TGI – Episode 603 “Ain’t College Great?”

Summary

Pod Meets World

Episode: 603 “Ain’t College Great?”
Release Date: March 6, 2025
Host/Authors: Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, Ryder Strong
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In Episode 603 of "Pod Meets World," titled “Ain’t College Great?”, hosts Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, and Ryder Strong embark on a nostalgic journey back to 1998 to rewatch and dissect the pivotal "Boy Meets World" episode of the same name. The episode focuses on Corey Matthews’ enthusiastic yet naive leap into college life at Penbrooke, exploring his interactions with peers, the challenges of class registration, and his reliance on his mentor, Mr. Feeny. Concurrently, Eric and Jack navigate their own emotional landscapes in pursuit of Rachel, adding layers of complexity to the storyline.

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Detailed Summary

1. Introduction and Personal Anecdotes ([02:48] - [10:02])

The episode kicks off with the hosts sharing personal stories, notably Ryder Strong’s harrowing ordeal with his cat, Pickles, which serves as an engaging icebreaker. This segment showcases the hosts’ chemistry and their ability to weave humor into personal narratives, setting a lighthearted tone for the episode.

2. Episode Synopsis and Initial Reactions ([15:43] - [22:21])

Danielle introduces the main focus: Season 6, Episode 3, “Ain’t College Great?”, originally aired on October 9, 1998. The synopsis outlines Corey’s overenthusiasm for college registration, Eric and Jack’s quest for Rachel, and the overarching theme of adapting to new environments. Ryder shares his mixed feelings about the episode, highlighting both enjoyable moments and elements that felt out of character, specifically Sean’s unexpected negativity towards Corey’s college jitters.

Notable Quote:

• Will Friedle ([17:07]): “I enjoyed this version of Boy Meets World. My favorite kind of Corey. I love Neurotic Corey.”

3. Character Dynamics and Plot Critique ([22:21] - [40:32])

The hosts delve into a critical analysis of the character developments and plot mechanics. Ryder Strong expresses concerns about Sean’s portrayal, feeling that his stress over Corey’s issues contradicts his established personality as the cool, unflappable friend. Danielle agrees, suggesting that the dynamic would have been richer if Sean had exhibited more vulnerability or if Corey’s insecurities had been mirrored by Sean’s confidence.

Notable Quote:

• Ryder Strong ([27:01]): “But he's so predictable that we all said, we know what's happening. How do we preemptively fix the situation?”

Will Friedle adds that the episode’s attempt to balance humor and drama sometimes leads to awkward or forced moments, particularly when dealing with sensitive topics like Corey's academic struggles and Rachel’s emotional state.

4. Humorous Moments and Behind-the-Scenes Insights ([40:32] - [58:32])

The discussion transitions into memorable comedic scenes, such as Corey’s interactions with gibberish-speaking professors and the awkward yet humorous laundry room encounter between Eric and Rachel. The hosts laugh over lines that blend earnestness with sitcom humor, highlighting how certain jokes landed differently upon rewatching.

Notable Quotes:

• Danielle Fishel ([61:13]): “So I'm ready to start college now.”
• Will Friedle ([60:36]): “Oh, that's hot.”

They also touch upon the challenges faced during filming, such as maintaining character consistency and the difficulty of achieving genuine humor in a multi-camera sitcom format.

5. Character Analysis and Development ([58:32] - [76:12])

Ryder and Danielle critique the depth of supporting characters, questioning the lack of development for Rachel and the over-reliance on Feeny to solve Corey's problems. They express a desire for more nuanced storytelling that allows characters to grow independently rather than depend excessively on established figures like Mr. Feeny.

Notable Quote:

• Ryder Strong ([70:14]): “Corey’s such a baby, and he can’t ever figure out life. And when Feeny's not there, we pick up the slack.”

Will Friedle concurs, emphasizing that while nostalgia drives the admiration for Feeny, the storyline could benefit from Corey's greater self-reliance.

6. Overall Critique and Final Thoughts ([76:12] - [101:13])

In their concluding analysis, the hosts reflect on the episode’s strengths and weaknesses. They appreciate the homage to classic sitcom tropes and the heartfelt moments that underscore friendship and personal growth. However, they critique the plot’s inconsistencies and moments where character actions felt forced or out of sync with their established personas.

Notable Quotes:

• Danielle Fishel ([85:38]): “It's the same scene with Eric that we saw before.”
• Will Friedle ([89:41]): “Porn adjacent is my new favorite phrase I think I've ever heard in my life.”

Ryder summarizes the episode’s impact, noting that while it captures the essence of "Boy Meets World," certain narrative choices detract from its overall effectiveness.

7. Conclusion ([101:13] - [103:09])

The hosts wrap up the episode by reaffirming their appreciation for "Boy Meets World" while acknowledging areas for improvement. They express excitement for future discussions and encourage listeners to stay tuned for more episode analyses.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Ryder Strong ([27:01]): “But he's so predictable that we all said, we know what's happening. How do we preemptively fix the situation?”
• Will Friedle ([60:36]): “Oh, that's hot.”
• Danielle Fishel ([61:13]): “So I'm ready to start college now.”
• Will Friedle ([89:41]): “Porn adjacent is my new favorite phrase I think I've ever heard in my life.”

---

Final Thoughts

“Ain’t College Great?” serves as a nostalgic yet critical examination of an episode that attempted to transition "Boy Meets World" into more mature themes. While the hosts celebrate the show's enduring charm and the heartfelt connections between characters, they also provide thoughtful critiques on narrative consistency and character development. This balance of admiration and analytical insight makes the episode a rich listen for both longtime fans and newcomers seeking to understand the show's legacy.

Listeners can follow "Pod Meets World" on Instagram @podmeetsworldshow or email them at podmeetsworldshowmail.com for more engaging discussions and behind-the-scenes stories.

Transcript

[Danielle Fishel]

It's Danielle Fishel, Ryder Strong and Will.

[Will Friedle]

Friedle from Pod Meets World.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

You don't want to miss these inspiring stories of small business journeys.

[Ryder Strong]

Listen to Mind the small business success Stories on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Amy Brown]

The Bobby Bones Show. Join me in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a chance to win a trip to meet Megan Maroney at the 2025 I Heart Country Festival in Austin, Texas on May 3rd. Hosted by Bobby Bones, we're going to hook you up with tickets, flights, hotel, food credits and a meet and greet with Megan Maroney. Take action now to support St. Jude and help cure childhood cancer and you're going to be entered for a chance to win. Visit iheartcountrytripp.com to learn more.

[Danielle Fishel]

For the past 10 years, a lot has come and gone in my life, but one thing that stayed consistent? A Samsung phone. You couldn't get me to change even if you tried. And trust me, many have. And now with my newest phone, the Galaxy S25 Ultra from Samsung, I have a true AI companion, making life easier and more efficient. And for years people have asked how my photos look so good and I can't yell it loud enough. It's because I have a Samsung and with the new 50 megapixel ultra wide lens, it's even better for beautiful scenic views and a little extra room for a few more family members to fit in the frame. You're welcome Uncle Pete. Are you ready to let this mind blowing new phone do more for you? So you can do you. Then trust me and get your Galaxy S25 Ultra [e-mail].

[Ryder Strong]

I have an update on my cat situation.

[Will Friedle]

Wait, what? Wait, was there a cat situation?

[Danielle Fishel]

I know what cat situation.

[Ryder Strong]

I got cats.

[Danielle Fishel]

You guys remember I got cats situation. That's an adoption.

[Will Friedle]

You made it sound like it was like, we. We got it. We got an update on the last guy.

[Ryder Strong]

Okay.

[Will Friedle]

They've got my cat surrounded, and they might give up.

[Ryder Strong]

Okay. All right. Pickles got out. And this was. It was the worst euphemism. Pickles went out.

[Will Friedle]

Pickles got out.

[Ryder Strong]

Baby went wild. No. So we were. So we had a gathering. We had people over. People stayed late. We were like, did everybody close the doors? Were the cats okay? Yeah, yeah, we're fine. Wake up the next morning, cannot find Pickles Lucky, who's usually out and about and is way more social. We're like, lucky, where's Pickles? Can't find Pickles. Can't find Pickles. Okay, so Alex has. Luckily, we have trackers on there, you know, but of course, the tracker is not working in the house. So all we can get is a. Like, the tracker to make a noise. Like, you push a button and you hear a. Yeah, but it's. And we. Alex can hit the button. And sometimes deep somewhere in one of the rooms in the house, Al Indy's bedroom, we hear a distant, like. And we're like, okay. Okay. She's gotta be under the house. She's gotta be under the house. So I go. I go down through the crawl space. Nothing. Cannot find Pickles. Can't. So then I'm like, oh, God, I can't imagine. The real problem is Pickles doesn't meow. Like, Pickles can't make sound. Like, for whatever reason. Like, she just. She can barely go, like. So we can't hear anything. So we're like, pickles, Pickles. So I'm bringing food down. I go under the house about seven times. Yeah. Because I know it's here. Like, we can hear the thing, right? And then I finally. Let me see if I can share a photo with you guys. Finally crawl to the. What is the end of my crawl space. Like, I'm seeing the cement foundation under my house, and I see a little hole, like, you know, where the house ends. And then it seems like there's more going on. And Pickle sticks her little face down from this hole, and I'm like, how did you get up there? Where are you? And I'm like, oh, my God. She's under the deck. That's like, off the back of our house. Oh, God. So then I'm like, all right, we gotta. We gotta lift up the deck. Because she can't come down where I can see her face poking through. She can't, like, crawl down and then up. I'm like, so how did you get there in the first place? So then I'm like, so then I have to find the right tool to pry up the deck. Of course, the deck is not with regular screwdrivers. It's like these weird star screws, and I have to, like, get the special screws. And so, like, you know, 45 minutes, I finally start unscrewing the deck. When we get, like, some of the deck off, and I lift it up, and there's just pure dirt under it. I'm like, what? So she's not. Where is she? And then I realize there's a whole section of the house that I can't access. Like a crawl space. Like, basically, at one point, somebody added onto our house and, like, didn't create crawl space. So my crawl space ends where I'm, like, crawling in the dirt. You know, I'm like. Like, you know, it's only a foot under their house. And then it just ends where I can see her little face. But there's more beyond that, and I don't know how she got there.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's Narnia, right?

[Ryder Strong]

No.

[Will Friedle]

So then I'm like, a nice, big closet that's.

[Ryder Strong]

At this point, it's been six. Six hours of, like, leaving food out, trying to get her out. I've been under the house so many times, and I'm finally like, what do you do? You have to, like, call animal control? Like, I don't know how. Like, do they have to destroy part of our house? Like, she got stuck in there somehow. So I'm, like, calling all the different, you know, whatever phone numbers I can find online.

[Danielle Fishel]

See what she can do.

[Will Friedle]

That could help.

[Ryder Strong]

Well, there should be, like, a cat rescue team, right? Because you feel like an idiot.

[Danielle Fishel]

You need paw patrol.

[Ryder Strong]

Paw patrol, Right. It seems like there's. This happens. Anyway, I finally. I get, like, the right animal people, and they're, like, talking to me. And, you know, they're having me send photos, which I would love to send this photo to you guys if I can. How do I do that?

[Danielle Fishel]

Gosh, now we really do have a cat situation. I see. Before, there was no cat situation. It was just as. You know, we adopted cats. We had a cat situation. This is. This is the definition of a cat situation.

[Will Friedle]

You need the Paw patroller or, God forbid, the crt, the cat rescue team.

[Ryder Strong]

I know the best part about this photo, and I don't know if it's going to come through, is that it's one of those live photos.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Ryder Strong]

So you can see that it's just a hole. And then she sticks her little face down. Like, if you watch it in the live, it's, oh, oh, obviously Pickles got.

[Danielle Fishel]

Under there, probably from outside. You know, she, it's a she, right? She got in there. So how, how. So you walked around the outside of the deck looking to see if you could find her entry point. You couldn't.

[Ryder Strong]

So under, under the house, I find, like, a rat hole that has been chewed out.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, God.

[Ryder Strong]

And I'm like, oh, maybe she got in there and then couldn't get out that way. And I'm like, that's the only thing I can think. So I get the people on the phone. I, you know, finally get the call from, like, the guy who's like, where are you?

[Will Friedle]

Oh, yeah. Wow.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah. So she, see, she can stick her head there, but then there's a whole little, like, valley between me and her that she still can't get, like, down.

[Danielle Fishel]

Can't get her body. Yeah, yeah, yeah, right.

[Ryder Strong]

And she's not coming when I put a food right there. So anyway, I, I, I, I get the person on the phone who's like, okay, we'll come. You know, we'll, we have a trap. Is there a way to get a trap in there? Like, no. Like, I can't, I don't know how to get. And they're like, okay, well, we'll figure it out. We'll have to, like, break, maybe break down, like, wall, like, figure out how to, like, take this all apart. I'm like, okay. And then, and then luckily, my friend Ocean was staying with us, and he's like, wait, wait, wait. There's an entrance to that section under the house that she must have crawled in. And it was completely blocked on the side of the house. We're like, oh, my God, this is it. Like, this goes to that crawl space. And I had to move all this crap. Like, she had dodged all these piles of things to get in to find this way in. So I'm like, oh, so this is the access point. There's no crawl. So I finally move that, I put the food down, and Pickles comes walking out, like, hi. And then, of course, I'm terrified that, like, she's going to run away, but she's been there for at this point, like 18 hours, like, all night.

[Danielle Fishel]

And this is like baby Jessica.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh. So I finally, like, get her close enough where she's eating out of my hand, like, grab her. I'm like, oh. But anyway, long story short, we saved Pickles. It was my entire day. And then, like, now, luckily, the cats are so terrified if the door opens and, like, you know, they. They peek out and, like, Pickles just runs back inside.

