Cory/Shawn (Boy Meets World)
Title: Almost Too Easy
Author: Skippy
Spoilers: The whole show
Notes: Way too many thank yous and acknowledgments to put here, so it's all at the end of the essay.
First of all, I want to apologize, because this was supposed to be up ages ago. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait :) Boy Meets World has always been a show that amused me, but I never really took it seriously (it's hard to, with the absolutely insane continuity and over the top story-lines) and it wasn't until I was older that I noticed just how incredibly slashy it is. And the way the show, at some points, actually promoted the subtext of Cory and Shawn's relationship just made it that much better and more amusing. This is one of those pairings that has so much evidence it seems almost too easy.
The Characters:
Cory:
Cornelius (although only his parents and Mr. Feeney know his full name) "Cory" Matthews is a middle child living in suburban Philadelphia. The show follows his journey from sixth grade to college (somehow in only seven years - I usually just give a big handwave for that), with his friends, his parents, his older brother Eric, and his teacher and neighbor Mr. Feeney.
Cory is nervous, panicky, a chronic worrier, insecure, and an incredibly loyal and caring friend. He's so stable and consistent (the flip side of which means he's terrified of change and extremely stubborn), and is always there for the people he cares for. He can generally be counted on to do the right thing in the end. He ends up having a long term on again - off again relationship with Topanga, and at the end of the show is married to her (but that doesn't stop me from slashing the two of them).
He's played by Ben Savage, little brother to Fred Savage, and is, if not super-hot, cute. He's one of those guys who makes you like him because he's just a nice guy.
Great Quotes:
-Topanga: Why don't you just marry Shawn?!
Cory: Cause our kids would look like horses!
-CORY: That's just what I wanna be, Topanga's boyfriend. Then we can name our kids Chewbacca and Plankton!
Shawn:
Shawn Hunter is, at first glance, your stereotypical bad boy with an attitude. He lies, fights, vandalizes, even steals a motorcycle at one point only to be caught and arrested. He's grown up in a trailer park, as he says it "surrounded by my family, and the FBI agents who surround them". His mother takes off early in the show, and his father chases after her, leaving Shawn with literally no where to live. After spending a few nights sleeping on park benches (until he's picked up by the police) he ends up with the Matthews, and then an adult friend and teacher, Mr. Turner. Eventually his father comes back and he moves back to the trailer park with him, but it's not permanent.
Shawn is a pretty intense character, despite the overall humor the show likes to use. He's had a rough life, and for a lot of the show feels absolutely rootless. He wanders around, looking for something to keep him grounded and a place he feels like he belongs in. He keeps trying the trailer park, and when that doesn't work he even joins a cult for an episode. Eventually he figures out that the Matthews are his family, as well as finding out he has an older half-brother named Jack. His mother eventually disappears for good, Mr. Turner gets into a serious motorcycle accident (it was his bike Shawn steals in an earlier episode) and mysteriously disappears (although the general consensus is that he survived), and his father dies of a heart attack. He develops a long term relationship with a girl named Angela, but she leaves him to travel Europe with her father.
He's played by Rider Strong, 5' 7", and for a while was pretty cute. In later seasons he started fooling around with facial hair, and the results were disastrous.
Great Quotes:
-Shawn: So, that's why this building exsists! Some of us are students, some of us are teachers, and if the students listen to the teachers... then.. Oh, I almost got it.
Cory: Then, they get good grades.
Shawn: But why?!
Turner: Why do you think, Shawn?
Shawn: (Ponders) Because.. if you get good grades, it means you've actually learned something- am I close?
-Feeny: And the winners of this years food drive are Mr. Matthews and Mr. Hunter.
Topanga: But Mr. Feeny that's not fair. They turn in the same cans every year.
Shawn: Hey, I give the cans to the food drive, the food drive gives them to my family, and then I give them back. That's life in the food drive chain.
Other Characters:
Topanga
Played by Danielle Fisher, Topanga started off as this wacked out, hippie, future weed-smoking flower child who was almost always right. The first year had Cory and Shawn teasing her a lot, and they just generally thought she was weird and disliked her. For some reason from season 2 on the show decided to make her Cory's One True Love, and she suddenly morphed from this very individual and unique girl into Cory's Girlfriend. Over the years she's managed to maintain some of her unique traits, but for the most part she's become like every other mainstream middle-class suburban teen stereotype. She and Cory have an on-again off-again relationship that they cement by the end of the show by getting married.
Great Quotes:
-Feeney: QUIET!
Topanga You yelled at me. But I'm Topanga.
(A few moments later...)
Cory: Oh, come on, Mr Feeny-
Feeny: -QUIET!
Cory: You yelled at me. But I'm Topanga!
-Shawn: [referring to Cory] He's searching the caverns of his soul.
Topanaga: Oh no, not the caverns.
Eric
He's Corey's older brother, who took a spin in the dryer at age six that improved his hair but killed his intellect. He's not that bright, but makes up for it by looking cute and having a very funny, if bizarre, outlook on life.
Great Quotes:
-Eric: So I said to myself, 'Kyle,
Alan: Kyle?
Eric: That's what I call myself.
-Eric: If stupidity were in the Olympics, you'd win a Nobel Prize.
Amy Matthews and Alan Matthews
Cory's stable and loving parents, Alan and Amy. His dad works at a grocery store until he decides he wants his own business and quits, and they buy a camping goods store. Towards the end of the show they have another baby, named Joshua. They're very good, supportive parents, who want the best for their children. And they love Aerosmith. That's gotta count for something
Great Quotes:
-Amy: Eric, the typewriter? Oh no, did you put a waffle in the computer again?
