Summary
- Boy Meets World tackled mature topics, like drinking, that Disney didn't typically address in its programming.
- The episode "If You Can't Be With the One You Love" highlighted the consequences of turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism.
- "Prom-ises, Prom-ises" discussed the topic of sex, but lacked an educational purpose and didn't meet Disney's content standards.
Boy Meets World utilized its cast of characters to teach valuable lessons about life to its viewers. It managed to expertly weave these lessons and light-hearted moments together to create a unique series that garnered a large following and even a spinoff called Girl Meets World that followed the main characters' adolescent kids' journeys. Despite the show airing in the 1990s, it continues to have cultural significance and a firm place in television history.
With the show following Cory Matthews and Topanga Lawrence from middle school all the way to high school, it's no surprise that complicated situations arose in their lives that dealt with topics more mature in nature. The show would have been doing viewers a disservice by not including heavier subjects, as it would have felt unnatural and unrelatable. Boy Meets World's ability to deal with more difficult and adult topics is what set it apart and allowed it to become as successful as it did, but when Disney Channel began to air re-runs of the ABC series, they did not agree with the open approach it took with these.
Why Disney Banned Boy Meets World's "If You Can't Be With The One You Love"
Season 5, Episode 15
Drinking is not something that Disney Channel typically touches on in their usual programming, so it makes sense that Boy Meets World season 5, episode 15, "If You Can't Be With the One You Love," wound up banned. It displayed the all-too-common coping mechanism of turning to drinking to deal with a difficult time through Cory's story in the episode. He was having a tough time in the aftermath of his difficult breakup with Topanga and used alcohol to get his mind off his troubles.
He and Shawn drink whiskey at a party but get busted by the cops. Cory swears off drinking, but Shawn continues and gets aggressive with his girlfriend, Angela. The episode wraps up with both boys recognizing that drinking wasn't the solution to their problems, but despite learning this lesson, it was still deemed inappropriate and banned. It was never broadcast on Disney Channel, although it could have served as a valuable lesson to younger viewers about the consequences of teenage drinking and the realities of addiction.
Why Disney Banned Boy Meets World's "Prom-ises Prom-ises"
Season 5, Episode 22
Prom episodes of sitcoms tend to be some of the most memorable, and Boy Meets World is no exception. Cory and Topanga spent the episode contemplating whether they wanted to have sex for the first time on prom night. They are put in an awkward position, though, when they end up in the same hotel as Alan and Amy. The two didn't end up following through with their plans, and the word "sex" was never mentioned. The innuendos, though, were enough for the Disney Channel to refuse to air it.
Two of Boy Meets World's stars were also left uncomfortable by the storyline. Rider Strong, who played Shawn, explained that he wasn't on board with the episode from the get-go. He shared that he was upset the entire week the cast was filming it because of the way the subject matter was approached in the script. He wanted the episode to talk about safety and was disappointed that Cory and Topanga were not talking about birth control. Given that it wasn't able to serve an educational purpose or address these issues, it makes sense that Disney Channel didn't allow it to air.
Why Disney Banned Boy Meets World's "The Truth About Honesty"
Season 6, Episode 20
Boy Meets World, season 6, episode 20, "The Truth About Honesty" was the third and final episode in the show's lineup to be banned from airing on Disney Channel. Similar to "Prom-ises, Prom-ises", the episode didn't meet Disney's content standards due to the fact that it deals with sex. In it, Cory shared that he was ready to take his relationship with Topanga to the next level. Shawn and Angela also discuss their situation, deciding that they are not comfortable having a physical relationship with no commitment.
The episode is not graphic or provocative, choosing to take a more tame approach to the subject. It also portrayed the importance of open and honest communication between couples, as well as setting boundaries. Both couples were direct in their feelings. While it did a better job of serving as a form of education for audiences than "Prom-ises, Prom-ises," the discussion of sex was still not acceptable to Disney and was deemed inappropriate.
