Topanga From 'Boy Meets World' Turns On An Entirely New Generation Of Young Men

I talk about my ‘90s crushes’ often on this site. I know, it's a weird shtick to have, but it's why Nightcaps class wins awards. Check it out if you haven't, yet!

Anyway, we have fun there, and I do a ton of old TV nostalgia. A lot of the time, it's centered around Kelly Kapowski or Rachel Green. Today, however, we're diving into an old friend. 

Someone who got me through the tough times as a fat middle-schooler. Someone who was always there for me after a long day, a bad practice, or getting ignored by yet another hot girl on AIM. 

AIM! Remember AIM? God, we had it all, and we pissed it away. What a time. There was no bigger rush than hearing the old door creaking sound when you got home from school. If you know, you know. 

OK, back to business. Don't need to get sidetracked here. Last night on Dancing with the Stars – which is inexplicably still going on – Topanga Lawrence (!!!) brought ‘Boy Meets World’ in to the 21st century at 44, and buddy, I've gotta say … her fastball still plays. 

Big time:

Topanga's fastball still works at 44

Unreal. What a way to start a Hump Day. I woke up this morning, fired up the computer to see what tomfoolery I'd be writing about today, and then BAM – first thing the algo shot at me was Danielle Fishel and William Daniels (Mr. Feeny), who is 98 (!!!!!), getting together one final time on TV. 

Incredible. I don't know who's more impressive 30 years later – Topanga still being a smoke at 44, or Mr. Feeny still being able to follow a script at 98. Both are true feats. We just spent four years under Joe Biden, and William Daniels is out here at 98 dancing his ass off with hot girls on network TV.

OK, he didn't do much dancing, but he did enough. 

As for Topanga … she's on every '90s kids Mount Rushmore, easily. I'm pretty sure it starts with her and Kelly Kapowski (Tiffani Amber Thiessen, who is also a Nightcaps regular), and then it's everyone else. Those two are at the top in some order. I don't care what it is. I'm not sure that there's a wrong answer, frankly. 

Boy Meets World was HUGE when I was a kid. Just massive. And it took place literally during the absolute peak of TV as far as ratings go. It was the perfect storm. 

It also was the rare show that worked for both kids and adults. A lot of the time, kids would turn into adults along with the show. The first season aired in 1993 with the gang just starting high school, and ended with them in college. 

I'm pretty sure it's come out in later years that Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, was a huge dick in real life, so that's a bummer. He's also a huge Lib now, so I'm not that shocked. Shawn (Rider Strong) and Topanga still have a podcast together today, along with Will Friedle, who played Cory's older brother, Eric Matthews. 

Of course, anyone who watched Boy Meets World knows Eric Matthews was the absolute GOAT of the show. Don't know what that dude is up to, but I'd very much like to find out. What a character. 

And, for those really interested in these BMW fun facts, Maitland Ward, who played Rachel in the college years, is now an adult film star. Feel free to research that on your own time. 

OK, that's enough history for today. Happy Hump Day. Good to have you back, Topanga.