Thursday, May 14, 2015

Episode Review "Girl Meets Pluto" (#2.04)

Hey everyone, Sean here, I'll be kicking things off tonight.

And... wow. This is a jam packed episode, firing on all cylinders from start to finish. I don't even know where to start, but I suppose the beginning is a solid choice.

I like the Churchill quote, I like how Cory breaks it down, I like how he has a conversation with his students instead of the students completely taking over. Is this what we've been waiting for since the ice age? Can we expect to ever see this classroom dynamic again? It's hard to say, but this is exactly what I needed to re-energize my interest in this show. 



Riley's desk is off-center there for some reason and it must be an accident; neither Riley nor Farkle would ever allow such disorder. Also Zay is missing, it seems they replaced him with a different black guy for this episode. 


So we're doing a time capsule, and to my great surprise the only people whose contributions seem to matter are, of course, The Four. The first coffee shop scene introduced the time capsule dilemma and showed us once again how much fun Maya and Lucas are together. They are the most fun I have with this show. Anyway, it's a good scene and Katy finishes it off with some very personal life advice for The Four. She is certainly a testament to following your dreams even when things seem bleak. I have to give props to whoever came up with this "Katy works at a bakery that Topanga takes over" idea. It was a very smooth transition to allow her convenient appearances, which then help the audience to grow attached to her. 



The whole "shovel" thing was very Cory-and-Topanga. They're both in the roles where we enjoy them the most, and of course Shawn makes the whole machine move even more smoothly. Shawn is WD-40 for the machine that is Girl Meets World. I'd have to go back and check, but is this the first time these three have been on camera without anyone else? I feel like Auggie or somebody else always interfered in the scenes with our Boy Meets World veterans. That would be neat if this were the first time.

They've recreated Feeny's backyard here, and it's close enough that nitpicking on the differences would be in bad taste. I'm just happy to be here. Although, they never actually say where they are, so anyone who didn't watch BMW would be totally lost right now. The good news is, I don't care about those people. 

The meeting with Feeny is delightful, but it was painfully short. And listen, I'm probably alone on this, alone in the middle of Siberia, but I wish they hadn't done the Feeny Call (which Christian expertly recognized from the teaser, for which he deserves high praise). They even took his "Dude let's go" at the end. The girls did a wonderful job with the whole thing, but... it's Eric's. I don't think anyone on the planet should be doing the Feeny Call except for Eric Matthews. 



Okay two last things to talk about. The opening of the adults' time capsule was fantastic. That scene is a dream for any Boy Meets World fan. LAUREN'S FUCKING LETTER? That's brilliant! I was blown away, I didn't expect it at all. I knew what it was when she pulled it out, but still. Excellent decision from Jacobs. Shawn's items were of course the things he found in Angela's purse way back when. I was never a huge fan of Shangela, but it was another excellent storytelling decision for the narrative that this show wants to follow. I like the kids' time capsule items as well, Farkle's in particular. I don't have anything else to say about that. Maya's, on the other hand, seems extremely forced, but there's really no escaping this matchmaking shit.

Which brings me to my last point. The Parent Trap. I don't like it. I disliked it the moment it popped up in Girl Meets Home For The Holidays. The first coffee shop scene had some flirty banter between Shawn and Katy and it was awesome until we were (quickly) reminded that Riley and Maya are way too invested in it. The final coffee shop scene worked too! Shawn and Katy definitely have chemistry (let's be honest, Shawn god damn Hunter can mix it up with anybody), and it's fun to watch until they cut to Maya and Riley lurking in the shadows nearby. This matchmaking gambit from Miley is ruining it for me. How long until the episode where the girls tail Shawn and Katy on their first date? I can write that entire episode for you right now. Here, look, I'm gonna draw the episode right now.



 Barf. Christian?

Whoa! Animation?! I can't follow animation! Sean, wanna produce a cartoon show together? I particularly enjoy the use of sky blue to be Riley.

So, this episode... well, Jesus Christ. I knew it involved the gang hanging out in Feeny's backyard, so I knew I would like it.... but it was legitimately awesome. Sure, it was super fanservice-y, but there are fanservice-y episodes I like just because I'm the fan being serviced (like Girl Meets Home for the Holidays) and those I like because they're also good (like Girl Meets Master Plan.) And... well, this was better than both of those. This was good from the jump. The cold opening which was just a scene in class was good. The discussion about time capsules between the foursome was good too. None of which inherently rings my chimes. It's just a good episode. Top to bottom. Well written, funny, and with this series' best classroom scene ever. Everything Cory, Topanga, and Shawn did worked for me. Everything Riley and Maya did worked for me. Hell, the way they all threw their shovels down worked for me. It was just so, so good.  And yeah, that it's 2015 and I just watched one last episode of television that involved Lauren's fucking letter knocked my socks off. Great, just absolutely fantastic great. Unlike you, I did not know what they were up to when they pulled the letter out. Even when Topanga said the letter wasn't from her, and then Shawn reacted I was like, "Wait, so... this is what Shawn put in the time capsule? I... don't understand." 

