218 - By Hook or By Crook

This week we had La Marca Prosecco and watched season 2 episode 18 titled “By Hook or By Crook.” Eric‘s the main character of this one! Cory’s sick (with mono)—Ben Savage probably had some time off—and Eric (a *sophomore in high school*) has to get his grades up so his parents will let him *backpack around Europe*… totally reasonable and realistic for a fifteen-year-old. The senior girl Feeney assigns to tutor Eric writes him off as a pretty face with no academic potential, and she ends up helping him cheat instead of actually teaching him the material. This one got Brie a little choked up… Nothing sadder than when a kid genuinely wants to learn, and a person in a power position snuffs out that spark. Not cool, Tori. 

This week we sipped ‘Bread & Butter’ Pinot Noir and watched season 2 episode 17: “On the Air.” This is the one where Shawn and Cory take over the school radio station and turn it into the 90s version of a dating app. Oh, and Eric gets scammed by Publishers Clearing House (notorious for a magazine subscription sweepstakes scam). We had a realization in this one: as the boys are learning in school about the responsibilities that come with the right to free speech, the PCH scam shows us that unchecked freedom can lead to rampant exploitation of vulnerable populations. Like Eric. And the elderly. Cheers!

This week we sipped Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay and watched Season 2, Episode 16: “Danger Boy.” That’s right! We’re back to the “[Fill-in-the-Blank] Boy” motif! This was a silly one, but it features probably the most iconic shot from the early days of this series: Cory and Mr. Feeny on a roller coaster, mouths agape, Feeny’s glasses askew. Both Cory and Mr. Feeny find themselves being underestimated by their friends, so they take a death ride on a dangerous new coaster to prove to everyone they’re tough. It’s giving “Weenie Hut Jr.,” and we’re here for it.

This week, we tried The Pinot Project and watched Season 2, Episode 15: “Breaking Up Is Really, Really Hard to Do.” Cory invites Wendy to a “couples only” party, and they end up on very different pages about how serious the “relationship” is (Wendy sees Cory as endgame; Cory just wanted a date). We consider this the episode where Cory determines what “committed love” means to him: commitment looks like “wearing the socks.” In other words, you just decide to stick around, and you make it work. Series Spoiler Alert: We all know he doesn’t end up with Wendy, but she certainly helps Cory figure some important stuff out before he ends up with Topanga! Oh, and remember: They WANT you to take the rolls!

This week we tried Uno, an Argentinian Malbec, as we chatted about Season 2 Episode 14: “I Am Not a Crook.” This episode was shockingly topical. Cory runs for class president, Shawn acts as his campaign manager, and hijinks ensue as the youth play out all the unfortunately typical patterns of the democratic process. As the kids engage in dirty politics and smear campaigns, Feeny holds back the urge to intervene so Turner can once again prove that kids (and people) learn best through the experiential process of trial and error. Unfortunately, based on how things are going in 2026, Feeny might have a point that we don’t always learn what’s best when we’re left to our own devices…

This week we sipped St. Francis cabernet while we unpacked Season 2 Episode 13: “Cyrano.” Ever see an episode of a TV show where a conventionally attractive (but less intellectual) character gets help wooing a sophisticated lover from a less popular (but more eloquent) friend? Well that (arguably overused) plotline is inspired by a late nineteenth century play called “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand. Much respect to Susan Estelle Jansen for being explicit with the reference! Cory and Shawn read the play in Turner’s class while  accidentally helping Frankie woo Harley Keiner’s girlfriend. Oh, and Alan learns that a trash compactor is not a gift for an anniversary, but rather, for a Tuesday. Cheers!

This week we sipped A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir and watched Season 2 Episode 12: “Turnaround”. Cory learns “you dance with the one that brought you” in this Pygmalion-inspired episode about a Sadie Hawkins-style “Turnaround” school dance. This is the one where Shawn and Cory give a Swedish-American girl a makeover (a la “She’s All That” or “Pretty Woman” or “My Fair Lady”) to make her “cool” so Cory, her date, can be cool-by-association—because according to Eric, the caliber of girl who asks you to the Turnaround determines who you are forever. We laughed, we unpacked gender norms, and we learned that “smorgasbord” is a Swedish word. Skol! 

Cory and Sean are definitely NOT the good guys in Season 2 Episode 11: “The Beard”. Sean can’t choose between two girls, so he asks Cory to keep one of them “off the market” by dating her until Sean decides whether or not he wants her. We unpack Cory’s famous line, “What am I Tupperware?” and determine that: the girls are reduced to “meat”, Cory’s reduced to “Tupperware”, and Sean sits at the top of this pyramid of dehumanization. Don’t worry, the whole cast “boos” them both, making for a surprisingly satisfying ending to this episode packed with important lessons for adolescents! Oh, and we had Imagery Sauv Blanc in this one. Cheers!  

When you remember you have free will, you pick up a bottle of Moët and Chandon just to talk to your sister about Season 2 Episode 10 of Boy Meets World titled, “Sister Theresa”! “Politeness kills,” according to Cory, and, honestly? He’s not wrong. When politeness requires dishonesty, it can be detrimental, especially in relationships. We loved the way the writers made a distinction between “politeness” and “generosity”: Cory’s politeness only masks his selfishness, but TK, a decidedly impolite character, is almost too generous. But Cory’s redeeming quality is his emotional intelligence, which allows him to see past TK’s rough facade and recognize the goodness in her heart. That’s why we love you, Cory!

The sisters sip Juggernaut Cabernet Sauvignon (and talk about their first kisses — Ooh! Aah! ) in Season 2 Episode 9: “Fear Strikes Out”! Cory goes to a makeout party and learns that no one actually knows what they’re doing… except maybe Shawn. Happy Valentine’s Day, y’all!