Everyone’s getting in touch with their roots as they go through cultural week by exploring their heritage, whether they be Irish or Texan. (imdb.com)

After a series of episodes where the writers thoughtfully and thoroughly explore who Maya is, we return to another “very special episode” of GMW.  I find it painful that the writers dip into the bag of themes, pull one out and then focus an episode on it.  As such, there’s no connection for the characters between the episodes.  We see them experience things but those experiences don’t, in some ways, help the characters grow.

Here Cory has the friends explore who they are as part of Cultural Week. Maya is Irish; Zay and Lucas are from Texas; Farkle is from Denmark; Nigel (who has never spoken before) is from Cambodia.  Smackle seems oddly absent here.  Riley is deemed “American” because her family is from Philadelphia.  Couldn’t we say that about Lucas, since he is from Texas?

I’m not sure they take the assignment too seriously.  Maya gives out potatoes and Irish Spring soap.  Lucas and Zay wear big cowboy hats and hold up “Don’t Mess With Texas” foam fingers.  Cory challenges the group to really share their stories – since understanding different cultures means understanding their stories.

The gang spends time at the Cultural Fair.  Farkle is oddly quiet.  The gang learns how Nigel’s grandmother fled Cambodia.  Zay has learned from his grandmother that his family left Ghana for Jamaica and then headed to the US.  Maya is amazed by how beautiful Ireland is.  Lucas apparently doesn’t get a new background and Riley is still American.

Riley being American seems like an odd choice.  And it seems forced so that one of the gang can state that living in the United States – and New York City – means you get to hear everyone’s story every day.

The surprise comes at the end when Farkle explains that his grandfather was adopted by Christian Rescuers in Denmark. The rest of his ancestors were apparently killed in the Holocaust.  We get a sappy Riley hug and a Zay “I’m here for you if you need to talk” line.

This would have been a much more powerful episode if Farkle had learned this at the beginning of the episode and then struggled with his own identity and the impact of the Holocaust on his own family.

In the B story, Auggie has a new friend Raffi from Cuba who is apparently related to Yeonis Cespedes of the New York Mets.  We have to suffer through a scene where Ava dresses up like Carmine Miranda trying to woo Raffi.  Its not only bad, but badly stereotypical.

There are rumors that Disney is deciding if they wish to cancel GMW.  I’d take Farkle, spin him off into his own show and say goodbye to Girl Meets World.

The Ross kids trade their penthouse for Camp Kikiwaka for the summer only to to find a new counselor in the Woodchuck cabin. (imdb.com)

Surprisingly, Bunk’d is back for a second season.  The first season of the show was ok and apparently the Ross kids are likable enough to give them another go round at Camp Kikiwaka.  By the time the Disney Channel is done, Ravi, Zuri, and Emma will be starring in Bunk’d: The College Years.

We’ve had a new addition to the cast this year: Griff, the foster child who has been arrested for an increasingly troubled career in borrowing.  He’s Mr. Tough Guy when he shows up but his transition to Mr. Nice Guy is way too fast for me.  However, the show needs a character like Griff.  He’s not perfect and he’s a troublemaker.  We needed better conflict in the show besides the conflict between Hazel, Emma and Xander.  Hazel is too cartoonish to be believed but Griff needs to retain his edge to keep this conflict going.

So in the premiere of Season 2, the Ross kids head back to summer camp.  Hazel has made sure that lovable Lou is now in charge of the Weasels cabin.  The Weasels live up to their name for sure and ridiculously and stereotypically torture Lou.  The dog leash and collar is particularly cruel.

Hazel, on the other hand, has turned the Woodchucks cabin into her own personal domain. She has her own queen sized bed while Emma, Zuri and Tiffany see their bunk beds stacked (or stack’d).  They try putting a rat and cheese in Hazel’s bed but Hazel scares the rat off (and actually befriends the rat).  Its pretty standard stuff.

Meanwhile, Griff has been assigned to the Grizzly cabin.  Pretty soon, Xander’s guitar, Gabby, has disappeared and Griff is accused of stealing the guitar (surprise!).  Ravi and Griff do have a bonding moment, as Ravi shares with Griff that he lived in an orphanage in India until he was ten years old.  Naturally, when the group has Griff’s “Trial By Fire,” Hazel is ready to vote guilty immediately.  But, of course, Ravi, in a long-winded defense, stands up for Griff.  It finally comes out that Hazel took the guitar.  Instead of reporting Hazel to Gladys, Hazel is sent off to the Weasel cabin and Lou comes back to the Woodchuck cabin.