[Danielle Fishel]

Pickles is like, not today, Satan.

[Will Friedle]

One of the things you could have done is you get another cat that looks just like Pickles and you pretend you call it and just don't.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, just don't tell Indy.

[Will Friedle]

Exactly. That's. That a lot of people could do that too. So yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah. Poor Indy was so distraught. It was like, you know, the worst. But oh, man, we made it. But yeah, man, having cats when you love them.

[Will Friedle]

That is a cat. That is a cat situation. You'll break your heart and not care that they're doing it either. That's the thing about cats.

[Danielle Fishel]

I think the problem really isn't the cats. It's that your gatherings didn't respect the cats.

[Ryder Strong]

Well, this is the hard part. No, here's the problem. Our cats are so stinking cute. When we have people over, they always want to hang out with the cats. So when we had like, Indy's birthday party, all the kids want to take turns going in to say hi to. So even we lock them in a room because we know people are going in and out to use the bathroom. Even though we're having the party outside, people are coming in and out. We can't just always be yelling, close the door.

[Danielle Fishel]

Close the door. Close.

[Ryder Strong]

We put the cats in one room. Invariably they get out because kids are always going in to pet the cats and say hi, they want. Like, there are kids who come just to see our cats. Like, they kind of don't care about it.

[Will Friedle]

It sounds like a terrible petting zoo. I'll be honest with you. Just the two cats in a room is just the worst petting zoo ever.

[Ryder Strong]

We're the best. You haven't met.

[Will Friedle]

We're the best. I guess so.

[Ryder Strong]

Wow.

[Danielle Fishel]

Now, cats I know can jump really high, but, Kim, I suggest a baby gate of sorts at the door so that if the door that you don't worry about the cats, like, running just in between feet, they'd have to actually make like a leap over. I don't know.

[Will Friedle]

You do get that most cats are not bill size and can easily clear.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know, but what I'm saying is the quickness of like leaving a door open a crack and then a cat sneaking out on the bottom versus, like, if you have a pretty tall baby gate that somebody maybe couldn't even step over, then if the door is open, I don't know it it. In order for the baby gate to work, you do need to be able to step over it because then you don't have to take up and down the baby gate. So, yeah, I don't know. Bill can. Bill, even though he weighs like 25 pounds, he's got hops.

[Will Friedle]

It's the radioactive. Because he's radioactive.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know. Radioactive. Being a superhero.

[Will Friedle]

On a totally separate note, sue and I are having date night tonight and hopefully Pickles is getting out. That's all I gotta say about that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Wait, what? Yeah. Remember when you said Pickles got out and he said, is that a euphemism? He's been holding on to them.

[Ryder Strong]

How can I expect it? Bring it back out.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes. Welcome to Pod Meats World. I'm Danielle Fishel.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm Ryder Strong. Not an euphemism.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Amy Brown]

Hey, it's Amy Brown from the Bobbi Bones Show. Join me in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a chance to win a trip to meet Megan Maroney at the 2025 I Heart Country Festival in Austin, Texas on May 3rd. Hosted by Bobby Bones. We're going to hook you up with tickets, flights, hotel, food, credits and a meet and greet with Megan Maroney. Take action now to support St. Jude and help cure childhood cancer and you're gonna be entered for a chance to win. Visit iheartcountrytrip.com to learn more.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Ryder Strong]

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[Will Friedle]

Fishel Rider Strong and Will Friedle from Pod Meets World.

[Danielle Fishel]

For many, the American Dream means starting your own business and working for yourself.

[Ryder Strong]

If you're a small business owner, launching a company or dreaming of starting one, then you'll not only want to make sure you're using a platform like Intuit QuickBooks, but you'll also want to check out season three of Mind the Business Small Business Success Stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio and and Intuit QuickBooks.

[Danielle Fishel]

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[Will Friedle]

From tracking money in and out to.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cutting through the complexity with an all encompassing platform like QuickBooks, you don't want to miss these inspiring stories of small business journeys.

[Ryder Strong]

Listen to Mind the Business small business success stories on the Iheart app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Fishel]

So welcome to season six, episode three, Ain't College Great? It originally aired October 9, 1998. The synopsis now enrolled at Penbrooke, Corey eagerly signs up for classes without realizing what he's getting himself into. When he visits his guidance counselor to try and fix his mistake, he calls on an old friend for help. Meanwhile, Eric and Jack find their sensitive sides For Rachel.

[Ryder Strong]

Can we.

[Danielle Fishel]

What.

[Ryder Strong]

Can we talk about titles for a second? Is this a reference to something? Ain't College great? Is that like a. Is there a song? Is there a old TV show? I bet it's gotta be something, right?

[Will Friedle]

Isn't there something? Ain't something grand? Is that a thing?

[Ryder Strong]

Ain't life grand? Is that what it is? It sounds like a saying.

[Will Friedle]

Something like that. Maybe. I don't know.

[Ryder Strong]

I never understood our titles. Like, we never knew our titles when we were doing the show. Remember? Like, the titles. We knew the numbers and we never talked. But then, of course, in, you know, post, post, DVD life, everything is streaming, everybody searches for. So the episode titles have become way more important than I remember. And they. They are strange to me. Like, half the time I don't get the reference or it sounds, like, familiar. But I don't know if that's just because I remember it when we were shooting it or what. Like. But yeah, like, this title just struck me as weird again. And if you.

[Will Friedle]

If you Google anything like it, it just goes to our episode.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, it doesn't. It doesn't feel like it's a direct reference, so ain't gonna spray.

[Ryder Strong]

Let us know more. Right? That was based on a. Yeah, I knew that one.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

And then, yeah, I Dream of Feeny. You know, obviously that's like an idea of Genie. Like, there are some that I get. And then other times I'm like, I.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I don't get this one either. But remember, that was one of the things that Michael used to always do, is that he would give these really obscure references to things where we were like, what the hell are you talking about? So this is probably like, ah, this is a 1940s whatever movie. You didn't know Ain't College Great? Like, that kind of thing.

[Ryder Strong]

I wonder if somebody's compiled a list of, like, all the references that are in our titles, because that's a good idea.

[Danielle Fishel]

That would be good. We can look for that.

[Will Friedle]

Manel would know.

[Danielle Fishel]

This episode was directed by William Russ. Mr. Rusty Russ, his second episode. It was written by Jeff Minnell. Before we jump into our guest stars, do you guys have any overall thoughts?

[Ryder Strong]

I enjoyed this episode quite a lot.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, did you?

[Ryder Strong]

I mean, I have major problems with me. And it's not just my. It's not really only my performance, which also bugged me. Sean is really annoying in this episode.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, he's a little, I would say negative Nelly.

[Ryder Strong]

He's awful. And that whole dynamic doesn't make any sense. No, he's Not. I know.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's weird.

[Ryder Strong]

I mean, it's saved by the end. I think maybe it's the idea that, you know, you, like, Topanga, Shawn, and Angela are all, like, over Corey, and then, wait, we actually are there for him.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Which is kind of nice. But that whole first half, I was like, we suck.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't know. Like, it doesn't seem like the right. It doesn't fit with Sean to be stressed out about Corey being a dork. Like, yeah, that is anti Sean. Like, Sean is always the one who's fine. It's Corey who's stressed out. It's Corey who's nervous. Sean is like, we're going to be fine. It's going to be cool. You're Corey, I'm Sean. Who cares? And it said Sean's the one that's, like. Which actually could have been a good story if, like, Sean were more insecure and trying to be cool for the first time now that he's out of high school and Corey's the one who's cool. Like, there could have been a dynamic there, but instead, Sean's just a friend. And I was like, yeah, you suck, dude. And it's just not fun to watch. It's like a weird vibe. I'm like, I'm just harshing on. I'm harshing on Corey's mellow, man.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, man.

[Will Friedle]

See that?

[Danielle Fishel]

It's also. It would have made so much more sense for all of us to be preoccupied with our own college stuff that we only have time for gentle reminders to Corey, like, oh, Corey, don't overextend yourself. I've got to sign up for this. And I go running off. And for you to be like, you know what? Just eat a pudding cup. Like, if everyone's trying to encourage Corey to just, Corey, it's okay. You're gonna be fine. Just. And when he says he's signing up for these things, for us to give him gentle warnings, but we're. We should be so preoccupied with our own thing. That would help, then set up later. Oh, we all. We always knew you were going to do this.

[Ryder Strong]

That's.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's the most Cory thing you could have done. We. We took care of it, and here's how we fixed it. So I completely agree with you. I actually really. I also. I enjoyed the. I enjoyed the episode. I enjoyed certainly the A storyline. I can't believe. I really can't. That we are on episode three, and there's still no new storyline for you at will.

[Will Friedle]

And I don't think there's going to be either.

[Ryder Strong]

I actually like this one, though. This one was good to me because it was based in character.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

And you got to see all three of them play to something, you know, like. And it was like riffing on them knowing who they are, what their characters are. I don't know. I thought it worked. Finally, that storyline worked for me. I was like, oh, this feels. Feels right. It feels comfortable. And maybe it was just a matter of getting used to each other or what. But for whatever reason, if this had been, like, the first one, I know that's kind of impossible because he had to bring her in, but, like, if this had been the storyline about the two of you guys trying to compete for her, it makes the most sense and it's the most fun and you're great in it, so it's totally fine, you know, like this. Finally I was like, oh, you're right.

[Danielle Fishel]

If this hadn't been episode three of them trying to do it, it would have been. No, it would be flawless. But instead it was like, we're still.

[Ryder Strong]

Only doing this because had you realized that his Ricky impression had actually been on the show he's doing. Exactly. Which is hysterical. And, like, I didn't at all, like.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, his black flutter shirt will. Your black. Your black shirt.

[Will Friedle]

Like the pirate shirt.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. And you're sticking your fingers in the candle. It's so funny.

[Ryder Strong]

But it's also like the actor episode, him going in and out of it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

He's like, dude, that's her bra. It's one of the funniest lines. I guess it's like, after all of this, like, I'm still just this giddy, horny little boy. Like, oh, my God.

[Will Friedle]

No, I enjoyed it. I had kind of a realization with Boy Meets World that you need to see it almost as a bunch of different sitcoms, as opposed to one continuous show all the way through. So I'm starting to like this version of Boy Meets World. My favorite kind of Cory. I love Neurotic crazy.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know. We brought back a season one Corey.

[Will Friedle]

Yes. My favorite kind of Corey. I agree about Shawn entirely. But, you know, once I got that in my head, that it's like, okay, this is gonna be the B story for the rest of time now. It's gonna be Jack, Jack and Eric going after Rachel, and they're gonna have different versions of this. It's just what it's going to be. And neurotic Corey and all of us in college. I was. I was looking forward to it. You know, some of the jokes obviously were not great, but overall I enjoyed the episode. I did.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, I thought it was fun.

[Danielle Fishel]

I thought it was fun too. I was pleasantly surprised. Yep. Okay. Guest starring. We have some character actor legends. In this one we have Mark Timsheshin as guidance counselor. He was a very busy TV actor, appearing on shows like the Facts of Life, as the World Turns, George Lopez, and er, just to name a few. Will might recognize him as Phil Tola in the Seinfeld episode the Stand in.

[Will Friedle]

He took it out. Yeah. Great episode.

[Danielle Fishel]

He retired from the business in 2007 and now teaches acting and is the chair and creative director of Savannah College of Art and Design's Performing arts department. Isn't that cool?

[Will Friedle]

Savannah, as in Savannah, Georgia.

[Danielle Fishel]

Huh?

[Will Friedle]

Oh, cool.

[Danielle Fishel]

And then we have William Wyndham as Ned, a well known character actor with a ton of credits like playing Dr. Seth Haslett on Murder She Wrote and Commodore Matt Decker in Star Trek. He was also in a bunch of movies, but worth mentioning that his first film ever was To Kill a Mockingbird. Whoa. He also won the 1970 Emmy for best Comedic Performance by an actor in a comedy series for a show called My World. And welcome to it. William passed in 2012 at the age of 88. Then we have Keone Young as Professor, another prolific guy with an uncountable amount of credits. He appeared in movies like Private Benjamin, the Even City, Stevens Movie, Men in Black three and North. But name a TV show and he was in it. Alias, Curb youb Enthusiasm, the Golden Girls, Small Wonder. The list is long and insane. You may recognize him though, from his time on some classics. He was Mr. Wu on Deadwood and appeared in episodes of Sons of Anarchy and True Blood.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Also a voice of GI Joe.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, yeah. He is now a very active and award winning voice actor, most notably on hi hi, Puffy, Amiyumi and Samurai Jack. Jumping into our recap. Wow, we have so many new set alerts. We are in the hallway of the Penbrook dorms, which is very.

[Will Friedle]

I'm sorry, before we go any farther, the second guy, the guy who passed away in 2012, which part did he play?

[Ryder Strong]

He was the guy at the. On the docks.

[Will Friedle]

On the docks next to Feeny. Okay, gotcha. Yep, gotcha.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. So we're in the. The Penbrooke hallway. Dorms are designed very much like the boys apartment hallway.

[Will Friedle]

I noticed that as well.

[Danielle Fishel]

So listeners, like when we explain the setup of the studio with the set, so maybe we could briefly explain.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't remember that hallway.

[Danielle Fishel]

I Don't remember the hallway either. Where was it?

[Ryder Strong]

I think it was too.

[Will Friedle]

On the other side.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah. So like, if you're facing the audience, it was to the left of the audience. On the side of the audience.

[Will Friedle]

On the same side as the audience. Yeah, it was on the same side as the audience.

