November 5, 2024 • 28 mins
It’s another deep dive into “And Then There Was Shawn,” now inviting another Jeff back on the pod: the episode’s writer, Jeff Menell!
The life-long movie buff details how the episode materialized, his horror inspirations and for the first time ever, we hear about what was cut during rewrites (and Feeny got off easy!)
For our last visit with the classic episode, we’re venturing onto the original script’s floppy disk, right here on Pod Meets World!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
The end, then there was sean party continues as today
we talked to the man most directly connected to the
classic episode, a writer whose passion and obsession with horror
movies was put on full display when given the chance
to make the most risky Boy Meets World episode yet
an homage to the decades breakout blockbusters Scream and I
(00:41):
Know What You did last summer with some old school
slasher inspiration mixed in for good measure. In the eyes
of Boy Meets World fans, this man has a free
pass for the rest of his life. I like to
think he hasn't paid for a meal since the Scream
episode aired. But in all honesty, it makes us so
happy that this script gets the love it does, and
that love goes to this very special person in our lives.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Today, to dig.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Deeper into the scariest sitcom episode of all time, it's
time to welcome back writer Jeff Manel.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, yes, it looks so whitewashed.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I don't know how to do lighting with you, guys.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
You need a ring light, you need a don't worry
about all right, or just get a lamp leg light
from uh Christmas Christmas story and you're good with that too, surprised, man.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
So we are so excited to continue the celebration. We've
done a whole week of episodes on and then there
was Sean because it's just yeah, of course, because it
is just that special an episode.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Do you remember where and how this concept was born?
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Uh? You know? Yeah, again, it's all it's all a
little fuzzy, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
But and I know I said a lot of this
last time I was on, but fortunately my memory is
going so it will seemed like the first time to me.
But I knew you wanted to do I think a
parody like a film type show, and then it sort
of evolved into a scary episode. How it became about,
you know, Sean upset with you guys, you and Corey
(02:22):
breaking up. I don't actually remember, you know, the how
that all started, but it just really became sort of
a natural thing. First, I think it was just gonna
be a fun, cinematic takeoff on something they want to do,
a special episode. Then when it became the scary type episode,
that's when I think it became more of a Halloween
type theme show, even though I know they didn't err
(02:44):
it Halloween. I think, Yeahbruary, Yeah, I think originally they
wanted it to be Halloween.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
So the idea was actually to do like a riff
on a movie genre, or to make a movie like
episode that preceded that it was a horror homagch I.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
You know, I believe so.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And again, someone with a better memory might contradict everything
I'm saying, but this is this is my memory and
the other thing. And I know I told this last time,
but I will say this once I knew we were
going to do a film, any kind of parody. Uh,
you know, I don't believe anyone loves movies more than
I do. I've been going since, you know, four years
old movies. I'm going tomorrow. I went last week. I
(03:28):
love movies, and so I I campaigned they get this.
They weren't going to give it to me because of
whatever someone else was due. But I actually, uh put
up a fight. I went to the Big Cheese and said, hey, man,
this is you know me. I've been going to movies
him since I was a kid, and so I campaign
to get it. And it was the certainly the most
(03:50):
fun I ever had writing it. Have you guys talked
to mc crackeners He.
Speaker 7 (03:55):
Talking about who says Hello? And the first was have
you talked to Minelay? So he mentioned that.
Speaker 8 (04:02):
The when he first got the script, he thought it
was pitch perfect. He's like, it hit everything we wanted
it to hit. But then it also went through the
bit of the writer's machine. But he said, he said,
manel he said, have Manuel tell you kind of about
what the original draft was like.
Speaker 7 (04:17):
So was it that much different than what we got
on the page?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Well, I mean, it's always gonna be different, but I
will say, and we've talked about the writing process. You know,
you can go from you know where Michael scratches out
every word you've written, right, you can go from a horrible,
horrible rewrite. Yeah, this was the least rewrite. Yeah, because
I mean it still wasn't. A lot of it was
still rewritten and it did get better, although there were
(04:42):
a couple of things that were cut that you know,
I just.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Read my original script. You had it, well, yeah, a
while to find it.
Speaker 7 (04:50):
Man, Oh, tell us, tell us, tell us he need that.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
I want a copy of it, please, I need that.
