Girl Meets World: Season 3/ Episode 6 "Girl Meets Upstate" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

In an episode about Maya finding herself and Shawn doing the same, it seems there is as much an argument against them becoming better people as there is no longer being the amusement of the goody two shoes of their friendship.

Major Characters

Cory | Shawn | Maya | Riley | Katy | Lucas

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Topic 1: We Didn’t Evolve or Adapt, We Copied (Maya and Shawn)

I strongly believe, unlike most of the characters, when it comes to Maya and Shawn they didn’t copy their friends and tried their best to achieve their lives. If anything, they grew up or, in Maya’s case, are growing up. Shawn not wearing leather jackets and running away, well that is growing up. Now he has turned his love for adventure into a photography career, he adapted this need to run into something which could make him money.

Then with Maya. She wanted, has always wanted, what Riley has. She wants stability, a father which is always there, and since Katy couldn’t provide it she grew up. She tried rebelling and perhaps trying to get her dad, or even Katy, to spend more time with her, take more notice of her, but that method failed. So, she grew up. Katy is fine with letting the Matthews raise her daughter, as the last episode showed. So why keep trying to get the attention of someone who doesn’t want to really actively participate in your life? Why not be the kind of girl who gets your “A”s put on a fridge? Someone who can have dinner table conversations? I mean, many may argue Maya became Riley, but the main reason Maya is around Riley is to have a taste of what she was born into.

Same goes for Shawn right? Well, to a lesser extent. Shawn didn’t necessarily want Cory’s life as Maya wants Riley’s, but he did want love as he had it. Leading to Shawn sort of playing down his relationship with Angela as if it was just because he wanted what Cory did, and Angela was there, willing, and the closest thing to what he put on the pedestal. Yet, ultimately, it didn’t work out.

However, I remain unsure of how either Maya or Shawn copied their friends. They adapted, evolved, they saw what worked and what could make them happy, so they went for it. Why would they remain themselves when they can see this happy world? It makes no sense to me and I’m still a bit peeved how Riley makes Maya seem like her means of amusement, the thing which livens her life, while Maya straight up lets Riley know their friendship is based on the stability she brings to her life. It seems so ill-balanced.

Topic 2: You are You and I am Me (Shawn, Maya, and Riley, and Lucas)

To say the least, the whole copying thing gets solved with giving up clothes, a pep talk from Cory, and Riley and Maya having a paint fight. Mr. Jackson also shows up and says what is a mess is actually meaningful, but either way you cut it there is something very rushed here. Still, why would they take their time with something like this when there is romance to get to?

One topic would be Lucas’ decision, but again that gets delayed. However, one could argue that with Maya saying that perhaps Lucas only liked her when she was emulating Riley, and no matter what he is choosing Riley, be it the real deal or the imitation, that she dropped out. I mean, supposedly they are taking a step back and she needs to reevaluate but at this point, a part of me feels like going back to that old idea. The one in which I think Zay and Maya could be cute together. Though, at the same time, wouldn’t it be nice to have a teen girl Maya’s age not obsessed with boys? Likes them, sure, but doesn’t make them a huge deal?

Topic 3: I’m A Creature of Reckless Spontaneity (Shawn and Katy)

When I watch this show sometimes, I feel like there is this needs to fill in blanks. I need to pretend that I fully understand Maya and Riley’s relationship when we aren’t seeing touching moments, I feel the need to make up reasons for why Smackle and Zay aren’t around. However, I find somethings a bit more difficult to craft. One of which being Shawn and Katy, if only because to build up Katy I feel like the show takes digs at Angela. It’s as if they make Angela seem like a mistake in order to make Katy seem like the one. This bugs the hell out of me. So while I thought it was very cute, and I teared up a bit, when Shawn proposed to Katy, it was more so because how Katy and Maya’s life has been vs. seeing it as a romantic moment.

There, to me, wasn’t the build needed to make Katy an interesting romantic partner for Shawn. She is just there, accessible, has a daughter who reminds himself of when he was a kid. Katy though, what does he see in her? The term reckless spontaneity shouldn’t lead a person to proposing. Making it seem like saying I love you is a reckless and spontaneous thing isn’t cute. Especially when there isn’t this idea that the two of them have gone on more than one date. Especially when you don’t make it seem like they talk at least, or Shawn even talks with Maya and maybe asks about Katy. There isn’t anything cute romantically here. It is nice to see Katy and Maya happy, but if Shawn felt Angela was him trying to have what Cory does, then history must be repeating itself because it seems Katy is round 2.