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Episode 2: “Girl Meets the New World”
Overview
Once again the Disney moral beliefs clash with what Boy Meets World fans expect, but not necessarily in a bad way.
Review (with Spoilers) – Below
Characters & Story (with Commentary)
Topic 1: Not Doy, but Dewey – Topanga & Auggie
Auggie brings home a new friend named Dewey (Cooper J. Friedman), who goes by the name Doy. Something which irritates Topanga for not only is he pronouncing his name wrong, but she originally things it is because he thinks his name is weird. So, to try to relate to him, and prove his name is beautiful, she explains how much she didn’t like her name at one time in order to try to get Dewey to call himself by the way his name is pronounced. But, alas, Dewey refuses to. Though considering Dewey, unlike Ava, seems to be around Auggie because he likes his company, and not because of what Auggie can give him, maybe Topanga may not keep this battle going.
Topic 2: Are They Weird or Adorable? – Riley, Maya, and Lucas
Being that Riley and Lucas have been odd toward each other since the kiss, it seems Maya, alongside Farkle and most of the 8th grade class, are trying to confirm that Riley and Lucas are a couple. Something which, at first, they go along with. If only because, in Disney’s world, 8th graders don’t know a thing about relationships. This is despite the prime example of Cory and Topanga in Riley’s home.
Still, considering Riley is heavily protected by Cory, and Lucas is, well we don’t know much about his upbringing to say, it does make sense that they are a bit lost. After all, arguably Riley could have just kissed Lucas because it seemed to be the right moment or because, despite not knowing what to do after the kiss, she knew that usually that is what dates end with.
Either way you slice it, with how awkward it is for them to be boyfriend and girlfriend, as well as how weird it looks to everyone else, they decide to call it quits. However, considering Riley’s speech about the Knicks, and the fact the two still get along, there is still the chance these two may end up together. Especially considering Farkle proposes to Maya and she says yes, though more so for the ring than for him.
Praise
The best thing about the whole Riley and Lucas dating scenario is the importance of communication in a relationship. For while peer pressure surely was part of the lessons involved, I feel both Riley and Lucas asking the other person to not speak in maybes, but actually say what they want, was important. Also, while the storyline was more for comedic reasons, at the same time the Maya and Farkle scenario mirrored what we have long seen with Auggie and Ava, showing that some people may not care about you, as a person, but be with you because of what you can give them. For, outright, Maya said the reason she said yes to Farkle, and even put up with his few wishes, was because of the ring. However, once the ring wasn’t involved, she treated Farkle as she usually does.
Outside of that, the Topanga storyline with Dewey I think was another good comedic storyline with deeper meaning, and I hope the kid who plays him sticks around. If only because I would love to see Auggie grow up and we get to see him through his teen and maybe adult years, and maybe Doy possibly calling out Ava for only being around for what Auggie can give her.
Criticism
Honestly, be it my upbringing wasn’t as sheltered as Riley, or maybe Greenwich Village is more conservative than I know, it just seems odd how completely unaware both Riley and Lucas are about relationships. And while I get Disney wants Riley to be as innocent as possible, or a clean slate, I thought the beginning of her short relationship with Lucas was worthy of an eye roll.
Outside of that, I must admit that some of the jokes of the show, which are very telling about how characters feel about each other, or their parents, aren’t going to be just jokes flown out there. For example, Farkle mentions how his mother throws her wedding ring at Minkus on a weekly basis and Riley, in an effort to avoid talking about the Lucas kiss, almost jokingly talks about how much of a mess Maya is, as well as how a lot of things in her life have sad endings. Which perhaps I’m focusing on too much, but it does make you wonder if these issues may ever be addressed? After all, as of right now, it seems Cory and Topanga are the only functional parents on the show while everyone else has parents which seems to either be like Maya’s, in which they don’t speak or like Ava and Farkle’s, in which it seems they fight constantly. Then, in terms of Riley’s joke, it has long been established, and said, that Riley and Maya balance each other out. However, I wonder if there may ever come a time when Maya is sick of being seen, or perceived, as the bad one, the messed up one, the one in need of help, or anything like that. For whether it is because Maya seems more real at times, and hence has become my favorite character, or because sometimes I just see Riley as a spoiled brat, I must say that I don’t know if the two of them can truly be meant to be the next Cory and Shawn. If only because it seems their friendship is more based on Maya liking Riley’s stability, and Maya keeping Riley entertained.
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