Editing Boy Meets World (section)

==Production==
===Development and casting===
[[File:Ben Savage.jpg|left|thumb|140px|alt=A mid shot of a man with curly brown hair, looking towards the camera and smiling. He is holding a microphone at a press event.|[[Ben Savage]], pictured in 2015, serves as the program's central focus.]] 
''Boy Meets World'' was created to air on the [[TGIF (TV programming block)|TGIF]] programming block which had been airing on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] since 1989. The series was created by Michael Jacobs, who produced ''[[Dinosaurs (TV series)|Dinosaurs]]'' for the same block. Jacobs was approached by a [[Disney]] executive after the conclusion of ''Dinosaurs'', to write a new series for the 12 to 14-year-old demographic.<ref name="uproxx">{{cite magazine|url=https://uproxx.com/tv/boy-meets-world-oral-history/|title='Dream, Try, Do Good': The Oral History Of ''Boy Meets World''|access-date=July 3, 2022|date=January 31, 2017|magazine=[[Uproxx]]|publisher=[[Warner Music Group]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524190126/https://uproxx.com/tv/boy-meets-world-oral-history/|archive-date=May 24, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Jacobs noticed how other sitcoms focused on the oldest child of a family, which led him to create ''Boy Meets World'' with the middle child as the central character.

[[Ben Savage]] was already under a contract at ABC at 11 years old when Jacobs chose to include him in the series, which became known as ''The Ben Savage Project''. Jacobs wanted to work with [[William Daniels]], but Daniels was apprehensive about acting in a sitcom and initially rejected the offer before asking for the pilot to be re-written.<ref name="uproxx"/> Daniels had threatened to quit, and told Jacobs he did not want the role of Mr. Feeny to make fun of teachers, but knew the character would be respected when Jacobs stated it was based on a mentor of his.<ref name="teachers">{{Cite web |last=Becker|first=Emma |date=July 13, 2022 |title=''Boy Meets World''{{'}}s William Daniels Reveals What Made Him Pause Before He Signed on to Play Mr. Feeny |url=https://people.com/tv/boy-meets-world-william-daniels-initially-did-not-want-to-play-mr-feeny/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714055847/https://people.com/tv/boy-meets-world-william-daniels-initially-did-not-want-to-play-mr-feeny/|archive-date=July 14, 2022 |access-date=July 14, 2022 |website=[[People (magazine)|People]] |publisher=Meredith Corporation}}</ref> [[Rider Strong]] was the first actor to audition for the role of Shawn and was successful. Strong's older brother [[Shiloh Strong]] was shortlisted to play Eric alongside [[Jason Marsden]] and [[Will Friedle]]; Friedle secured the role, however, a different actor portrayed Eric in the unaired pilot.<ref name="uproxx"/> [[Danielle Fishel]] was not the original actor cast as Topanga, but she assumed the role before the character's first episode; Jacobs also threatened to fire Fishel during the filming week.<ref name="paradedifficult">{{cite web|title=''Boy Meets World'' Cast Recalls 'Damaging' Set Environment on Sitcom |date=July 22, 2022|last=Forward|first=Devon|url=https://parade.com/news/boy-meets-world-cast-recalls-damaging-set-environment-showrunner |work=[[Parade (magazine)|Parade]] |publisher=[[AMG/Parade]]|access-date=July 24, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724014409/https://parade.com/news/boy-meets-world-cast-recalls-damaging-set-environment-showrunner|archive-date=July 24, 2022}}</ref>

''Boy Meets World'' was renewed for a fifth season in April 1997.<ref name="s5renewal">{{cite web|title=NBC renews ''Pretender''; ''Boy'' for ABC |date=April 28, 1997 |url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/nbc-renews-pretender-boy-for-abc-1117434496/|work=Variety|publisher=Variety Media, LLC.|access-date=September 27, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711045816/https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/nbc-renews-pretender-boy-for-abc-1117434496/|archive-date=July 11, 2022}}</ref> In the fifth season, [[Matthew Lawrence]] joined the cast as [[Jack Hunter (Boy Meets World)|Jack Hunter]], Eric's college roommate.<ref name="jack97">{{cite magazine|title=''Boy Meets World'' casts Lawrence |date=August 5, 1997|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation|Variety Media, LLC.]]|quote=Actor Matthew Lawrence, who began his TV career at age 4 on the ABC drama ''Dynasty'', has joined the cast of ''Boy Meets World'', now entering its fifth season. Lawrence plays Jack, Eric's (Will Friedle) college roommate.}}</ref> Daniels' wife [[Bonnie Bartlett]] portrays the recurring role of Dean Bolander, the dean of the university, in the later seasons of the show.<ref name="teachers"/>

