bad day, starting when Ray can't get himself dressed, but finally turns around with Raymond's Best Man speech, and, of course, Amy and Robert doing a choreographed dance to "A Little Less Conversation."

8. Darlene & David on Roseanne. I always liked David, and Darlene was a lot more fun that Becky (to me), so their union was exciting to me. I still laugh at the comment that Roseanne makes to Dan about how their daughter is marrying someone who they consider to be their son, making them officially white trash. The wedding itself was very "them" being in the woods and all, and when Dan has the heart attack moments before the ceremony begins, it made for an unforgettable wedding episode in television history.

7. Whitley & Dwayne on A Different World. They were engaged by the fourth season, and married at the end of the fifth. HOWEVER, it was at Whitley & Byron's wedding where Dwayne comes down the aisle, begging her to marry him. This is probably the least well-known of my selections here, so if you haven't seen it, check it below. The good stuff happens starting around 4:00, and by 5:10 it's crazy.
6. Matt & Sarah on 7th Heaven. Their first date was amazing... they were enthralled by one another's backgrounds, and ended up getting married that very evening. While each of the Camdens tries to figure out what Matt's up to, it's Ruthie who manages to not only uncover where he is, but what he's been up to. She is the only one to know this little secret for quite a few years, until she's forced to blurt it out to throw the family off the track on another secret. Matt and Sarah go through a lot of problems as their "wedding day" approaches, and nobody is ever the wiser, probably because of how difficult things keep getting for their respective families.

5. Jesse & Rebecca on Full House. I was young when I watched this show, so I think that the courtship of Becky & Jesse had a big effect on how I looked at courtships and weddings. Buying a ring for Becky was amusing. Jesse trying to make a good impression with Rebecca's father was funny. I particularly love the "cake tasting" by Michelle. The wedding itself is a great two-parter in the series, the highlights include Michelle being friends with Howie, Jesse deciding to go skydiving but ends up in jail, and Becky driving a bus to bring Jesse back to the church while Joey and Danny hold a sing-along with the guests.

4. Niles & Daphne on Frasier. Forget that Niles and Daphne got together by breaking up Daphne's first wedding ceremony. Any marriage that starts off with three ceremonies in order to appease everyone is hilarious in my book! It was particularly hilarious that they just kept hiding the fact that they were already married, time and time again.





3. Steve & Janet on Beverly Hills, 90210. Um, how can a surprise scavenger hunt wedding NOT be awesome?? It gets rid of the hectic preparations, and the teamwork mends the gang to a certain degree. And I can't remember when I've ever seen Steve act so sincere. (S10E08 on youtube if you want to watch the whole thing.)





2. Phoebe & Mike on Friends. The engagement was awesome, with Mike stealing David's spotlight thanks to Monica & Chandler. And then there's the whole "let's donate the money we'd spend on a wedding to charity!" and then change your mind several times. And at the rehearsal dinner, where Monica won't let them speak. The cake, however, is taken when Phoebe fires Monica as her wedding coordinator, and a blizzard pops up. Roles are thrown out the window, all hell breaks loose, but it all manages to come together for a beautiful ceremony.


1. Cory & Topanga on Boy Meets World. I couldn't not put them first. From the shocking moment when she proposed marriage during high school graduation to the frustrations of them dealing with all of the wedding planning, it's great. I love how Eric manages to connive their way into an exclusive reception hall, how Feeny wants to do the music, and best of all, how Cory has to tell Shawn that he's gotta talk to Topanga now.

Who didn't make my list but might have made yours? I'm thinking someone would want Sully & Michaela from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Or perhaps the famous David & Donna wedding on Beverly Hills, 90210. Oh, and I know somebody wants to argue for Zack & Kelly on Saved by the Bell (I couldn't include them because I don't count the Vegas movie as part of the official show). Who else? :-)

Seven Shows that Change(d) my Life

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

Yeah. I know. With a title like that, you're expecting an awe-inspiring list. notsomuch. Instead, I'm going to talk about seven shows that I have moved my life around for, so I could catch them at their original airing.

I think I should have realized I was destined to be a TV junkie when I was nine years old.

In the 4th grade, on the first day of school, we filled out little surveys about ourselves. Birthday, favorite color, favorite food, if we had siblings, etc. One of the questions on there was "Favorite Day of the Week." I answered Tuesday.

Fast-forward to sometime in the spring (we read our lists to the class on our birthdays, and my birthday is the end of January), when my class was walking to the computer lab. A girl in my class asked me if Tuesdays were my favorite day because it was computer day (and in the 4th grade, that meant Oregon Trail!!). I said no, and told her why: "the new episodes of Full House come on on Tuesdays." She thought that was weird.

So, Full House was the first show that I ever revolved my life around. When I first started watching it, my bedtime was 8pm, so I'd have to connive my dad into making it 8:30 on Tuesdays. My brother and sister weren't big fans. And not only did I watch it, but I recorded all of the episodes. By the time the finale rolled around, I had 8 VHS tapes' worth of Full House. My brother later taped WWF & WCW stuff over them.

