| Girl Meets World | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Created by | Michael Jacobs &April Kelly |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer |
|
| Opening theme | "Take On the World" [1]by
|
| Composer | Ray Colcord |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 72(list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Michael Jacobs |
| Producer | Randi Barnes |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 20–24 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | Disney Channel |
| Release | June 27, 2014 (2014-06-27) – January 20, 2017 (2017-01-20) |
| Related | |
| Boy Meets World (1993–2000) | |
Girl Meets World is an Americancomedy television series created byMichael Jacobs andApril Kelly that premiered onDisney Channel on June 27, 2014. The series ran for three seasons, consisting of 72 episodes, and concluded on January 20, 2017. The series is a spinoff ofBoy Meets World and starsRowan Blanchard,Ben Savage,Sabrina Carpenter,Peyton Meyer,August Maturo,Danielle Fishel, andCorey Fogelmanis.
The series centers around the life of Riley and her friends and family, particularly their school life, in which Cory is their history teacher. Riley shares a strong relationship with her best friend Maya Hart, who assists her in learning to cope with social and personal issues of adolescence. SeveralBoy Meets World cast members reprise their roles in the series.
It has been several years since Cory and Topanga Matthews moved to New York City. The series follows their daughter, Riley Matthews, and her best friend, Maya Hart, as they navigate challenges of life and school. Following along with them are their classmates Lucas Friar and Farkle Minkus and Riley's younger brother Auggie.
| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 20 | June 27, 2014 (2014-06-27) | March 27, 2015 (2015-03-27) | |
| Special | April 17, 2015 (2015-04-17) | |||
| 2 | 30 | May 11, 2015 (2015-05-11) | March 11, 2016 (2016-03-11) | |
| 3 | 21 | June 3, 2016 (2016-06-03) | January 20, 2017 (2017-01-20) | |
In November 2012, it was reported that Disney Channel was in the early stages of development of a follow-up series titledGirl Meets World, which would center on Cory and Topanga's 12-year-old daughter Riley. The original idea for the series was developed by Corey Marsh, an executive director atDisney Channel, who approached Michael Jacobs, co-creator ofBoy Meets World, to produce a similar series for a new generation of children as executive producer andshowrunner.[2] The idea was to create a modern version of the show from a different perspective to the original.[2] On November 26, 2012, it was confirmed by Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel that they would be reprising their roles as Cory Matthews and Topanga Lawrence-Matthews in the series.[3][4] In February 2013, it was announced that Michael Jacobs had reached out to all of the formerBoy Meets World cast members to take part in the new series.[5] On June 17, 2013, Disney Channel officiallygreenlit a series order forGirl Meets World, which began production that summer.[6] On January 23, 2014, the first season order was increased from its initial 13-episode count to 20 to make a full season.[7] On May 2, 2014, a full trailer forGirl Meets World was released.[citation needed] On May 21, 2014, the pilot episode became available as a preview to users on the various Watch Disney Channel mobile and television apps which requireTV Everywhere authentication to watch. Following the TV premiere of the pilot, the episode "Girl Meets Sneak Attack" was made available via the apps.[8] On June 13, 2014, the pilot was made available for free on iTunes. On August 6, 2014,Girl Meets World was renewed for a second season by Disney Channel.[7] The second season premiered on May 11, 2015.[9] The third season ofGirl Meets World was announced on November 25, 2015.[10] The third season premiered on June 3, 2016.
Auditions began in mid-November 2012 for the lead roles of Riley Matthews, the daughter of Cory and Topanga, Maya, a witty friend of Riley's who has a troubled past, and Elliot, Riley's older brother. By the end of January 2013,Rowan Blanchard andSabrina Carpenter were cast as Riley and Maya, respectively.[11][12]Teo Halm was tapped for the role of Elliot in early March.[13] Filming of the pilot began on March 20, 2013,[14] and concluded on March 22, 2013.[15]Rider Strong andWill Friedle made a surprise visit to the set, sparking rumors of a return, or at least a cameo appearance, in the upcoming series.[16]Maitland Ward also made a visit to the set and was asked about the return of her character, Rachel McGuire. Ward said, "I can't really share any show info, but it would be fun if the old gang got back together again!"[17] On October 5, 2013, Teo Halm announced on Twitter that he was no longer involved with the series. A report byTVLine suggested the series was undergoing creative changes after the pilot and his character was ultimately written out of the series.[18] On March 12, 2014, it was announced thatLee Norris would reprise his role of Stuart Minkus.[19] On March 18, 2014, it was announced thatRider Strong would reprise his role of Shawn Hunter.[20] On December 3, 2014, it was announced thatWill Friedle would reprise his role of Eric Matthews, beginning with the second season, along withWilliam Daniels reprising his role as George Feeny in a larger role.[21] On February 3, 2015, it was announced thatTrina McGee would reprise her role as Angela Moore andBlake Clark would reprise his role of Chet Hunter.[22][23] On April 7, 2015, it was announced thatAnthony Tyler Quinn would reprise his role asJonathan Turner.[24] On June 5, 2015, it was announced thatMatthew Lawrence would reprise his role asJack Hunter.[25] On April 1, 2016, it was announced thatReginald VelJohnson would guest star in an episode as a police officer, a nod to VelJohnson's previous role in a differentTGIF sitcom, officerCarl Winslow ofFamily Matters.[26] On July 28, 2016, it was announced thatLily Nicksay and Lindsay Ridgeway, both of whom portrayedMorgan Matthews, would appear in the season three finale.[27]