Its pretty standard fare – and Disney is running new episodes of Bunk’d all week, just like they did with Best Friends Whenever.  Its a curious choice, seeing that BFW has not had a new episode since their week of new eps in July.

Riley has trouble with her debate assignment when she must argue if people are naturally good or evil. (imdb.com)

One of the many traits that sets RIley Matthews apart is her positive view of the world.  One of the many traits that sets Girl Meets World apart is the show’s willingness to dig deep into characters, in a way I don’t has ever been done on a tween or Dcom series before.

Here, at the opening, Riley and Farkle are debating if the sun shines day or night.  (Note: Smackle’s heated response to Farkle’s debate statements is a riot – please give these two their own show).  Riley struggles mightily with the concept of seeing the other side of the situation.  I found this rather surprising given many of her bay window conversations with Maya.  As Cory notes, “many wars have started as a result of not seeing the other side.”  So he throws down a challenge to Riley: to debate if people are good or evil (see the parallel between day and night).

Here’s what I found troubling about this episode.  Maya shows Riley the web and Riley seems surprised – or disturbed – that there is poverty, war, and climate change.  My question: what planet has she been on?  She lives in New York City for one.  Does she not pay attention to what is going on around her?  Two Shoes Louis is mentioned (and he’s seen at the end in one of the corniest scenes on the show).  Why not have her react to the fact he needs to beg for money to have to two matching shoes?  What kind of world would let that happen?

Instead, Riley turns “evil” when she eats Zay’s sole cookie from his grandmother.  This is probably not the most evil thing Riley could have done.  However, the evil act had to be something that impacted her group of friends so that the resolution could involve her group of friends.  Riley mentions that she didn’t give Two Shoes Louis $2 because it was spaghetti and hot dogs day.  It might have been interesting for Riley’s evil act to follow this arc.

After hearing a story from Maya about how dirty the beaches are (and how people can’t feel the sand between their toes), Augie begs Topanga to go to the beach to clean it up.  Here’s our parallel good story.  They are only able to clean a small portion of the beach (and actually, NYC beaches are pretty clean).  Augie is worried that his action’s wont make a difference and that they have wasted their time.  Topanga shares the famous starfish story – that the actions of one man makes a difference for one starfish (and isn’t that what teaching is all about.)

Note: The Matthews kitchen table seems to have shrunk.

Back in class, Farkle mentions that they have noticed a change in Riley.  Moreover, Riley’s goodness brings out the natural goodness in her friends.  That’s what they look to her for.  But Zay can’t forgive her for eating the cookie – and it will take time to forgive her.”

Riley then offers the following analysis: “This is a world of poverty, hunger and climate change. And we know it. And we tolerate it. And we have not changed it. So if the world creates opportunities for us to do something good or something evil every day… And that world is full of poverty, hunger and war… Then doesn’t the state of the world answer the question? Doesn’t it prove that the world is evil? That we are evil?”

The key message is this: it’s not that the world asks us to make a decision between good and evil.  The world asks us to do our part, to work to a common good.  After Riley tells Zay she has written a cookie song, he quickly accepts her apology.  At first, she thinks it is just because he doesn’t want to hear the song, but, in reality, Zay knows Riley’s apology is coming from a good place.

The final scene involves Two Shoes Louis.  Apparently, he has reached his goal of being able to buy matching shoes.  But he wanted the last $2 to come from Riley, not a stranger.  So he gives Riley the $2 so she can give it back to him.  Again, Riley’s actions come from a good place.

This episode was an interesting exploration of good and evil, albeit a little too saccharine for me.

When Paige convinces Dirk to stop doing such risky dares, his brother Kirk is worried the dare-devil is broken for good. Meanwhile, Bernie tries to find an office space to call his own for an important meeting. (imdb.com)

I decided to check back in to Bizaardvark, now that it is seven episodes into its run.  I still found it formulaic and I still found the characters somewhat one-dimensional but, surprisingly, I found the episode amusing.