I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why because exactly
what we just said. We just said this at the
end of McCracken's episode, and I want I wanted to
share it with you as well. Making this episode is
the of all the episodes I have of Boy Meets
World that I love, that I feel fondly about, you know,
for me, especially Corey's Alternative Friends. My first episode was
(05:17):
also a core memory related to Boymets World. But of
the core memories I have from Boy Meets World, my
number one favorite, hands down is this episode. Remember from
the moment we did it at the table, read every
rehearsal day, filming it, all the moments it is. It
was a bonding moment for us as a cast. Matt
(05:37):
Lawrence says it was this week where he really felt
like he was a part of us, working all of
us together, although we were like hurting cats. We heard
from Jeff McCracken, it was the most fun. And when
I think back on favorite moments, favorite episodes, it's always
this week. So even just to see that there's a
piece of the history of it that I've never read
(05:58):
that I've never seen, I know for sure we would
all love to read that and have a copy of it,
So please make us copies.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
I'll send it to you.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I mean, I don't know what the rules are if
you're allowed to do with anything you want with it,
but yeah, i'll send it to you. I took a
while for me to find it. I had it on
a floppy disc that I had to dig up because
I thought I had everything on my computer. I never
I guess I never transferred all. So I don't have
any boy Weets World script on this computer. I'd have
to go site to find it. But anyway, I will
send it to you. And it was actually fun to read,
(06:28):
because it's kind of like it almost was. I wasn't
reading my script. I was just reading a script I was.
I was laughing.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
It's so funny.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
There was some fun stuff there.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
And I got to say that episode, well, obviously it's
different than any other episode, and I don't with me
other than I happened to write that one, but it
was going to be different no matter who wrote it.
And I'm not being self deprecating, but I will. I
will sing mc kracken's praises again.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
You all know how talented and insane and passionate he is,
and he did.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
He was very complimentary when I handed in the script,
and then you know the rewrite was actually not too painful.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Yeah, so you have to tell us what what was
like a bit that was cut that?
Speaker 7 (07:08):
Yeah, what was the thing you didn't want to lose
that got lost?
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Well, and you won't remember this.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I even told this the last time, but right in fact,
you even asked it right after we had to run
through with it in and then it wasn't there the
next time, and you go down into that line and
I think it was you know, they cut it, the
network cut it. It was basically you know how you
know everything about horror films, You're making all these predictions,
everything and everything, and then Jack goes, oh, yeah, so
what happens next?
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Nostra dumb ass?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yes, you remember that, and because the word ass it
got cut, you know, And I was immature enough to
really be upset.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah, you were like, I love that one.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yes, And even when we read it in the room
with the writers who are terrible actors, it was funny
and you know, it got it got and then it
was another I'll tell you one other bit. This is
the only one that for me, it may not even translate,
but it was a scene where you're walking through maybe
in the library, and you were going to come across.
You see in a rocking chair from behind an old
woman like psycho, and you go to Corey go, hey,
(08:11):
I think that's Grandma, And Corey goes, what do was
she be doing?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Here? You go, you know what that means? Five bucks each?
And then you walk up around.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
There was gonna be Fieni in a wig and it
was dead and it was gonna be really scary and
oh man, and you scream it looks like Grandma. Oh
my god, that got cut that.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
It is a great line too.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
It was a natural psycho. But you know that got
cut like in the original room rewright, But well.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I'm glad you mentioned that it was gonna be Feenie,
and Feenie was going to be dead sitting in that chair.
When was it decided that we were going to kill
off characters in a dream like episode? And was there
ever any big discussion about whether or not you could
kill off Phoenie, I.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Mean killing off fe I mean, honestly, I swear the
episode last night again, how we watch it when I'm
about to be on your podcast, But I watched last
night with my daughter.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Who vaguely remembers it very vividly.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
And when when Phoenie like fell to his knees and
fell downe you going, I can't believe we did that.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That's how I felt.
Speaker 7 (09:18):
I just watched it.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
I was like, I can't believe, we can't.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Can't believe, let us do it.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I mean, obviously it's a fantasy. But of course, but
fans people watching him don't know what's happening. They don't
a dream. And I'm i mean scissors in his back.
It was brilliant for this Friday night TG show. That
was pretty Uh. It scared a lot of I know,
a lot of people were upset.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
Actually a lot of fans.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I think browne in you scared my child, you know,
and this and that and not in hindsight, they're right,
But I don't remember the chronology of where we always
going to kill Feenie. I mean, I think we're willing
to kill people, and the more you killed, the less
effective we became.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Except for Phoenie, you know, I mean Kenny. Kenny was
always going to die and he was funny. By the way.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
I'm so glad we went that far because when you know,
we we talk about this episode so fondly and we
have such great memories of it, and it is so good.
But we and we actually did a lot of kind
of bizarre episodes in the season too. We had the
World War Two, we had the nineteen fifties, and this
one just stands out. So it's it's it's of the
(10:23):
absurdist episodes of Boy Mets World, which surprisingly there are
a lot.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
We remember that clearly the best.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
It's like, and I think we just let ourselves be
really absurd and it's just so it's so fun, man,
I love it so much.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
That's a lot of McCracken letting you guys run wild.
And also, I gotta tell you, like I said, very
happy with the script. And when we had the first
production meeting, he's in there talking and you know, I
had a vision.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Everyone has a vision for you when you're writing.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
You see.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
But man, he took that and he you know, and
Ray Cole Coret, you know, just the hole in the hallways,
you know, the phone.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
It was just he just I.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Mean obviously he I mean, given I won't name a number,
but eighty percent of the credit that show is as
good as it is because it's Jeff mccrack and then
of course Michael the room be everyone everyone above you guys,
of course, and it's just a standalone episode because it's
just so different. And that's why I had so much
fun writing. I think I told you this also, I
had a lie that it took me two weeks.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
I was done.