In a 2025 episode of therewatch podcastPod Meets World, Fishel described the work environment onGirl Meets World to have been a "very, very difficult" environment compared to the fun she had onBoy Meets World, stating that she felt "ostracized" and "very criticized" during her time working on the show.[28]
On January 4, 2017, the series' writers stated on their group Twitter account that they were informed by Disney Channel that the series would not be renewed for a fourth season.[29][30] Viewers of the series led a fan campaign appealing toNetflix to renew the program, noting that as the characters aged, the show was beginning to outgrow Disney Channel'starget demographic.[31] Jacobs expressed "I don't thinkGirl should have been cancelled" and stated he would be interested in continuing the series, revealing that the process was in its "beginning stages" with "interested platforms".[32][33] The cancellation of the series sparked attention in the media. Janelle Okwodu ofVogue reported that the announcement "sent shockwaves through social media—in part because it meant one less realistic depiction on-screen of what it is to be a young woman".[34] Of the series,TVLine reporter Andy Swift suggested that it "maybe shouldn't have been canceled so soon into its run",[35] and Brandon Katz ofForbes commented "the series laid out countless positive moral lessons for its young viewers".[36]Bustle reporter Sabienna Bowman described the program as a "landmark show", stating, "Girl Meets World captured the hearts of the bright, socially aware generation who have grown up in the age of social media", while commending how it dealt with issues centered around young women.[37]
After four months of searching for a viable network, on May 3, 2017, co-creator Jacobs confirmed that he was unable to come to an agreement with any outlet to continue the show, thus effectively ending the series.[38]
The series originally premiered in the United States onDisney Channel and in Canada onFamily Channel on June 27, 2014.[39][40] The series premiered onDisney Channel in Australia on August 25, 2014, and in theUnited Kingdom and Ireland on August 29, 2014.[41][42] In the Balkan countries, Greece, the Middle East and Africa, the series began airing onDisney Channel on November 15, 2014.[43] The series started airing onDisney Channel in Canada on September 1, 2015;[44][45] the episode "Girl Meets I Am Farkle" premiered on Disney Channel in Canada on September 3, 2015, which was before its initial airing in the U.S. on September 11, 2015.
Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes gives the series an 84% approval rating based on reviews from 19 critics. The site's consensus states: "Though not quite as comical,Girl Meets World sweetly shares the nostalgia of its predecessor,Boy Meets World, with its young audience while providing positive moral values for today's youth."[46] Metacritic gives the series a score of 64 based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[47] The series premiere received positive reviews. Kevin Fallon ofThe Daily Beast called it a "perfectly pleasant Disney Channel show".[48]Rob Owen ofPittsburgh Post-Gazette said it was "a cute half-hour that capably introduces new characters and sets the table for the new series".[49] Diane Werts ofNewsday said the series "does its job of bringing tween-based family viewing into the 2010s".[50]
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired | Avg. viewers (millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Viewers (millions) | Date | Viewers (millions) | |||
| 1 | 20 | June 27, 2014 (2014-06-27) | 5.16[51] | March 27, 2015 (2015-03-27) | 2.28[52] | 2.74 |
| 2 | 30 | May 11, 2015 (2015-05-11) | 2.05[53] | March 11, 2016 (2016-03-11) | 1.70[54] | 2.28 |
| 3 | 21 | June 3, 2016 (2016-06-03) | 1.89[55] | January 20, 2017 (2017-01-20) | 1.64[56] | 1.70 |
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Summer TV Show | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [57] |
| 2015 | Writers Guild of America Award | Children's Script - Episodic and Specials | Matthew Nelson for "Girl Meets 1961" | Nominated | [58] |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Show: Comedy | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [59] | |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Children's Program | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [60] | |
| 2016 | Writers Guild of America Award | Children's Script - Episodic and Specials | Mark Blutman for "Girl Meets I Am Farkle" | Nominated | [61] |
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite TV Show | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [62] | |
| Artios Awards | Children's Pilot and Series (Live Action) | Girl Meets World | Won | [63] | |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Summer TV Show | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [64] | |
| Kids Choice Awards Mexico | Favorite International Program | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [65] | |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Children's Program | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [60] | |
| 2017 | Writers Guild of America Award | Children's Script - Episodic and Specials | Joshua Jacobs &Michael Jacobs for "Girl Meets Commonism" | Nominated | [66] |
| Producers Guild of America Award | Outstanding Children's Program | Girl Meets World (Season 2, Season 3) | Nominated | [67] | |
| Humanitas Prize | Children's Live Action | Matthew Nelson for "Girl Meets the Forgiveness Project" | Nominated | [68] | |
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite TV Show (Kids) | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [69][70] | |
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Children's Program | Girl Meets World | Nominated | [60] |