- Danielle Fishel opens up on ‘Pod Meets World’ podcast about Topanga’s decision not to go to Yale and follow Cory to his college in ‘Boy Meets World’ Season 5
- Fishel said she thinks Topanga “would have been successful anywhere,” so in the end going to Yale wasn’t all that important
- Co-host Rider Strong, who played Shawn, said he still doesn’t like it because Topanga is the one who “sacrifices” herself for the relationship while Cory never
Danielle Fishel discusses the hot topic: Topanga’s decision not to go to Yale.
In the episode of January 21 The floor meets the world podcast, Fishel and her co-hosts Will Friedle and Rider Strong responded to listener voice notes about Topanga’s choice. In the season 5 finale A boy meets the worldFishel’s Topanga proposes to her boyfriend Cory (Ben Savage) and ultimately decides not to attend Yale. Instead, he follows Cory to Pennbrook University.
Fishel, 43, explained on the podcast episode that while it’s controversial, she doesn’t think Topanga made the wrong choice. “She would be successful anywhere,” Fishel said. She explained that the show places “a lot of importance” on marriage and relationships, but also puts an emphasis on “where you go to school.”
Ben Savage (left) and Danielle Fishel in ‘Boy Meets World’ in 1998.
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
“Should we?” she asked about the accent specifically at Yale. “Topanga would have been successful no matter where she went to school.” Viewers were divided on the decision, which surprised Fishel. “I actually thought more people would say, ‘Why throw away your whole life?’ ” she said of Topanga’s decision to pursue her relationship.
Friedle, 48, asked Fishel if she thought people’s opinions were being swayed by the continuation of the series, A girl meets the worldin which Topanga and Cory are happily married and she is a successful lawyer. She said that even if she rules out the continuation of the series, she still stands by Topanga’s choice.
“I still generally think that if you’re the smartest person in your school, or at the top of your class, and if you’re motivated, you can do well anywhere,” she said. “I think Topanga is a guy you could put in a situation where he might not know anything and he’ll figure it out very quickly. She will figure out how to do what needs to be done and how to be good at it and how to succeed. And I think she could have done that anywhere.”
Boy Meets World’s Danielle Fishel recalls nearly getting fired at age 12 on first day of filming
But Strong, 45, agreed more with the people who wanted Topanga to go to Yale. “Here’s my problem. Does Cory ever make similar sacrifices?” he asked. “Does Cory ever choose his relationship over personal success or his person? No.”
From left: Danielle Fishel, Ben Savage, Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter in ‘Girl Meets World’ in 2014.
Mitch Haaseth/Disney Channel via Getty
“I just feel like Topanga as a character is being asked to make this incredible sacrifice and she’s doing it to highlight this powerful relationship,” he said. “But Cory doesn’t do the same. He never has to do the same. He just needs to give up and not sleep with random girls thrown at him.”
Friedle said that on the show, Cory told Topanga “once or twice” that he was going to Yale, but that Cory “didn’t even believe it.” He added: “It’s very strange. It’s a selfish character with a selfless character.”
Back in June, Fishel addressed the relationship between Cory and Topanga in another episode. She sympathized with how “very real and overwhelming” love can be in teenage relationships and said that if she had watched as a child, she would have been “absolutely rooting” for the couple.
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“Just to see teenagers who love each other win and it’s taken seriously,” Fishel explained. “When you’re a teenager, everyone tells you, ‘You don’t know what love is,’ and you just want someone to say, ‘Maybe you do.’ Maybe this is real. Maybe you’re right and this is forever, and we’re wrong.’ ”
However, in the August episode The floor meets the worldFishel said that she personally wouldn’t want Cory and Topanga to get married early in the show’s seventh season.
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“I think I could still ask her to marry,” she said, “and maybe he’ll say yes, and we’ll go through all the planning, and then finally decide that maybe it’s not the right choice for us at this point.”
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Source: HIS Education