We had two main storylines going on here.  First, Paige and Frankie are concerned that Dirk’s dares are too dangerous.  So she administers an 800 question career test – and it suggests that Dirk would be best served being a daredevil, a stuntman, or a librarian who doesn’t like to sit still.  When Dirk explains the physics behind one of his dares, Paige decides to connect Dirk with her school’s Physics Club.  There’s only three kids in the club apparently.  What I liked about this scene was Dirk’s ability to explain physics on his own terms.  As a teacher, I think we do these types of students a huge disservice when we require them to confirm to school norms.  Different students learn different ways and we need to celebrate that.

Of course, Dirk is so disenfranchised by this whole approach that he decides not to do any more dangerous dares.  His brother shows up and wonders about the latest, greatest dare.  Dirk realizes that doing dares is in his blood – and does the dare successfully (using physics!).  Paige learns to not advocate for people changing their interests.

Meanwhile, Frankie and Bernie are involved in a separate storyline about Bernie getting his own office.  LIam first gives him a storage room/server room – and the physical comedy here is reasonably good.  Because Bernie has arranged for a meeting with a top TV executive to bring Bizaardvark to TV, he and Frankie decide to bribe Liam into getting a better office – specifically his office.  I’m not sure why they wouldn’t just clean up the office they have but , oh well.  In the end, after all of the back and forth bribery (which seems out of Frankie’s character, but not Bernie’s), it turns out that the “top TV executive” actually videotapes all of the sporting events at Tarzana Community College.  It is sort of a flat ending to a somewhat flat story.

I find it better when a show sends its two main characters off into different storyline directions.  The show still has too many shades of iCarly but, as long as Bizaardvark is on TV, that will be an ongoing comparison.

Phoebe and Max return to their elementary school to complete a hero assessment exam and discover that the instructor is a former classmate that Max tormented.  Meanwhile, Nora is tired of how chores are assigned so she insists on an election to become head of household. (imdb.com)

This is a rather tired plot – character A learns that there has been some grading error in the past and must return to school – usually elementary school – and complete some course or test to “graduate.”  And, of course, the instructor holds some grudge against the returning student.  We have the same thing here.  Super President Kickbutt informs Phoebe – and Max – that they did not complete their Power Assessment Test in 5th grade and must go back and complete it.  If they don’t, Phoebe will no longer be a super hero and Max will be sent to junior jail.

When they arrive back in school, Max recounts how he used to make fun of a classmate named Metalbutt.  And who is the assistant in the classroom – Metalbutt.  To pass the test, they must successfully complete two of three tasks involving a robot.  The first is to create a tool using limited parts to stop the robot in 60 seconds.  Max builds a female robot with the clock radio that emits a frequency that the Z280 cannot tolerate.  They fail the second test.  But in the third test, they need to avoiding shooting lasers to save the dummy on the floor.  Metalbutt cranks up the frequency and the Thundertwins are in trouble.

Somehow, Metalbutt become magnetically attracted to the school logo – and is in danger as well.  Max and Phoebe have a choice – save Metalbutt or save the dummy.  They decide to save Metalbutt and Max apologies for making so many negative comments about him.  Even though the dummy is toast, Max and Phoebe pass.

Meanwhile, Nora is miffed that she keeps getting assigned the same chore so she challenges Hank to an election as President of the Household.  There’s a wacky debate and Hank brings out a chocolate fountain and a clown to get Chloe and Billy’s vote.  Nora gets all sulky when she votes and Hank apologizes for not listening to her.  This is just enough for her to cast her vote for Hank.

Hank and Phoebe think the house has been robbed when they return home and discover the furniture missing, but Max admits he hid everything and forces them to earn their belongings back before Barb discovers the truth. (imdb.com)

This was one strange episode of the Thundermans.  Barb decides she is going shoe shopping.  Max skips out so he can assumably go play with his band; Phoebe and Hank beg off so that they can do some extra super hero training.

Barb, Nora, Billy and Chloe end up at Splatburger, which is having a promotion to see who can be in the new Southwestern Beef commercial.  All they need to do is stand with their hands on cacti and outlast Raul, professional commercial guy.  Of course, Raul is Mrs. Won’s favorite, so she does everything to make sure he wins and they lose.  But when he inadvertantly takes his hand off the cacti, its game on for Barb, Nora and Billy.  When they see Chloe with a massive pile of food she has ordered, they take their hands off the cacti at the same time, so they effectively all win.  They are portrayed in the commercial as pigs, scarfing down on the new burger.  It was just weird.