Anything I didn't like? Well, maybe. Some of the callbacks were a little too on the nose (they clearly went out of their way to give Cory an opportunity to say "They want you to take the rolls!") and I still don't like how hung up Shawn is on Angela. Shawn and Katy had an exchange where he mentioned Angela was someone from his past, and Katy acted like "Hey, I'm right there with you." Except Katy's ex is an ex-husband who is the father of her child and who she tried to build a life around. She's allowed to still have issues. Shawn's ex is... some chick he dated when was 19 and hasn't seen since it seems. It really bothers me that he still cares so much about her. Not because I think that relationship was meaningless, it wasn't. But because it just feels like they put Shawn in a time capsule himself. That he's reacting the way he might if this was Season 8 of BMW and Trina McGee-Davis is off the show and that breakup just happened and is still raw. It's hard to believe that this is a real guy who had 15 years worth of life experiences when he acts this way. 

I don't mind Shawn still being a broken little dandelion. That's just who Shawn Hunter is. He's eternally damaged, and he should be. And stuff like Chet and Virna should definitely still be an issue. But I wish it was just that he'd had a cavalcade of failed relationships, not just The One. Because, honestly, I'm like eight years younger than Shawn, and I'm also single. And it's because I have a cavalcade of failed relationships behind me not because I can't get over my one high school girlfriend. And I think that's how it goes for most people. I'd rather see that.

I also agree that I don't quite like how they're handling this Shawn/Maya/Katy thing. I feel like it's an issue of they don't have Rider Strong as often as they'd like so they need to make every interaction count. But I want to see the two of them just... hang out more and be fun together so I understand why Maya so desperately wants this guy to be her dad. There hasn't been enough of that. Every interaction we see can't lead to a meaningful moment where they sit next to each other and decide to be important to one another. But I feel like because they're thinking "Oh, shit, we only have 5 Rider Strong episodes this year. What do we do with them?" they're rushing these moments.
But that's a lot of complaining for an episode that's obviously getting an A+. This episode rocked. It just fucking totally rocked. 

I feel like if you didn't watch BMW it would be clear that this was Feeny's backyard, but it misses any mention of the thing about Mr. Feeny's backyard that is most critically important to Cory - that it's adjacent to his own childhood backyard. No mention is made of "And, if you'll look to your right, that's where I spent the first 18 years of my life." Do the Matthews' still live there? Is Josh probably like... 10 feet away from Maya, and it doesn't even come up? That's odd. I get that they don't have much time to cover everything, but it's weird. Maybe the Matthews' moved to a smaller place once they were down to just them and Josh in the house.

Meanwhile, Shawn and Katy definitely have chemistry. Sure, Rider would have chemistry with anyone, but I also give Cheryl Texiera her due. She's just as integral in that chemistry, if not more so. She's doing a really, really good job. The character of Katy really works, and I kind of... want to see Shawn date her now, even if it's super neat and tidy. I just like her a lot, and I like them together. Oh! Here's something. Remember that episode where that student teacher hooks up with Eric and then gives him the answers to the test? Know what her name was? Tori Hart. I choose to believe that's Katy's older sister. And that she's going to come to town and reconnect with Eric. 'Cause that girl was hot. 

So, I want to broach this last subject and I really want to gauge how you and everyone else feels to see if I'm alone on this. William Daniels' brief appearance made me a little sad. For the first time it hit me... he's old. He's very old. With his bigger appearance, he seemed to be having some trouble with lines and acting and the whole shebang. And, like, that's fine. You're a fucking trooper for even doing this. But is it maybe a situation where... maybe, after this episode, it's time to retire Mr. Feeny? He just didn't feel... sharp or all-knowing or anything. He just felt like a shaky old man. And while maybe there's drama to be mined from Cory, Shawn, Topanga, and dear god Eric, being forced to confront an aged Feeny whose mind is going and can't offer them much anymore, I don't think they'll do that, so instead we're left trying to pretend Feeny's still Feeny and it made me sad to try do that.

Am I alone? Did no one else notice he seemed off? Especially as the scene went on? If I'm alone I'll shut up. 


You're 100% right about Shawn, which is why I kept trying to mention the narrative of this show. If the story they want to tell comes equipped with "Shawn is hung up on Angela," even though it's dumb and we don't like it, I still have to admit that they're making good decisions to tell us that story. If that makes sense.

BUT WHO EVEN CARES? WE SAW LAUREN'S LETTER AGAIN. I'm glad you had the same reaction I did. What an absolute treat. Wow. Thank you for that, Michael Jacobs. 



On the subject of callbacks, the "taking the rolls" bit was definitely trying too hard. I forgot about that one while I was writing. 

I didn't want to say anything, but you're right about Daniels. I'm genuinely sorry to say that you're not alone there. His last line, "What else do you need to know?" I was like "woah is that really the best take they got for that one?" It's a little scary. I'm already getting choked up thinking about Eric struggling with the fact that Feeny is on his last legs. That would be an extremely brave direction for Jacobs to go in. I would cry for a century, but it's the right story to tell. It's the story they need to tell, and I trust Jacobs to know that. 

Any last comments? You can close it out if you want. A+ from me too, this might be my new favorite episode. My MVP is tough to say. Maybe Lauren, even though she wasn't even here. Or maybe Zay, exactly because he wasn't even here. 

Also, I'm glad you like the light blue. I did actually put thought into those color choices.

They're good choices. Black because Shawn gets all dark and angsty, and also he... wears a lot of black. Sky blue because Riley's all bright and happy and blue skies. Red and pink look alike, and Maya and Katy are family, but Katy's a bit more girly-girl and Maya's more edgy and angry. 

