Girl Meets World

[MyNameStitch]

The first three pages didn't offer a thread for this topic and after that I felt I'd be risking any possible thread bumping policies which might exist here. Several forums I've been to have them.

I'm interested in some opinions on this revival series. I've not had a chance to catch it yet and have been skeptical, particularly with this one being related to a once beloved series. To have this series take on the tasteless, shallow nature which the Disney Channel has now established would be a crime.

So according to those who have seen it so far, what is the verdict?

According to recent news it's apparently become a trend setter for old sitcom revivals as Full House is considering one. So now it had better be good.

 

[HM]

The first three pages didn't offer a thread for this topic and after that I felt I'd be risking any possible thread bumping policies which might exist here. Several forums I've been to have them.

I'm interested in some opinions on this revival series. I've not had a chance to catch it yet and have been skeptical, particularly with this one being related to a once beloved series. To have this series take on the tasteless, shallow nature which the Disney Channel has now established would be a crime.

So according to those who have seen it so far, what is the verdict?

According to recent news it's apparently become a trend setter for old sitcom revivals as Full House is considering one. So now it had better be good.

My DD, a big fan of the original, thought the first show was terrible. She said she didn't see a lesson in it like the original would have each week. Based on that viewing we deleted the show from our DVR and haven't watched any more of it.

 

[Natara]

The first episode was horrible. I could barely get through the whole thing, but I somehow did manage to watch it all -- hoping as I did that it would eventually get better.

In the episode's defense, I did think it got a bit better toward the middle of it (the first half was just awful), but overall, it still was far from good. I've heard a lot of fans of BMW say that it's great, but I personally don't see it... I know it's not very fair to judge a show based on the pilot, because many pilot episodes of great TV shows have been lousy (Seinfeld's pilot, for example, which isn't terrible but also isn't especially good).

Yet I found myself cringing so much at the first episode of GMW that I was unable to watch any of the later episodes.

It's your typical, Disney Show tween-ager stuff. Dumb, unrealistic characters with loads of clichés and stereotypes, very poor acting on the kids' part, et cetera, et cetera... the one bright spot that made me consider watching the second episode is the character of Maya, the MC Riley's best friend. She's better developed than the other lackluster characters, with far more depth and a realistically imperfect home life. Also, the actress that portrays her is noticeable better at her craft than the other kid actors on the cast.

Anyway. Bottom line is, I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[SarahDisney]

I actually like it.
It's absolutely not as good as Boy Meets World, but it does have its cute moments. Cory is still Cory, Topanga is still (sometimes) Topanga, and the kids have funny moments too.

I haven't tried a lot of the newer series, but I do find GMW to be more watchable than some of the other recent things I've watched on Disney.

I think it's worth watching and forming your own opinion.

 

[MyNameStitch]

Thanks for all the diverse opinions.
I've just finished watching the second episode on youtube (I couldn't find the pilot).
My review actually happens to be a combination of almost all of the ones shared here.

Cory and Tupenga are exactly as we remember them which is a huge highlight. The fact that all this time apart didn't effect the chemistry between these actors is amazing. It was an interesting move to essentially give Cory the Feeny role.
They alone got all the laughs from me.

The daughter has a lot of the younger Cory we all grew up with in her and is well cast for her appearance; she is a perfect likeness of Ben and Danielle. His hair and eyebrow color as well as eyebrow thickness and her face and facial feature shapes. The younger brother was well chosen as well; Ben's curly hair with Danielle's color and a lot of Ben in his face.
At the same time however she is a bit ridiculously unintelligent. The Maya character definitely carries her.

The acting is by far the poorest I've ever seen, almost every line spoken by the school kids couldn't have been delivered in a more fake manner. Even the five year old younger brother was more believable. The Maya character as Natara assessed truly does stand out as the most skilled in the cast and the most mature of the characters.

There was also a very unrealistic atmosphere in the way the students were able to talk in typical volume during class. That's one flaw with Cory, he doesn't make an effort to keep his students in line and there was the one chick just walking right out of detention but the whole detention thing was heavily implied to be a set up so I can give that a pass.

While I, like HM, didn't see a moral here as there always was in BMW, I did see an attempt at one at in this particular episode. There was a don't be in a hurry to grow up theme which is valid and something about the importance of friendships but none of it was well displayed. The fact that I, and at 27 didn't receive the friendship message speaks strongly of their lack of execution.

I've gotta head out but I may consider one or two more episodes because I've been trying to avoid judging something too quickly based on the fact that so many times when a trailer had turned me off it's invalid because the film ends up being very well done and enjoyable.
One episode does not make for a valid opinion. But first impressions can also have some pretty strong power.

 

[Hoodie]

I like it, although they've already recycled a couple of BMW episodes almost exactly.

The first half of the first episode was awful. It got better for the second half. I do like that Cory is still Cory and Topenga is still Topenga, but that they are still parents. The number one annoying thing for me for any of these Disney teen shows (or most sitcoms) is that the parents are either non-existent or bumbling fools half the time. In GMW, like BMW, the parents still make mistakes, but overall are still teaching and raising their kids.

 

[MyNameStitch]

That's true that Cory and Tupenga being classic while nostalgic and enjoyable isn't exactly smart here considering they need to be parents now. And as I've pointed out Cory is quite a terrible teacher just judging by the second episode which is unsettling.

 

[disney world dreamer]

i loved boy meets world so i just assumed i'd love girl meets world.
i was wrong.
its too "2014 teenybopper".
there's basically no "adult" in the show.
they all act like kids.
and sometimes the kids act more adult like than the adults.
i'll continue watching it for the small amount of entertainment it does give but its not a must watch like boy meets world was and still is in reruns.

 

[CuriouserDinah]

I was a huge fan of BMW. So many memories with sleepovers and watching TGIF. I really wanted to like GMW, but I just didn't. I got through 2 episodes and have the rest just sitting on my DVR. I might watch them one day as background noise while I play online.