Eric: Mom, I was fifteen, let it go.
Mr. Feeny
Cory, Shawn, and Topanga have Mr. Feeny for a teacher every year of the show (he even follows them to college, which you gotta admit, is a little creepy). He's a crusty-but-caring type of teacher, who also happens to be the Matthews' next door neighbor. A mentor to the kids (and to Eric), he's always there for them to give advice and help when they really need it.
-Mr. Feeny: I think I know you well enough to call you Cornelius.
Cory: No one knows that! Not even Topanga knows that!
-Mr. Feeny: If I may...five words: Topanga is correct.
Cory: That's only three
Mr. Feeny: ...You moron!
Jack
Shawn's older half-brother, who he meets when he goes to college for the first time. He's been living with his mother and step-father and is very wealthy, creating some tension at first because of the way Shawn grew up. Ends up as Eric's roommate and best friend.
-Shawn: I've got to find my mother, Jack, she's-
Jack: -The only family you have left? Want to say that again? Hey, let's go on a search for your brother; oh wait a minute, we don't have to, he's right here.
Shawn: You're my half-brother.
Jack: Okay, well how about the other half beats the crap out of you.
Morgan
Cory and Eric's younger sister. Was played by two different girls over the course of the series. No one much noticed the change.
Mr. Jonathan Turner: The kids' teacher for 3 seasons, he also played legal guardian to Shawn when his parents left him and he had no where else to live. A bachelor and ladies man, he and Shawn get along reasonably well, despite the difficulties of their situation and Shawn's emotional issues, until he gets into a motorcycle accident. There's a big emotional scene where Shawn begs him not to die, and his hand moves afterward, so we can assume he survived, but we never saw or heard from him again.
Their Friendship:
The show has possibly the worst continuity of any long running series I've ever seen, so a lot of the time it works out best if you just put things together the best way you can and ignore the stuff that doesn't fit. Shawn and Cory met when they were both six or seven years old (it's told in a flashback) at the zoo. Cory says he doesn't want to be friends with Shawn because the other kids told him he's poor and from the bad part of town. Later Cory falls into the llama pit (yeah, I know) and Shawn goes in after him and pulls him out. They agree to be best friends from that point on and hug (which was incredibly amusing to watch, because the flashback fades at that point and we see grown up Shawn and Cory hugging, until Topanga, who's standing behind them, says loudly "Stop it. You're boys.").
These two are incredibly affectionate with each other, very open, and completely trusting. It's the most stable and reliable relationship in Shawn's life, and the most exciting and fun in Cory's. Both would do anything to help the other, and go to any lengths to keep each other happy. They have the old married couple thing down too - constantly calling each other by nicknames and entirely random terms of endearment (Shawn most often calling Cory 'babe' and Cory, I am not kidding, calling Shawn 'darling' or 'dear'). This is the type of show where the dialogue is more than enough proof, but then they add all the hugging, food sharing (Like Shawn eating a burger literally out of Cory's hand), and extreme lengths they go to keep each other happy, and you have one of the slashiest relationships Disney ever came out with.
Episode/Dialogue Examples:
Note: these aren't in chronological order, although I'll try to include the episode and season information if possible.
"An Affair to Forget" (Season 4): The whole premise of the episode is that Shawn's haughty girlfriend Jennifer breaks up with him, and only agrees to date him if he never sees Cory again:
Jennifer: (With Shawn, sits up in the booth) So, if you want to be my boyfriend then I think you should tell Cory you can’t see him anymore.
Shawn: But we’ve been best friends our whole lives. I mean, how am I just supposes to say, “Cory, you’re out of my life”? (Looks over into Jennifer’s eyes) Ooh, more. (They begin making out once more and fall into the booth seat) (Unseen) Cory! Could you come here for a sec?
Cory: (Gleefully) Oh! Maybe this is good news! (Goes over to Shawn’s booth and looks down, terrified)
[Cut to much later. Cubbie’s is being cleaned up and only Cory remains, slumped over on the floor much like Shawn in the first scene. Topanga stands over him.]
Topanga: Get up, Cory.
Cory: (Miserably) He dumped me. He dumped me good. And I thought, “Oh! Maybe this is good news…”
-This episode cracked me up from start to finish, and the slashiness is obvious. You can tell they were having a lot of fun with the theme of this episode.
-Cory and Shawn start seeing each other covertly, have secret phone conversations (involving the use of aliases):
Cory: Y’know what, this is ridiculous, how can you let some girl tell you you can’t see your best friend? It’s just wrong. You hear me? Wrong. (Long pause) Shawn, are you there?
Shawn: (Slight pause) Yeah, it’s just… listening to the sound of your voice and… (Plays with phone cord) thinking about the old days.
Cory: I gotta see you.
Shawn: No. No, we both know that’s impossible.
Cory: Because of… her? You’re gonna let her stand in the way of what we had? Shawn, if you won’t see me, then I’ll come right over there and see you.
Shawn: No! No, don’t come here.
Cory: I will not be ignored!
-Cory actually makes Shawn dinner to entice him to come over and visit, and at one point they plan a secret rendezvous in the school library. Shawn buys a cupcake with a "C" on it to give Cory while in the library, but when Jennifer shows up he ends up giving it to her. After she leaves Cory talks to Shawn from the next aisle over.
Shawn: Cory, is that you?
Cory: No, it's the audio book section you moron!