I suggest more of a true blue or a royal blue for Cory? Maybe purple for Pangers. Eric? Lime green!

So, okay, with regards to a Eric (and company) deal with Feeny on his last legs storyline... intellectually, I absolutely agree. It would be a great story. Narratively, it's a good move. It would be extremely poignant. That said... no, I don't think they should do it. Because it involves actually having an old man who is also on his last legs and may not be what he once was play an old man on his last legs. It feels sort of like "Hey, Bill. We noticed you're not... um... firing on all cylinders anymore. So, here's a script where Feeny's losing it and everyone looks at him with pity. 'Cause you're probably not getting that from your loved ones every damn day." I wish they could but... they shouldn't. 

Now, they know him better than I do, obviously, and if they truly think he wouldn't mind, or that, heck, maybe it provide some catharsis for him? Go for it. But I dunno. I know I couldn't be the guy to give him that script.

I stole this image obviously.
I didn't spend much time on two things I want to hit. Obviously the focus of this one is on the adults, but the kids were really really good int his episode. That time capsule scene was great and the whole Pappy Joe bit was one of the true highlights of the episode. ("Don't call his grandfather 'Pappy Joe'." "It... actually was... Pappy Joe." "How did you know that?" "Eh, it would've been anything I said.") You're right that, just as Peyton and Rowan have developed at least a modicum of chemistry, the Peyton/Sabrina chemistry has increased all the more. I really don't know what they're thinking not making that the love story. Riley will get over it. She'll be fine. And until she is you've got a heck of a storyline. Do it. 

Also, we mentioned the backyard again, but seeing the four of them interacting there was really just... beautiful. It felt like we're home. Locations and environments can be just as meaningful as people sometimes. And when I'm acutely aware that I'm leaving a place that meant something to me and I'm unlikely to see it again, it can be like saying goodbye to a person. Some of the Boy Meets World sets... the backyards, the house, the John Adams hallway from Season 2 to 4 (Not the lame 5 one), and The Apartment. These are characters just as much as Cory and Shawn. I know we can't realistically expect to see those often (well, really, the only other one we have a chance of ever seeing it the house), but it was really nice to see one in this episode.


Yeah, this is certainly my new favorite episode.  

Episode Rating: A+
This one too.
Episode MVP: Hoo, boy. This is tough. And... not because I'm deciding between Lauren and Zay. Peyton and Corey both had good performances but not MVP worthy, Danielle, Rowan, and Sabrina could all make a claim, as could the dependably good Rider. I'm thiiiiiiiiis clooooooose to giving it to Cheryl Texiera who really nailed both her scenes, big time, but I feel duty-bound to present it to.... Ben Savage. Not only was he really funny and really Cory throughout, but he was EFFECTIVE AS A TEACHER. If that doesn't deserve an MVP, nothing does. 

Next up, ladies and gentlemen, sing it with me....

When a crime breaks out all the cute girls shout get the... GOOD LOOKING GUY
When there's a crime out there, he's going to... comb his hair because the... GOOD LOOKING GUY.
Book'em, Good Lookin'.  

I think William Daniels is very aware of his own state, and is comfortable with it. He knows how old  he is. It wouldn't be disrespectful to ask him to give Eric a final goodbye, and through Eric, give his fans a final goodbye as well. It's what I would want, if I were him. 

There may be a debate over Topanga's color, but Eric is definitely lime green.

49 comments:

  1. I very very much agree on the Feeny front. I freakin' ADORE William Daniels for doing this, words cannot express, but the shortness of his appearance (let's be real, we can never know if their will be another one), and just how "done" is looked just made me sad. A theme for me that ran through this entire episode when I watched it - I was sad.

    Other than the total fanservicey stuff with the shovel which I loved (Rider Strong, I love that man for coming back as much as he has, it makes my heart SING) this episode just seemed like, with the Boy Meets World centered content, they were closing chapters and I wasn't ready for it. I wasn't ready for Cory to literally RIP UP something from Boy, and I wasn't ready to see Shawn pursue Katy. And I still DESPISE the fact that the writers are totally and utterly dogging on Angela BEFORE SHE'S EVEN INTRODUCED - I hate it so much. Why would the writers want to assassinate a character they created? For Katy's benefit? Only Katy should make people like Katy, vilification of Angela shouldn't. That's insane.

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    1. 1. I mean, what should Cory and Topanga have done, framed Lauren's letter? I don't think think it's about them closing the book on BMW... they're just closing the Lauren chapter, which is understandable given that they're married and have two kids. Really, it's shocking that letter wasn't thrown away years ago.

      2. You'll have to bear in mind that Sean and I both dislike Angela so we may not be your target demo for that comment, but I have to say I don't see Angela as vilified. Shawn himself is still bitter about it, but dumpees often are. She's entitled to break up with anybody she wants to without being a bad guy. We're not getting a lot of pople insulting her, heck, Shawn is still waxing poetic about those arbitrary factoids about her that he "fell in love with."

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    2. I understand Shawn's perspective on the breakup being skewed towards being left, but that's not what happened and Cory or Topanga need to remind him of that. He never asked her to stay. SHE even said she would if he asked her to, but he didn't. I remember Cory saying something to him like "You didn't ask her to stay, so what choice does she have but to go?" in the finale. He needs to do that again because all three of them basically agreeing with the whole inaccurate notion that Angela's this big bad who left Shawn is insulting.