Speaker 7 (11:27):
I love it so much.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You're like, I'm working real hard while you're sitting in
the movie theater watching movies.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
Like I can't come in. I'm too busy.
Speaker 8 (11:37):
In your original draft that you found that you read
was love in that draft Love Hewett.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Yeah. I think we knew by then we were getting hr.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Oh okay, and I assume that this is after I
know you did last summer, right, Yeah, yeah, And I
think that's why.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I don't know if we said, oh, we should get
her or you volunteered her. I don't remember any of that. Oh.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
I think I was probably asked. I wouldn't have volunteered.
Speaker 8 (11:59):
I'm sure Michael came up and said, hey, would she
do it?
Speaker 7 (12:02):
Probably?
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Yeah. You sure seemed happy that you guys.
Speaker 7 (12:07):
I mean that's we said.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
That is like r rated. It's a little he said.
Speaker 7 (12:12):
We were the same thing. Shocked.
Speaker 9 (12:14):
It was.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
It's kind of nice to meet you.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Tongue like whoa, that was bad.
Speaker 8 (12:18):
That was Yeah, I think I love an apology that
she was your girlfriend.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
It's my audience. It's just so jarring.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Yeah, I don't know if they knew that at the
time either.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
No, of course, how could they have known that she's.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Wonderful and fit right in?
Speaker 9 (12:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Do you remember where No One Gets Out Alive came from?
You know, written on blood in the chalkboard. It's just
it's one of those little moments of like, it's so
brilliant the way it's written.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And do you just remember was that in your original draft?
Speaker 3 (13:01):
It wasn't the original draft, but but just so you know,
I mean, like, yes, in my original draft, but you know,
first we do an outline, you know, which improved, and
you know, the story gets broken in the room a
little bit. So honestly, i'd like to think that was mine,
but I honestand that, to me, that's just like what
else would they say that's gonna be something?
Speaker 4 (13:20):
It had to be blood and had to be a
you know, a shocking.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Thing, and and then treating the screaming and wounding it
and you know, how we tied it into a storyline
is kind of like I have to give that's probably
Michael and the room. I mean, I didn't care about
any I don't I tied anything. I just wanted to
be a fun, totally out there episode, and it was.
But tying it together really probably makes it even that
(13:46):
much better.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Do you remember hearing any sort of reaction to it?
Then after it aired? Do you remember hearing whether or
not people loved it? But what's your memory of after
it aired?
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Well? Well? Two things.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
One is again we didn't really have the Internet. I
mean we had no there was no uh.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
What do you call it? Social media?
Speaker 9 (14:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
I didn't get any immediate response, but there were, like
I said, there were letters. I don't know if there
were love letters. I know they were like hey, you
traumatize my kid letters. But for me, it was one
of the highlights. A TV Guide featured it. It was
one of those you know in the week when it
came on and they featured a line, you know, when
Eric goes, hey, when did the school get a library?
Speaker 4 (14:27):
You know? That was my original and so just seeing it.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Featured with and also because love was on it, it
was just had a whole page and TV Guide.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I have that framed somewhere because to me, that was
you know, TV Guide was so cool.
Speaker 8 (14:40):
We actually had we actually had a page and TV Guide.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
Yeah, did you heard them?
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Though?
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It's because Love Hewett was guest.
Speaker 7 (14:46):
Sorry, well I know, but hey, we'll take it. Yeah,
I mean, you don't have a copy of that binding chance?
Do you want to think we ever saw that?
Speaker 3 (14:53):
I you know, I don't know where anything is. I
have a page of that somewhere framed. If I i'll
find it, I'll send it the script. I'll send you
privately all if I find it. But yeah, I mean,
no TV guys feature something each week, and on that
Friday night it was on there.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
So for me that was a that was a big deal.
I think my mother said it to me. I didn't
even know so.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
But but as far as feedback goes, I know, the network,
I think probably it was a little bit nervous about it. Yeah,
but again there was no immediate feedback at the time.
You know, we shoot it, we wouldn't air for like
another well several months in this case, right, Yeah, So
I think by the time it air we were already
onto nine other episodes and none of us really paid
(15:33):
much attention to it.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
It gain notoriety later in.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Life, We talked about this with Jeff McCracken.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
It is folklore among all of us that this episode
is the first and only time Jeff McCracken ever yelled
at us because we could not keep it together while
we were shooting. We deserved it. We were laughing. We
were just having way too much fun. We weren't taking
anything seriously. Do you have any memory of that?
Speaker 2 (16:02):
And did you see him yell at us?
