‘Girl Meets World’ Cast Opens Up About Spinoff’s Rocky Start and Creative Struggles
The 2014 Disney Channel spinoff “Girl Meets World” brought back beloved characters from “Boy Meets World,” but the reunion wasn’t without its tensions, according to the show’s stars. In the “Pod Meets World” podcast, Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Friedle are revisiting the spinoff and sharing candid recollections about its development—including a pitch meeting one cast member described as “awful.”
A Pitch Meeting No One Wanted
Rider Strong, who played Shawn Hunter in the original series, revealed on the podcast that co-creator Michael Jacobs arranged a meeting with him and Will Friedle to discuss the spinoff—even though, as Strong put it, the show was “the last thing they wanted to do.” Strong explained that he was planning to propose to his now-wife, Alexandra Barreto, when he heard about the project, and that he and Friedle learned about it through the press rather than directly from Jacobs.
Friedle, who played Eric Matthews, initially agreed to the meeting just to hear what Jacobs had to say. But what began as an exploratory conversation turned into a casting pitch. Strong recalled that Jacobs placed significant pressure on them, describing the scene as involving “screaming.” The meeting took place in a restaurant, not a private setting, which added to the discomfort.
Despite their reluctance, both Strong and Friedle eventually signed on—Strong appeared in seven episodes, Friedle in four—after attending the casting session and reconnecting with the team. Strong noted that once they saw everyone again and felt part of the group, agreeing became easier.
Fishel’s Frustration with the ‘Shadow’ of the Original
While Strong and Friedle’s reluctance centered on the pitch meeting, Danielle Fishel’s concerns were about the show’s creative direction. On the same podcast, Fishel—who reprised her role as Topanga Lawrence-Matthews—said creator Michael Jacobs led her to believe that “Girl Meets World” would be a “whole new show.” She wrote a blog before the series premiered emphasizing that the spinoff would stand on its own, but in practice, she said, the writers tried to “shoehorn Boy Meets World things into it” every day.
Fishel admitted she would have taken the job regardless, but she would have preferred to have a clearer idea of what she was signing up for. She believes the show struggled because it was so closely tied to its predecessor, calling it a “self-imposed shadow” that prevented the new series from stepping into the light. Her view aligns with Strong’s, who said he thought a direct continuation of “Boy Meets World” would have been better, and that “Girl Meets World” felt like “a reflection” rather than a true continuation.
Revisiting the Past
The trio’s candid reflections come as they dedicate podcast episodes to “Girl Meets World,” offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at the spinoff’s creation. The original series ran from 1993 to 2000, and the spinoff, which starred Ben Savage and Fishel as leads, launched in 2014 with several original cast members returning in guest or recurring roles.
While the spinoff had its own audience, the cast’s comments highlight the challenges of reviving a beloved franchise. Fishel’s frustration with the creative direction and Strong’s skepticism about its premise offer a nuanced perspective on how the cast viewed the project, even as they participated in it.