Now, on to the list of other shows that I shuffle my life around. We're gonna go chronologically today.

- Full House. See above, LoL.

- Home Improvement. Another Tuesday night staple. I was one of the many teenage girls infatuated with the male stars on this sitcom. I watched every second, just in case they showed Wilson's face, LoL. The only episode I ever missed after I started watching the show was the last two parts of the finale (I was breaking up with a boyfriend that night and he wasn't taking it well... it dragged on and on and I missed the finale live, LoL).

- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? This one was especially difficult. When I was into it, it was on four or five nights a week. For two weeks. This happened like three times in a couple years. The biggest problem was that it ended up running against other things I was committed to watching, so I'd have to tape the regular show in the living room and watch this in my mom's room, LoL.

- Boy Meets World. I thought the first two or three seasons were so-so and watched when I was available. But after that, Friday nights were for this show. If I was over at a friend's house, we'd watch it. There was a few months where I skated on Friday nights so I had to tape them. And there were a few special occasions where it was missed (the first weekend of the County Fair every February, for instance), but for the most part, I watched it.

- ER. While many people went out drinking on Thursday nights, I was home at 10pm watching ER. I'd have a friend or two over most of the time in the later seasons. When I lived in California, my husband would watch it with me (this is only notable because he does not care for 95% of the shows I like). I even had to work out a schedule on vacation twice to watch this one.

- 7th Heaven. This was probably the easiest one to plan around. When I had jobs that required evening shifts, nobody ever wanted to meet on Mondays so it was available. Still, I sometimes had to shuffle things around to make it happen. During the final-final season (you may remember that it ended twice), I'd save my most brainless tasks for Sunday night to do while watching (you know, alphabetize 180 papers or grade 5-question quizzes, etc.).

- um, Mondays. I word it that way because if I'm not home on Monday nights, most of the time I'm gonna be missing something. There are times of the year when I watch FOUR programs at 8pm on Mondays. DVR can only handle two. The two my husband also watches get those slots. This leaves me to watch one online (since ABCFamily has that option) and watch one at its second airing (most of the time, TLC has that option). But, since those two options aren't the most reliable, I try to be home.

I know a lot of people who re-arrange things to watch Lost. And I had a very good friend who pretended he played intramurals so an organizational meeting would be scheduled after 24 every week. What shows have changed the way you live your life?

Favorite Episodes: Boy Meets World

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

This is, perhaps, my favorite show from my teenage years. You could argue that I talked more about Home Improvement, but I think the golden comedy and character dynamics in this show really made it the best. It lasted for seven years (from 6th grade through 2 years of college, although it's obvious they skipped a couple years in the middle), and could have gone a little further. It ended extremely abruptly, and tried to wrap up storylines in strange ways. But that's beside the point... instead, let's focus on favorite episodes!! [Seasons 4 & 5 are my favorites, so it was really hard to choose in those categories!!]

Season 1: Killer Bees. Cory really has no interest in school most of the time. But when the prize for the Geography Bee winner is the chance to be a batboy for the Phillies, Cory does his best to out-smart the class geek, Minkus.




Season 2: Me and Mr. Joad. I love this episode for the scene where Cory and Shawn lead a walk-out, then start singing a song about unions in the cafeteria. But the whole premise of the episode is rather great, and the start to awesome Mr. Turner episodes. No full clips... not even a clip just from this episode... but this video does have part of the episode, from 6:22 onward, with the song in the last 20 seconds.


Season 3: Rave On. Cory and Eric get together to throw a rave... at the same time as their parents' 20-year anniversary party. They make it all work, but there's definitely some funny issues at stake! No full clip on this one, but here's the parts with the Monkees, LoL.


Season 4: yep, I'm cheating. Because both the funniest and most heart-touching episodes are in the same season, I'm gonna put both. I honestly can't decide which would be my runner-up overall. B & B's B'n'B: Perhaps the funniest episode of the entire series, Cory and Shawn turn Feeny's house into a Bed & Breakfast when he's out of town for the weekend. They actually manage to leave everything just as it was, despite so many slight mishaps during the project. Only the first two parts are on youtube, so you can't see how it ends, sorry!


Cult Fiction: My favorite heart-string-pulling episode of the series. Shawn gets wrapped up in a group that offers hugs... making him think he's loved. When Turner gets into a bad motorcycle accident, Shawn's afraid to be in the hospital room with him, but ends up having a heart-to-heart with God about life.




Season 5: It's Not You, It's Me. Cory and Shawn deal with the possibility that they might not go to the same college... and for Shawn that means he wants a completely different future. Meanwhile, at college, Jack and Eric decide to befriend the dean in order to create an easy way for themselves. This is a strange one, in that I found parts 1 & 3, but not 2. Go figure.



Season 6: His Answer. As Cory tries to cope with Topanga's proposal and a possible elopement, Jack and Eric get a female roommate whom they both have the hots for.




Season 7: Seven the Hard Way (2). A prank war has gone too far, causing Feeny to make everyone think about their futures if they aren't friends anymore. Everyone has a very strange outcome, and it's extremely interesting.