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Did I see what?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Did you see him yell at us?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
I know we didn't.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
That was private, you know. I mean, I think most
of your laughing. I don't think you laughed too much
during the run throughs. I mean because the run throughs
I remember the very first one we saw, you know,
for your audience. You know, we'd have that, we would
have us and then we'd have the network. Even the
first run through, they did lighting and I think they
did music and we got to see McCracken what he
(16:31):
did in the short time from you know, the rewrite
Monday Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
So I don't think we saw your misbehavior, but I
understand me, Colin.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
This is the kind of episode where you're letting loose,
you know, you're little get to be out of character,
So why not have fun. I'm sure he I know
he likes to corral you a little bit but let
you go but then pull you back in.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
But yeah, and.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I've seen McCracken angry, not in TV circumstances.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
We had never had.
Speaker 8 (17:01):
He always kept that from us, so when it did happen,
it was like, you know, we had certain people on
the set that we'd hear yelling all the time and
it just kind of became white noise. Where with McCracken
because we never heard it. When we did hear it, it
was like, oh, okay, so.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Scared me a couple of times. He's a big, Irish
angry guy.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Sometimes you guys had the You guys had the benefit
of I guess maybe you call it a benefit where
adults hanging out sometimes where alcohol was involved. So you
guys saw each other in experience in ways we as
kids did not see. So you guys knew each other
in different ways than we knew you all.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah, we used to go McCracken and a bunch of us.
We go to Timmy Nolans a lot.
Speaker 8 (17:41):
I love Timmy Nolans has the best beef ball. Oh
my god, you get the oh you got the It
was a beef stew in a bread.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
The bread bowl was just so good.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
It was, it was so good right and there on Riverside,
and yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
It was right next to the money Tree, which is
the bar that I almost bought.
Speaker 8 (17:58):
And is it I don't have no ideas still there, Yeah,
I think it's a great place.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
It was right across from Honey Baked Ham a great place.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
And I'm not gonna tell any of the cracks the stories.
But he might have had a drink or two and
maybe belligerent, but in my day I have walso, so.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Right, right, we won't throw anyone under the Irish whiskey bus.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Now you mentioned that your daughter remembers the episode really well, well, just.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
You remembers watching and not not back.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Then, but okay, she remembers seeing it.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Yeah, she's seeing it a lot in life, you know.
And yeah, boymous world, as you know, has had a
life of its own even.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
After it ended.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Yeah, took her to college. It was at University of Arizona.
Sho only went to one year. Not a good story,
but anyway, but we went in in the dorm, you know,
the reception desk all a giant poster.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Of Boymen's World.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
We were then, and it was like a little surreal
for me, and I didn't realize that people were still
really watching it. Again, this is before all the social
media stuff now, so it's it's taking on a life
of its own. You guys, you know, obviously.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Did you say anything about it when you walked in
and saw the poster? Did you say, like, hey, I
wrote that.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
I was, yeah, maybe, I'm sure. I'm sure Darren used it.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah, yeah, that's my dad.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
I'm embarrassed.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I'm not saying I have some writer friends who, like,
you know, wear a hat to let people know. But
I'm I'm not embarrassed, but I'm proud of it.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
But I you know, what, are you gonna say, Hey,
that's me.
Speaker 7 (19:33):
I say that all the time. People still don't don't care.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
It's not no, It's okay. So I know you're a
big horror I mean a big movie buff. But how
are you into horror specifically?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Yeah, well that's specifically. But I'm in the I'm in
the truly every job. I mean, I've seen every You know.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
What, what's your favorite slasher man or slasher series. I'll
let you pick a series if you haven't.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Well, I mean, honestly, the first Nightmare in Elle Street
were terrifying. I mean I honestly, and I was, I was,
I forget what I was in probably in my twenties.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Yeah, that's scared. I mean.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
And one of my friends played a really horrible trick
on me. It was it was that's the kind of move.
That one really impacted me.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
So that's the horrible trick they played on you.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
It's something with a head in the in their bedroom
just appeared with blood.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
It was.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
It was, but I was really startled im like that
movie I saw by myself in the theater, which is.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
That's that was a scary movie. That was like a
legit scary movie.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Yeah, yeah, screen.
Speaker 6 (20:32):
Horror film I saw and it's still oh yeah, I
was eight years old.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
He saw nightbourn Elm Street when you were eight.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Joey Fitzgerald's parents let us rent whatever we wanted to.
So Last Day, the Night of.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Joe it sounds like such a Joey fitz Gerald thing.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
Fitz Gerald's man, it was always a little wild over there.
And so we rented three movies and I wanted to,
you know, let's do this and then all the other
kids was a big sleeper. It was probably a birthday party.
Everyone else went to sleep, so I was the only
one watching it with the parents. And yeah, I couldn't
finish it, which I should have finished it because I
probably would have gotten through it and had a bat
but I had to run away and try and go
(21:08):
to sleep. I couldn't sleep all night.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Years.
Speaker 6 (21:10):
I did finally come back and watch it. It's it's
it's a masterpiece and a dream sequence movie.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Makes sense that.
