Boy Meets World became one of the core comedies of the TGIF era during the ’90s. Kids everywhere tuned in Friday nights to see Cory Matthews, Shawn Hunter, Topanga Lawrence, and Eric Matthews in the beloved sitcom.
Boy Meets World
The comedy, drama, romance, and adolescent lessons spanned over seven seasons from 1993-2000. The show followed Corey, Sean, and Topanga beginning in their middle school years. Eric began as a high school student. The later seasons took place with most of the main cast at the fictional college of Pennbrook.
The days at John Adams High in an unnamed Philadelphia suburb always included a little bit of insecurity for Cory, a down-to-earth (not so slick) kid with a girlfriend everyone said was way out of his league.
Running Jokes Form A Staple of the ‘90s
The camaraderie of the main characters grew in serious and lighthearted storylines.
The episode outcomes even emphasized intense emotional maturity at certain points. The style was consistent with the era of TV in the 1990s with similar shows like Step By Step and Full House.
Boy Meets World succeeded, however, because the writers consistently used running jokes that endeared the show to its fans. A sitcom focused on teenagers getting into trouble and exploring their love lives was great, but the humor made the show stand out above the rest.
Children growing up during the ‘90s will never forget Harley Keiner chasing Corey and Shawn around, the brains of Stuart Minkis, or the most iconic fictional teacher of the era.
‘90s babies started to look at Mr. Feeny, who also lived next door to the Matthews, as the gold standard for teachers everywhere. That perception has lasted decades after the show’s final season.
Running jokes helped build the characters into favorites of the time period for a generation that will never forget Boy Meets World.
