In Part 1, when Cory becomes the head of the Nature Club, the whole gang heads out on a trip to a familiar ski lodge. In Part 2, with the group’s ski trip coming to an end, it is apparent that Lucas must finally choose between Riley and Maya.

I often get worried when GMW announces that there will be some parallel to BMW.  The parallels are usually not gratuitous, but help drive story.  When GMW stated they’d be going back to the ski lodge episode (Heartbreak Cory), I was worried.  That episode is rather iconic.  In that episode, the BMW gang heads off for their senior ski trip.  Cory sprains his ankle upon arriving and ends up spending the whole day with Lauren, one of the employees.  She even gives Cory a piece of the jigsaw puzzle (which she calls his “own piece of the mountain”).  A couples game is played and Cory ends up talking to Lauren all night.  The two kiss.

In Girl Meets Ski Lodge, our gang is excited about their ski trip as part of the Nature Club (sitcom TV requirement met – all major characters have to be part of the same club).  Hovering over this trip is the famous Lucas-Riley-Maya triangle.  That storyline has been getting a little long in the tooth.  However, Maya’s exploration of who she is, and why she is acting like RIley, is key to its resolution.

When they arrive at the lodge, Riley trips and sprains her ankle (a boot instantly appears).  Lauren is still at the front desk (Topanga: “She hasn’t aged well.”) The stage is set for the exploration of relationships over the two episode arc.  The exploration is exquisite, thoughtfully and believably written, and well acted.  Peyton Meyer is in the unsung hero in this series. He shines in his role as the conflicted teen.

Without giving too much away, through conversations with Josh, Cory’s much younger brother, in its simplest form, that her transformation into someone RIley-esque was to protect Riley.  Because Maya and Riley have been best friends so long, that as boys begin to enter their lives, Maya was seeking to make sure that Lucas really was as nice as he said he was (or as he acted; I’m not 100% sure I buy this, but I’ll go with it.)  Josh and Maya pledge to be together “someday.”

Meanwhile, Riley is in the bay window late the first night when a young man (and, apparently an employee) named Evan comes in.  He engages in conversation with Riley, suggesting that he’d like to be a sherpa, bringing people to places they never thought they’d go before (isn’t that what teaching is all about?).  The conversation lasts all night.  As one might imagine, Lucas is not happy.  The couple’s game is played again.

In the end, Lucas chooses Riley.  Its a natural choice and the journey to get to that decision made for some outstanding GMW episodes.  The ability of the writers to parallel to Heartbreak Cory episode is admirable, but it also makes sense. Lucas offers Riley a jelly bean as a gift (he had previous tried to decide by adding jelly beans to a scale).  Riley gives Lucas the leaf that floated in the window at the beginning of the episode, her signal that the triangle must end.  The question for the viewer is now: where do we go from here.

There’s a little surprise at the end of the episode: it turns out Evan is Lauren’s son.  Nice final connection to the inspiring episode.

It’s impressive to see how intricately plotted this episode is, or in general, how intricately plotted the entire series is.  Character’s motivations are clear, believable and understandable.  The actions that they take are clear, believable and understandable.  This show continues to impress.  Now, Disney Channel, don’t cancel it!