Speaker 8 (21:17):
My older brother to keep me out of his room,
knew how much I hated night Ronow. She should just
put a big Freddy Krueger post round his wall. And
I never went in his room again.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
I mean it was like he was terrifying, terrified.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
I mean scream also scared me. And uh, you know,
when I was eight, I saw a psycho.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
In the oh.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
Scarred my mom too. That's like one of those classes.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
It scarred me and scared I was. I couldn't get
over what was happening. And that was like eight years.
I can never shower at home alone without being afraid.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
She said. It's like an entire generation of people can't
in there in their shower because of Psycho.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
I mean, my kids relaxed in the shower. You always love.
My brother once came in.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
Oh my gosh, there you go.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
He did it.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
And I know and I'm yelling Stott, but it's still
it's scared. That Yeah, but I love horror movies and
like drags from the Grive scene every one.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
I still go to see them.
Speaker 8 (22:10):
You like a lawn Cheney fan like that, kind of
like the old school stuff.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, I mean I saw abnix Is telling me Frankenstein,
if you ever saw that the Wolfman scene.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
I was five. I hid behind a chair. It was
I didn't know. I didn't know what to do. A
guy's turning into a were wolf and he was so scary.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Well, the classics and the new stuff, it's all I
like to be scared.
Speaker 7 (22:32):
Do you remember were there any other pitches for what
the film genre could be to do this episode?
Speaker 4 (22:39):
I'll just keep this one short. I don't remember, Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
I don't think so. I think I think we. I
think Scream had come out right, Yeah, I think that
was the template. Yes, let's let's take advantage of the popularity,
and you know, this is one where you know, maybe
Michael knows better. I mean, Blema wasn't there for this one.
He would have known better because his memory is better
than mine. But uh yeah, McCracken would now ask him
(23:05):
next time he's on again.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
He's supposed to ask you. This seems like a weird
kind of telephone game. You guys are playing with us.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
We're getting older.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Man, without being too self deprecating, is this your favorite
episode of Boy Meings World?
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yeah? Of course, oh Boymings World.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, I'm so happy.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, I mean, obviously I have some. There's some, you know,
iconic episodes that I love you and each of you
have great story and I love all that stuff. But
it's just the most fun and it's probably the only
one I rewatch just because you know, Halloween happens. There
are something I don't really watch much on my own,
but this one, again, I was happy to watch.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Yes, it's fun.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
It's fun to watch you guys. It was really fun.
It's just fun to see you guys in that element.
And and also remember the storyline how upset you know, right,
it was about you guys breaking up and everyone mad
about it. It was, but but just within the context
of what this episode became and again mccrack and mccrack
and McCracken, and you know, I never want to downplay
(24:23):
Michael's involveding.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
You know, this was the joke with Kenny with the.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Pencil, such a good joke, you know, and well.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
He was this tall, you know, I mean, so it
might be the best joke. It's a great joke.
Speaker 6 (24:36):
It's because it's because it comes off of a death.
It's like the reversal is just the fact that Corey just.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
And Ben's a lot reading was like it was great.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
So yeah, line you were able to straddle between horror
and scares and hard sharp laughs is just unparalleled, Like
it's so so good. You guys did a fantastic job.
You especially, and just so you know, it is many
(25:08):
many people. I know you know this but because there
is social media now, but it is many people's favorite
episode of Boy Meets World. It's also many people's first
terrifying memory of being scared by an episode, which in
hindsight is also it's so fun.
Speaker 8 (25:26):
So also you have to keep in mind you're tuning
in to Boy Meets World, so you're expecting one thing.
It's not Halloween, so you're not expecting a scary episode.
You just think it's going to be another day and
then you're eight years old and then you can't sleep
that night.
Speaker 7 (25:43):
So you did that.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
You did that, LL do that. Forget the January. He
was a big part of it all.
Speaker 7 (25:51):
We can't find him now.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
I really believe he was.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
A background actor, a fig minut of our imagination. No,
that's when we.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Think all made him up.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Yeah, crack and found him somewhere. Honestly, I don't know,
but you could not have found someone I was. I
watched him really carefully last night. I mean, he's obviously
not an actor, but just he didn't even react the
way you would expect him to react.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
He just had Yeah.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
And it works. Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
It all works.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
It works so well.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
Thats were great, it was. It was fun to watch
you all. I mean, you know, the screams, you know,
you know why why why why? Why? You know?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yeah, why why why? Why? Why is he doing that?
Speaker 1 (26:28):
It's uh, it's really just one of our favorite episodes
for so many reasons.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
You are the largest part of that.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
You and McCracken, for sure, So thank you both so
much for such a fun week, such a fun episode.
On behalf of all of our fans. We want to
thank you as well. I did say in your intro
I'd like to think that you've just never had to
pay for a meal ever again in your life since
that episode aired.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But I know, I know that's not true.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
But plenty and I've had plenty of meals. Well, we
love from I just we'll talk about talk about meals.