[Then Cory asks about the cupcake.]
Cory: Shawn, that cupcake was for me wasn't it?
Shawn: *blushes* Cooooryy
Cory: (Smiles and Nods) (After a pause) We gotta meet.
Shawn: Where?
Cory: Paris!
Shawn: That’s the first place she’d look!
-At the end of the episode Jennifer gives Shawn an ultimatum, and Shawn decides that he's gaining more than he's losing by breaking up with her.
"It's Not You...It's Me" (Season 5):. The kids are looking at colleges to apply to, and Shawn becomes worried that Cory will go away to college without him. They have the slashiest fight in Disney channel history, and decide to end their friendship there and then. Both boys then find other boys to be friends with, and jealousy ensues. Eventually Topanga (with the help of Mr. Feeny) convinces them to be friends again, and all ends happily. The dialogue takes away all hope of 'subtext', and is extremely funny.
-Cory and Shawn bicker about college applications like an old married couple ("Wisconsin! Penn! We never discussed that!" "Don't you take that tone with me, Shawn Hunter!").
-"And you also promised me that if I graduated high school, you'd take me to Vermont. To see the leaves change!" Apparently, as a child, Cory made a lot of romantic promises to Shawn.
-Shawn and Cory get into a screaming match at Chubbie's.
Shawn: "You little punk!"
Cory: "You dirty man!"
Chubbie's Employee: "Catfight!"
Cory throws a glass of water in Shawn's face. Shawn screams and returns the favor.
-And then there's the whole "we agreed that we were going to meet new people" allegory thing. "We're still best friends, right?" asks Cory. Shawn sighs, pained. "Right now, I don't know what we are."
-After Lionel gives him grapes, Cory waves them in front of Shawn. "I'm taking another boy's grapes," he gloats.
-Shawn tries to tell Lionel how to be "friends" with Cory:
"If you're going to play basketball, make sure you bring lots of water, because Cory tends to dehydrate. And remember to let him win every once in awhile - he likes that. And Lionel: never eat cake at Pyramas! That's ours!"
-After Amy finds Cory eating ice cream in his pajamas at six p.m., Morgan explains that Shawn dumped Cory. "Nobody got dumped," Cory insists, "we just agreed not to see each other anymore."
-Amy tells Cory Lionel called.
Morgan: "Is that your new boyfriend?"
Cory: "He's just a boy from school. If he calls again, tell him I'm not home."
Morgan: "That's no way to treat him, he'll dump you too!"
Cory leaves the room "to watch Lifetime and have a good cry", and Alan asks Amy, "Is everything okay between him and Topanga?"
Amy: "Great! Never better!"
Alan: "When they kiss, he enjoys it, right?"
-Topanga pulls Cory aside at Chubbie's and kisses him. "You enjoyed that, right?"
-In both the flashback and the present day, Topanga tells a hugging Cory and Shawn to "stop it. You're boys."
"This Little Piggy" (Season 3): Centered around a pig Shawn finds in a trailer park and decides to keep as a pet (the underlying theme is Shawn's fear that Cory will essentially abandon him to spend time with Topanga). He names the pig "Little Cory" (which is apparently his subtle way of pointing out that Cory has been spending more time with Topanga, his then new girlfriend, than him), and cares for him, despite Topanga's protests that a farm animal shouldn't be raised in the city. Cory's left to choose sides and unwillingly ends up siding with Topanga, but tries to convince her that Shawn is doing a good job taking care of 'Little Cory'. He brings her to Shawn's apartment to show her, only to find out that she's called animal rescue services. Both Shawn and Cory are shocked and hide the pig at Cory's house. By the end of the episode Topanga realizes her mistake and everything is resolved, and she says she wants to be friends with Shawn because he's Cory's best friend.
-When Topanga asks Cory to back her up about the no-pigs-in-apartments thing, he just says "You know, you look great, Topanga." When Shawn counters that Cory agreed with him earlier, Cory tells him, "You know, you don't look so bad yourself."
-Cory threatens to call the animal control control people on the animal control guy, adding "Isn't that right, my dear Shawn?" "It sure is, my little Cory," replies Shawn, which of course is just an excuse to have the pig come running when its name is called. Still, it requires a precedent of Shawn and Cory using pet names for each other.
"I Was a Teenaged Spy": Cory is electrocuted by his microwave and while passed out has a dream about living in the 1950s during the height of Cold War paranoia. The whole episode is just an excuse to get the characters dressed up in 50's costume and behave ridiculously, but no one said this was Emmy-winning material, and it is entertaining.
- Shawn is called "Shawnzie Hunterelli", and when Cory tries to talk to him says he's a loner. Cory responds with "No, you just think you're a loner, when really you need a friend who's always going to be there for you. A friend like me."
-When Cory wakes up from his dream, the first person he sees is Shawn.
Cory: Shawnzie?
Shawn: Yessie?
Cory: You're always going to be there for me, aren't you?
It's About Time (Season 7):
-Technically the episode is about Cory and Topanga getting married, but amazingly the episode still manages to be more about Cory and Shawn and their Relationship Issues.
-Cory is stressed about the wedding, and Shawn, who is his best man (much to the dismay of Cory's brother), isn't living up to Cory's expectations:
Cory: Shawn, what’s the matter buddy? I mean, you’re really letting me down, here.
Shawn: Cory, has it occurred to you even a little bit that as far as you and me go, today is the last day that we’re ever gonna be… Cory and Shawn? You know? Shawn and Cory?
