13 Boy Meets World Characters We Want To See On Girl Meets World

Want to feel old? It’s been FOURTEEN YEARS since the final episode of Boy Meets World aired. Fourteen years since the cast scattered, leaving Mr. Feeny to turn off his classroom lights as his favorite students left to, well, meet the world. But with the debut of Girl Meets World, in addition to telling the story of new characters, we’ll also get to see the return of old favorites like Cory and Topanga, Cory’s parents and younger brother, Shawn, Mr. Feeny, and even Minkus. Now surely there are some characters we will never catch up with—like Topanga’s sister Nebula who only appeared once, and Shawn’s never-seen sister. But there are still plenty of old favorites that could make an appearance. Creator Michael Jacobs has stated that he’s open to all cast members from Boy Meets World making a reappearance, so we thought it would be fun to take a look at some characters that should return, and also guess at what they’ve been up to in the last decade and a half.

13. Jason Marsden—Last seen: “Home” (Episode 2.23)

For the first two seasons of Boy Meets World, Jason Marsden was basically the only close friend we would see Eric Matthews with, until he went to college. In the second season, after he helped Eric study for the SATs, he mysteriously disappeared, never to be heard from again.

Where has he been?

After taking the SATs, Eric’s intelligence went rapidly downhill, to the point where he didn’t even register brain activity while he was sleeping. After witnessing this quick decline, Jason ended their friendship, deciding that he didn’t want to go down the same brain-numbing path. After achieving a John Adams High record SAT score of 1580 and a newfound respect for school work, Jason worked his way to the Harvard University campus, where his sarcastic wit found him a place as the editor of the Harvard Lampoon. Jason is now a neuroscientist, determined to find a cure for whatever struck his old friend Eric all those years ago.

12. Griff Hawkins—Last seen: “He Said, She Said” (Episode 3.04)

When Harley Keiner left for reform school, John Adams High was missing a bully, a position soon filled by Griff Hawkins. Griff gave lackeys Joey and Frankie someone to look up to, a nicer version of the bully they once followed. When Harley returned (and will once again return as a janitor in Girl Meets World), Joey and Frankie decided to no longer be lackeys, which was fine with Griff, who just disappeared like so many others on this list. Even though Griff only appeared in three episodes, he’s probably most remembered for being portrayed by one of Boy Meets World’s most famous alumni—Adam Scott.

Where has he been?

No longer feeling like he belonged in Philadelphia, Griff soon went to reform school in Minnesota, where he excelled and tried to mend his ways. Griff was always outgoing (even going so far as to set up a star-studded boxing match at John Adams High) so with his new direction in life, Griff determined to become the youngest mayor of his new home of Partridge, Minnesota. hoping to shed his bad boy image and become a new person, Griff changed his name to Ben Wyatt and by the age of eighteen, became the mayor of Partridge. Unfortunately, that bad boy image soon returned when he opened Ice Town and bankrupted his community. Eager to start over once more, Ben is now the city planner for Pawnee, Indiana, where he is married to Leslie Knope and has three kids.

11. Janitor Bud—Last seen: “Truth and Consequences” (Episode 3.07)

Janitor Bud became so beloved at John Adams High that when Cory and Shawn inadvertently got the man fired two months before his retirement, the entire school turned against the duo. Granted, Bud was fired for leaving school early to gamble at the horse track, but the big softy Mr. Feeny rehired him as his own secretary until he could get his pension.

Where has he been?

After his two months at Feeny’s secretarial desk, Janitor Bud used his pension to do what he loved most: betting on the ponies. Bud did this for years with no success, and was faced with having to take up the mop once again. He’d used “the janitor’s curse” on Cory and Shawn after he had been fired, but Bud noticed that their lives hadn’t been cursed at all. Instead, things had gone great for them. Although it went against centuries of teachings on “the janitor’s curse,” Bud decided to put his last few dollars on his favorite horse and cursed the horse, hoping for the best. Bud won big and over the years used the curse to win hundreds of races, eventually becoming a millionaire. He now owns the track and has donated all of the money he tricked out of John Adams High back to the school.

10. Eli Williams—Last seen: “Brother, Brother” (Episode 3.22)

Eli Williams became John Adams High’s media arts teacher in Boy Meets World’s third season and instantly became friends with his coworker Jonathan Turner. A former news producer, Eli disappeared as quickly as he arrived, appearing at a going away party for Eric, then was also never heard from again.