[Ryder Strong]

So you're looking at the audience. It was to the left of them on the same side that they were on.

[Will Friedle]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[Ryder Strong]

It was opposite the, the, the student union. Yeah, so the student union was to. Yeah, okay.

[Will Friedle]

Student union took over from where the living room was. No, on that side, wasn't it?

[Ryder Strong]

It was more to the right.

[Danielle Fishel]

It was more Feeny's classroom.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, exactly.

[Ryder Strong]

Took over the hallway. And so kitchen, kitchen.

[Will Friedle]

Feeny's house still there.

[Danielle Fishel]

That kind of.

[Ryder Strong]

That was still the main kitchen.

[Danielle Fishel]

Side yard was there. And then on the other side of side yard was student union.

[Will Friedle]

Gotcha.

[Danielle Fishel]

Feenies other side of Feeny's yard is student union.

[Will Friedle]

Gotcha.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay. Okay. So Corey is an overly enthusiastic, high fiving random strangers and aimlessly shouting college at the top of his lunch.

[Will Friedle]

That's what I thought. The same thing.

[Ryder Strong]

Overexcited. Cory.

[Will Friedle]

I love this.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cory. I love it. Sean quickly calms him down. They don't know anyone yet. He'd rather not be known as the Woohoo Boys. By the way, I liked this. This, this was fine. To me, you saying, like, okay, let's not be known as the Woohoo Boys is totally fine. I have no problem. Like, let's just, let's scope it out first. Let's get a feel. Be cool, dude.

[Ryder Strong]

But it would have been, I think, if Sean had been like overly obsessed with being cool and Corey was just sort of free and dorky, like that's a good dynamic. But instead it's like Corey's kind of free and insecure and worried about being this. And then Sean's pissed at him. It's like. But that just don't like this dynamic.

[Will Friedle]

Again, proving Michael right. When it comes to one major note, which is anger isn't funny. And you're kind of playing it angry.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And it, it's, it comes. Whereas if you were like, he comes in, you're like, hey, can you.

[Ryder Strong]

You know what?

[Will Friedle]

Why don't we get you a pudding cup? Like you're the one who gives him the pudding.

[Ryder Strong]

Well, I don't even know if it's angry. I think it's just that, look, if, if, if Sean is cool, which he's playing. He is cool.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, right.

[Ryder Strong]

And he's judging Corey. That guy sucks. Like, if he's cool and he's fine with Corey being. Everyone loves him. But. But if he's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm cooler than you, Corey. And he actually is.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Sucks.

[Ryder Strong]

Like he should be trying to be cool and not. Or I don't know. But as it is like in this.

[Will Friedle]

Episode, he always loved Corey for being.

[Ryder Strong]

He doesn't know that Corey wants pudding.

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly.

[Ryder Strong]

I think that Cory's family's gonna bring pudding. What?

[Will Friedle]

Are you kidding me?

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly.

[Ryder Strong]

He knows exactly what he's getting with Cory as a roommate. Why is this an issue?

[Danielle Fishel]

And it's what he wanted. He loves that. If anything, it makes Sean more cool that his friend is the antithesis of cool.

[Will Friedle]

So it was very different Sean this episode.

[Ryder Strong]

Just a completely different character Read the next thing that happens. What? What happens? We walk.

[Danielle Fishel]

Points to a door behind Corey. This is their room. Corey's wide eyed. We can't just walk in here. This is big. You can't just open this door. Sean's over the theatrics. We're not in high school anymore. That crap just has to stop.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't mind that. I don't mind that because that was like a nice call back to the first episode of high school, which was actually our first episode of 7th Grade, but yes. All right, cool.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

He opens the door and we're introduced to Corey and Sean's dorm room. It's a standard dorm room, but Corey's in awe. It's so beautiful. But Sean argues, no, beautiful is not a strong enough word. A better word is sucks.

[Will Friedle]

Sucks.

[Ryder Strong]

Sean would be so stoked on this room. The guy grew up in a trailer park. His room at the apartment was a literal pigsty. This is the joke should be that Corey's like, oh. And Sean is like, dude, you. Can you believe how big this is? Look, we have a closet. The moon. There are this wall. Yes. Like that.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. You could. Could have done anything.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh, my God. It doesn't have wheels. Look at this.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

There's so many easy jokes that could have been to the same point, but instead, like, they just threw Sean under the bus. Like, it doesn't make any sense. Like you would be stoked.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, dude, you should have walked in, ripped off the. The. The. The sheet and gone. There's not a single blood stain on this mattress. Something like that where it's like. It's Xanadu, you know?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Where's little Cory gonna go? You know, there are a million different things we could have Made that were jokes, but not. Yeah, not that.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, it was very out of character for Sean. It was.

[Danielle Fishel]

Sean says, give me a spoon. I'm digging a tunnel right now. Corey ignores Sean's negativity and innocently opens up a pudding cup. Sean's draw drops. Wow. You brought pudding to college. Corey's taken back. What? I brought one for you, which was so sweet. So cute. I brought one for you. Sean shushes him and gives him a small rundown on College 101. No Pudd, no woohooing. Okay, Corey catches on. This is a chance to reinvent ourselves, right? We can be anything we want. Shawn shakes his head. No, you can be yourself, just without the pudding. Because I swear on my mother, wherever the hell she is, if I get to be known as pudding boy's best friend, I will kill you.

[Ryder Strong]

Would have been 10 times funnier if I actually took pudding from him while.

[Will Friedle]

Giving that to me.

[Ryder Strong]

Like, literally, if I was like, okay, after this, we're done with the pudding. And then Sean would have been likable because then it would have been like, you want to be cool, but you're flailing. Actually want the pudding, too. It's such an easy fix. And same dialogue, but I'm eating the pudding while I'm giving him the speech. Perfect.

[Danielle Fishel]

You know, like, I brought one for you. Oh, thanks. That's so sweet.

[Ryder Strong]

Anyway, no more pudding and no more.

[Danielle Fishel]

We cannot be the pudding.

[Ryder Strong]

How funny is that?

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly. It's so funny. Corey is as jolly as can be. You can't ruin my mood, Sean. Then Allan, Amy, and Morgan appear at the door. Alan is rolling in a giant trunk. I think when you bolted from the car yelling, college, college. You forgot something. Corey's eyes light up. My puddin trunk. Sean dramatically cringes, and Amy can't believe her little boy's in college. Then Corey breaks an awkward silence. Hey, thanks for raising me. See ya. Morgan pipes up. Come on, guys, let's go. Time is money. See you in four years.

[Will Friedle]

She dressed like a real kid her age.

[Danielle Fishel]

Finally.

[Will Friedle]

Thank God. It was like, oh, she wasn't in footie pajamas.

[Danielle Fishel]

How great. Well, how great.

[Ryder Strong]

And also braids and propeller head. She's just holding a lollipop. Okay, see you later, Cor. I'm off to the sandbox.

[Danielle Fishel]

So funny. I was. I've never. Obviously, I'm the oldest of two, but I would imagine. My feeling is that as the youngest, when your siblings are both out of the house, that's gotta be a fun feeling.

[Will Friedle]

It's awesome.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, but she's got a new sibling born at the different.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, but now she gets to be the only child.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I became an only child, which was the great because both my brothers were at college and it was just my parents and I forever. It was great. Love my brothers. But it was still a lot of fun to be there.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh yeah. That's why I'm like. She's got to be stoked. Corey admits. I'll miss you, Morgan. Her tone changes. That's not fair. And she runs to runs to him for a big hug. Amy and Alan pile on and look to Sean to join them. He grins. Sure, why not? They all embrace. Then Amy starts to get emotional. I'm going to miss my baby boy. Corey says she didn't get like this for Eric. Amy suddenly turns serious. He doesn't know we're here, does he? Alan quickly bolts for the door. Let's get out of here. They're gone as quick as they arrive, leaving Corey and Sean alone again.

[Will Friedle]

I have a question. So Susan actually had a question and it was one I'm not sure was ever answered. Do we ever establish how close Pembroke is to where we live?

[Ryder Strong]

No. I mean, it's all Philadelphia. Right. So. Right.

[Will Friedle]

So they're still in Philly. The apartment's close to where they grew up. The apartment' close to the apart to the college. But we never say. It's like, hey, you're my mom. I'm only a half hour from home. Like we don't ever get that specific.

[Ryder Strong]

No, but it should be right, Because I feel like Penbrooke would be in Philadelphia city center and haven't we established that the Matthews. There's like two towns that we've kind of narrowed it down to Chester and. No. Do you guys remember Westchester?

[Will Friedle]

No, I don't remember what it was. I don't remember what they were.

[Danielle Fishel]

I don't remember.

[Ryder Strong]

But they were. They were about 30 to 45 minutes from Philadelphia proper. So.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, so figure probably half. Less than an hour, I would assume.

[Ryder Strong]

Right. Because it's a suburb that they live.

[Danielle Fishel]

I mean we also, in just the last episode, Will Eric had gone from his apartment, which we're assuming is close to Penbrook, his apartment, back to the Matthews house and back all within the the span of a night when we.

[Ryder Strong]

Thought Cory and it's sitcom Walking distance.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, fair enough. Just like a thousand miles from Philadelphia. North is still in the continental United States.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. Corey turns to his best friend, so excited. We're here. We're in college. Sean grins. Yeah, it's pretty cool. Then Topanga and Angela appear at the door. Topanga playfully announces they found some college guys. Corey alerts Sean. She means us. Corey states the obvious. Well, the four of us are here at Penbrooke, and Angela suggests they check it out. The girls leave together, but Sean keeps Corey behind. We're in college now. Nobody knows us. Be cool now. Back in the hallway with a student playing an acoustic guitar, Corey tries to act casual. We have hallways, rooms, and co ed bathrooms. Just then, a girl walks into the bathroom. Corey smirks at Sean. You see, Shawnee, in college, girls are not called girls. They're called coeds. But then a man walks into the same bathroom. Corey whispers to his friends a joke that would not fly now, boy, is she butch. Angela clarifies that the co ed bathroom is for men and women at the same time. Topanga adds, just like on Ally McBeal. Just so weird that I referenced another show that's on at the time.

[Ryder Strong]

It was a huge hit, though. Everything was out.

[Danielle Fishel]

What a show. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

I never watched it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, I loved that show.

[Ryder Strong]

Do people still love it? Or is it one of those things that was like. It was a big cultural moment that kind of came and went, right?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, yeah, it was.

[Will Friedle]

That was dancing, baby. And all that nose whistling. And there was a lot of.

[Danielle Fishel]

And also her very short skirts for business. It was like a real like, oh, my gosh. Do you see this woman who's a professional woman? She's wearing these very small skirts. It reminds me of the inspiration for Topanga when she cut her hair, that outfit. They called my skirt a belt. And then when we saw Topanga in the mailroom with Phil Leeds when she was like, I suggested something and it became a law. I was also wearing a short skirt then. It was like Topanga's business attire was heavily influenced by Ali McBeal. Yep. Corey mocks her. And worth noting, the subtitles say, like, Cartman.

[Ryder Strong]

I was going to say it's Cartman.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's a full cart. Says it even in the subtitle. Just like it's so.

[Ryder Strong]

So. Do you think it said Cartman voice in the script, or do you think Ben just did Cartman?

[Danielle Fishel]

I think Ben just did that. I think it just said mom.

[Ryder Strong]

What would it have been otherwise? Like, like, it's so not Corey to mock Tope.

[Will Friedle]

No, but it is totally Ben.

[Ryder Strong]

It's totally fine. I feel like he might have just done it. Like, I feel like the line was not even there. And because it may have just said, let her go.

[Danielle Fishel]

In Let her go in there.

[Ryder Strong]

And then that's. They. I don't think they would have written that except that Ben would have just done it.

[Danielle Fishel]

And it's funny.

[Ryder Strong]

We all would have laughed. And then.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

He was like, can I say this? And they're like, yeah, yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Angela assures him it's no big deal. And Sean says he's going in. The three enter as Corey stays behind and whines, come on. I just got comfortable going in front of guys. And then we're at college registration. There are tons of background actors here. And our four new students are all signing up for various college classes.

[Ryder Strong]

Student Union looking weird because it has that, like, desk in the front. So it's a strange introduction to this space.

[Will Friedle]

But that's a big set, though. I mean, do you remember that was a cavernous set all the way. Because you have the eating area. You had the pool store back there, the pool table.

[Ryder Strong]

The outdoor table.

[Will Friedle]

The outdoor table. That was an enormous set.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, it's a. It's a really. It was interesting to be seeing it for the first time ever, you know, or since I was in it and thinking. Because it reminded me a lot of Girl Meets World sets. It actually reminded me a lot of the coffee shop set from Girl Meet World. Like, I didn't realize how much that coffee shop was modeled on this because it had the outdoor table just like this and the couch with the. You know, I was like, wow, this is. You're.

[Will Friedle]

You're both in the production side of. Of television. And maybe it's such a different aspect of television that you might not know the answer, but what is something like a set like this cost? Is this $150,000? This is a million dollars. Like, how much does it cost to build a set like this?

[Ryder Strong]

50,000, you think?

[Will Friedle]

To do the whole set? Okay.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah. The most expensive part is, like, the paint and the fixtures, you know, because the walls are just plywood. So it's furniture.

[Danielle Fishel]

Most of it's rented, probably.

[Ryder Strong]

Right. I can chime in here.

[Will Friedle]

We did get some emails last time you had this conversation.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And they said that network is closer to what writer saying. And shows that have to be a little scrappier can do that for 20 to 30. Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Good. Good to know. Interesting.

[Danielle Fishel]

Our four new students are all signing up for various college classes like Psych101, introductory business, and one apparently called let's Make Bread, which is the only class.