But that's another let's.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Get sushi again, So let's get let's get lunch, something
other than sushi. He doesn't love sushi, so something other
than sushi.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
I just liked that place that we went to last time.
Speaker 7 (27:11):
Man, that's my place.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I'll email you the script please and we'll click a
date and all that stuff. But seeing you guys, I
love doing this. It's fun to relive that time. Yes,
special episode.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Thanks, it really is. Thank you.
Speaker 9 (27:28):
Bye.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Oh what a week?
Speaker 9 (27:30):
Huh?
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Well, I think we we've talked it to death, have
we until it comes?
Speaker 7 (27:38):
Yeah, this should be the rest of the podcast. I
think we should just go over and then there were shown.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Just every week that podcast where I just watched Grown
Ups two every day for a year.
Speaker 7 (27:47):
Yes, I have.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
Yeah, I think it's an Australian podcast. I could never
do that.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
No, no, I would, I would not make it.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Well.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Thank you all for tuning in for this episode of
Pod Meets World. As always, you can follow us on
Instagram pod Meets World Show. You can send us your
emails pod meets World Show at gmail dot com, and
we have merch.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
We'll always remember.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
The merch was this.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Tall Podmeetsworldshow dot com. We love you all, pod dismissed.
Pod Meets World is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted
by Danielle Fischel Wilfridell and writer Strong. Executive producers Jensen
Karp and Amy Sugarman, Executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo,
producer and editor, Tara Suebachsch producer, Maddie Moore, engineer and
(28:30):
Boy Meets World superfan Easton Allen. Our theme song is
by Kyle Morton of Typhoon. Follow us on Instagram at
Podmeets World Show or email us at Podmeets Worldshow at
gmail dot com
The end, then there was sean party continues as today
we talked to the man most directly connected to the
classic episode, a writer whose passion and obsession with horror
movies was put on full display when given the chance
to make the most risky Boy Meets World episode yet
an homage to the decades breakout blockbusters Scream and I
(00:41):
Know What You did last summer with some old school
slasher inspiration mixed in for good measure. In the eyes
of Boy Meets World fans, this man has a free
pass for the rest of his life. I like to
think he hasn't paid for a meal since the Scream
episode aired. But in all honesty, it makes us so
happy that this script gets the love it does, and
that love goes to this very special person in our lives.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Today, to dig.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Deeper into the scariest sitcom episode of all time, it's
time to welcome back writer Jeff Manel.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, yes, it looks so whitewashed.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I don't know how to do lighting with you, guys.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
You need a ring light, you need a don't worry
about all right, or just get a lamp leg light
from uh Christmas Christmas story and you're good with that too, surprised, man.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
So we are so excited to continue the celebration. We've
done a whole week of episodes on and then there
was Sean because it's just yeah, of course, because it
is just that special an episode.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Do you remember where and how this concept was born?
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Uh? You know? Yeah, again, it's all it's all a
little fuzzy, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
But and I know I said a lot of this
last time I was on, but fortunately my memory is
going so it will seemed like the first time to me.
But I knew you wanted to do I think a
parody like a film type show, and then it sort
of evolved into a scary episode. How it became about,
you know, Sean upset with you guys, you and Corey
(02:22):
breaking up. I don't actually remember, you know, the how
that all started, but it just really became sort of
a natural thing. First, I think it was just gonna
be a fun, cinematic takeoff on something they want to do,
a special episode. Then when it became the scary type episode,
that's when I think it became more of a Halloween
type theme show, even though I know they didn't err
(02:44):
it Halloween. I think, Yeahbruary, Yeah, I think originally they
wanted it to be Halloween.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
I don't know.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
So the idea was actually to do like a riff
on a movie genre, or to make a movie like
episode that preceded that it was a horror homagch I.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
You know, I believe so.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
And again, someone with a better memory might contradict everything
I'm saying, but this is this is my memory and
the other thing. And I know I told this last time,
but I will say this once I knew we were
going to do a film, any kind of parody. Uh,
you know, I don't believe anyone loves movies more than
I do. I've been going since, you know, four years
old movies. I'm going tomorrow. I went last week. I
(03:28):
love movies, and so I I campaigned they get this.
They weren't going to give it to me because of
whatever someone else was due. But I actually, uh put
up a fight. I went to the Big Cheese and said, hey, man,
this is you know me. I've been going to movies
him since I was a kid, and so I campaign
to get it. And it was the certainly the most
(03:50):
fun I ever had writing it. Have you guys talked
to mc crackeners He.
Speaker 7 (03:55):
Talking about who says Hello? And the first was have
you talked to Minelay? So he mentioned that.
Speaker 8 (04:02):
The when he first got the script, he thought it
was pitch perfect. He's like, it hit everything we wanted
it to hit. But then it also went through the
bit of the writer's machine. But he said, he said,
manel he said, have Manuel tell you kind of about
what the original draft was like.
Speaker 7 (04:17):
So was it that much different than what we got
on the page?