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    3. My recollection though is that while she said she'd stay if he asked, she made it abundantly clear she didn't want to stay. She was like "I'll stay if you ask, but this is SUPER IMPORTANT TO ME and I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THAT so THANK YOU FOR NOT ASKING." One could construe that as just trying to get Shawn to give his blessing to let her off the hook.

      But either way it was clear. In her heart of hearts, she didn't actually want to stay and be with him. And Shawn saw that, so he let her go.

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    4. I never for a second was under the impression that she didn't want to stay and be with him. She was faced with a choice to choose between him and blood, a father whom she loved but she didn't see a ton and I always thought she made the right choice.

      I was happy with their resolution in Boy, completely content. There was no bad guy and Shawn really showed how much he loved Angela by ultimately putting his feelings (and proposal) aside so she could have time with her dad that he never got with his.

      It was only supposed to be for a year, if neither of them attempted to reconnect after that year than it's on BOTH of them. What's being portrayed in the show is completely one sided and anti-Angela for the sole purpose, I feel, of making the idea of Shawn/Katy better by comparison. All so a little girl I don't care about yet (in comparison to BMW characters) can have a father.

      I'm annoyed.

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    5. I guess I just don't see it the way you do.

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    6. And yes, in Master Plan said Shawn "tried to make it work", but when was this? In the Boy timeline or the Girl timeline? They need to be less ambiguous.

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  2. I almost cried because William Daniels got a little choked up delivering his line of advice.

    Although it's a game of match-maker, I still like Shawn & Katy.

    And I want to give them a million kudos for the letter. That was amazing.

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  3. hey guys I just wanted to say are i really appreciate the reviews you guys are doing here

    thought i would give my two cents on this episode considering how much I love bmw and how much i was looking forward to this episode I hope you guys'll take a look at my comment and maybe even respond :D

    First of all I just wanna say that this

    "I'm already getting choked up thinking about Eric struggling with the fact that Feeny is on his last legs. That would be an extremely brave direction for Jacobs to go in. I would cry for a century, but it's the right story to tell. It's the story they need to tell, and I trust Jacobs to know that."

    NEEDS TO HAPPEN. It would be one of the most difficult things to watch that has ever been put on television but that's exactly why we need to see it. Because as hilarious as bmw was, Jacobs ALWAYS delivered during the heartbreaking episodes. In fact some of my favorite Shawn and Eric scenes were during particularly difficult moments for them (Chet's death and when Eric told Tommy he couldn't adopt him respectively I cried during each)

    I thought the way the handled the time capsule was pure genius. When they pulled out the jean jacket that was just adorable, and the way they worked in the letter from Lauren was so clever and I certainly did not see it coming.

    As far as Shangela is concerned, I just want to say that Angela was never really one of my favorite characters, and tbh I don't quite understand why Shawn isn't over her. But I still respect her enough to feel that she deserves some proper closure. I just hope it goes down something like this.

    1. Angela is happy with where she is in her life.

    2. There's no animosity between her and Shawn

    3. They both realize that the two of them will just never be, but they still part on amicable terms and both truly wish the best for one another.

    I think that'd be the best way to close the book on Shangela.

    The only gripe I can think of with this episode is when I heard that both Eric and Feeny were returning in season 2, I guess I kinda assumed they'd be in the same episode. Their relationship was so strong in bmw I think it would've been so special if the first time they each appeared in gmw was when they were together.

    Still though, I'm glad Feeny made an appearance as he was easily my favorite character in bmw, especially since as you said his age clearly seems to be doing a number on his acting abilities. God bless him for doing this appearance because Feeny is truly special to those of us who grew up with him.

    All in all great episode, and I can't wait to see Eric's appearance next! :D

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    1. So I touched on the Feeny thing above in my update, and why I don't think it's wise, but I agree with Angela. There's no reason to make their post-breakup relationship acrimonious and to have them regard it with anything but nostalgic fondness. I don't want Angela on the show, and I don't care much for her, but I don't bear her ill will. The character deserves a happy life, and I'd like it if she and Shawn were friends. On Facebook. Where they send each other little updates and like each other's posts offscreen.

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  4. I definitely enjoyed this episode a lot. It was jam-packed with BMW nostalgia, but it felt earned and showed us some new sides to all the characters in the process. Topanga's capsule item was especially clever.

    Seeing Feeny again was pretty cathartic in a few ways. For as painfully short as his appearance was, he had good lines and covered all the necessary bases well (if very quickly). It was a little heartbreaking seeing how much older and...withdrawn (?) he was compared to the glory days, but I consider any time with Feeny these days to be a rare and welcome treat. William Daniels will always have my respect for being my favorite BMW character, and agreeing to do these quick appearances on GMW.

    Side note, I kind of regret that they gave Maya a line saying Cory was the best teacher. I don't think the show's really to the point yet where Cory/Maya's teacher/student relationship has been all that special, especially since three episodes ago the girls couldn't wait to get out of his class. This is the type of revelation that needs years of development, and we're just starting to finally see Cory do a decent job in the classroom (with this episode, no less!).

    Shawn's "I WAS IN PHILADELPHIA!!" is a very Shawn-y line reading, and was one of the biggest laughs of the series for me.

    No mention yet of Riley's Pluto subplot? I thought it was actually pretty cute and endearing. It's a good metaphor for a special Riley type of impossible hope and they don't beat you over the head with it as much as they usually do.