[Will Friedle]

I wanted to take.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know.

[Will Friedle]

Did you see that? That's.

[Danielle Fishel]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive.

[Will Friedle]

From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house.

[Ryder Strong]

Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, hello Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Toms of Maine.

[Danielle Fishel]

And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products.

[Will Friedle]

Here's how it works. Spend $20 on their products, get $5, spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy.

[Ryder Strong]

That's cprewards.com so grab what you need.

[Danielle Fishel]

Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping.

[Will Friedle]

And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards.

[Danielle Fishel]

Available while supplies last. Limit Supply US Only January 1, 2025 through March 30 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com hey, it's Amy Brown.

[Amy Brown]

From the Bobby Bones Show. Join me in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a chance to win a trip to meet Megan Maroney at the 2025 I Heart Country Festival in Austin, Texas on May 3rd. Hosted by Bobby Bones. We're gonna hook you up with tickets, flights, hotel, food credits and a meet and greet with Megan Maroney. Take action now to support St. Jude and help cure childhood cancer, and you're going to be entered for a chance to win. Visit iheartcountrytrip.com to learn more.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is what you do when you have high standards and fancy all the fancy things like an iconic Dior saddlebag or that diamond tennis bracelet. You go to ebay.

[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

Vintage pearl necklace or brand new ruby earrings, a Prada crossbody bag to be besties with your other handbag, even an eternally classic watch, that Rolex Oyster or that Cartier tank. You know the one.

[Ryder Strong]

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[Danielle Fishel]

So bring your high standards and never limit what you can find. Yeah, eBay the place for new pre loved, vintage and rare fashion eBay things people love this is Danielle Fishel, Ryder.

[Will Friedle]

Strong and Will Friedle from Pod Meets World.

[Danielle Fishel]

For many, the American Dream means starting your own business and working for yourself.

[Ryder Strong]

If you're a small business owner, launching a company or dreaming of starting one, then you'll not only want to make sure you're using a platform like Intuit QuickBooks, but you'll also want to check out season three of Mind the Business small business success stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio and Intuit QuickBooks.

[Danielle Fishel]

In every episode, hosts Austin Henkiewicz and Janice Torres talk to small business owners about how they've grown and maintained their business and tackled the hurdles and challenges that come with being your own boss.

[Will Friedle]

From tracking money in and out to.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cutting through the complexity with an all encompassing platform like QuickBooks, you don't want to miss these inspiring stories of small business journeys.

[Ryder Strong]

Listen to Mind the Small business success stories on the Iheart Apple app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Fishel]

Corey looks around the room with admiration. This is where we will determine who we are and what we know for the rest of our lives. Sean tells him to shut up again and Topanga reminds him they're only freshmen. There's really no big decision to make yet. It's just anything that says 101 or intro to. Corey disagrees that that's the safe route. He was studying his course guide last night, and the old Corey would have gone down that road of safe and easy courses, but he refuses to be trampled by the masses. Registering for a little course he likes to call Introduction for Mediocrity. Sean asks if he's done with his diatribe. He is. They all disperse to register, leaving Corey to look around at the various options. He lands at a course that no one is in line for. He nods at the professor sitting there and jokes that the rest of the students are cattle. He presents.

[Ryder Strong]

This must have been the last like the last era of signing up in person for classes, right? Because I was already doing it online, actually. I remember, I think we were doing it via phone. So you would call and they would have been right. In this year you would call and have to like enter the right like code for the right class and then it would tell you you are registered for, you know, philosophy 101 or whatever. Yeah, that's what would you get up just like if you were trying to.

[Will Friedle]

Get into the same class as a bunch of people. Was it like trying to win concert tickets?

[Ryder Strong]

You Know what, what it was is you would get assigned like a 15 minute period that you could call in. So like in that I. That was assigned by what grade you were. So if you were senior, you had like, you know, the, the, the hours. Like the seniors got the first hour and then so it went by class. So by the time. And of course that worked out. Cause like the seniors weren't trying to get into the 101 classes or whatever. But yeah, so it was all on the phone. That's right. And we, we also got email addresses. That was like a big new thing. Email address. It was your, your school edu. And then yeah, we did it on the phone and. But by the time I was at Columbia, which was 2000, everything was online. Like by then it was, you know.

[Danielle Fishel]

The last, the last great sign up in person.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah. Seems fun. Like walk around and be like.

[Danielle Fishel]

And look to see like, oh, like that cute person's in the room.

[Ryder Strong]

And would the professors be there like at their table for their class?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. Trying to recruit. I love this idea. Let's go back. The sweet nostalgia of being in person.

[Will Friedle]

Oh God. If I had a time machine to go back, the last thing I'd be doing would be going back to sign up for college courses. I'd find a better, I'd find a better use.

[Danielle Fishel]

We are not surprised to hear this writer.

[Ryder Strong]

The idea that you could take a class in like all the random things, doesn't that excite you? Like, oh, but it would be farther.

[Will Friedle]

Down on the list of things to do with a time machine.

[Ryder Strong]

Top of the list. Top of the list.

[Danielle Fishel]

Think of the difference. Okay. Will you be in a crowd? Will's automatically out. You'd be signing up for courses. Will's like, no thanks, writer. First place I'd go back to.

[Ryder Strong]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Tons of people.

[Ryder Strong]

The idea of like going from here to the bookstore to get the books for the class, like having to find like, I remember piling like, you know, you'd get signed up for these courses and then you just get to go and be like, oh, I need all 25 of these books. And I just get to like make my shelf for the year. Oh, the best. I'm like, I'm going to get to read all of these.

[Danielle Fishel]

When would you read your syllabus?

[Ryder Strong]

Oh, this is day one. Day second. I got it. Yeah, but you don't.

[Danielle Fishel]

You.

[Ryder Strong]

That's the thing. You wouldn't get syll your syllabus until you showed up in class. And then you'd get it and be like, oh, and Then I'd be so excited.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. You are third on the list of picking what we do with the time machine.

[Danielle Fishel]

For the record, you do not get your first choice.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm. I'm a lifelong learner. I'm going to be that old guy.

[Danielle Fishel]

Me, too.

[Ryder Strong]

But then we.

[Will Friedle]

Instead of using the time machine to go back to sign up for history 101, let's just go back to the Battle of Agincourt and see what happened, is what I'm saying.

[Ryder Strong]

Sure, sure.

[Will Friedle]

That's what I'm saying.

[Ryder Strong]

Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

Corey proceeds to sign up and only then we see that he's now a student in existentialist thought and its effect on quantum physics. And then we're at the guy's apartment. Rachel is sitting on the couch in her robe with tissues scattered all around her and a bucket of cheese balls on her lap. Jack and Eric walk out of their rooms. They have to get going, so we.

[Ryder Strong]

Got to keep track. Does Rachel wear this robe or a short robe every episode so far? Okay, Every single episode?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yep. So far.

[Ryder Strong]

Every episode.

[Danielle Fishel]

Three of three.

[Ryder Strong]

It's like. Seems like it's a requirement. She's got to be in a robe at some point.

[Danielle Fishel]

But Rachel immediately bursts into tears. Jack calls Eric an idiot for making her cry. Rachel Wales. Rachel. That's what my boyfriend used to call me. The boys are confused. Eric jumps in. There's going to be plenty of time for that stroll down memory lane later, babe. I gotta get there before Hooked on Phonics Kill gets filled up. Jack looks for Eric, who's scarfing down a bowl of cereal to show some sympathy. Can't you see she's upset? Were you eating Cocoa Puffs?

[Will Friedle]

I have no idea. But they looked good. Cereal's so great.

[Danielle Fishel]

I love cereal.

[Will Friedle]

Me, too. But I don't eat it.

[Danielle Fishel]

But I should. What, you don't eat, I don't eat.

[Will Friedle]

No, cereal's really not good for you.

[Ryder Strong]

So.

[Will Friedle]

I don't. I don't eat cereal. It's very, very full of.

[Danielle Fishel]

Everything else you eat is so good for you. So I eat a lot better?

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Ryder Strong]

Thank you very much.

[Will Friedle]

No cereal. I wish I would just McDonald's.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

I was just gonna say you have a few things.

[Will Friedle]

Maybe twice a year, unfortunately.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Really?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I know he does. He, like, treats himself on his birthday. And then occasionally if we're at a con, he'll go with me. Because the problem is Sue's probably not that as excited about McDonald's.

[Will Friedle]

Of course, my personal trainer wife. No, she's not as excited about McDonald's as I am so. No, she is not.

[Danielle Fishel]

So when. So when you're around me and I'm really excited about it, you're happy to have a friend. Exactly. I get it. I totally get it. Okay. Eric tries to study his crying roommate. Obviously, I don't have your power of perception. Rachel looks at them with mascara running down her face. And Eric aggressively shouts. What? Rachel bursts into tears again. Everything. Eric sees this as a good sign. Everything's out. Now. Let's get out of here. Hurry. But Rachel doesn't move. I just don't know what I'm doing here. We had plans. We were going to live together. We were going to go to college together. Her sadness intensifies.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

She remembers.

[Ryder Strong]

It would have been. I mean, because that's actually not what they said. They. Well, okay. I mean, I guess she gave up Yale for them to go to college.

[Danielle Fishel]

For them to go to college here. Yeah. Very similar.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

We were gonna get a doggie. Jack sits with her and empathizes. Feels like your whole world is turned upside down, right? She doesn't answer, but she uses his shirt sleeve as a tissue. Jack continues. School's about to start. You're living with two guys you don't even know in some strange town. Everything.

[Ryder Strong]

Just had a good opportunity to just insert a little bit of specificity about who this ex was.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Ryder Strong]

It could have easily been like, he's.

[Danielle Fishel]

Never gonna come up again, though. He's not important.

[Ryder Strong]

I know, but he could define the terms of this. This storyline. Like, this storyline is about them trying to be something they're not. Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Ryder Strong]

So I don't know, it just. It's so generic. It's.

[Danielle Fishel]

I think the good news is, though.

[Ryder Strong]

I actually left so generic. It's such a bummer. Like, it could have been very easy to see, like, oh, she was dating a rock and roll guy who was really cool and now she want. Or a sensitive guy or a nerdy guy, whatever. And then she could be defined somewhat.

[Danielle Fishel]

But I'm really glad they didn't define the boyfriend to help us define her. But it would have been a really good opportunity for him to say, who were you before the boyfriend? Who were you? What do you like? Because that's. That's what you have time for now. No more needing to check in with him or worry about him. You've got time for you become the best version of you. Who are you? But nobody cares. No, no, nobody. Nobody on the show. None of the characters actually care of get about getting to know her. No, they just care about winning her affections.

[Ryder Strong]

But that finally does become the point of the storyline that maybe that's part of why I like this storyline is that she's allowed to have a layer of, like, you know, manipulated. She manipulates Eric in that scene.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

To good effect, you know, and it's like, oh, she is actually smart. She is trying, you know, but that's. Yeah, it's just a layer. It's not.

[Danielle Fishel]

But we don't even really get to know her anymore through that layer. It only. It's only a matter of her saying, like, no, what I like about you is that you are funny. And what I like about you is that you are sensitive. So now I've really nailed down those two characters we've already gotten to know over multiple seasons. One's really funny, one's really sensitive. Got it.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's also.

[Ryder Strong]

It's also I'm just the object of their affection. Exactly.

[Will Friedle]

Well, that's what I'm saying. It's not. It doesn't do the Kate Beckinsale test at all because all she talks about is boys the whole time. It's either her ex boyfriend or the new guys or the new guys. And that's it.

[Ryder Strong]

I bet you Rachel's never allowed to be in a scene with another girl. And just and at all, like, alone without a. Without.

[Will Friedle]

I can think of. I can think of one right now.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

I can think of one scene. It's only the girls.

[Danielle Fishel]

The wedding.

[Will Friedle]

Topanga's wedding. Yep.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. When I bring the parasols.

[Will Friedle]

Correct.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I did remember that. There is one with the parasols. Okay. Rachel says that's exactly how she feels. She applauds Jack for being so sensitive. Eric watches on jaw on the floor. Rachel just wishes there was some way she could pull herself out of this. So Eric chimes in. He has the perfect thing. Jack tells him it's not a good time, but Eric insists it's always a good time for Will do it for us.

[Will Friedle]

I don't remember. So they taught me this. I had never heard this before. Apparently, things a real thing.

[Danielle Fishel]

I don't know.

[Ryder Strong]

I thought maybe we had created it.

[Will Friedle]

No, because I. Because I remember Michael and everybody like, looking at me during run or during table read. And I was like, I don't. I don't know.

[Danielle Fishel]

This.

[Will Friedle]

What is this? And so it's what? In a cabin in the woods, little.

[Danielle Fishel]

Man by window stood, saw a rabbit hopping by, knocking at the door or something like that.

[Ryder Strong]

At the door.

[Danielle Fishel]

An irritated Jack tries to interrupt But Rachel joins in. Help me, help me, help me, he said, for the hunter shoots me dead. They look to Jack to join in, but he does not. Instead, she gives Eric a big hug. He is so much fun. Eric smiles ear to ear. Yay me.

[Will Friedle]

Yay me.

[Danielle Fishel]

Then she hugs Jack again. And you are so caring. She walks upstairs to get ready and admits, if you two were one guy, I would be in real trouble.

[Ryder Strong]

Set up, set up, set up.

[Will Friedle]

So, yes, in a cabin in the woods is a nursery rhyme.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay, that.

[Will Friedle]

I guess there's a lot. If you go check it out, it's. Yeah, it's.

[Ryder Strong]

I never knew this. I never saw this.

[Will Friedle]

I didn't either, but apparently it's a famous nursery rhyme from back in the day. That's all because I remember everyone looking at me like, sing it. And I was like, I have no idea what this is.