Meanwhile, when Hank and Phoebe come home from the movies (not superhero training), they find that all of the furniture (including the lamps) have been stolen.  They are equally surprised to find out that Max was behind it (I’m not exactly sure what his motivation is, but I would bet that, based on how the episode ends, he’s jealous of Hank and Phoebe spending so much time together).  Max orders that Phoebe and Hank become his servants. Max’s original intent was to sell the furniture to our good friend Chainsaw – there’s some convulated tale about how Chainsaw left the money outside Colosso’s window and Hank ripped it up and Chainsaw took all of the furniture to outfit his new coffeehouse.  It doesn’t make much sense.

In the end, there’s some insanity about a popcorn tossing event and a bet as to whoever wins either gets the furniture or the house.  The Thundermans win and keep their house.

That’s not the most compelling part of the story.  Phoebe was right – Max is jealous of the relationship between her and Hank.  I would have liked to see a stronger plot to expose that jealously.  But Hank and Max work together at the end, and apparently, Max’s contributions to the family are validated.

Katy and Shawn prepare their vows, for their wedding, with Maya as maid of honor and Cory as best man. (imdb.com)

It was bound to happen eventually: Shawn proposing to Maya’s mother, Katy.  This episode did not offer any surprises but it was satisfying in its own way.  Lucas and Farkle do not appear in this episode.

Initially, Maya is thrilled that Shawn has proposed to her mother, but then she has some doubts about the wedding actually going through.  Maya’s response here makes sense. Nothing has ever seemed to go right from either Maya or Shawn, but Shawn can’t also guarantee that everything will go right with the marriage.  Maya also remembers her mother staying up at night crying, as she waited for Maya’s father to come home.  She doesn’t want to see that happen again either.  What’s impressive here is that Maya wants to confront this issue by herself, so she locks Riley out of the apartment and she locks the bay window.  Maya handles it maturely, and in the end, is ready to take the leap with Shawn and her mom.

What’s also interesting is Cory’s response to Shawn’s wedding.  Cory has always seem himself as the mature one in the relationship but the bromance aspect of his relationship with Shawn now comes across as a little bit too creepy.  If I was Shawn, I might be inclined to tell buzz off, but deep down, Shawn appreciates the normalcy that Cory brings to his life.

Most touching exchanges.

Shawn: Will I make a good husband? / Katy: Will I make a good wife?

Shawn demonstrates his love for Katy by setting up the wedding on the roof of Cory and Topanga’s building.  The wedding goes off without a hitch as Mr. Feeney presides over the ceremony.

This episode seems to conclude Maya’s exploration of who she is.  I appreciate the fact that she has become as strong or stronger than Riley and is now her own independent young woman.

Max and Phoebe track down their aunt for their mom’s birthday only to find out that the sisters have been fighting for years.  Meanwhile, Billy, Nora and Chloe try to replace Barb’s birthday cake.

This time it’s Barb’s birthday and Max and Phoebe are trying to decide what to get Barb for a gift.  This comes the day after Phoebe skipped Max’s band’s performance to have an ice skating party (well, either she didn’t show up or she pre-empted the performance).

Meanwhile, Hank has ordered a chocolate munch cake from a celebrity baker.  Chloe five finger swipes the frosting under Billy and Nora’s supervision and the cake now needs to be replaced.  They decide to teleport to the bakery to get a new cake.

Max and Phoebe soon discover that Barb’s sister Mandy is living in Metroburg, owner of a shop called “Gobs of Globes.”  Mandy readily agrees to attend Barb’s birthday dinner.  However, when she arrives, Mandy states that “I’ll make this your worst nightmare ever.”

Mandy exacts her vengeance on Barb by pretty much destroying the house.  Apparently the source of the animosity is that Barb skipped a performance of the Electric McBooger Sisters.  Naturally, Barb has to have a weird maiden name.