    Really, the only thing I didn't like about this ep is them rushing the Shawn/Katy endgame. I'm not really OPPOSED to the two together or anything, but give them time to grow! Have an episode where the two of them take the girls out bowling or whatever, with no heavy stuff or Riley/Maya peeking around the corner, etc.

    I feel like the other characters in the show are pushing Shawn into this relationship too heavily, too. If I were him, I'd feel like they were trying to force me to fall in love with this woman, which is a little messed up. Shawn's relationship with Maya is a bit underdeveloped too--let's see the two of them interact more instead of just telling us that they get along well.

    That aside, great episode and probably the best in the series. Even the classroom scene with no nostalgic elements was handled more deftly than usual. Hope this is a sign of things to come for S2, because I had a lot of fun watching this.

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    1. This reminds me that Rider's pronunciation of "Philadelphia" bugged me. He kept saying "PhiladAlphia." I feel like a character from Philly wouldn't get that wrong.

      Oh, yeah, Riley's Pluto subplot was cute. Maybe a little overwrought, but cute.

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    2. "I WAS IN PHILADELPHIA" got me laughing too. And yeah, Rider's been pronouncing the "delph" like "dolph" since his first appearance on boy meets world. I like it, it's a unique little piece of character.

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    3. "I feel like the other characters in the show are pushing Shawn into this relationship too heavily, too. If I were him, I'd feel like they were trying to force me to fall in love with this woman, which is a little messed up."

      Yes! This was the *only* thing about the episode that bothered me. I guess they were trying to say, "You need to be open to falling in love again, and there's a nice, pretty single woman right across the street who happens to be the mother of this girl you have a connection with. Hint, hint." But it goes too far. When Cory said, "I can't believe you're not getting this yet" I couldn't tell if he meant that Maya was sitting off to the side acting sad and Shawn should comfort her, or that they were trying to get him together with Katy and he should agree to give it a try. The whole scene felt unresolved. They're conflating being Maya's stepfather with being Katy's new husband, and that doesn't work. He can't just go marry her mother because Maya wants him as her father figure. What is going on in the writers' heads? (I did love the last scene at Topanga's though, so I guess I'm firmly in the Shawn/Katy camp--but they need to go about it better.)

      The shovel stuff was pure gold. From Cory's shirt to the Philadelphia joke to Topanga being the only one digging, I laughed at all of it.

      Also, since there was no mention of Auggie in this ep I kind of assumed he was staying next door with Alan, Amy, and Josh while the others (obviously secretly) dug up Feeny's yard. We didn't get any Maya/Josh interaction because there just wasn't room for it, but I have no reason to assume the Matthewses moved.

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  5. I'm being completely honest here. I'm not a big fan of the show, and I only watch the Rider Strong episodes. I liked all three of his episodes- "Girl Meets Home For The Holidays", "Girl Meets Master Plan", and "Girl Meets Pluto". I'm a big fan of Rider and Shawn, and I haven't been disappointed so far.

    I liked Riley's Pluto subplot. Dreaming about the impossible is something I do myself. What can I say? A girl likes to dream.

    I loved Cory and Shawn's dramatic gasp. I have to confess I gasped right along with them. After the dramatic gasp, I laughed so hard that I couldn't breath for a few seconds.

    I also loved the GIF of Riley and Maya tailing Shawn and Katy on their first date. That is something we'll probably see in an episode in the future.

    A couple things I noticed about Rider that I don't think have been brought up. They always put him in dark colors. Every time I see him on the show, he wears dark colors. Rider also has a bisexual vibe. (I know this is a kid friendly blog, but I have to bring this up while I'm on the subject of Rider.) I didn't think anything of it at first. But after I saw "Girl Meets Home For The Holidays" and a few of the later episodes of BMW, it was obvious. I think he could be bisexual, but that's just my opinion.

    I liked all three of Rider's episodes, and I can't wait for more Rider and Shawn episodes.

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    1. "A couple things I noticed about Rider that I don't think have been brought up. They always put him in dark colors. Every time I see him on the show, he wears dark colors. Rider also has a bisexual vibe. (I know this is a kid friendly blog, but I have to bring this up while I'm on the subject of Rider.) I didn't think anything of it at first. But after I saw "Girl Meets Home For The Holidays" and a few of the later episodes of BMW, it was obvious. I think he could be bisexual, but that's just my opinion."

      I forgot to ask this earlier, but did either of you notice these things about Rider? I'm just asking.

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    2. Not even a little bit XD

      Of course, it's absolutely fine if he's bi, but I've never seen that at all.

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    3. I'm not sure I even know what a "bisexual vibe" is. How does it distinguish itself from a "gay vibe"?

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    4. Thank you for the replies.

      I would be absolutely fine with Rider being bi, even if I didn't think he could be. But then again, I wouldn't have asked you guys this question if I didn't think he could be bi. My cousin and I both think Rider could be bi, and if he ever comes out, we'd be like "Called it.." We both have different opinions about it, but we both agree that we're fine with Rider the way he is, whether he is bi or not.

      "I'm not sure I even know what a "bisexual vibe" is. How does it distinguish itself from a "gay vibe"?"

