Boy Meets World (1993-2000) was a staple of ABC's TGIF lineup of family-oriented sitcoms. It went on to impact future generations as well, thanks to successful syndication runs on both Disney Channel and ABC Family.
Perhaps most memorable was the series' distinct-and-recurring, but never overdone ability to lean into absurdity. It featured zany characters weaving in-and-out-of scenes with the irreverence one could expect from an adult-animated cartoon. With this type of Simpsons-reminiscent adherence (or lack thereof) to logic, it makes sense that some inconsistencies found their way into the show. Especially with the following 10 characters, who changed too drastically over its seven-year run to go unmentioned.
Leonard
Alan Matthews' jittery assistant manager at the grocery store seemingly disappeared after his recurring role in season 1. Or did he? Played by Willie Garson, Leonard may have been written off. But Garson reappeared on two separate occasions. In season 4's "Janitor Dad," he was credited as 'Mervyn' -- the man who applies to work at Alan's new store. Then in season 7, he returned once more as the minister who performs Cory and Topanga's wedding ceremony.
Could each character have actually been Leonard? While his turn as Mervyn could have been a simple, last-minute friendly favor in the event of a guest star vacancy, it would make sense for a friend of the family to read the 90s favorite TV power couple their nuptials -- regardless of how much he changed, personality-wise.
Jack
Introduced as Shawn's estranged half-brother no one knew about, Jack (played by Mrs. Doubtfire's Matthew Lawrence) was characterized as the soft-spoken, straight-laced clean-up man for every one of the eccentric Eric's wacky-as-they-were-wild schemes.
By series' end, just a couple seasons after his season 5 debut, Jack had gained two shirt sizes in muscle, legend-status with women, and a general bragger's mentality that morphed him into a completely different person. Apparently, it took becoming his own man free of his wealthy parents' checkbooks to blossom into the flex-happy brainchild behind the pretentiously concocted imjack.com.
Topanga and Shawn's "Sisters"
Boy Meets World was not the first show to commit this continuity error. It would not be the last, either. But the fact remains that two principal characters had older siblings either mentioned or shown in season 1 who disappeared entirely from the show.
Additionally, Shawn had another half-brother in season 3's "The Pink Flamingo Kid" that was either re-cast, re-named, or retconned and never mentioned again. Regardless, neither Boy Meets World's sibling shuffle, nor the main characters' multiple-grade jump from 8th to 11th grade between seasons 3 and 4 seemed to harm the show's success in the ratings book.
Joshua
Mere episodes after "seeing dead people" in a clear wink to the hit-movie of the time, The Sixth Sense, Daniel Jacobs appeared within the Boy Meets World universe yet again. This time, he played the Matthews' youngest son Joshua, who in classic Boy Meets World fashion, seemed to have grown a few years older overnight, as Cory says goodbye to him in the series finale.
According to series creator and showrunner Michael Jacobs, recasting Joshua with his own son, Daniel, was a result of the infant actor set to play Joshua being unable to make it to the set. With his wife on-standby and just a phone call away, Jacobs' son stepped up to bat yet again. Joshua has since been recast once more, as he was played by Uria Shelton in the show's Disney Channel spinoff, Girl Meets World.
Morgan
Morgan -- yet another (albeit, more regularly-featured) Matthews sibling bit by the recast bug. Following the conclusion of season 2, Lily Nicksay was replaced as Cory and Eric's younger sister, Morgan, by Lindsay Ridgeway -- who played the character for the remainder of the show's run.
While Nicksay's toddler-aged portrayal of Morgan called for cute punchlines and the occasional Home Alone "scared face" quasi-fourth-wall-breaking spoof, Ridgeway took her in a more angsty, sardonic direction. Never was this made more evident than in the season 7 episodes leading up to Cory and Topanga's much-anticipated wedding.
Jedediah and Rhiannon Lawrence (Topanga's Parents)
Once. Twice. Thrice? Originally played by the late Peter Tork of The Monkees in the show's early run, Topanga's father, Jedediah, was reintroduced in season 5 with Michael McKean (Saturday Night Live, This is Spinal Tap) taking over duties. Alongside him: his real-life wife Annette O'Toole as Topanga's mother, Rhiannon.
The pair reveal their decision to divorce at the conclusion of season 5, only to be recast with Mark Harelik and Marcia Cross at the beginning of season 6, when Cory embarks on his half-baked plan to get his girlfriend's parents back together. As mentioned, it is not rare for characters to be recast. But it is certainly jarring when someone regularly undergoes massive, Dr. Who-esqe appearance alternations like Mr. Jedediah Lawrence.
Topanga
Initially, Daniel Fisher's Topanga was introduced in a guest capacity as Cory and Shawn's spiritually-obsessed classmate that challenged the former to think beyond his single-minded, status quo nature. After returning extensively throughout season 1, Fishel was determined by the Boy Meets World as a force to keep around, both for the sake of the show and to serve as Cory's primary romantic interest as he entered adolescence.
However, rapid changes were made to her character in season 2. After graduating elementary school, Topanga left her Native American tribal face-painting hobbies behind, too. She became a typical kid of the 90s and the perennial girl-next-door to series protagonist Cory Matthews, who would eventually come to admit a fondness for her youthly quirks as the show wrapped its final season.
Corrina Collins (Singer Of Shallow)
In season 4's "Shallow Boy," guest star Leisha Hailey's Corinna Collins found radio airplay for a hit song titled "Shallow" two decades before Lady Gaga would accomplish the same feat.
After having her heart broken in two, the perky-as-can-be local musician abandoned the sunshine-filled lyrics that were not getting her anywhere in favor of an alternative batch that reflected on the shallowness of he who had betrayed her (subject, thy name is Eric). Ultimately, Corrina returned to her old ways by the end of the episode, but not before her dark-yet-catchy tunes became stuck in fans' heads for years to come.
Minkus
When fans looking to block out quarantine woes head to Disney+ to begin their Boy Meets World rewatch from square one, they ought to not prematurely skip ahead to the next episode. For if they watch from start to absolute finish, they will discover a truth of epic proportions that is not talked about enough.
Reduced to appearances in season 1 only (save for a memorable cameo in season 5's "Graduation," Minkus was the nerdy class whiz-kid destined for academic glory. But if audiences are led to believe everything they see on screen, it is apparent within a few of the post-credit sequences in season 1 that Minkus had unlocked the key to time travel and teleportation.
Eric
From suave-and-sophisticated, to "Plays With Squirrels" -- Cory's older brother and childhood roommate Eric (played by Will Friedle) spent the early seasons girl-chasing 24/7. As detailed in this 2017 Decider report, it seemed his eventual transformation from looks-focused ladies man to King of Sillyland was the result of a blow to the head he received in season 4's "Easy Street."
Regardless of the longterm-health ramifications, if the fan theory pans out true, one would be hardpressed to find someone who'd complain about what became of Friedle's iconic goofball after the show traded in John Adams High for Pennbrook University as its primary setting.