Cory: (Speechless, looks around. Eyes the can label) Beans? (Holds up cans) You picked beans?
Shawn: What’s the matter with beans?
Cory: Beans are not a wedding can!
Shawn: Why not?
Cory: Because beans do not say eternal love and happiness!
Shawn: (Ignoring Eric) Cory, (Puts his hands on Cory’s shoulders) I’m trying to talk to you about something.
Cory: (Knocks away Shawn’s arms, dropping cans) I don’t wanna talk about it now.
Shawn: Why not?
Cory: Did you pick up the honeymoon tickets from the travel agent?
Shawn: What’s the matter with you?
Alan: (Interjecting, try to cool things off) Hey, hey, guys…
Cory: (Stopping Alan) No, no, no, no. Dad, please! (Looks at Shawn) I just want a guy who can pick up the tuxedos and tie some cans together!
Shawn: (Forcefully) I just want to talk to you about this.
Cory: (Erupting) Shawn, I just wanna competent best man!
Shawn: (Exploding) THEN GET A NEW ONE!! (Walks towards door)
Cory: What did you say?
Shawn: I said get a new best man!
-By the time the wedding actually goes down it looks like Cory and Shawn are going to patch things up, but at the altar they have a ridiculous fight and for about .5 seconds it looks like Shawn is really just going to shove his tongue down Cory's throat - or something.
Cory: Look, I am so sorry for all the stuff that happened.
Shawn: Well, you should be. But, we’ll talk about it after you get back from the honeymoon, okay?
Cory: (Turns back to face Topanga, then to Shawn, who had begun walking into the audience) Wait a minute, (steps towards Shawn, off the altar) what do you mean I should be?
Shawn: Cory, you’ve been being a jerk to me.
Cory: (Quietly angry) That’s because you’re the one who forgot the tuxedos. And you’re the one that didn’t tie the tin cans! It’s like you’re trying to sabotage my wedding day!
Shawn: (Trying to remain quiet) That is ridiculous! If I wanted to sabotage your wedding day… I’d do this. (Shoves Cory back, he steps up onto the altar because of it. Topanga quickly gathers up her dress, and all attention is diverted from Topanga to Cory and Shawn)
-They have a huge fight and eventually Cory and Topanga get married. At this point I'm wishing the show was on HBO or Showtime so that these two guys actually would get together on screen, because they're only two seconds away from it anyway:
Shawn: (Being restrained by Jed and Jack) (Yelling with rage) He doesn’t care that we’re not gonna be friends anymore!!
Cory: (Being restrained by Alan) Why do you keep saying that, huh? Why do you have to keep bringing that up?
Shawn: ‘Cause you won’t talk about it!!
Cory: I don’t wanna talk about it! Why do you think I’ve been sending you everywhere?
Shawn: We have to talk about it!
Cory: (Like a child) I don’t want to…
Shawn: We have to!
Cory: (Breathes) …now?
Shawn: (has been released, paces towards the altar’s side) (Almost crying) Cory, after you get married, things are gonna be different. And I don’t have a lot for friends, you know? (Sits on the altar step)
Cory: Shawnie, I… (Sits next to Shawn) I don’t know what’s gonna happen. What do you want me to do?
Shawn: (Pause) I don’t know… (Pause, meekly) Do you really like her?
Cory: (Smiles, nodding) Yeah, I really do.
Shawn: You sure?
Topanga: (Interjects, leaning her head between Shawn and Cory) Shawn, I really think I’ve been very tolerant. (Backs away)
Miscellaneous Quotes and Pics:
There are also lots of little moments from various episodes that are good examples of their relationship.
-During the in-between time in one of Cory and Topanga's breakups, Cory catches Topanga kissing another guy:
(After seeing Topanga kiss Nick)
Cory: I must be dreaming! Pinch me!
(Shawn pinches him)
Cory: Not on the butt!
Shawn: Sorry, it's just... right there.
Cory: "You don't think I'm a geek?"
Shawn: "Of course not."
Cory: "You think I'm cool?"
Shawn: "Of course not."
Cory: "Than what am I?!"
Shawn: "You're Cory, I'm Shawn, just like it's always been. What else do you need to know?"
-Cory thinks of what his life will be like when he's an old man - and, of course, he pictures himself with Shawn (From "Breaking up is Really, Really Hard to Do"):
Shawn (dressed up as old man): What!?
Cory (dressed up as old man): Who?!
Shawn: Huh!?
Cory: They WANT you to take the rolls!
-From the season 3 episode "A Kiss is More Than a Kiss", where Shawn literally picks Cory up and carries him into his apartment.
Fiction 'n' Stuff:
This is really a rare-slash category, but there are a few good places to go if you're really interested.
The most obvious is Yahoo Group Boy Meets World Slash, a small but growing community.
For fiction these sites are good places to start:
The newly created bmw_slash site.
Shack Attack by Arduinna
Go Wild by Proserpina Warning: This one is very dark. She also has several stories archived at
Bitch Willow's Fiction. This is some of the best Cory/Shawn stories I've read yet, especially her new one, New York Makes You Gay.
Fanfiction.net is another place to check out Boy Meets World fiction too.
And, um, I may have one or two stories posted in my memories, in case you're really desperate.
Lots and Lots of Thanks:
Here are the sites I got a lot of information or pictures from (thank you to everyone who helped out or provided information):
BMW Central
Boy Meets World Forever
Laura's Inconsistently Detailed Boy Meets World Episode Guide
The Jack/Eric Ship Manifesto
The Boy Meets World Forum
Boy Meets World by Vivian
Author: Skippy
Spoilers: The whole show
Notes: Way too many thank yous and acknowledgments to put here, so it's all at the end of the essay.
