Danielle Fishel Discusses Painful Boy Meets World Episode with Fred Savage

In one of the most memorable episodes of Boy Meets World, Fred Savage guest stars as a college philosophy teacher named Stuart, who makes an inappropriate pass at Topanga. This episode, titled “Everybody Loves Stuart,” has stirred up some conversations, especially among the cast members.

During a rewatch podcast episode called Pod Meets World, Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Rider Strong discussed this episode. Fishel expressed her discomfort with the way Topanga’s agency was overlooked in the storyline, making it more about Cory’s reaction. She pointed out that the focus shifted from Topanga’s experience to how Cory would handle the situation. This shift in focus raised concerns similar to the controversial portrayal of Sansa Stark’s assault in Game of Thrones.

Fishel also highlighted the missed opportunity for a conversation between Cory and Topanga about what she could do and how he could support her. She believed that Topanga’s character became secondary, especially during critical scenes where she wasn’t given a chance to speak up.

The cast members, including Friedle and Strong, felt that the episode could have explored Topanga’s perspective in more depth, making her story more compelling. Despite these criticisms, Fishel acknowledged the intent behind the episode, showing that characters from childhood shows like Boy Meets World could face uncomfortable situations as adults.

Overall, there were mixed feelings about how the episode handled the sensitive subject matter and the character development. While the intentions behind the storyline were recognized, there were valid concerns about the execution and portrayal of the female character’s experience. Boy Meets World fans may view this episode with a more critical eye after hearing the cast members’ insights on this particular storyline.