 Boy Meets World (ABC) In its final seasons, the show took a decidedly bizarre turn, and that was all for the better. The previously occasional surreal moments now became the driving force of the show. For instance, one episode saw Topanga and the girls challenge Jack and Eric to a wrestling match, only to have Mankind break down the door, completely unexpectedly, to act as referee. No explanation offered to the audience, and no follow-through on the ramifications. That's The Adanced Theory of Comedy in action. Sure, you still had some awkward and melodramatic Corey/Topanga or Shawn/Angela storylines, but overall the show was completely inane, and for a time, in its "declining" years, arguably the funniest show on television. Will Friedle, as the show became more willfully reckless, not only maintained the hinted-at dementia of Eric Matthews, but well surpassed it, pushing the character into out-and-out madness. Having lost the wrestling match to Topanga, he vows revenge and throughout the entire next episode stalks her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. One second, he is himself in the student union, then the camera switches angles and he is dressed like a woman drinking coffee at the table, giving Topanga an evil look. Later, "American Gothic" hangs on the wall of Feeney's classroom, and Eric is inside it completely dressed as the old man, who then lunges at Topanga and misses. At the end, the girls are sitting on the couch, and Eric is disguised as one of the cushions. I could go on endlessly about the unheralded genius of Will Friedle. But the rest of the show is almost as brilliant. Initially quite benign, Ben Savage really found a niche for himself as a tightly-wound psychopath whose behavior is enabled by everyone who loves him. Every irrational choice he makes or action he takes is allowed to play out to the furthest possible extreme, and no one ever thinks to suggest that the guy might need some anti-anxiety drugs. Rider Strong went from wisecracking smart-ass to troubled tough kids to melancholy bore on an epic scale, and back to a comedic foil in the space of a few seasons. The girls' presence was always kind of retarded, but I suppose you have to have a straight-man, woman, whatever. Feeney (William Daniels), who began as a mentor, by the end inevitably surrendered every shred of credibility and power to his students, all of whom gradually became wholly psychotic. It was, without fail, fantastic to watch the man react to the baffling situations with increasing resignation. Another thing I love is how BMW never took itself seriously. For example, there is dialogue like this, directly addressing the shows' flaws, yet outright admitting that it doesn't care to correct them: Shawn: "How many classes do you have Feeney for this year?"
I watched this show from the very beginning to its final moments, and will continue to do so for a long time hereafter. Already I have my scientists working on the DVG (Digital Video Gland) so I can have every episode archived in the front of my neck. Review by Illusion Master © 1999 |