===Writing and filming===
During the writing of the pilot, network executives removed the episode's references to [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]], considering these elements as too mature for the audience. The episode was poorly received at the table read, and Jacobs re-wrote the pilot overnight.<ref name="uproxx"/><ref name="teachers"/> Part of the rewrite was to ensure that Mr. Feeny was portrayed in a way that was respectful of teachers and did not make fun of them, at Daniels' request.<ref name="teachers"/> Strong later commented on the difficult atmosphere of filming on-set, which he described as a "damaging" environment that was cultivated by Jacobs, who had high expectations of the cast.<ref name="paradedifficult"/><ref name="insiderdamaging">{{cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/boy-meets-world-rider-strong-recalls-damaging-atmosphere-on-set-2022-7|title=Rider Strong recalls 'damaging' atmosphere on ''Boy Meets World'' set|last=Mazzeo |first=Esme |work=[[Insider Inc.#Insider|Insider]]|publisher=[[Axel Springer SE]]|date=July 22, 2022|access-date=July 24, 2022}}</ref> Director [[David Trainer]] stated that Jacobs used "emotional manipulation" on the younger cast.<ref name="paradedifficult"/>

The chemistry between Savage and Fishel led to producers developing a romantic relationship between Cory and Topanga. Jacobs was told by an ABC executive that marrying the pair would be irresponsible, before a favorable Internet poll led to the decision being approved. As the series progressed, Eric's characterization became more foolish and unintelligent to accommodate Friedle's comedic abilities.<ref name="uproxx"/>

Jeff Sherman, who was a producer and writer on the show, advocated to include issues such as vandalism and child abuse in the series, regardless of it being a comedy. An episode in the first season, "The Fugitive", discusses the idea of running away from home.<ref name="uproxx"/> [[Bob Tischler]] served as an executive producer alongside Jacobs towards the end of the show's run.<ref name="orbit"/>

===Conclusion===
''Boy Meets World'' was renewed for a sixth season in April 1998.<ref name="boyabchood">{{cite web|title=''Boy's'' still in ABC hood |date=April 27, 1998|last=Hontz|first=Jenny|url=https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/boy-s-still-in-abc-hood-1117470158/|work=Variety|publisher=Variety Media, LLC.|access-date=September 27, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711045816/https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/boy-s-still-in-abc-hood-1117470158/|archive-date=July 11, 2022}}</ref> ''[[Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996 TV series)|Sabrina the Teenage Witch]]'', another series airing on Friday nights, was the only other show to be renewed that year. By this time, the ratings for ''Boy Meets World'' had decreased by 14% from the last season, and the TGIF ratings had decreased by 17% overall.<ref name="boyabchood"/>

In 2000, ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'', moved from airing on ABC to [[the WB]]; by this stage, it was expected that ''Boy Meets World'' would also end its run, causing doubt about the future of the block.<ref name="witch">{{cite web|title=ABC: ''Witch'' way now? |date=April 6, 2000 |last1=Schneider|first1=Michael|last2=Adalian|first2=Josef |url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/abc-witch-way-now-1117780270/|work=Variety|publisher=Variety Media, LLC.|access-date=July 14, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711045817/https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/abc-witch-way-now-1117780270/|archive-date=July 11, 2022}}</ref> By April, production on the seventh season of ''Boy Meets World'' had concluded, and Savage was already planning on attending college.<ref name="witch"/> The series did not produce a "large-scale" series finale, and there was a possibility the show could return.<ref name="witch"/> In the same month, ABC officially announced that the seventh season would be the final season of the show.<ref name="orbit">{{cite web|title=''Boy'' world in its final orbit |date=April 19, 2000 |last=Schneider|first=Michael |url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/boy-world-in-its-final-orbit-1117780757/ |work=Variety|publisher=Variety Media, LLC.|access-date=July 14, 2022|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714062909/https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/boy-world-in-its-final-orbit-1117780757/|archive-date=July 14, 2022}}</ref> The hour-long series finale aired on May 5, 2000, in which Cory and Topanga consider moving to New York.<ref name="orbit"/>