First of all, I want to apologize, because this was supposed to be up ages ago. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait :) Boy Meets World has always been a show that amused me, but I never really took it seriously (it's hard to, with the absolutely insane continuity and over the top story-lines) and it wasn't until I was older that I noticed just how incredibly slashy it is. And the way the show, at some points, actually promoted the subtext of Cory and Shawn's relationship just made it that much better and more amusing. This is one of those pairings that has so much evidence it seems almost too easy.
The Characters:
Cory:
Cornelius (although only his parents and Mr. Feeney know his full name) "Cory" Matthews is a middle child living in suburban Philadelphia. The show follows his journey from sixth grade to college (somehow in only seven years - I usually just give a big handwave for that), with his friends, his parents, his older brother Eric, and his teacher and neighbor Mr. Feeney.
Cory is nervous, panicky, a chronic worrier, insecure, and an incredibly loyal and caring friend. He's so stable and consistent (the flip side of which means he's terrified of change and extremely stubborn), and is always there for the people he cares for. He can generally be counted on to do the right thing in the end. He ends up having a long term on again - off again relationship with Topanga, and at the end of the show is married to her (but that doesn't stop me from slashing the two of them).
He's played by Ben Savage, little brother to Fred Savage, and is, if not super-hot, cute. He's one of those guys who makes you like him because he's just a nice guy.
Great Quotes:
-Topanga: Why don't you just marry Shawn?!
Cory: Cause our kids would look like horses!
-CORY: That's just what I wanna be, Topanga's boyfriend. Then we can name our kids Chewbacca and Plankton!
Shawn:
Shawn Hunter is, at first glance, your stereotypical bad boy with an attitude. He lies, fights, vandalizes, even steals a motorcycle at one point only to be caught and arrested. He's grown up in a trailer park, as he says it "surrounded by my family, and the FBI agents who surround them". His mother takes off early in the show, and his father chases after her, leaving Shawn with literally no where to live. After spending a few nights sleeping on park benches (until he's picked up by the police) he ends up with the Matthews, and then an adult friend and teacher, Mr. Turner. Eventually his father comes back and he moves back to the trailer park with him, but it's not permanent.
Shawn is a pretty intense character, despite the overall humor the show likes to use. He's had a rough life, and for a lot of the show feels absolutely rootless. He wanders around, looking for something to keep him grounded and a place he feels like he belongs in. He keeps trying the trailer park, and when that doesn't work he even joins a cult for an episode. Eventually he figures out that the Matthews are his family, as well as finding out he has an older half-brother named Jack. His mother eventually disappears for good, Mr. Turner gets into a serious motorcycle accident (it was his bike Shawn steals in an earlier episode) and mysteriously disappears (although the general consensus is that he survived), and his father dies of a heart attack. He develops a long term relationship with a girl named Angela, but she leaves him to travel Europe with her father.
He's played by Rider Strong, 5' 7", and for a while was pretty cute. In later seasons he started fooling around with facial hair, and the results were disastrous.
Great Quotes:
-Shawn: So, that's why this building exsists! Some of us are students, some of us are teachers, and if the students listen to the teachers... then.. Oh, I almost got it.
Cory: Then, they get good grades.
Shawn: But why?!
Turner: Why do you think, Shawn?
Shawn: (Ponders) Because.. if you get good grades, it means you've actually learned something- am I close?
-Feeny: And the winners of this years food drive are Mr. Matthews and Mr. Hunter.
Topanga: But Mr. Feeny that's not fair. They turn in the same cans every year.
Shawn: Hey, I give the cans to the food drive, the food drive gives them to my family, and then I give them back. That's life in the food drive chain.
Other Characters:
Topanga
Played by Danielle Fisher, Topanga started off as this wacked out, hippie, future weed-smoking flower child who was almost always right. The first year had Cory and Shawn teasing her a lot, and they just generally thought she was weird and disliked her. For some reason from season 2 on the show decided to make her Cory's One True Love, and she suddenly morphed from this very individual and unique girl into Cory's Girlfriend. Over the years she's managed to maintain some of her unique traits, but for the most part she's become like every other mainstream middle-class suburban teen stereotype. She and Cory have an on-again off-again relationship that they cement by the end of the show by getting married.
Great Quotes:
-Feeney: QUIET!
Topanga You yelled at me. But I'm Topanga.
(A few moments later...)
Cory: Oh, come on, Mr Feeny-
Feeny: -QUIET!
Cory: You yelled at me. But I'm Topanga!
-Shawn: [referring to Cory] He's searching the caverns of his soul.
Topanaga: Oh no, not the caverns.
Eric
He's Corey's older brother, who took a spin in the dryer at age six that improved his hair but killed his intellect. He's not that bright, but makes up for it by looking cute and having a very funny, if bizarre, outlook on life.
Great Quotes:
-Eric: So I said to myself, 'Kyle,
Alan: Kyle?
Eric: That's what I call myself.
-Eric: If stupidity were in the Olympics, you'd win a Nobel Prize.
Amy Matthews and Alan Matthews
Cory's stable and loving parents, Alan and Amy. His dad works at a grocery store until he decides he wants his own business and quits, and they buy a camping goods store. Towards the end of the show they have another baby, named Joshua. They're very good, supportive parents, who want the best for their children. And they love Aerosmith. That's gotta count for something
Great Quotes:
-Amy: Eric, the typewriter? Oh no, did you put a waffle in the computer again?