[Ryder Strong]

Probably only in New York in 1950s.

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly.

[Will Friedle]

Exactly. One New Jersey town from 1961. How do you not know that?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. Eric laughs. But then he has an idea. One guy, Jack, instantly stops him. No. And then our big moment. This is. This feels like our first scene in the student union. Because even though we saw the first. The student union in the first one, it's kind of unrecognizable. For one thing. There were. How many extras do you think were in that. That first Student Union scene?

[Will Friedle]

50.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know. It looked like it.

[Will Friedle]

It seemed like it. Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

I thought it was, like, blocked everything, so. But you're right, it was really crowded.

[Danielle Fishel]

It was really crowded.

[Will Friedle]

And a bunch of them also went to John Adams because I recognized, obviously, a bunch of our extras were back. And I was like, thank God they didn't get all new extras. Like, I'm glad we still have a whole bunch of the same extras.

[Danielle Fishel]

I did notice some very tall people.

[Ryder Strong]

Very tall.

[Will Friedle]

Also some very built people.

[Danielle Fishel]

It was like. Yeah, they added some, like.

[Will Friedle]

Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

College sexuality.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, they did. They added some swag. They did.

[Danielle Fishel]

So Corey is reading a quantum physics textbook written by David Glaser and Peter Tullo. Do you guys know Peter Tullo?

[Ryder Strong]

No.

[Danielle Fishel]

No. Okay. We were trying to decide. I suspected it was somebody who, like, owns a prop house or worked at the prop house. And so when David Glazer pitched the idea, Jensen said he looked up Peter Tullo and he works in the same field. He's also his IMDb credits as art department on different shows.

[Will Friedle]

So David Glazer is inventor of Glazer Pops.

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly. Ding. Corey. While deep in concentration, Topanga, Sean and Angela arrive carrying books themselves. Topanga asks if he's already done registering, and Corey says yes. He even bought each of them a Pen Brook sweatshirt. He lays it on the table. Go Penguins.

[Will Friedle]

I want one. I want a Pen Brook sweatshirt. I want an original Pembroke sweatshirt. I wonder where they're at. Where they are?

[Ryder Strong]

I'm sure you can find them online, right?

[Will Friedle]

A real one, though. Like, I want, like, one of those. Yeah, I know.

[Danielle Fishel]

Sean looks at him with disgust. Don't ever do that. Topanga sis through Corey's textbooks.

[Ryder Strong]

Like, why is Sean.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know.

[Ryder Strong]

No one likes judgy Sean.

[Will Friedle]

No, stop. It's never been judgy Sean.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's never happened in so many wins. And for him to say, don't ever do that. If anything, it's so cute. Yes, I love that he's, like, excited about penguins. Topanga sifts through Corey's textbooks. Quantum physics, theoretical calculus, Inorganic chemistry, Forensic pathology. Corey examines the sweatshirt he's laid out. Is this your son, Mr. Johnson?

[Ryder Strong]

So funny. Such a great joke.

[Danielle Fishel]

So good. Angela shakes her head. Corey, how do I put this delicately? Could you be a bigger. He's confused. Why would you ask me that? Why? And that's again, more Ben reads, like, for sure, though. Ben with his.

[Ryder Strong]

Ben was having so much fun this week.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, yes.

[Ryder Strong]

This was a great episode for him.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes.

[Ryder Strong]

I feel like, the pressure, like, once the pressure is off, the Corey, Topanga stuff. Stuff.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Which is so funny to think about. Like, we said these two episodes, it's like, we gotta wrap up all the stuff from the last season, and then it's just like, reset. I mean, in a lot of ways, this is the first episode of the season. It's just, you have to, like, finish up the drama from last season.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, I wish I would have noticed.

[Ryder Strong]

So much more freeing for Pen as an actor. Like, this is just better. This is fun.

[Danielle Fishel]

Like, I wish I would have noticed. Is Topanga wearing an engagement ring? Is she wearing the ring Amy gave her?

[Ryder Strong]

She must be.

[Will Friedle]

I didn't even know. I didn't.

[Danielle Fishel]

I didn't notice. I wish I would have paid attention. I will make a note to pay.

[Ryder Strong]

Attention next time, so I will never. I actually remember shooting this scene.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Ryder Strong]

Because it was one of the few times that Steve Hafer, our ad, gave me some honest feedback. Because, you know, usually we didn't get, like, actor feedback from, like, stage managers, you know, But I. I was like. We were at. We were at the. The audience read, and it was not. I was not getting laughs. And I remember just being like, man, what's happening. And, like, now I can see, like, it's just not. Not funny like Sean is. But I also. And. And I remember Steve being. I was like, what's happening? As I said, I asked him, like, what? And he was just like, yes, it's not as good as it was earlier in the week. Like, he was very honest with me. He's like, yeah, you're not doing it as, like, I forget how he phrased it exactly, but I remember being like, oh, okay, okay. Yeah, it's not. And now I can see, like, I'm pushing too hard. There's a beat where I laugh at Corey and then I, like, yell at him. It's like, no, and it's not good. It's like, I'm too aggressive. It's Sean being negative. Anyway, I just. It's one of those few memories I have of, like, you know, getting feedback from somebody who you usually don't get feedback from being like, yeah, no, it's not working, Ryder. I'm being like, yeah, he's right. And now I see it. I'm like, it really still didn't work. So I didn't. Didn't fix it. Even after getting the note, it made me wonder something.

[Will Friedle]

And you could tell me that I'm totally wrong, but do you think, Eric, me pushing the comedy so hard is making other people push their comedy too? Because I'm doing. I. Like, everything has a joke. I'm not picking my beat, but it seemed like you kind of were in this episode. Like, I think I'm trying to hit more comedy beats. And I'm like, I just think I'm off.

[Ryder Strong]

No, I just think that the Sean is lost in this episode. And then, like, me as I have a very small part. Like, you know, I'm only in a couple of scenes, so I think I was just checked out this week, but it just doesn't feel right. I don't like my. The performance, but I also just don't like the character, so I don't know which comes.

[Will Friedle]

It's a totally different genre.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, it's just not fun. Like, it's a bad vibe. You know, he's a downer.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Angela responds, because your college career is over before it starts. Corey chuckles. Someone's jealous. But Topanga agrees. You've taken on an impossible load that will eventually crush you to death. Corey is still grinning. I know, But I figure we'll have 10 or 12 good years together. First, Sean laughs a little. That was a good one. But then he gets serious again.

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

All I wanted you to do is stop with the pudding. Do you even know what quantum physics is? Yeah, you start to laugh like, yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

That'S an awful beat. It would have been. So, I mean, and I think what had happened is I been getting huge laughs for that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Ryder Strong]

During the week because I'd probably been more natural. And then I just got more and more pushed and more and more expectant of, like the laugh. And it just sucks.

[Danielle Fishel]

But so when. When are you saying you realize, like, when did you ask Sean. We were doing Sean. Steve, for the.

[Ryder Strong]

Right after that. That laugh right there.

[Danielle Fishel]

Like. But I mean, on what day of the week?

[Ryder Strong]

On tape? Night on tape.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

So can I, can I pitch something to you? Can I suggest something that all week you had been getting laughter, laughs from the people who wrote, right, The Sean this, Sean this joke. They thought it was funny, but when the audience saw it, they were like, I don't understand what Sean this is.

[Will Friedle]

It's not Sean exactly.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, it wasn't about you, like, there being something you needed to do differently. It's just that the audience is a more honest feedback source because they know the character the same way you know the character. And the writers who, you know, also obviously know the character, but can decide, played this week, let's make Sean do this thing.

[Ryder Strong]

Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

And then they think it's funny, but everyone else is like, I'm sorry, I'm confused.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, so, yeah, I think that's a. That's true. But either way, I pushed harder. Like, I just kept going. Yeah, no, and it's like not funny. It's like, doesn't get funnier. Just pull back.

[Will Friedle]

Well, it's also sitcom is very difficult in that comedy that's over rehearsed a lot of times is no longer funny. And all you do in sitcom is rehearse. So you rehearse all week long and you could be hitting the same joke, joke a thousand times, right? And it's like, it just rings dead in your ears after a while where it's like.

[Ryder Strong]

And that's, that's something I had a hard time understanding. Like, I never really quite understood that. Like, I would think there's a way to hit the joke and I just have to do it the same way every time. And of course, the more you do that, you lose that organic human quality that actually invites an audience in. And I would, I would invariably beat comedy to death because I would think, oh, I just need to hit the. And it's like, I wish somebody had just grabbed me and been like, hey, you know what's more interesting? Being real, like, just being spun, like, you know, in the comedy. Because I would play drama for reality, but when it came to comedy, I would play it for, like, let me hit the joke in the right rhythm with the right beat, over and over every time. And you can feel it with something like this. It just wasn't working.

[Will Friedle]

I can't. Fairy child actor thing like you, you and you. I, I, I learned how to say a joke when I was 10. So I have to keep saying. And it's, yeah, it's, well, but it's.

[Ryder Strong]

Also the way that we got notes, we were told, like, this is the way to do it. Just do it this way and it will be funny. Yes. And that is true to a certain extent. But if it doesn't have that human quality, that spontaneous, that's what people respond to is spontaneity. They don't actually respond to a good performance. They respond to real life, like reality, you know, and, and being on the edge and not knowing what's going to happen next. That draws people in.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I agree.

[Danielle Fishel]

So Sean asks, do you even know what quantum physics is? Corey is dumbfounded. Hi. That's what they're going to teach me. If I knew what it was, I would have tooken quantum physics too, now wouldn't I?

[Will Friedle]

H I, that might, might be my favorite line of the whole show. I might have took quantum too, wouldn't I?

[Danielle Fishel]

Makes me laugh. So bad.

[Ryder Strong]

So bad.

[Danielle Fishel]

Sean glances at the text and tells Corey it's gibberish. Corey scoffs. It's not gibberish. You're gibberish. He gathers his things. It's new and exciting, just like me. So nuts to you, you jerks. And then he storms off.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, Ben was loving every, every single line.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's so funny.

[Ryder Strong]

Also, peak Ben Savage acting.

[Danielle Fishel]

The idea of it's new and exciting, just like me. And then, to use a phrase like, so now, nuts to you.

[Will Friedle]

So nuts to you.

[Ryder Strong]

Straight from 1933. So nuts to you.

[Danielle Fishel]

So nuts to you, you jerks.

[Ryder Strong]

None of your bees wax.

[Danielle Fishel]

So funny to me.

[Will Friedle]

But it's also the joke we would always do on the, to each other. It's like, I'm not. You're gibberish. Like we always.

[Danielle Fishel]

Gibberish.

[Will Friedle]

We'd always throw the thing back. Yeah, yeah, you're the, your brain's got the shell on it. Like, we would always do that stuff.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh, God, it's so great.

[Danielle Fishel]

But then he spots his quantum physics professor. He rushes to him. My friend seems to Think I've taken on an impossible.

[Ryder Strong]

Speaking of. I was trying to remember. I was like, what is the worst. Why do I know that? Speaking of. Head off. Oh, my God.

[Danielle Fishel]

But then he spots his quantum physics professor. He rushes to him. My friends seem to think that I've taken on an impossible load with this class and that I'm going to have some trouble with the course material. The professor says he can decide for himself if he gives him a brief synopsis on the first day. We start off with. And then he transitions into actual gibberish noises.

[Ryder Strong]

I would have. Do you think they auditioned him, or do you think they just cast him? I mean, because I would have loved to have seen the auditions for this. Like, you know, having, like, 40 people come through and do their own version of gibberish would have been so much fun to see.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know.

[Ryder Strong]

And to be able to pick whose gibberish is the funniest.

[Danielle Fishel]

It really cracked me up. And it made me. I haven't tried it, but it made me feel like. I don't. I don't. I could never do this good of gibberish.

[Ryder Strong]

I couldn't either. I couldn't either.

[Will Friedle]

You could. Yes, you could.

[Ryder Strong]

But he was. He was paced, like, not too fast. So it still sounded like. It's like English monotone. So hard to do.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, it's so hard to do.

[Ryder Strong]

I have friends who used to be able to do this. They were brilliant. They. They could do fake gibber. And they would go. They would do it for like an hour, and it was. We would be dying because they could just keep it up. And they. What. For whatever reason, they had figured out the right consonant to vowel sound. So it didn't sound like a foreign language. Because that's the trick, right? You don't want it to sound like another. You want it to sound like English phrasing and the English monotone quality but still be completely gibberish. It's really hard to do.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's because you.

[Ryder Strong]

You know, if you're doing, like, a fake French, you can, like, find fake other languages. But to do fake English, that isn't. That is still gibberish is really hard. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Really good.

[Ryder Strong]

I'm not going to try.

[Danielle Fishel]

And then he says, we focus on. And then he does more gibberish noises. Corey is confused. Then another professor walks up and starts talking gibberish, too.

[Will Friedle]

You gotta try.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, I really. I don't think I gotta try it.

[Will Friedle]

You gotta try it.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's.

[Will Friedle]

That was pretty good.

[Danielle Fishel]

But my instinct is to do it super fast. Like writer said. And the. The idea is that you have to. It has to sound more like words, right?

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, just exaggerated enough that it's obvious that you're making a joke. It's. It's a really tricky.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's really hard.

[Will Friedle]

It's tough.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

And you said you saw who the second professor was was?

[Danielle Fishel]

Bob Tischler.

[Will Friedle]

That's Bob Tischler.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh, is it?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes. I didn't even notice Bob Tisler.

[Ryder Strong]

Oh, my God.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

That's amazing.