Where has he been?

Embracing his jazz musician alternate personality known as “Hep-Cat,” Eli Williams decided to pursue his music career rather than go back into the world of news. While playing in the Philadelphia area, Eli became acquainted with Black Thought and Questlove and joined The Roots as part of their touring band. With The Roots now set up as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, there’s not been much need for Eli, but he’s followed them to the New York area (where the Matthews family coincidentally resides), playing clubs as a moderately successful solo jazz musician.

9. Jonathan Turner—Last seen: “Cult Fiction” (Episode 4.21)

Jonathan Turner’s disappearance is probably the most glaring of all of Boy Meets World’s disappearances. Mr. Turner became a big part of the show as the first teacher the kids interacted with in high school, and especially after he took in Shawn for quite some time. The last time we saw him, Turner was all bandaged up in a hospital bed after a motorcycle accident, with Shawn crying to God after he’d joined that cult (it was a weird episode). Although we never see Turner again, during the episode “Graduation,” Minkus does say hello to the teacher offscreen.

Where has he been?

After months of physical therapy, Turner returned to John Adams High, where he remained a favorite teacher of new high school students. When Feeny left the school, Turner took his place as principal, where he combined all that knowledge and lack of personal boundaries that made Feeny so great. While Turner’s fear of commitment kept him from finding the perfect woman, he was able to help other troubled youths by running his own group home.

8. Frankie Stechino—Last seen: “Graduation” (Episode 5.24)

As sidekick to Harley and Griff, Frankie showed that a sensitive heart lay behind his threatening demeanor. After Harley left the series, Frankie transformed into a friend to Cory and Shawn, even tutoring them in poetry. Once Frankie graduated, his story ended, leaving audiences to wonder about whatever happened to Frankie the Enforcer.

Where has he been?

Still trying to please his father—the wrestler Vader—Frankie skipped college to follow his dad on the wrestling circuit. Try as he might, he still couldn’t find it in his heart to fill those giant shoes. With his father’s blessing, Frankie pursued his true love: poetry. And while jokes made by his friend Joey had once made him uneasy about his sexuality, Frankie outgrew being afraid and decided to come out to his family. He is now a former poet laureate and esteemed published author.

7. Joey Epstein—Last seen: “Graduation” (Episode 5.24)

Like Frankie, Joey the Rat also followed Harley and Griff until he eventually went his own way. Joey was the more vocal of the lackeys, often rambling on, and never quite warming up to any of his former victims. The last time we saw Joey was also at graduation (which brings into question the graduation requirements of John Adams High).

Where has he been?

Feeny once told Joey that he should get friends that could be a better influence on his life. He decided to take that advice and, over the summer, developed quite a strong friendship with Minkus over their shared interest in the new band Rilo Kiley. Minkus ends up tutoring Joey and a year after their graduation, Joey joined him at college. After graduating, Joey went on to work for Sub Pop, eventually helping to sign The Elected.

6. Dean Lila Bolander—Last seen: “State of the Unions” (Episode 6.22)

While everyone remembers Mr. Feeny, few people remember that Feeny actually got married late in the series’ run, to the dean of Pennbrook University, where most of the cast went to college. But as soon as Dean Lisa Bolander began her new life with Mr. Feeny, her existence ceased to exist. These two were quite adorable together, when they weren’t bickering. That the actress playing Bolander (Bonnie Bartlett) is actually married to William Daniels Feeny) in real life makes their relationship even cuter.

Where has she been?

With Cory, Shawn, Eric and Topanga in New York, Mr. Feeny and his wife lead a quiet life in Philadelphia. It’s almost too quiet. The two tried to focus on their gardening, but things just didn’t seem right. After a few years, Bolander knew what she and her husband had to do. They both took positions at NYU, where they would close to the kids, even to the point where Cory and Topanga’s kids both call them Grandma and Grandpa Feeny.

5. Angela Moore—Last seen: “Angela’s Ashes” (Episode 7.21)

Angela has the distinction of being the only girl who could get Shawn Hunter to commit—a as accomplishment. Late in the series, she became part of the regular crew, becoming Topanga’s best friend and roommate, following the rest of the group to college. Angela left the series in the penultimate episode to live with her father in Europe for a year, but she and Shawn remained together, as far as the show tells us…

Where has she been?