Eric: Mom, I was fifteen, let it go.
Mr. Feeny
Cory, Shawn, and Topanga have Mr. Feeny for a teacher every year of the show (he even follows them to college, which you gotta admit, is a little creepy). He's a crusty-but-caring type of teacher, who also happens to be the Matthews' next door neighbor. A mentor to the kids (and to Eric), he's always there for them to give advice and help when they really need it.
-Mr. Feeny: I think I know you well enough to call you Cornelius.
Cory: No one knows that! Not even Topanga knows that!
-Mr. Feeny: If I may...five words: Topanga is correct.
Cory: That's only three
Mr. Feeny: ...You moron!
Jack
Shawn's older half-brother, who he meets when he goes to college for the first time. He's been living with his mother and step-father and is very wealthy, creating some tension at first because of the way Shawn grew up. Ends up as Eric's roommate and best friend.
-Shawn: I've got to find my mother, Jack, she's-
Jack: -The only family you have left? Want to say that again? Hey, let's go on a search for your brother; oh wait a minute, we don't have to, he's right here.
Shawn: You're my half-brother.
Jack: Okay, well how about the other half beats the crap out of you.
Morgan
Cory and Eric's younger sister. Was played by two different girls over the course of the series. No one much noticed the change.
Mr. Jonathan Turner: The kids' teacher for 3 seasons, he also played legal guardian to Shawn when his parents left him and he had no where else to live. A bachelor and ladies man, he and Shawn get along reasonably well, despite the difficulties of their situation and Shawn's emotional issues, until he gets into a motorcycle accident. There's a big emotional scene where Shawn begs him not to die, and his hand moves afterward, so we can assume he survived, but we never saw or heard from him again.
Their Friendship:
The show has possibly the worst continuity of any long running series I've ever seen, so a lot of the time it works out best if you just put things together the best way you can and ignore the stuff that doesn't fit. Shawn and Cory met when they were both six or seven years old (it's told in a flashback) at the zoo. Cory says he doesn't want to be friends with Shawn because the other kids told him he's poor and from the bad part of town. Later Cory falls into the llama pit (yeah, I know) and Shawn goes in after him and pulls him out. They agree to be best friends from that point on and hug (which was incredibly amusing to watch, because the flashback fades at that point and we see grown up Shawn and Cory hugging, until Topanga, who's standing behind them, says loudly "Stop it. You're boys.").
These two are incredibly affectionate with each other, very open, and completely trusting. It's the most stable and reliable relationship in Shawn's life, and the most exciting and fun in Cory's. Both would do anything to help the other, and go to any lengths to keep each other happy. They have the old married couple thing down too - constantly calling each other by nicknames and entirely random terms of endearment (Shawn most often calling Cory 'babe' and Cory, I am not kidding, calling Shawn 'darling' or 'dear'). This is the type of show where the dialogue is more than enough proof, but then they add all the hugging, food sharing (Like Shawn eating a burger literally out of Cory's hand), and extreme lengths they go to keep each other happy, and you have one of the slashiest relationships Disney ever came out with.
Episode/Dialogue Examples:
Note: these aren't in chronological order, although I'll try to include the episode and season information if possible.
"An Affair to Forget" (Season 4): The whole premise of the episode is that Shawn's haughty girlfriend Jennifer breaks up with him, and only agrees to date him if he never sees Cory again:
Jennifer: (With Shawn, sits up in the booth) So, if you want to be my boyfriend then I think you should tell Cory you can’t see him anymore.
Shawn: But we’ve been best friends our whole lives. I mean, how am I just supposes to say, “Cory, you’re out of my life”? (Looks over into Jennifer’s eyes) Ooh, more. (They begin making out once more and fall into the booth seat) (Unseen) Cory! Could you come here for a sec?
Cory: (Gleefully) Oh! Maybe this is good news! (Goes over to Shawn’s booth and looks down, terrified)
[Cut to much later. Cubbie’s is being cleaned up and only Cory remains, slumped over on the floor much like Shawn in the first scene. Topanga stands over him.]
Topanga: Get up, Cory.
Cory: (Miserably) He dumped me. He dumped me good. And I thought, “Oh! Maybe this is good news…”
-This episode cracked me up from start to finish, and the slashiness is obvious. You can tell they were having a lot of fun with the theme of this episode.
-Cory and Shawn start seeing each other covertly, have secret phone conversations (involving the use of aliases):
Cory: Y’know what, this is ridiculous, how can you let some girl tell you you can’t see your best friend? It’s just wrong. You hear me? Wrong. (Long pause) Shawn, are you there?
Shawn: (Slight pause) Yeah, it’s just… listening to the sound of your voice and… (Plays with phone cord) thinking about the old days.
Cory: I gotta see you.
Shawn: No. No, we both know that’s impossible.
Cory: Because of… her? You’re gonna let her stand in the way of what we had? Shawn, if you won’t see me, then I’ll come right over there and see you.
Shawn: No! No, don’t come here.
Cory: I will not be ignored!
-Cory actually makes Shawn dinner to entice him to come over and visit, and at one point they plan a secret rendezvous in the school library. Shawn buys a cupcake with a "C" on it to give Cory while in the library, but when Jennifer shows up he ends up giving it to her. After she leaves Cory talks to Shawn from the next aisle over.
Shawn: Cory, is that you?
Cory: No, it's the audio book section you moron!
[Then Cory asks about the cupcake.]