[Danielle Fishel]

So great. So great. So Bob Tischler walks up and he starts talking gibberish. And then the teachers go back and forth with gibberish until they tell Corey, excuse me, we have a staff meeting. Corey doesn't know what to do. He slowly turns to his friends and assures them everything's fine. And then we're in the guidance counselor's office. Office. Corey is pacing in front of his counselor, voicing his concerns, even mentioning the gibberish he heard. He finally asks, is there any way that you could possibly get me out of every course I signed up for this year? The counselor wonders. You're feeling overwhelmed. Well, you are not alone in feeling that, son. And then he turns his head and takes a bite of a sandwich.

[Ryder Strong]

Such a great beat.

[Will Friedle]

I love moments like that where it's just like, what the hell?

[Danielle Fishel]

It's just this guy. Guy is so uninvested in Corey's life and story that he's, like, still going to eat his sandwich.

[Ryder Strong]

Great.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, I love moments like that.

[Danielle Fishel]

It makes me laugh so much. Corey is worried that he's ruined his entire life in a day. But the counselor assures him he can drop any course he wants and pick up anything that's open. Cory is relieved. He'll take anything that's 101 or an intro, too. The guidance counselor instantly announces, those are gone. Without any emotion at all. Corey understands that they're gone. But like he said, he's made a horrible mistake. Take. He asks his counselor to fix it. The man reveals, well, I can't do that. Those courses are closed. Corey understands that they're closed. But he reminds the dean that he made a horrible decision, and he takes full responsibility for that. He begs his counselor to please help him. The man calmly states, he can't do that. Those courses are closed. Do you know that one in three students won't make it through their freshman year? Corey is freaking out. Why are you telling me that? The counselor explains complaints. Because college isn't for everyone, son. And if you find simple course selection so overwhelming, Perhaps you need to consider if this is for you. Oh, yikes. Corey reminds him he's the guidance counselor. Corey gets into trouble and he's supposed to guide him out. But the man reminds him, this is college, the real world. The relationship he's talking about doesn't exist here. He gives a fake apology and then says, bye. Bye. Hi. Corey is shook.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't remember there being guidance counselors in college. There were deans, dean, student deans, like deans of students. But I don't remember. Guidance counselor. This scene was kind of. I was. I was also like, didn't we already do this with Eric thinking that Feeny would be at college? And he's not like, this is the same joke as the.

[Will Friedle]

I didn't even think about that.

[Ryder Strong]

You're right. It's the same beat. And in some ways, I kind of like this guy's funny. But I also think the scene could have been a lot shorter. Like, the joke is just like, I want Feeny. Feeny's not here. I got to go get Feenie. Like, that's all it is. And instead it's like, I was kind of like, where's this going? And why are we doing this back and forth?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I know. But now we've got to get to Jackson Hole.

[Ryder Strong]

Jackson Hole.

[Danielle Fishel]

Corey is scolding someone. You lied to me. You filled me with all this education, but you never prepared me for life. We pull out to reveal Feeny is sitting on a dock with a friend, both decked out in fishing gear. He simply responds, I'm sorry, have we met? And then there's a commercial break. And then we're back in Jacksonville before.

[Ryder Strong]

He got on a plane. Flew all the way to Jackson Hole. Jackson Hole got Feeny to come back.

[Danielle Fishel]

Wow. Yeah, well, eventually. First.

[Will Friedle]

Well, I love how he.

[Danielle Fishel]

I do too.

[Will Friedle]

It explains how he got there, too. Is like my favorite thing in the world.

[Danielle Fishel]

Corey reiterates to Feeny that he failed him. And the teacher agrees several times. I believe Corey continues, I'm in way over my head and I have no idea how I got there. Feeny grabs a few drinks from a cooler and smiles. It's good to see you, Mr. Matthews. Corey nods. It's good to see you, Mr. Feeny. That's a nice hat. Pointing to a real local looking cap with lures pinned to it, his former teacher wonders, anyone know you're here? Corey asks. You mean, does everyone know? I screwed up college on my first day and flew to Wyoming on my air miles.

[Ryder Strong]

I love it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Feeny wonders, Air Miles. Where did you get those? Corey explains, pudding labels, baby. Got me to Omaha. Bust in from there. I met a native Native American and a militia guy. Casino's good, government bad.

[Will Friedle]

Oh God. The whole run was just one of my favorite things ever.

[Danielle Fishel]

Asks Feeny how retirement's going. Feeny says he's having a wonderful time. After 40 years of teaching, setting his alarm to wake up with the sun, he now wakes up whenever he wants to. And then he has a big breakfast with some of the boys. Corey wonders, you got boys? Feeny points to the old men fishing around him. I do. And then we do whatever our hearts desire. For example, example, today we decided to go fishing. Corey wonders, that's all you do all day is just fish. Feeny explains that there's more to it than just fish. They swap stories, enjoy the outdoors, and more importantly, each other's company. The old man next to him pipes in, I had company once, until my son in law stole it. Feeny responds, easy, Ned, you'll blow your pacemaker. Corey doesn't get it. So if I understand this correctly, you guys, you do absolutely nothing. Feeny begins, I wouldn't characterize. Ned cuts him off. Nope, he's got it. Corey assumes no pressure, no commitments, no way to screw up at all. Feeny wonders why he'd fly all this distance just to insult him. Corey can't believe it. Insult you? No, I envy you. This is the next best thing to being in a coma. He puts his arm around Feeny and pulls him in closer.

[Ryder Strong]

See, I like. I like this idea. Like I like the idea that Corey wants to be an old man.

[Danielle Fishel]

That's perfect.

[Ryder Strong]

No, I could just get right to the old man part. But this doesn't make any sense with Corey wanting to be in college. The whole opening is like, I'm so excited. This is the new phase in life and I get to do things and learn a bunch of stuff. And now he's reacting to any pressure by saying, I don't know, none of this made sense. Like, I like the storyline, but I feel like you could have just tweaked it a little bit. Corey's scared of college because of the responsibility to begin with.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes.

[Ryder Strong]

And then he gets some responsibility and then it backfires and then he goes here and realizes he can retire, you know, and be an old man. I don't know. This doesn't quite track. It's just like whatever it needs to.

[Danielle Fishel]

Be for the job. Being that Corey is always excited at the beginning of a big life change and then things go Terribly, horribly wrong. And he then goes, gosh. And then he goes, oh, I guess it's inevitable when you have a big life change. Change. So he flies to Feeney, who's also just had a big life change. And instead of it being like, and Feeney is flailing, which he is, he just doesn't know that. He goes, do you. You mean there's no way to screw this one up? This is the big life change I need because I always screw it up. So to me, it just felt like. To me, it just felt like the most. Corey of all things to. To be like, you mean I could jump right to retirement? How has no one presented this to me?

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, he's one of those guys we met, the people whose entire life is changed by the last book they read.

[Danielle Fishel]

And that's.

[Will Friedle]

That's Corey. Like, he's, you know, they go on the honeymoon and I've got to open a coconut stand, and I've got it. Like, he. He's that guy where he. Somebody says something and his whole life has changed for 20 minutes.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. So.

[Danielle Fishel]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cashback rewards with Colgate palm oil.

[Will Friedle]

From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house.

[Ryder Strong]

Right now, we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, hello, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Toms of Maine.

[Danielle Fishel]

And right now, you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products.

[Will Friedle]

Here's how it works. Spend $20 on their products, get $5. Spend $30, get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt seat and upload it to cprewards.com it's.

[Ryder Strong]

So easy that cprewards.com so grab what.

[Danielle Fishel]

You need or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping.

[Will Friedle]

And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards.

[Danielle Fishel]

Available while supplies last. Limit Supply US only. January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2025. For full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.

[Amy Brown]

Hey, it's Amy Brown from the Bobby Bones Show. Join me in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a chance to win a trip to meet Megan Maroney at the 2025 I Heart Country Festival in Austin, Texas on May 3rd. Hosted by Bobby Bones. We're going to hook you up with tickets, flights, hotel, food, credits and a meet and greet with Megan Maroney. Take action now to support St. Jude and help cure childhood cancer and you're going to be entered for a chance to win. Visit iheartcountrytrip.com to learn more.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is what you do when you have high standards and fancy all the fancy things like an iconic Dior saddlebag or that diamond tennis bracelet, you go to ebay.

[Ryder Strong]

There you'll find new loves that will never disappoint. Expertly authenticated in everything.

[Danielle Fishel]

Whether it's that vintage pearl necklace or brand new ruby earrings, a Prada crossbody bag to be besties with your other handbag. Even an eternally classic watch like that Rolex oyster or that Cartier tank. You know the one.

[Ryder Strong]

And when you find it, eBay has their expert's eyes to make sure you're getting the real deal. That way you can be confident that the designer finds you came for the luxury wardrobe you've always wanted. It's all real. In fact, it's verified authentic.

[Danielle Fishel]

So bring your high standards and never limit what you can find. Yeah, eBay the place for new, pre loved, vintage and rare fashion.

[Ryder Strong]

Ebay Things people love this is Danielle.

[Will Friedle]

Fishel, Ryder Strong and Will Friedle from Pod Meets World.

[Danielle Fishel]

For many, the American dream means starting your own business and working for yourself.

[Ryder Strong]

If you're a small business owner, launching a company or dreaming of starting one, then you'll not only want to make sure you're using a platform like Intuit QuickBooks, but you'll also want to check out season three of Mind the Business small business success stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio and Intuit QuickBooks.

[Danielle Fishel]

In every episode, hosts Austin Henkiewicz and Janice Torres talk to small business owners about how they've grown and maintained their business and tackled the hurdles and challenges that come with being your own boss.

[Will Friedle]

From tracking money in and out to.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cutting through the complexity with an all encompassing platform like QuickBooks, you don't want to miss these inspiring stories of small business journeys.

[Ryder Strong]

Listen to Mind the small business success Stories on the iHeartrade app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, we're back at the apartment. Eric is huddled over a lone candle while wearing a black man blouse as classical music plays on a boombox.

[Will Friedle]

This is peak. This is I'll never look better than in the black outfit.

[Danielle Fishel]

You're very tan. I was like, did Will go to Hawaii tan hair?

[Will Friedle]

I've for some reason got the 90210 mutton chops going on. Like that's the look for me. This, this is peak will right here.

[Danielle Fishel]

Hottie, hottie, hot, hot Will Friedle downhill.

[Will Friedle]

From, from this moment on, I think.

[Danielle Fishel]

Listen, I had a great season. You're going to have a great season. I'm excited for you. It's great. It's so great. Congratulations on your season. Thank you.

[Will Friedle]

I'm really excited.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you.

[Ryder Strong]

Indy Watched the opening credits or. I started. He was going to bed and I was like, no, no, I gotta watch. So then I started, he's like, wait, can I watch? I was like, no, go to bed. And it was paused, paused. And he's like, who's that red headed girl? I was like, oh, well, she just got added. Who's that? He didn't know who Matt Lawrence was. I was like, well, that's my half brother. Haven't you. He's like, why is your hair so short? Which by the way, it looks awful in the old credits. My hair looks awful. I was like, oh, I didn't remember my hair being cut this short anyway.

[Will Friedle]

And then he's like.

[Ryder Strong]

I was like, that's Will. He's like, that's Will. Oh my God. I'm like, get out of here. Go to bed. So I kicked him. But yeah, he didn't recognize you. He was like, who's that blonde guy? I'm like, that's Will.

[Will Friedle]

He's like, highlights and everything.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Writer. I like your short hair. I do.

[Ryder Strong]

I. I like in the opening credits. It looks awful. I don't know.

[Danielle Fishel]

I don't. I didn't pay attention to the opening credits. But like in this episode, I thought your hair looked great. At the start of the college stuff, I was like, wow, I like this short hairstyle.

[Will Friedle]

Are you a fan of Eric Long Hair or do you like Eric Short Hair better?

[Danielle Fishel]

I like Eric Long Hair. Yeah, I mean, you're right.

[Ryder Strong]

This is the perfect man.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, this is like the right. This is, this is peak. This is peak. Hottie, hottie, hot Y. Yeah, it's all downhill from here. Jack walks in and stares at his roommate. Eric feels his judgment. Oh, it's you. Get lost. Jack asks what he's doing and Eric answers, shut your cakehole, Irene.

[Ryder Strong]

At this point, it's just random words. Give Will something funny to say. He'll make it work.

[Will Friedle]

Random words.

[Ryder Strong]

He'll sell it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Sensitive. All right. Rachel's gonna come back here and see that I'm sensitive and all man and not half man. Like, you're sorry, tushy Jack congratulate con. Jack congratulates him. You're officially in the idiot hall of shame. Eric channels some Zen. That hurts me, but I understand where it's coming from and it's okay. Jack says Rachel is going to see right through this. But Eric says he's wrong. She's going to fall deep into my trap of sensitivity. Jack begs him as a friend, do not make a fool of yourself himself. Eric repeats the sentiment. He's asking him not to make a fool of himself. Then he reveals a big grin. How is that, man? It's like looking in a mirror. It's a face off.

[Ryder Strong]

So good. It's actually like a really good. You like, do perfect impression of him.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes, it's perfect. And then he does the. The like sawing of your. And then it's so funny. He then makes emotions in reference to the recent Nick Cage movie. Eric, Jack, Jack, Eric. You don't even know who you are anymore. Then Rachel walks in. Eric immediately summons some tears. Hello, Rachel. He reaches to cue the music and dramatically sits back down with his candle. Rachel wants to know what's the matter. And Eric explains. It's the children.

[Ryder Strong]

It's right. The children, puppies and friends. I was like, this is where you got it. This is the first time you do that. This is the Ricky boys. Oh, my God. So good. Can't believe it. The children.

[Danielle Fishel]

Children, the children.