A year apart for a couple can be tough, especially when separated by continents. Angela and Shawn tried to succeed at a long distance relationship, but after six months, they drifted apart and ended things. With no reason for Angela to return to the U.S., she remained in Europe. Years later on vacation, Shawn runs into Angela in Paris where the two of them rekindled their romance. The two had grown as individuals, which only made their new relationship even stronger. Having finally found what she was looking for in Europe, Angela moved to New York with Shawn, where the two are now engaged.

4. Morgan Matthews—Last seen: “Brave New World: Part 2” (Episode 7.23)

Morgan Matthews rarely got to shine in the spotlight. However, she was often a scene-stealer, most memorably when she returned from an extended timeout, portrayed by a completely different actress. Morgan mostly existed to give Cory a hard time and when we last saw her, she was the oldest sibling in the house since Cory and Eric moved to New York.

Where has she been?

On Morgan’s eighteenth birthday, her parents Amy and Alan Matthews sat her down for an important discussion. They reveal to Morgan that she wasn’t the original Morgan and that she had, in fact, lived with another family for years in what had been a child swap accident at the hospital. After discovering the mistake, the real Morgan was reunited with her true family: the Matthews. Morgan had blocked the memories from her mind and—faced with reality— she had a mental breakdown and left Philadelphia. The whereabouts of Morgan are currently unknown.

3. Rachel McGuire—Last seen: “Brave New World: Part 2” (Episode 7.23)

For the latter seasons, Rachel McGuire was a constant object of affection for both Jack and Eric at Pennbrook when she moved in with the two guys. While she would date both in the final two seasons, she eventually ended up with neither of them, but joined the Peace Corps with Jack and went to Guatemala with him in the final episode.

Where has she been?

After a few months in Guatemala, Rachel and Jack started dating again, however realizing how silly it is to date one of the two men who fought over her like a prize, Rachel decides she’d rather be alone than with someone like that. Rachel continued her dedication to the Peace Corps and would eventually go on to become director of the Peace Corps.

2. Jack Hunter—Last seen: “Brave New World: Part 2” (Episode 7.23)

Unlike Shawn’s mysteriously disappearing sister, Jack became the sibling that actually had the fortune of appearing on screen. Much like his younger brother, Jack found his best friend in a Matthews boy, befriending Eric, even if the two constantly fought over Rachel. In Boy Meets World’s final episode, Eric decides to give up his father’s money and join the Peace Corps with Rachel.

Where has he been?

Once Rachel and Jack break up again, Jack realizes he joined the Peace Corps for the wrong reasons and immediately regrets his decision. Calling his rich step-father, Jack pleads to get back in the family business. When his father reluctantly accepts Jack, he leaves Guatemala to move back to New York. Even though he’s not entirely content with the path he has led in his life, at least he lives close to his college friends and his brother.

1. Eric Matthews —Last seen: “Brave New World: Part 2” (Episode 7.23)

Of all the cast members that haven’t signed on to return for Girl Meets World, Eric Matthews is probably the most shocking. He started off as a bright individual, but as the series went on, his intelligence plunged to a worrisome level. Eric’s story throughout the years was often the opposite’s of his brother Cory’s. He never found true love and never quite had much of a direction in his life. In fact, it could be argued that Boy Meets World was just as much about Eric finding where he belonged as it was about Cory.

Where has he been?

After moving to New York with Cory, Topanga and Shawn, Eric attempted to get his dream job as a weatherman. Eric’s audience loved him for years, even to the point where he gained a TV development deal due to his surprise stardom. With his deal, he went to create and star in the show he’d made up long ago in his head: “Eric Matthews: Good-Looking Detective.” With audiences growing weary of most crimes being solved by old guys, fat guys and guys in wrinkled raincoats, Eric’s show became a hit and is still running on CBS. His line “Book ‘em, Good-Lookin’.” became a worldwide catchphrase. “Eric Matthews: Good-Looking Detective” is currently being developed into a film series.

Ross Bonaime is a D.C.-based freelance writer and regular contributor to Paste. He also wouldn’t mind writing for Girl Meets World (hint hint). You can follow him on Twitter.

 
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