Speaker 3 (04:20):
Well, I mean, it's always gonna be different, but I
will say, and we've talked about the writing process. You know,
you can go from you know where Michael scratches out
every word you've written, right, you can go from a horrible,
horrible rewrite. Yeah, this was the least rewrite. Yeah, because
I mean it still wasn't. A lot of it was
still rewritten and it did get better, although there were
(04:42):
a couple of things that were cut that you know,
I just.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Read my original script. You had it, well, yeah, a
while to find it.
Speaker 7 (04:50):
Man, Oh, tell us, tell us, tell us he need that.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
I want a copy of it, please, I need that.
I'll tell you why. I'll tell you why because exactly
what we just said. We just said this at the
end of McCracken's episode, and I want I wanted to
share it with you as well. Making this episode is
the of all the episodes I have of Boy Meets
World that I love, that I feel fondly about, you know,
for me, especially Corey's Alternative Friends. My first episode was
(05:17):
also a core memory related to Boymets World. But of
the core memories I have from Boy Meets World, my
number one favorite, hands down is this episode. Remember from
the moment we did it at the table, read every
rehearsal day, filming it, all the moments it is. It
was a bonding moment for us as a cast. Matt
(05:37):
Lawrence says it was this week where he really felt
like he was a part of us, working all of
us together, although we were like hurting cats. We heard
from Jeff McCracken, it was the most fun. And when
I think back on favorite moments, favorite episodes, it's always
this week. So even just to see that there's a
piece of the history of it that I've never read
(05:58):
that I've never seen, I know for sure we would
all love to read that and have a copy of it,
So please make us copies.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
I'll send it to you.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I mean, I don't know what the rules are if
you're allowed to do with anything you want with it,
but yeah, i'll send it to you. I took a
while for me to find it. I had it on
a floppy disc that I had to dig up because
I thought I had everything on my computer. I never
I guess I never transferred all. So I don't have
any boy Weets World script on this computer. I'd have
to go site to find it. But anyway, I will
send it to you. And it was actually fun to read,
(06:28):
because it's kind of like it almost was. I wasn't
reading my script. I was just reading a script I was.
I was laughing.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
It's so funny.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
There was some fun stuff there.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
And I got to say that episode, well, obviously it's
different than any other episode, and I don't with me
other than I happened to write that one, but it
was going to be different no matter who wrote it.
And I'm not being self deprecating, but I will. I
will sing mc kracken's praises again.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
You all know how talented and insane and passionate he is,
and he did.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
He was very complimentary when I handed in the script,
and then you know the rewrite was actually not too painful.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
Yeah, so you have to tell us what what was
like a bit that was cut that?
Speaker 7 (07:08):
Yeah, what was the thing you didn't want to lose
that got lost?
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Well, and you won't remember this.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
I even told this the last time, but right in fact,
you even asked it right after we had to run
through with it in and then it wasn't there the
next time, and you go down into that line and
I think it was you know, they cut it, the
network cut it. It was basically you know how you
know everything about horror films, You're making all these predictions,
everything and everything, and then Jack goes, oh, yeah, so
what happens next?
Speaker 4 (07:33):
Nostra dumb ass?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yes, you remember that, and because the word ass it
got cut, you know, And I was immature enough to
really be upset.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yeah, you were like, I love that one.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yes, And even when we read it in the room
with the writers who are terrible actors, it was funny
and you know, it got it got and then it
was another I'll tell you one other bit. This is
the only one that for me, it may not even translate,
but it was a scene where you're walking through maybe
in the library, and you were going to come across.
You see in a rocking chair from behind an old
woman like psycho, and you go to Corey go, hey,
(08:11):
I think that's Grandma, And Corey goes, what do was
she be doing?
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Here? You go, you know what that means? Five bucks each?
And then you walk up around.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
There was gonna be Fieni in a wig and it
was dead and it was gonna be really scary and
oh man, and you scream it looks like Grandma. Oh
my god, that got cut that.
Speaker 7 (08:32):
It is a great line too.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
It was a natural psycho. But you know that got
cut like in the original room rewright, But well.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
I'm glad you mentioned that it was gonna be Feenie,
and Feenie was going to be dead sitting in that chair.
When was it decided that we were going to kill
off characters in a dream like episode? And was there
ever any big discussion about whether or not you could
kill off Phoenie, I.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Mean killing off fe I mean, honestly, I swear the
episode last night again, how we watch it when I'm
about to be on your podcast, But I watched last
night with my daughter.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Who vaguely remembers it very vividly.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
And when when Phoenie like fell to his knees and
fell downe you going, I can't believe we did that.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That's how I felt.
Speaker 7 (09:18):
I just watched it.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
I was like, I can't believe, we can't.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Can't believe, let us do it.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
I mean, obviously it's a fantasy. But of course, but
fans people watching him don't know what's happening. They don't
a dream. And I'm i mean scissors in his back.