[Ryder Strong]

It's actually slightly different. It's not quite fully evolved. Ricky, Ricky, you discovered here on the podcast, but it started here.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Ryder Strong]

It's so fun. This was a fun. This is like. This is what I was like. Oh, man. Sitcom is so good. When it's good. Like this is peak sitcom. Like somebody, a character that's so well established. No big set pieces, just a funny shirt. And you're trying to do something that's out of character. We all know it's out of character and we are with you. It is so, so fun. It is just like this is what multicam can do better than any.

[Danielle Fishel]

Anything else.

[Ryder Strong]

Any other form.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

So good.

[Danielle Fishel]

It also is like. It's the. It's the. Where the office really defined what it means to watch cringe television. This is like below that. It's a little cringy. Like you're. You're embarrassed for him. But mostly it is. It is so along for the ride and laughing. It's like the perfect amount of gosh, I can't wait to see what he does next. It's so good, right?

[Ryder Strong]

We don't have. We don't Have Jack looking at the camera going, like, can you believe he's doing this? They always needed to do in all those, you know, reality. But in multicam, you just have to go with it. You just, like. Everybody's fully committed to this completely fake reality, which is so fun.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, she's concerned. What children? To which Eric responds, all of them. They're just so little. Please don't make me go on. Because the world is a melancholy place where human relationships must rise to the forefront of our too brief experience on this insignificant, swirling blue orb until we're extinguished like a flickering flame. Eric touches the candle and then jumps, oh, that's hot.

[Will Friedle]

That's hot. That was all. So I remember during. During the first run through, I added touching the candle, and then Michael pulled me aside afterwards. He's like, I'm gonna add, ow, that hot. I'm like, oh, perfect. So that was all Michael coming in like, yeah, we're putting out that hot. Like, all right, great.

[Danielle Fishel]

So funny. Jack scoffs at the theatrics, but Rachel gives Eric a big hug. That is the most sensitive thing I've ever heard. Jack is shocked. While Eric holds Rachel's embrace with pure glee, she asks, would you go with me to do laundry? Laundry? Jack can't believe what he's hearing. Rachel admits, I'm sorry. I just need to be alone with Eric. Jack asks, you do. And Eric responds, she do. He makes his way to the door by pushing his friend onto the couch by his face. I feel your pain, but get out of my way. Eric turns to his beloved and says with a smolder, we've got to attend to the delegates. He opens the door for her, and as she waltzes right through it, he turns to Jack and drops the facade. She's gonna see right through me, isn't she? He grabs her laundry basket and picks up a piece of clothing. Dude, this is her bra. He sprints out the door.

[Ryder Strong]

I mean, I was definitely a little confused at this point. I was like, why is the laundry room where he wants to go? And then I was like, oh, the joke is going to be that she's gonna get him to do things for her, like get him to do the laundry, get him to do. I thought. I thought it was gonna be like, she's gonna make Eric do all this stuff, like cook dinner. So I was like, oh, that's gonna be clever because you see her make the turn. Like, she turns, but I'm gonna pretend, right? But then I was like, oh, yeah, it ended up being something different. But I was like, why the laundry room? Why is that exciting to Eric?

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh yeah, I. I think other than, I guess just being alone with her.

[Ryder Strong]

Alone with her and her underwear and her unmentionables. Unmentionables.

[Will Friedle]

Women's bras. Pretty sexy.

[Ryder Strong]

Always funny.

[Will Friedle]

Always funny.

[Danielle Fishel]

And then we're back in Jackson Hole. Corey's now sitting in Feeny's chair wearing his own fishing gear, possibly dozing off. Ned casually asks him, nice day, huh, Walter? Corey nods, Yep. Then an enthusiastic Feeny appears. Who's up for a movie? Ned likes the idea but asks, why don't we wait till it rains? Feeny asks why they can't do it now, and Ned points out the obvious. We're fishing. The fish are really jumping. Feeny disagrees. No, they're not. I haven't seen a fish once since I've been here. Corey advises through a bucket hat that's covering half his face. Take it easy, George. George, we've got the rest of our lives to catch a fish. Ned agrees. Walter makes a lot of sense, George. Feeny argues. No, Walter doesn't. I know. No, he doesn't. And his name is not Walter. It's Corey. Ned counters, Corey is too young a name to be here.

[Ryder Strong]

Corey's a really old time. I don't know. I just definitely don't think of Corey as like a young, hip name.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, I know. It's definitely not hip. No, Feeny agrees. Corey's too young to be here. I'm too young to be here. He turns his attention back to Corey. I've indulged your little fantasy for a weekend, hoping you'd come to your senses. But obviously no one here comes to their senses. Ned is offended. Don't insult our way of life, feeny admits. I'm just not ready for your way of life. Corey is unaffected. We'll miss you, George.

[Will Friedle]

I love Walter.

[Danielle Fishel]

Feeny lifts Corey by the arm and pulls him off the pier.

[Ryder Strong]

Back.

[Danielle Fishel]

Back to school, Walter. Then we're in the boys laundry room. Rachel and Eric are doing laundry together. Eric says, I'm glad you noticed the sensitive side of me. As well as the devil may care side. Rachel leans on the door, giving Eric a seductive glance. You have it all. Everything a girl could want. She slams the door shut and locks it. Eric nervously thanks her. But why'd you lock the door? Rachel says if it was open, somebody could come in. Eric, while throwing dirty clothes onto the ground, thinking it's going into the laundry basket, I guess, finishes her thought. Yeah. Then they take the best Machines.

[Ryder Strong]

I just don't know whether to bring up the obvious that, like, this feels like a porn scene. Like, this is a riff on a porn scene, Right? Like, that's the joke is that she suddenly becomes. It becomes like the fantasy laundry room scene in a porn film. And I was like, how ironic that the actress ends up doing that.

[Danielle Fishel]

True. Except then that same joke applies to every time a woman decides to manhandle a man on Boy Meets World. And like, okay.

[Ryder Strong]

But it makes doing a bit like she's playing to a fantasy, which to.

[Danielle Fishel]

Me is even more weird because you've done this for every woman at one point or another where it's been like, it's time. Take me. And in this case, it's out of character.

[Ryder Strong]

Out of character. I also don't get.

[Will Friedle]

They've established Eric has, has, is. Has had sex. So why does this now freak him out? Like, the woman who he wants to have sex with now wants to have sex with him, and he's now, now scared by it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, and also he's never been with her in this situation. For all he knows, this is exactly who she is. They've known her for two episodes and they've never seen her in the bedroom. So like, to act like, whoa, who are you? I don't know who you are. It's just. It's. It is pretty weird. But yes, writer, I would agree with you that this feels very porn adjacent. If not for the idea that, then I would have to say, every time a woman has tried to manhandle a man, lock the door behind him, wear on it. Wear a jersey Z.

[Ryder Strong]

That's true.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's happened to Corey in every episode.

[Ryder Strong]

Episode. Right.

[Will Friedle]

Porn adjacent is my new favorite phrase I think I've ever heard in my life.

[Ryder Strong]

It describes a lot of media out there.

[Danielle Fishel]

It does. You're right.

[Ryder Strong]

It's my suggested reels on Instagram. As always. Porn adjacent.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, your tick tock.

[Ryder Strong]

It'll always just be like.

[Danielle Fishel]

Like woman.

[Ryder Strong]

Like a bouncing lady.

[Will Friedle]

What is.

[Danielle Fishel]

Wow. All these women do jump roping, exercise videos.

[Ryder Strong]

It's not porn, but it's porn adjacent.

[Danielle Fishel]

Adjacent.

[Will Friedle]

All jumping ladies, books and cats. You've got the strangest IG ever.

[Ryder Strong]

No cats, but definitely book books. Books and butts. Definitely.

[Danielle Fishel]

Rachel laughs, but her tone quickly gets serious. No, silly. I brought you here because I've never found you more attractive than I do right now. Now she aggressively hurls Eric on top of a washing machine and grabs his legs. I am so hot. Are you? Eric is eager. Yeah, I'm Hot. This dryer's on fluff. Rachel smirks. So am I. Then she begins to unbutton his shirt. He asks what she's doing. This shirt is clean. Rachel keeps going. I just want to smush it up a little bit. Eric agrees. Smushing's good. I like smushing. But then he stops her and hops off the door. The dryer. He says, this is wrong. She's hurt. What's the matter? Don't you want me? Eric can't deny it, but not in the laundry room. He always figured if they ever did this, it would be in some romantic fleabag motel. Rachel is unfazed. She pushes him against the wall. If you went to all the trouble to be the perfect man for me, the least I could do is be the perfect woman for you. So there's our answer.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, that's what that is. He wants the. She thinks he wants the porn star is what it kind of.

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

And it also. Again, what I. What I'm pointing out is that our writers have written women to be the male fantasy of what a woman is. And so here, out of the mouth of a woman, she's pretending to be the perfect woman.

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

Which is better than the alternative. It's better than just being that. Right. She is allowed a layer of depth. There is a layer. I'm. Yeah. Your. Your point that the layers actually been utilized in the opposite direction many times on this show.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Ryder Strong]

And it's like, why would Eric. I like, I. I think it needs just one extra touch. Like, one thing that she does that's a little. Because Eric went to this room to make out with her. At least. Like, he's not like, why is this freaking him out? That should be like, that one thing. Like, she pulls out a whip or I know where it's like, oh, oh, now it's too far. Like, I don't know what that is.

[Will Friedle]

Is she just snaps on a rubber glove but doesn't say anything.

[Ryder Strong]

And it's like, oh, what could it have been? What could it have been that would have fit tgif?

[Danielle Fishel]

Like, because, I mean, it's.

[Ryder Strong]

To me, it's the idea that she, like, actually, you know, if you could imply that he was hoping to, like, kiss her, but she's actually going to, like, if she, like, cleared off a table and was like, let's do it right here.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Ryder Strong]

But I guess that would have been too explicit for a kids show. I don't know.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I mean, I think that's what they were doing. With the buttoning of the shirt is like, oh my gosh, she's already trying to take my clothes off versus just like try to kiss me. I think that's kind of what was supposed to be happening, which is what makes him jump off. Like, oh my gosh, you're undressing me. That's more than I was anticipating.

[Will Friedle]

This is also clearly pre Jersey Shore when smushing is what what sex was. That's what they just like, hey, I smush. We smooshed last night. We got a smush. So it's with Eric saying, I like smushing, smushing, smushing.

[Ryder Strong]

You are not ready to have sex. Oh, that's like our prom conversation.

[Will Friedle]

Smashing.

[Ryder Strong]

If you. It's like, like, if you call it humping, you not. You're not ready.

[Will Friedle]

Like, what about bumping uglies? Bumping uglies isn't good.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, I don't like it. No, you somehow always know the thing to say. That makes me go too far, man.

[Ryder Strong]

Too totally smushed last.

[Will Friedle]

We smooshed, man.

[Danielle Fishel]

We smooshed.

[Will Friedle]

We smooshed, bro. Eric dtf and we smushed.

[Ryder Strong]

Smoosh.

[Danielle Fishel]

Eric wiggles out of her grip. This isn't you. I don't like this you. Rachel sternly asks, then what do you want me to be? Sensitive, funny brunette Eric admits, I want you to be yourself. If you're not yourself, then what are you? Rachel answers, somebody else. Eric nods. And if you want to be in a relationship with me, then I want you to be there, not somebody else. And then he realizes what she's done. Oh, I get it. Rachel grins. And I want you to be the funny, wonderful person you are. Because that's how I like like you. Promise me you're not gonna change. Okay? Eric scoffs. Okay, on one condition. Put me back on the dryer. She giggles and hoists him back up and they laugh at the fun. The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive.

[Will Friedle]

From toothpaste to dish soap. Chances are you've got Colgate Palm olive products on your shopping shopping list and in your house.

[Ryder Strong]

Right now, we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, hello Irish Spring Fabuloso, and Toms of Mame.

[Danielle Fishel]

And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products.

[Will Friedle]

Here's how it works. Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to CP.

[Ryder Strong]

It's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need.

[Danielle Fishel]

Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping.

[Will Friedle]

And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive Rewards.

[Danielle Fishel]

Available while supplies Last. Limit supply US only January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2025 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com hey, it's Amy.

[Amy Brown]

Brown from the Bobbi Bones Show. Join me in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a chance to win a trip to meet at the 2025 I Heart Country Festival in Austin, Texas on May 3, hosted by Bobby Bones. We're going to hook you up with tickets, flights, hotel, food credits and a meet and greet with Megan Maroney. Take action now to support St. Jude and help cure childhood cancer and you're going to be entered for a chance to win. Visit iheartcountrytrip.com to learn more.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is what you do when you have high standards and fancy all the fancy things. Things like an iconic Dior saddlebag or that diamond tennis bracelet. You go to ebay.

[Ryder Strong]

There you'll find new loves that will never disappoint. Expertly authenticated in everything.

[Danielle Fishel]

Whether it's that vintage pearl necklace or brand new ruby earrings, a Prada crossbody bag to be besties with your other handbag. Even an eternally classic watch like that Rolex Oyster or that Cartier tank. You know the one.

[Ryder Strong]

And when you find it, ebay has their expert's eyes to make sure you're getting the real deal. That way you can be confident that the designer finds you came for the luxury wardrobe you've always wanted. It's all real. In fact, it's verified authentic.

[Danielle Fishel]

So bring your high standards and never limit what you can find. Yeah, eBay the place for new, pre loved vintage and rare fashion.

[Ryder Strong]

Ebay Things People Love this is Danielle.

[Will Friedle]

Fishel, Ryder Strong and Will Friedle from Pod Meets World.

[Danielle Fishel]

For many, the American dream means starting your own business and working for yourself.