Cory: Shawn, that cupcake was for me wasn't it?
Shawn: *blushes* Cooooryy
Cory: (Smiles and Nods) (After a pause) We gotta meet.
Shawn: Where?
Cory: Paris!
Shawn: That’s the first place she’d look!
-At the end of the episode Jennifer gives Shawn an ultimatum, and Shawn decides that he's gaining more than he's losing by breaking up with her.
"It's Not You...It's Me" (Season 5):. The kids are looking at colleges to apply to, and Shawn becomes worried that Cory will go away to college without him. They have the slashiest fight in Disney channel history, and decide to end their friendship there and then. Both boys then find other boys to be friends with, and jealousy ensues. Eventually Topanga (with the help of Mr. Feeny) convinces them to be friends again, and all ends happily. The dialogue takes away all hope of 'subtext', and is extremely funny.
-Cory and Shawn bicker about college applications like an old married couple ("Wisconsin! Penn! We never discussed that!" "Don't you take that tone with me, Shawn Hunter!").
-"And you also promised me that if I graduated high school, you'd take me to Vermont. To see the leaves change!" Apparently, as a child, Cory made a lot of romantic promises to Shawn.
-Shawn and Cory get into a screaming match at Chubbie's.
Shawn: "You little punk!"
Cory: "You dirty man!"
Chubbie's Employee: "Catfight!"
Cory throws a glass of water in Shawn's face. Shawn screams and returns the favor.
-And then there's the whole "we agreed that we were going to meet new people" allegory thing. "We're still best friends, right?" asks Cory. Shawn sighs, pained. "Right now, I don't know what we are."
-After Lionel gives him grapes, Cory waves them in front of Shawn. "I'm taking another boy's grapes," he gloats.
-Shawn tries to tell Lionel how to be "friends" with Cory:
"If you're going to play basketball, make sure you bring lots of water, because Cory tends to dehydrate. And remember to let him win every once in awhile - he likes that. And Lionel: never eat cake at Pyramas! That's ours!"
-After Amy finds Cory eating ice cream in his pajamas at six p.m., Morgan explains that Shawn dumped Cory. "Nobody got dumped," Cory insists, "we just agreed not to see each other anymore."
-Amy tells Cory Lionel called.
Morgan: "Is that your new boyfriend?"
Cory: "He's just a boy from school. If he calls again, tell him I'm not home."
Morgan: "That's no way to treat him, he'll dump you too!"
Cory leaves the room "to watch Lifetime and have a good cry", and Alan asks Amy, "Is everything okay between him and Topanga?"
Amy: "Great! Never better!"
Alan: "When they kiss, he enjoys it, right?"
-Topanga pulls Cory aside at Chubbie's and kisses him. "You enjoyed that, right?"
-In both the flashback and the present day, Topanga tells a hugging Cory and Shawn to "stop it. You're boys."
"This Little Piggy" (Season 3): Centered around a pig Shawn finds in a trailer park and decides to keep as a pet (the underlying theme is Shawn's fear that Cory will essentially abandon him to spend time with Topanga). He names the pig "Little Cory" (which is apparently his subtle way of pointing out that Cory has been spending more time with Topanga, his then new girlfriend, than him), and cares for him, despite Topanga's protests that a farm animal shouldn't be raised in the city. Cory's left to choose sides and unwillingly ends up siding with Topanga, but tries to convince her that Shawn is doing a good job taking care of 'Little Cory'. He brings her to Shawn's apartment to show her, only to find out that she's called animal rescue services. Both Shawn and Cory are shocked and hide the pig at Cory's house. By the end of the episode Topanga realizes her mistake and everything is resolved, and she says she wants to be friends with Shawn because he's Cory's best friend.
-When Topanga asks Cory to back her up about the no-pigs-in-apartments thing, he just says "You know, you look great, Topanga." When Shawn counters that Cory agreed with him earlier, Cory tells him, "You know, you don't look so bad yourself."
-Cory threatens to call the animal control control people on the animal control guy, adding "Isn't that right, my dear Shawn?" "It sure is, my little Cory," replies Shawn, which of course is just an excuse to have the pig come running when its name is called. Still, it requires a precedent of Shawn and Cory using pet names for each other.
"I Was a Teenaged Spy": Cory is electrocuted by his microwave and while passed out has a dream about living in the 1950s during the height of Cold War paranoia. The whole episode is just an excuse to get the characters dressed up in 50's costume and behave ridiculously, but no one said this was Emmy-winning material, and it is entertaining.
- Shawn is called "Shawnzie Hunterelli", and when Cory tries to talk to him says he's a loner. Cory responds with "No, you just think you're a loner, when really you need a friend who's always going to be there for you. A friend like me."
-When Cory wakes up from his dream, the first person he sees is Shawn.
Cory: Shawnzie?
Shawn: Yessie?
Cory: You're always going to be there for me, aren't you?
It's About Time (Season 7):
-Technically the episode is about Cory and Topanga getting married, but amazingly the episode still manages to be more about Cory and Shawn and their Relationship Issues.
-Cory is stressed about the wedding, and Shawn, who is his best man (much to the dismay of Cory's brother), isn't living up to Cory's expectations:
Cory: Shawn, what’s the matter buddy? I mean, you’re really letting me down, here.
Shawn: Cory, has it occurred to you even a little bit that as far as you and me go, today is the last day that we’re ever gonna be… Cory and Shawn? You know? Shawn and Cory?
Cory: (Speechless, looks around. Eyes the can label) Beans? (Holds up cans) You picked beans?