      I'm not really sure how to answer this, but I'll try to answer this the best I can. The term "bisexual vibe" does exist. People don't use the term very often because they usually don't think a guy could be bi. They only usually think a guy could be gay. A bisexual vibe means a guy's gay vibe only shows up sometimes. If Rider was only in "Ben's boyfriend mode" on BMW and on this show, then his gay vibe would show up all the time. (BTW: I don't think Ben Savage has a gay or bi vibe.) But if Rider only does scenes with Sabrina Carpenter, it wouldn't show up at all. I also think Rider's irresistible charm has something to do with his bisexual vibe. What can I say? I am a girl.

      I hope this reply helped you guys. I'm sorry I asked you guys such a thought-provoking question, but I wanted to know what you guys thought.

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    5. No need to apologize for asking thought-provoking questions. I guess I don't ever see a gay vibe coming from Rider, at least not when they're not intentionally having Shawn and Cory come off gay, which they do do a lot. But, when they do that, both now and throughout BMW, it's always been Cory who's the more feminine one while Shawn's the guy. But either way, I think it's just them acting.

      I think Corey Fogelmanis has a gay vibe, for whatever that's worth?

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    6. I, a gay 20 something, expect Corey to be out by the time he's 18. He pings my radar like crazy. He must die around the very pretty Peyton.

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  6. Sean -

    ...can you go back and do animations for other episodes?

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    1. As a compromise, I will accept simply continuing to do one animation an episode from now on.

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    2. I cannot make any promises at this time :P

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  7. First off, let's just get the episode grade and I'll do the MVP later. This episode gets an A+ How could it not?! From beginning to end it was perfect. It was the best use of the core BMW cast that we've seen yet. And, I love how the BMW story blended with the GMW story. It melded together so well. Credit to Michael Jacobs for that. Great writing.

    The classroom scene was the best we've seen so far, and I really hope we see more of that back-and-forth in future episodes. Cory hasn't looked anymore natural of a teacher than he did there. This is where the Pluto arc began, and let me say it was really cute. I also buy that Pluto's status as a planet would be something Riley would get hung up on. Just who she is. Something that's small to us, would be a big deal to her.

    The main time capsule story was just brilliant, simply brilliant. Going back to Philly, and to be in Feeny's backyard felt like home to me. Riley may be Cory and Topanga's daughter, but you can definitely tell she's got some of her Uncle Eric in her. The shovel bit...priceless. And, the Feeny reveal/Feeny flashback was awesome. Just awesome. His little interaction with the girls, though. It broke my heart. You could just tell that he wasn't the same Mr. Feeny anymore. His voice definitely cracked, and he almost lost it. Thankfully, the scene ended just after that. If they don't use him again the rest of the season, or show, I won't hold it against them. If they go the "Feeny dies" route, I won't hold that against them either. William Daniels has done his part. And I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to BMW, and TV in general.

    I liked The Four's time capsule, too, and both scene's where it was involved. Look, Rowan/Peyton are just starting to develop that chemistry, and I'd really hate for them to mess with that. Yet, Sabrina/Peyton just work together easier, probably because they are roughly the same age. More alike, if you will. Whichever way they go with these pairings I'll ultimately be ok with, simply because I can see the chemistry on both sides, now. Its not as one sided as it was in S1, despite Sabrina/Peyton still in the "lead". Back to the time capsule, and I like how the kids changed their minds as to what they put in. It not only felt more meaningful, but we could buy it even more since we could call back to why what they were ultimately putting in was important to them. Then there was Maya's picture, which leads to the matchmaking stuff.

    I know that its too neat and tidy. I get that its an "only on TV" kind of thing. But you know what, I'm 100% fine with it. Here's why. I want this to be Shawn's happy ending. As much as I know some don't like Angela, as he said last night, he thought she was his "Topanga". Not really realizing that what Cory and Topanga have is once in a lifetime. (Also, its not very realistic either) So, I can't blame him for being hung up on her. He thinks she's the one that got away. Now, I agree that I need to see more from Shawn/Maya/Katy in terms of actually building a rapport as a potential family. They can't continue to off-screen some of that interaction. What we got in the coffee shop is nice, and I liked it, but I need an episode of that. Also, I don't mind the girl's hovering in that scene simply because I'm conditioned to the fact its a part of Riley's "Master Plan". And, that Maya wants it too. As much as I want this for Shawn, I want it equally as bad for Maya.

    As I said above, this episode gets an A+ and I believe its one of this show's best episodes ever. So, with that said, I'll get to my MVP.

    Episode MVP: The Cast. The whole cast. Look, I tried to pin it down to just one person, but I couldn't. For this episode to even be an A+, everybody had to be at their very best, and they were. So, they all get the MVP award. Sorry if you think this is a copout,

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    1. I forgot about the letter! OH MY GOD that was great. Also, I think it confirmed for me that we will find out that she is Farkle's mother. Why draw attention to this letter now if they weren't going to call back on it again. It's just a guess on my part, but we'll see.

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  8. Oh God the Shawn, Angela, Katy triangle. While there are many problems to be had with the writing for either ship; its the fans that have really made it unbearable for me. I never realized until now that the BMW fandom could be on par with the Kingdom Hearts and Doctor Who fandoms when it comes to rabid fan girls.

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    1. Apparently I'm staying on the right parts of the internet because I haven't seen any raving fans for this. Are these people who watched BMW or are they young girls who think Rider is a hottie (which he is) and want to pair him off?

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    2. Mostly, from what I can tell, the majority of them are young African American women who did grow up with the original show.
      To them Angela is an identification figure and a good black role model. But most of them refuse to listen any criticisms on how the character was originally written and attack Katy/Jacobs/the new show for sinking their ship.