Hank, Barb, Phoebe and Max end up trapped in his lair (where Dr. Colosso is training a new waitress Ruby at his casino – that features a game called Slapjack).  Max articulates that perhaps Mandy is mad because Barb’s missing their performance hurt deeply – in the same way that Phoebe missing Max’s performance hurt Max deeply.  Barb finally apologies to Mandy about missing the performance and all is happy in Thunderville.

Meanwhile, Billy, Nora and Chloe are at the bakery owned by Deena Dessert Diva, who makes Twine videos about turning people in dessert dummies. The replacement cake costs $100 – but the threesome have no $.  Deena offers to give them the cake for free if Billy and Nora serve as dessert dummies.  Nora says no and they teleport back home to get the money.  They aren’t successful and return to Deena’s bakery, called “Bake Me Home Tonight.”  (Got to love the cutesy names)

When they return, they find that the deal has expired and that Deena wants to turn Chloe into a dessert dummy.  Nora offers to pull the slingshot (wink, wink) instead.  She pulls it and aims it right at Deena.  Billy grabs the cake and the three teleport back home.

In the end, Phoebe has gotten Max’s band together for a performance in the driveway.  Gideon’s winner line: “Another year hotter Barb.”  Max is deeply moved and Barb makes up with Mandy by finally saying she is sorry and by performing with her.  Its a weird scene for sure.  When she’s done dancing, Barb is dizzy, and topples into the chocolate munch cake, causing it to crash to the floor.  All that effort for naught!

Sweeches count: 1

Wolfgang -zen/-zen count: 1

 

When Chloe reveals that Max is her favorite sibling, Phoebe tries to reveal Max’s true colors by telling a bed time story. (Source: imdb.com)

Stories within stories are always hard to tell.  When this episode of the Thundermans began, I was worried.  It was another “Hank and Barb are going out for the night, so could you babysit” openings.  But the episode had a nice turn to it.  Phoebe agrees to babysit Chloe.  Max arrives and does a magic trick for Chloe.  Chloe announces that Max is her favorite, much to Phoebe’s chagrin.  So babysitting duty now involves Phoebe telling Chloe a classic bedtime story with the goal of portraying Max as bad so that Phoebe becomes Chloe’s favorite.

The episode allows our company to step outside their usual roles, although their usual ticks and idiosyncracies are still present.  Many of the elements of the normal Thunderworld are carried over: Hank doesnt want to wear his glasses, Billy’s hands are all slimy from eating salami, Nora is disgusted by Billy’s eating habits, Max is “evil” and Colosso is the king.  We have additional appearances from Cherry as the court jester (her standard level of joke: what do you call a pony with a sore throat – a little horse); Oyster is there to do poop patrol; Wolfgang is there to “buh-dum-dum” on drums after Cherry’s jokes.  We just needed Gideon to complete the team.

The story of Maxingham and Phoebe Hood goes as follows.  Maxingham steals all of the people’s money and Chloe the Cute’s golden slippers.  Phoebe Hood is able to get Maxingham to return all of the peasant’s money but not the slippers.

Maxingham returns to the castle and Colosso is disappointed that Maxingham has not been able to secure more money.  After all, they are one step above “common folk” in the bank. Maxingham suggests that the lure Phoebe Hood out of the shadows with an archery contest with the golden slippers as the prize.

That scheme works – until Phoebe Hood splits Maxingham’s arrow in the bulls’ eye.  Phoebe Hood is sentenced to “death” by catapult.  The scene switches to the castle where Phoebe Hood declares that Maxingham is pure evil.

In Hiddenville, Chloe soon understands that Phoebe is good and Max is bad.  Chloe banishes Max to the North Pole.  Hank and Barb return from the date night and wonder where Max is.  Phoebe tells them that Max went to bed early “because he’s got a cold.”  Phoebe realizes she made a mistake and sends Hank and Barb back out for ice cream.

Phoebe decides to change the story ending but Chloe doesn’t buy the quickie ending.  Phoebe continues with a long, drawn out second act in which Maxingham helps save the day, deciding he wants to do good.  There are some very good fight/swordplay scenes here and some solid physical action.  This type of action is not common for a Nick comedy but it makes sense here.  Plus its fun to watch.

In the end, Chloe decides that Max is her favorite as well, until Nora comes out with a salami she got from Billy.  Now Billy’s her favorite.

Overall, this was a fun episode.

Sweeches count: 1

Wolfgang -zen/-zen count: 0

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!