Boy Meets World helped capture the essence of adolescence during its seven-season run on ABC from September 1993 to May 2000. Created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly, the series chronicles the life of Cory Matthews (played by Ben Savage) as he transitions from childhood to adulthood.
In this slideshow, we dive into the background of the show and interesting facts that you may not have known.
Topanga was named after Topanga Canyon, which is located in western Los Angeles County, California. The canyon is found in the Santa Monica Mountains. This decision was reportedly made at the last minute by co-creator Michael Jacobs.
Rider Strong hated Shawn’s iconic haircut but was not allowed to change it throughout the show.
Many future stars, including Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brittany Murphy, made guest appearances on the show.
An online poll was conducted by ABC to gauge audience interest in Cory and Topanga getting married, which they ultimately did.
Rider Strong took Shawn’s leather jacket when the show ended, but it was later stolen from his car.
The young actors attended school together on set, creating a classroom-like environment during filming.
Willie Garson played three different characters throughout the series, including the minister who married Cory and Topanga.
Shawn Hunter (played by Rider Strong) had a sister named Stacy, who was only mentioned once in the show and never appeared again.
Danielle Fishel was not the first actress to play Topanga; she replaced another actress who didn’t work out.
The final scene with Mr. Feeny was filmed in one take, leading to genuine emotional reactions from the cast.
Rider Strong considered quitting the show to focus on college but was convinced to continue while studying.
The show skipped some grades, with characters jumping from sixth grade to college over the seasons.
Michael Jacobs’ son played Joshua Matthews, Cory’s younger brother, in the series finale.
Rider Strong and Will Friedle had limited scenes together due to their chemistry, which often led to laughter during filming.
The character Stuart Minkus was renamed after discovering a real person with the original name living in Philadelphia.