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    3. While I don't like bringing race into it, I have to concur with Disneydork they I have encountered a wealth of people who meet that exact same description. But it's hard to blame them, there weren't really a lot of young black women on TV to look up to back then. Still, it does sometimes go past rationality.

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    4. I have no problems with people liking Angela and I completely understand latching on to a character as an identification figure, but that's no excuse for turning a blind eye to a characters flaws and making threats to a fictional show for children.

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  9. Of course I agree with just about everything you both said, and if it isn't clear I LOVE these reviews I read this site more than I watch the show, you both do a great job. Obviously there were a lot of great callbacks to talk about so you didn't have a lot of time to talk about the humor but this episode may be the funniest so far. I laughed out loud at least three times:
    I liked the speech from Maya's mom in the coffee shop when farkle tells her about the science trophy and she aggressively tells him "forget science, follow your dreams!" I laughed out loud.
    Also I think you were a little sensitive on the feeny call. I get that it's sacred but I thought it was fun and the girls did a great job with it, def one of their funnier moments. I think the way they had fun with it too shows how much they love the show which is always nice to see. Also I liked Shawn and katys interaction at the end when he tries to just sit there and say nothing and she tries really hard to go with it but, like anyone would, feels super awkward. "This is what I do when I have no idea what's going on". Also I liked the little bit that Riley didn't know Pluto wasn't a planet and the idea that somehow Maya's been protecting her from it all these years. It was funny but it also said a little something about their friendship. And I liked Shawn's insistence that he could not care less about the fate of Pluto.
    Also on a side note, while I'm a fan of Katy and Shawn's chemistry I agree that the girls don't need to be this invested in it. How come maya can't want shawn to be her mentor like mr feeny was to shawn.

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    1. Actually now that I'm thinking about it, they could fix their whole problem with a little conversation between maya and shawn about just that. She admits how much she feels like she is missing out by not having a father and he could explain how feeny was like a father to him. You don't have to be blood to be family and he doesn't have to marry her mom to be like a father. Once this were established the Katy shawn romance could feel like shawn genuinely falling in love rather than this all being contrived for Maya's sake

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  10. Okay. I still have a high from this episode, and you two, with your review(part of your reviews), are just making me sad, and want to cry. ---Referring to your comments on William Daniels' scene. I can't say that I see exactly what you're seeing, other than maybe feeling more melancholic than usual.---I re-watched the scene with Mr. Feeny, and I honestly didn't see anything off with his performance---Referring to the line you called out, Sean, other than a crack in his voice, (which I am taking from) the aging process, I didn't hear/see anything off with the delivery of, "What else do you need to know?"---It might not have been as firm, as if it were said by Feeny in Boy Meets World, but I found their to be a natural evolution here, with this line, and to the scene.

    Although, you made me a little sad, I'm glad for your comments on William Daniels[Mr. Feeny], as I had no idea where to begin with commenting on, reviewing this episode, 2.04, Girl Meets Pluto. This episode is damn close to perfect. Putting the grade early, this episode is an A+.

    This episode, not only left me with a high, that I am still in, long after the episode ended. ....But, I am also left slightly speechless, despite having a lot of thoughts.

    The Time capsule items, by both The Four, and the Trio were great items. ...Starting with the letter---WOW!, I was not expecting that, although I did pick up on the fact that this was Lauren's letter to Cory, as it was being taken from the box. This was beautifully done, with a coming full circle, notion. And Topanga ripping it up, made it even more so. [I think it would have made just as poignant, made as much sense to do this when Copanga reunited in S5, but this was brilliant.]
    *The jean jacket was sweet, brought you back to a loving and safe place. *And, 'Shawn's contents' were fine. ...a little formula, to be honest, and with this, they are beating us over the head with the notion that Shawn isn't over Angela.

    *The Four's Capsule: Nothing as poignant, as The Letter, but the respective items, all fit, the respective characters. Although, I think Lucas' and Maya's are on the same wavelength as Shawn's...Maya's more so[which I don't think needs expanding on]. ....Actually, Maya's item fits the sentiments of Cory's as well... while The Jean Jacket brought us, and Copanga to a loving place, Maya's is her wish for that loving place.
    *Lucas' item, coming off 2.03, I don't think we needed this reminder, so soon.-But, it's sweet, and is fitting.

    *Riley's and Farkle's choice of items are my favourite here. **The subtle, gentle reminder of Farkle's turtleneck, what it represents to him (referencing GM, Flaws-which was a weak episode in itself, but it did have some good things to it).
    **Riley's item; The whole thing of Pluto, and it representing, dreaming/reaching for the impossible, is sweet and beautiful, and just fits Riley's aura to the core. Also, I loved the reminder of Riley being like her father, but not with the quirkiness....But, in her insistence to not give up on 'Pluto'.

    So, I think that's all I'm going to comment on for this episode, at least right now. There are a lot of things that I didn't mention, but it was already in your reviews, and the other comments, which I more or less agree with.

    Episode Grade: Already said, A+. This episode is going to be hard to beat. It is definitely, and easily My Favourite of the series.

    Episode MVP: Yeah, everyone deserves this title, this episode.
    (other than Corey and Peyton, as great as they were, they were minor players, in 2.04.)
    ***Ben Savage, for me as well. He is fantastic is the whole episode, but this is basically, solely for the wonderfully written and executed classroom scene, we FINALLY got. ....That, we've ALL been waiting for.