[Ryder Strong]

If you're a small business owner, launching a company or dreaming of starting one, then you'll not only want to make sure you're using a platform like Intuit QuickBooks, but you'll also want to check out season three of Mind the Business small business success stories from iHeartMedia's Ruby Studio and Intuit QuickBooks.

[Danielle Fishel]

In every episode hosts Austin Henkiewicz and Janice Torres talk to small business owners about how they've grown and maintained their business business and tackled the hurdles and challenges that come with being your own boss.

[Will Friedle]

From tracking money in and out to.

[Danielle Fishel]

Cutting through the complexity with an all encompassing platform like QuickBooks, you don't want to miss these inspiring stories of small business journeys.

[Ryder Strong]

Listen to Mind the Business Small business success Stories on the iHeart app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danielle Fishel]

So then we are in the guidance counselor's office. Corey is back, this time with Feeny. The guidance counselor explains to him, I understand you've dedicated your life to teaching, but that was at the high school level. This is college? Feeny asks. High school serves to prepare you for college, am I correct? The man pushes back. There are 5,000 incoming freshmen who were able to register correctly. He wasn't. Perhaps. Perhaps he wasn't adequately prepared. DTF down to fight.

[Ryder Strong]

Feeny.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, man.

[Danielle Fishel]

Whoa.

[Will Friedle]

I thought. I frankly thought the audience was gonna have a bigger reaction than they did. I know there was a little bit of like, yeah. But I thought I was gonna be like, what?

[Ryder Strong]

This is a strainy.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know.

[Ryder Strong]

I mean, this whole thing is weird because I was like, are they really going to have Feeny get Corey out of this situation? And then they don't. Actually.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, he doesn't. He doesn't have the power.

[Ryder Strong]

He can't do anything. He just says, there's nothing we can do here. Corey, let's go.

[Will Friedle]

But it's so broader.

[Ryder Strong]

Why did you come all the way from Jackson Hole.

[Will Friedle]

Jackson Hole.

[Ryder Strong]

Jackson Hole. To do this and you can't do anything? And so the lesson, it was a weird moment. I was like, but why do we need Feeny to come in and like, guns blazing.

[Will Friedle]

It's also, it's the same scene with Eric that we saw before. But Eric did it by himself.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Like, Eric didn't have Feeny there with him when he went to Dean Bolender.

[Danielle Fishel]

Like, this is the same scene. Didn't he have imaginary Feeney? Wasn't that the episode?

[Will Friedle]

No, this is the one where it was like. It was the big scene with. With I'm with Bonnie and I'm like, I want to come to this school. I missed my interview. It's like he did it himself where. Where Corey needs Feeny to come and help him and then Feeny can't really help him.

[Ryder Strong]

Doesn't help.

[Will Friedle]

No.

[Danielle Fishel]

I also just the joke of this being his nephew is like, what? Where he goes.

[Ryder Strong]

He says, okay, yeah, of all my nephews, the inmates.

[Danielle Fishel]

Ooh. As Feeny crouches down to the counselor's eye level. You know something, Myron? Out of all my nephews, I hate you the most.

[Will Friedle]

It's like, what? Also, how do you miss the joke of not having him eating something else when you walk in?

[Danielle Fishel]

How is Myron not have another sandwiching.

[Will Friedle]

A sandwich as he's eating? Yeah.

[Ryder Strong]

I wouldn't be surprised if there was, like, there was a major rewrite to this whole storyline.

[Will Friedle]

You think?

[Ryder Strong]

I bet you. Originally, Feeny got Cory out of the situation, and then there was a network note that was like, what? You can't do that. I feel like there was a rewrite where they were like, well, we can keep the shape of Feeny saving Corey, but we can't actually have Feeny save Corey. So we'll just have the archaic and eat it too. And it's like. But it's a weird sequence. I don't. You know, it's nice to have Feeny back. I obviously, like, we need to keep Feeny involved, of course. But I don't know.

[Danielle Fishel]

And I do think it's the spark of Feeny can't stay away. You know, we were able to rescue him from Jackson Hole, and now he's. He's not.

[Ryder Strong]

I like the idea that he hates retirement, that it's not for him. That's funny. I just don't need him in this scene.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

Nor should he be there, frankly. It should be Corey getting himself out of the trouble he put himself in.

[Ryder Strong]

He's in college now and he can't.

[Will Friedle]

Right. Yeah, exactly.

[Danielle Fishel]

We could go right to this next part at the student union where he's like, I already talked to the counselor. And Feeny's like, you know, you're just gonna have to deal with it, you know? So Feeny tells Corey there's nothing to be done, and he leads him out the door. The guidance counselor calmly tells his uncle, mother will be calling you. And Feeny pretends to be frightened. Then we are outside the student union. Feeny is trudging ahead of Corey. I'm sorry. I feel like I failed you. Maybe it's just as well I retired. Corey argues back as they enter the union. No, no. The most important things I learned from you have nothing to do with the courses anyway. What I learned from you was mostly about life and how to make friends and how to help support the people you care about. The gang appears behind them, and Shawn agrees. That's what she taught all of us. How you doing, Mr. Feeny? Feeny smiles. Howdy. Topanga chimes in. Thank you for bringing my Walter home. Then she gives Corey a kiss. Corey tells the gang, I'd love to chat, but Mr. Feeny and I, we gotta start studying for Quantum. Him. Whatever it is I signed up for. Topanga hands him a slip of paper, and Corey's confused. She explains, it's your schedule. You have two classes with me and three with Sean. I figured you'd want it that way.

[Will Friedle]

So, wait, they all. Here's the math.

[Danielle Fishel]

Isn't math.

[Will Friedle]

She was going to screw up.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

So they all took an extra class. Originally, there are three of us, okay?

[Danielle Fishel]

We each took an extra class. Then we dropped one and made room for him. But he somehow has five classes and there are three of us. So two of us took on two extra classes.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah, well. And also, how could he. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's like. It's kind of like, what?

[Danielle Fishel]

Wait, what?

[Ryder Strong]

I like the message that, like, oh, yeah, friends, take care.

[Will Friedle]

Yes, of course.

[Danielle Fishel]

And he's so predictable that we all said, we know what's happening. How do we preemptively fix the situation?

[Ryder Strong]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

I also love how, once again, Feeny knows everything. Where he's like, we got to get rid of Ready? Because Feeny's got to teach me quantum physics. He knows everything. It's like, okay.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Ryder Strong]

So.

[Danielle Fishel]

Corey can't believe it. How'd you do this? Topanga explains, we each signed up for an extra class, and then Angela continues, and then we dropped one. And Shawn concludes, and signed you up instead. And how did you do that?

[Ryder Strong]

This.

[Danielle Fishel]

Topanga smiles. Hey, we had the same teacher. You did. Feenie smiles at his students as soft music plays in the background. Corey takes a look at his new schedule. So I'm ready to start college now. Feeny nods. I think you are, Mr. Matthews. I think you all are.

[Ryder Strong]

There we go.

[Danielle Fishel]

There we go.

[Ryder Strong]

I still don't get it.

[Will Friedle]

I still don't get the. I still don't get what happened. But it's very sweet.

[Ryder Strong]

Feeny taught us. We took care of our friend. But. But what I don't get is babysit Corey. The bottom line is, Corey's such a baby, and he can't ever figure out life. And when Feeny's not there, we pick up the slap.

[Will Friedle]

But wait. So, like. So, like, they all went and joined. So let's say, in making one up, English 101. Sean joins English 101. Topanga then joins English 101, knowing she's going to drop English 101 to to let Corey have English 101.

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

Is that the logic?

[Ryder Strong]

Right. But how did he get registered like that?

[Will Friedle]

That's what I'm saying.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't understand his registration information. And like.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes, because then we signed him up instead.

[Will Friedle]

Right, but then why have to sign yourself up to drop it? Why not just sign him up?

[Ryder Strong]

Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

I don't understand the logic.

[Danielle Fishel]

You're right. I don't know. Because it does say we signed one, an extra one for us. Then we dropped it and we signed you up.

[Ryder Strong]

We signed up of. In case he did what he does, which is that he signs up for bad classes because he. We.

[Danielle Fishel]

Why wouldn't we writing our name on the list. Why didn't we. Why didn't just write and Cory Matthews right under me?

[Ryder Strong]

Because then he would have known that he was signed up for that class when he was going to go sign up for all the classes he did sign up for. Okay, so the idea is that we covered his butt by signing, signing up for extra classes that somehow I also signed up for three of them. So you and Angela signed up for three classes that I was in.

[Will Friedle]

Gotcha.

[Ryder Strong]

I don't.

[Danielle Fishel]

Guys, the sentiment is so sweet.

[Ryder Strong]

That's so sweet.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's a rom.

[Ryder Strong]

It's a sweet romp.

[Will Friedle]

It's a swamp.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's a swamp. All right. We jump into the tag. We're in the apartment hallway. Rachel makes Eric promise not to change who he is. He makes sure you like me, how I am. She nods very much. Eric reminds her, I do have a sensitive side, you know. Rachel grins. I know. Now can I have my bra back, please? Eric tries to stay straight faced. Nope. Rachel smile widens. See? You are funny. And nobody should change the way they are. Then she opens the apartment door and we hear a squeaking. Jack is dressed up in a clown costume, riding a little tricycle in the kitchen. Kitchen and squeaking its tiny bell. Eventually, Jack accidentally tips it over and falls directly onto his face. Unaffected. Eric asks Rachel, laundry room. Rachel agrees. Yeah, laundry room. She helps Jack back onto his feet and drags him out the door while Eric stays behind. Before he's pulled outside, Jack boasts, eric, I'm going to the laundry room. Eric nods before yelling, next time ask before you borrow my bike.

[Ryder Strong]

He recovers, lipped.

[Danielle Fishel]

Of course it was.

[Will Friedle]

The scene ended with Jack going, I'm going to the laundry room. And the door shuts. And that was the end. Everything else I just threw in in front of the audience. I'll never forget that.

[Ryder Strong]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Next time just ask before you borrow my bike. He recovers the fallen tricycle and coddles it while carefully carrying it back to his room. Yep. Well, thank you all for joining us for this episode of Pod Meets World. Our next episode will be Season 6, Episode 4, Friendly Persuasion. It originally aired October 16, 1998. As always, you can follow us on Instagram Pod Meets Worldshow. You can send us your emails podmeetsworldshowmail.com and we've got merch.

[Will Friedle]

I'm gonna buy three T shirts and then drop two of the T shirts so that you can have two T shirts. Ah, merch.

[Danielle Fishel]

Podmeatsworldshow.com will send us out.

[Will Friedle]

We love you all. Pod Dismissed. Pod Meets World is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Ryder Schwarzenegger, executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production Danielle Romo, producer and Editor Tara Sudbaksh, producer Matty Moore, engineer and Boy Meets World superfan Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon and you can follow us on Instagram @podmeatsworldshow or email us at podmeatsworldshowmail.com the New Year's Here.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cashback rewards with Colgate Palm Olive.

[Ryder Strong]

Here's how it works. Buy up to $30 of Colgate Palm Olive products, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com that's.

[Will Friedle]

Cprewards.Com and get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card.

[Ryder Strong]

Start your year fresh by earning cashback.

[Will Friedle]

Rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available while supplies last. Limit supply US only January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2020 for full terms, visit cprewards.com for the past 10 years.

[Danielle Fishel]

A lot has come and gone in my life, but one thing that stayed consistent? A Samsung phone. You couldn't get me to change even if you tried. And trust me, many have. And now with my newest phone, the Galaxy S25 Ultra from Samsung, I have a true AI companion, making life easier and more efficient. And for years people have asked how my photos look so good and I can't yell it loud enough. It's because I have a Samsung and with the new 50 megapixel ultra wide lens, it's even better for beautiful scenic views and a little extra room for a few more family members to fit in the frame. You're welcome, Uncle Pete. Are you ready to let this mind blowing new phone do more for you so you can do you then trust me and get your Galaxy S25 Ultra [e-mail] will I'm excited to announce I am on a seafood diet.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, I remember this joke. You used to always tell it we were whatever food you see, you eat.

[Danielle Fishel]

No, this time I mean it. Thanks to Gorton Seafood. I absolutely love their fresh tasting fish sticks and so do my three and five year old. We made the butterfly shrimp into tacos one night and it was so easy to prep and it was the perfect excuse to break out the air fryer.

[Will Friedle]

I love the quality of Gorton's. It's a brand you can trust. Susan and I made a butterfly shrimp bowl for lunch and it was seriously restaurant quality but in the comfort of your own home and and for a fraction of the cost. I'm going to join you on that seafood diet as long as it's Gorton's.

[Danielle Fishel]

With over 175 years of experience, Gorton's is committed to spreading the goodness of the sea by making quality seafood accessible to everyone while responsibly sustaining its future.

[Will Friedle]

Visit gortons.com to learn more, find a store and get a recipe inspiration.

[Danielle Fishel]

This podcast is supported by BetterHelp, offering licensed therapists you can connect with via video phone or chat. Here's BetterHelp head of clinical operations Hes Yu Jo discussing who can benefit from therapy.

[Ryder Strong]

I think a lot of people think that you're supposed to be going to therapy once you're like having panic attacks every day. But before you get to that point, I think once you start even noticing that you feel a little bit off and you can't maintain this harmony that you once had in relationships. That could be a sign that maybe you want to go talk to somebody. There's always a benefit in talking to someone because we can all benefit from improved insight about ourselves and who we are and how we behave with other people. So if you're human, that's like a good indicator that you could benefit from talking to somebody.

[Danielle Fishel]

Find out if therapy is right for you. Visit betterhelp.com today. That's betterhelp.com.