Shawn: What’s the matter with beans?
Cory: Beans are not a wedding can!
Shawn: Why not?
Cory: Because beans do not say eternal love and happiness!
Shawn: (Ignoring Eric) Cory, (Puts his hands on Cory’s shoulders) I’m trying to talk to you about something.
Cory: (Knocks away Shawn’s arms, dropping cans) I don’t wanna talk about it now.
Shawn: Why not?
Cory: Did you pick up the honeymoon tickets from the travel agent?
Shawn: What’s the matter with you?
Alan: (Interjecting, try to cool things off) Hey, hey, guys…
Cory: (Stopping Alan) No, no, no, no. Dad, please! (Looks at Shawn) I just want a guy who can pick up the tuxedos and tie some cans together!
Shawn: (Forcefully) I just want to talk to you about this.
Cory: (Erupting) Shawn, I just wanna competent best man!
Shawn: (Exploding) THEN GET A NEW ONE!! (Walks towards door)
Cory: What did you say?
Shawn: I said get a new best man!
-By the time the wedding actually goes down it looks like Cory and Shawn are going to patch things up, but at the altar they have a ridiculous fight and for about .5 seconds it looks like Shawn is really just going to shove his tongue down Cory's throat - or something.
Cory: Look, I am so sorry for all the stuff that happened.
Shawn: Well, you should be. But, we’ll talk about it after you get back from the honeymoon, okay?
Cory: (Turns back to face Topanga, then to Shawn, who had begun walking into the audience) Wait a minute, (steps towards Shawn, off the altar) what do you mean I should be?
Shawn: Cory, you’ve been being a jerk to me.
Cory: (Quietly angry) That’s because you’re the one who forgot the tuxedos. And you’re the one that didn’t tie the tin cans! It’s like you’re trying to sabotage my wedding day!
Shawn: (Trying to remain quiet) That is ridiculous! If I wanted to sabotage your wedding day… I’d do this. (Shoves Cory back, he steps up onto the altar because of it. Topanga quickly gathers up her dress, and all attention is diverted from Topanga to Cory and Shawn)
-They have a huge fight and eventually Cory and Topanga get married. At this point I'm wishing the show was on HBO or Showtime so that these two guys actually would get together on screen, because they're only two seconds away from it anyway:
Shawn: (Being restrained by Jed and Jack) (Yelling with rage) He doesn’t care that we’re not gonna be friends anymore!!
Cory: (Being restrained by Alan) Why do you keep saying that, huh? Why do you have to keep bringing that up?
Shawn: ‘Cause you won’t talk about it!!
Cory: I don’t wanna talk about it! Why do you think I’ve been sending you everywhere?
Shawn: We have to talk about it!
Cory: (Like a child) I don’t want to…
Shawn: We have to!
Cory: (Breathes) …now?
Shawn: (has been released, paces towards the altar’s side) (Almost crying) Cory, after you get married, things are gonna be different. And I don’t have a lot for friends, you know? (Sits on the altar step)
Cory: Shawnie, I… (Sits next to Shawn) I don’t know what’s gonna happen. What do you want me to do?
Shawn: (Pause) I don’t know… (Pause, meekly) Do you really like her?
Cory: (Smiles, nodding) Yeah, I really do.
Shawn: You sure?
Topanga: (Interjects, leaning her head between Shawn and Cory) Shawn, I really think I’ve been very tolerant. (Backs away)
Miscellaneous Quotes and Pics:
There are also lots of little moments from various episodes that are good examples of their relationship.
-During the in-between time in one of Cory and Topanga's breakups, Cory catches Topanga kissing another guy:
(After seeing Topanga kiss Nick)
Cory: I must be dreaming! Pinch me!
(Shawn pinches him)
Cory: Not on the butt!
Shawn: Sorry, it's just... right there.
Cory: "You don't think I'm a geek?"
Shawn: "Of course not."
Cory: "You think I'm cool?"
Shawn: "Of course not."
Cory: "Than what am I?!"
Shawn: "You're Cory, I'm Shawn, just like it's always been. What else do you need to know?"
-Cory thinks of what his life will be like when he's an old man - and, of course, he pictures himself with Shawn (From "Breaking up is Really, Really Hard to Do"):
Shawn (dressed up as old man): What!?
Cory (dressed up as old man): Who?!
Shawn: Huh!?
Cory: They WANT you to take the rolls!
-From the season 3 episode "A Kiss is More Than a Kiss", where Shawn literally picks Cory up and carries him into his apartment.
Fiction 'n' Stuff:
This is really a rare-slash category, but there are a few good places to go if you're really interested.
The most obvious is Yahoo Group Boy Meets World Slash, a small but growing community.
For fiction these sites are good places to start:
The newly created bmw_slash site.
Shack Attack by Arduinna
Go Wild by Proserpina Warning: This one is very dark. She also has several stories archived at
Bitch Willow's Fiction. This is some of the best Cory/Shawn stories I've read yet, especially her new one, New York Makes You Gay.
Fanfiction.net is another place to check out Boy Meets World fiction too.
And, um, I may have one or two stories posted in my memories, in case you're really desperate.
Lots and Lots of Thanks:
Here are the sites I got a lot of information or pictures from (thank you to everyone who helped out or provided information):
BMW Central
Boy Meets World Forever
Laura's Inconsistently Detailed Boy Meets World Episode Guide
The Jack/Eric Ship Manifesto
The Boy Meets World Forum
Boy Meets World by Vivian