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  11. I know I'm in the minority here but this was easily my least favorite episode of the week so far (I haven't seen Mr. Squirrels yet).

    A good chunk of it was pretty good. I liked the Pluto subplot. I liked the backyard scene, though it could have used some exposition for newcomers. I liked the time capsule scene (I don't have an issue with how Angela is being treated as of now because we're only seeing it from Shawn's point of view).

    My problem lies in the Maya/Shawn/Katy storyline. The whole thing just seems so....contrived. Why can't they just let it play out naturally? Apart from Riley having to tell Maya to ask Shawn about his parents, I thought Home for the Holidays was a good start to this. But then we got Master Plan, which, while quite funny, turned the whole thing into a scheme from Riley. Why does Riley have to be so invested in this anyway, or even know that much about it? I get that it's her show, but she shouldn't be THIS involved, even if Maya is her best friend. MAYA should have been the one to ignite the "Shawn being her dad" thing, NOT Riley. The Matthews didn't need to be there when the two of them were talking on the bed at the end of the episode. And now they're trying to set up a couple which I still see no chemistry in as of yet (I was hoping to with this episode but nope) just so he can be her dad. I think a better lesson/relationship would be to have him be "there" for her without necessarily being her actual dad, and I'm hoping this is where the stroy is going because as of right now it's so awkward and gets more and more uncomfortable to watch by the episode.

    On another note, I do think they should go...there with Feeny, even though I didn't really notice anything off about him here. I think it would be an extremely powerful storyline. My only condition is that Eric has to be there because I imagine it might hit him the hardest.

    Episode Grade: B (would be a lot higher if not for the unnaturalness of how they're dealing with the Maya/Shawn/Katy storyline)

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    1. Sounds like we agree for the most part, we're just distributing significance differently. Everyone around here agrees that Shawn/Katy needs to be natural rather than a scheme. I haven't seen anyone who likes the fact that it's a scheme. Regarding significance, that scheming was more in the background, so we're just brushing it off. The time capsules were in the forefront, and those ROCKED. Probably 10% of the episode was about Riley and Maya's matchmaking, so I didn't let it impact my grade.

      But you're absolutely right that it's contrived. I hope it changes soon.

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  12. The shovel sweater may very well have matched the celery poster in terms of awesomeness.

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    1. literally will friedleNovember 5, 2016 at 9:10 PM

      Nothing will ever live up to the celery poster.

      That being said, if someone out there managed to produce shovel sweaters I might buy one or two or three hundred

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  16. I didn't read all of the comments so I don't know if anybody mentioned this, but I think it's worth mentioning. Why didn't they show Cory's old house? I know realistically it was probably impossible to rebuild the entire set, but it would've been nice if they at least referenced it. That house had so much significance in the BMW series why did everyone completely ignore it? Does Cory's Parents still live there with his little brother Josh? just a thought. But this episode was great overall it was great seeing Feeny with Cory, Shawn and Topanga again.

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    1. I talked about that in the review proper. Yes, certainly, rebuilding the set wouldn't have been a practical option, but some reference to the fact that they're standing mere feet away from where Cory grew up and where his family, theoretically, still lives, would not have been remiss. Maybe the Matthews' moved.

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    2. Oh I'm sorry I must've missed it when I read the review. Thanks for the response. Im glad someone else felt the same way.

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  17. I loved the episode but I couldn't help but think about the big hole in the story... if the time capsule was made when they were 15 Lauren's letter or Angela's chapstick wouldn't have been in there.

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  19. The episode was fine. It was mostly just fan service for BMW fans. I have a problem with the premise of this episode. This whole thing started because Riley didn't know that Pluto wasn't a planet anymore. This doesn't make any sense. Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet in 2006. Rowan was born in 2001. (At this point, Riley's age is a little fuzzy, so I'm going with how old Rowan actually is, although I think Riley is slightly younger). In 2006, Riley would've been in Kindergarten. She would never have been taught that Pluto was a planet!

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  20. literally will friedleNovember 5, 2016 at 9:17 PM

    I'm starting to realize how much I've missed out on when making these comments <_<

    Anyway, best episode of the series so far. Quite a few moments had me in stitches (the entire shovel sequence all the way through Cory and Shawn's teamster-esque "we're digging every other hole" bit was phenomenal), and I really didn't mind the callbacks (even the forced "rolls" bit, which was one of my favorite moments on BMW). I also kind of liked Feeny's getting choked up while delivering his last line. I was already tearing up a bit, but that added a little more emotional resonance. I dunno. I'm a sap

    The only things I didn't really care for were forcing more of the Shawn/Katy stuff (oh, I googled Farkle's mom and saw a picture of Shawn and Katy getting married, so OH WELL) and the fact that Zay wasn't in the ep--okay yeah no, Zay sucks, and...

    ...


    ...I've been sitting here for five minutes trying to think of the other thing I didn't like. I'll probably remember it right after I post this, but THIS IS KILLING ME

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    1. literally will friedleNovember 5, 2016 at 9:19 PM

      YEP I GOT IT

      They threw in the couple clips of Shawn and Cory gasping in surprise at Mr. Feeny. I guess they wanted to make it obvious to non-BMW watchers that it's something with a precedent, but I didn't need it. The shocked gasp works in and of itself.

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