Originally debuting in 1993 as part of ABC's TGIF lineup, Boy Meets World has grown a cult following through syndication. Boy Meets World follows Cory Matthews as he learns to navigate life alongside his friends, family, and trusted teacher, Mr. Feeny.
The show follows Cory from adolescence through marriage (and eventually as a parent himself in the spin-off Girl Meets World). While Boy Meets World presents a humorous look at growing up, the show inevitably tackles some serious topics throughout its run as the kids grow older. Here are 10 times the Boy Meets World touched on serious topics.
Teacher's Bet (Season 1, Episode 8)
While Boy Meets World's first season is generally light, the show does try to tackle racism in "Teacher's Bet," albeit with kid gloves. After making several jokes during a lecture on The Diary Of Anne Frank, Cory bets Mr. Feeny the class would perform better on the test if he taught for a week. Cory's relaxed teaching style is ineffective, to say the least, and it quickly appears that he has no chance of winning the bet.
After Eric's girlfriend is called a racial slur at the mall, Cory tries to relate this incident to the book during his lecture. When no one will listen, he insults Shawn in front of the whole class to illustrate that prejudice still exists. In the end, the same number of students passed the test, and he expressed his appreciation for the difficulties of teaching.
Wake Up, Little Cory (Season 2, Episode 7)
After discussing Much Ado About Nothing, Mr. Turner assigns the class a video project to discuss modern-day views on sex and love. Partnered with Topanga, Cory doesn't take the project seriously at first, jokingly imitating the gritty shooting style of NYPD Blue. Things take a serious turn as Cory and Topanga lie to their parents so they can spend all night editing at school before accidentally falling sleep together.
Rumors quickly spread that Cory and Topanga did more than just sleep. Cory is thought of as a big deal while Topanga's reputation is ruined. In a show of maturity, Cory films himself for the project apologizing and admitting nothing happened between them.
Dangerous Secret (Season 4, Episode 8)
The fourth season of Boy Meets World found the writers examining more mature topics as the characters aged. No episode illustrates the willingness to get serious more than "Dangerous Secrets." Claire, a classmate of Corey and Shawn, is being beaten by her father. Shawn lets Claire stay with him to help protect her, though Cory thinks they are sleeping together after walking in on them.
Shawn eventually recruits Cory to help hide Claire when she cannot stay at his house anymore. Cory agrees to help but wants to go to the police. Shawn won't report the abuse because Claire's father is a banker and no one will believe him. Instead, they put Claire on a bus to Vermont to live with her aunt before filing a police report at the behest of Cory's parents. "Dangerous Secret" ends with the main cast providing a helpline for anyone dealing with abuse.
Cult Fiction (Seas0n 4, Episode 21)
"Cult Fiction" is possibly the most recognized episode the show ever produced. Struggling to find his place in the world, Shawn is convinced to join The Centre, a cult run by the manipulative Mr. Mack. Despite numerous attempts from his friends, the Matthews, and Mr. Turner, Shawn refuses to leave The Centre, claiming he has finally found something to believe in.
After Mr. Turner is left in critical condition due to a motorcycle accident, Shawn brings Mr. Mack with him to visit the hospital. No one is happy that Mr. Mack is there, particularly Mr. Matthews who threatens him. Meanwhile, Shawn breaks down into tears holding Mr. Turner's hand as he realizes he needs him and pleads with God not to take Turner away before he squeezes Shawn's hand back.
If You Can't Be With The One You Love... (Season 5, Episode 18)
"If You Can't Be With The One You Love..." is one of two Boy Meets World episodes the Disney Channel would not air in syndication due to its subject matter. Cory, still reeling from the breakup with Topanga, decided to numb his feelings by getting drunk. After convincing Shawn to join him, the two were arrested for peeing on a cop car. While not charged with a crime, Mr. Matthews blames Shawn for being a bad influence on Cory.
The episode quickly takes a dark turn as Shawn continues to drink. Jack fears Shawn is becoming dependent on alcohol, much like their father. He becomes argumentative with Mr. Feeny in class and shoves Angela into a door. Recognizing the pain his drinking was causing, Shawn agrees to seek help and apologizes to all of his friends.
Prom-ises, Prom-ises (Season 5, Episode 22)
The other episode banned from the Disney Channel, "Prom-ises, Prom-ises", returns to the topic of sex and intimacy. With prom approaching, Cory and Topanga begin to feel the pressure of taking the next step in their relationship. Cory clumsily gets a hotel room for the two of them, but unbeknownst to them, the room happens to be next door to Alan and Amy, who have just learned they are pregnant.
Of course, this leads to Cory and Alan mixing up keys and they both subsequently enter the wrong room. Eric also adds another wrinkle, as he shows up believing Alan is cheating on Amy. Cory and Topanga eventually decide they aren't ready to be more intimate yet. This is one of the few episodes that take an exclusively humorous approach to deal with a more serious topic.
Everybody Loves Stuart (Season 6, Episode 7)
While not all of this show's episodes have aged well, "Everybody Loves Stuart" feels more pertinent now than ever, especially considering the Me Too movement. Stuart is a well-beloved teacher at Pennbrook. One night, he visits Topanga in her dorm room to discuss a paper and ends up making unwanted advances at her. Cory confronts him, eventually shoving the teacher through the door.
All of Cory's friends and family rally around him as he faces the disciplinary board and ends up getting suspended for a single day. This is a particularly important episode as it signaled the transition for the characters from adolescence to young adults.
We'll Have A Good Time Then (Season 6, Episode 13)
Boy Meets World rarely dealt with deaths, which made "We'll Have A Good Time Then" particularly stunning. Chet, Shawn and Jack's father, returned home to declare he is staying for good this time to spend time with his boys. That only lasts until he gets a job offer in Vegas. After a confrontation with Shawn about the new job, Chet has a heart attack.
Few scenes were as moving throughout the show as Chet, still in his hospital bed, holding Shawn as he cries out "I need you, Dad" into his shoulder. Of course, this moment is short-lived as Chet's heart gives out and he passes away.
Resurrection (Season 6, Episode 17)
"Resurrection" finds Cory's youngest brother Joshua fighting for his life. Joshua, born prematurely, cannot breathe on his own and is moved to the ICU. Most of the episode is spent by Joshua's side as it is uncertain her will pull through. By the end, Joshua is taken home, breathing on his own.
Meanwhile, a subplot sees Cory struggling with the fact Topanga doesn't value Valentine's Day like she used too. Eric is also dealing with change as he confronts Jack and Rachel about their feelings for one another.
Seven The Hard Way (Season 7, Episode 16)
As the show began to wind down, they provided one more episode focused on the value of friendship. After a prank war goes too far, cracks begin to form within the group. With animosities running high, the group essentially breaks up.
"Seven The Hard Way" jumps several years into the future to show how life would be if they did stop being friends permanently. Famous for the quote "lose one friend, lose all friends, lose yourself," the group is brought back together once they realize they are better together than apart.