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Boy Meets World on DVD: Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3
"Boy Meets World" The Complete First Season DVD Review
Growing up is something we all do. That boy is Cory Matthews, the middle child of a middle class American family. When the show launched in September of 1993, Cory was just eleven years old and starting sixth grade.
Cory (Ben Savage) is a mediocre student, often confused by the lessons of his 6th grade teacher, Mr. Feeny (William Daniels), who also happens to live next door to the Matthews. At school, Cory is accompanied by his mischievous, but well-meaning best friend Shawn Hunter (Rider Strong). His other classmates include brainy teacher's pet Stuart Minkus (Lee Norris) and the otherworldly flower child Topanga Lawrence (Danielle Fishel).
At home, Cory's older brother Eric (Will Friedle) is lately more concerned with girls and his appearance than his younger brother. While Eric would evolve into a truly funny airhead/oddball, his character here in Season One is equally compelling and inherently likeable, even if he's quick to tease his younger brother.
Cory's parents aren't always around, and they don't always see eye-to-eye with their children, but their genuine parental love comes through in conversations and punishments. Dad (William "Rusty" Russ) is the manager of a supermarket, who enjoys sports and spending time with his children. He's not perfect, but he is a role model to his son, and their relationship makes for some of the more poignant episodes. Mom (Betsy Randle) is a homemaker who also inspires Cory, and she apparently deals real estate on the side. With "Boy Meets World", there's no absurd twist or silly gimmick to rely on. Instead, the show entertains with its strong writing and well-developed characters. Cory is just an ordinary boy living in an ordinary suburban world like most American children. The viewer quickly embraces him as an everyman protagonist. We care for him and those around him that we come to know.
The young leads of the cast feel real and believable, and not like polished actors in a glossy television universal, even if several would become icons in the world of teen magazines. In the early episodes here, they are carried by their charisma and charm.
The first season spent a lot of time in the classroom and Mr. Feeny's lessons always were appropriately significant to what was going on in Cory's life. As the firm sixth grade teacher, William Daniels imparts much wisdom and is the moral center of the show. But rather than feeling like forced provider of values, Daniels sparks laughs and awe with his wry delivery and behavior.
The family dynamics also ring of an authenticity, without the painless harmony of early television sitcoms and without the brooding overdramatization that marks less believable shows from the past decade or so, and would even negatively affect "Boy Meets World" in its last couple of seasons.
At its heart, though, the show is a situation comedy, and in its premiere season, it never wavers from this format. The show manages to be sweet, but not sappy and ponderous but not overdramatic. Not with gimmicks, but with characters you care for, stories that involve, and genuinely funny comedy, "Boy Meets World" lasted seven seasons in primetime. In the years since, it's built an even greater following with those who are only now catching the show in reruns on Disney Channel and most recently, ABC Family.
The show simply excels at being an earnest family sitcom, and in its premiere season, it succeeds with mostly realistic situations that spurn comedy and genuinely interesting stories. No matter what elements connect most with the viewer (comedy or characters, school life or family), there's something about "Boy Meets World" that works and works very well.
And now, something that I never thought would come. The first season of Boy Meets World on DVD, in its entirety. This three-disc set from Disney provides all twenty-two episodes from the 1993-94 season in high quality, with care and a few enjoyable bonus features.
A star () denotes my ten favorite episodes from the season.
Disc 1
1. Pilot (23:09) (Originally aired September 24, 1993)
2. On the Fence (22:16) (Originally aired October 1, 1993)
3. Father Knows Less (23:12) (Originally aired October 8, 1993)
4. Cory's Alternative Friends (23:10) (Originally aired October 15, 1993)
5. Killer Bees (22:42) (Originally aired October 22, 1993)
6. Boys II Mensa (23:06) (Originally aired October 29, 1993)
7. Grandma Was a Rolling Stone (23:09) (Originally aired November 12, 1993)
Disc 2
8. Teacher's Bet (23:08) (Originally aired November 19, 1993)
9. Class Pre-Union (23:11) (Originally aired November 26, 1993)
10. Santa's Little Helper (23:13) (Originally aired December 10, 1993)
11. The Father/Son Game (23:10) (Originally aired December 17, 1993)
12. Once in Love with Amy (22:45) (Originally aired January 7, 1994)
13. She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not (22:48) (Originally aired January 14, 1994)
14. The B-Team of Life (22:54) (Originally aired January 28, 1994)
15. Model Family (23:09) (Originally aired February 4, 1994)
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Page 1: Show Discussion, Disc 1, and Disc 2
Page 2: Disc 3, Video/Audio, Bonus Features, Menus & Packaging, and Closing Thoughts |
Boy Meets World on DVD: Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3
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Reviewed August 13, 2004.