It was brilliant for this Friday night TG show. That
was pretty Uh. It scared a lot of I know,
a lot of people were upset.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
Actually a lot of fans.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I think browne in you scared my child, you know,
and this and that and not in hindsight, they're right,
But I don't remember the chronology of where we always
going to kill Feenie. I mean, I think we're willing
to kill people, and the more you killed, the less
effective we became.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Except for Phoenie, you know, I mean Kenny. Kenny was
always going to die and he was funny. By the way.
Speaker 6 (10:02):
I'm so glad we went that far because when you know,
we we talk about this episode so fondly and we
have such great memories of it, and it is so good.
But we and we actually did a lot of kind
of bizarre episodes in the season too. We had the
World War Two, we had the nineteen fifties, and this
one just stands out. So it's it's it's of the
(10:23):
absurdist episodes of Boy Mets World, which surprisingly there are
a lot.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
We remember that clearly the best.
Speaker 6 (10:29):
It's like, and I think we just let ourselves be
really absurd and it's just so it's so fun, man,
I love it so much.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
That's a lot of McCracken letting you guys run wild.
And also, I gotta tell you, like I said, very
happy with the script. And when we had the first
production meeting, he's in there talking and you know, I
had a vision.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Everyone has a vision for you when you're writing.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
You see.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
But man, he took that and he you know, and
Ray Cole Coret, you know, just the hole in the hallways,
you know, the phone.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
It was just he just I.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Mean obviously he I mean, given I won't name a number,
but eighty percent of the credit that show is as
good as it is because it's Jeff mccrack and then
of course Michael the room be everyone everyone above you guys,
of course, and it's just a standalone episode because it's
just so different. And that's why I had so much
fun writing. I think I told you this also, I
had a lie that it took me two weeks.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
I was done.
Speaker 7 (11:27):
I love it so much.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
You're like, I'm working real hard while you're sitting in
the movie theater watching movies.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
Like I can't come in. I'm too busy.
Speaker 8 (11:37):
In your original draft that you found that you read
was love in that draft Love Hewett.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Yeah. I think we knew by then we were getting hr.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Oh okay, and I assume that this is after I
know you did last summer, right, Yeah, yeah, And I
think that's why.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
I don't know if we said, oh, we should get
her or you volunteered her. I don't remember any of that. Oh.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
I think I was probably asked. I wouldn't have volunteered.
Speaker 8 (11:59):
I'm sure Michael came up and said, hey, would she
do it?
Speaker 7 (12:02):
Probably?
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Yeah. You sure seemed happy that you guys.
Speaker 7 (12:07):
I mean that's we said.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
That is like r rated. It's a little he said.
Speaker 7 (12:12):
We were the same thing. Shocked.
Speaker 9 (12:14):
It was.
Speaker 6 (12:14):
It's kind of nice to meet you.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
Tongue like whoa, that was bad.
Speaker 8 (12:18):
That was Yeah, I think I love an apology that
she was your girlfriend.
Speaker 7 (12:25):
It's my audience. It's just so jarring.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
Yeah, I don't know if they knew that at the
time either.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
No, of course, how could they have known that she's.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Wonderful and fit right in?
Speaker 9 (12:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Do you remember where No One Gets Out Alive came from?
You know, written on blood in the chalkboard. It's just
it's one of those little moments of like, it's so
brilliant the way it's written.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
And do you just remember was that in your original draft?
Speaker 3 (13:01):
It wasn't the original draft, but but just so you know,
I mean, like, yes, in my original draft, but you know,
first we do an outline, you know, which improved, and
you know, the story gets broken in the room a
little bit. So honestly, i'd like to think that was mine,
but I honestand that, to me, that's just like what
else would they say that's gonna be something?
Speaker 4 (13:20):
It had to be blood and had to be a
you know, a shocking.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Thing, and and then treating the screaming and wounding it
and you know, how we tied it into a storyline
is kind of like I have to give that's probably
Michael and the room. I mean, I didn't care about
any I don't I tied anything. I just wanted to
be a fun, totally out there episode, and it was.
But tying it together really probably makes it even that
(13:46):
much better.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Do you remember hearing any sort of reaction to it?
Then after it aired? Do you remember hearing whether or
not people loved it? But what's your memory of after
it aired?
Speaker 4 (13:56):
Well? Well? Two things.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
One is again we didn't really have the Internet. I
mean we had no there was no uh.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
What do you call it? Social media?
Speaker 9 (14:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
I didn't get any immediate response, but there were, like
I said, there were letters. I don't know if there
were love letters. I know they were like hey, you
traumatize my kid letters. But for me, it was one
of the highlights. A TV Guide featured it. It was
one of those you know in the week when it
came on and they featured a line, you know, when
Eric goes, hey, when did the school get a library?
Speaker 4 (14:27):
You know? That was my original and so just seeing it.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Featured with and also because love was on it, it
was just had a whole page and TV Guide.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I have that framed somewhere because to me, that was
you know, TV Guide was so cool.
Speaker 8 (14:40):
We actually had we actually had a page and TV Guide.
Speaker 7 (14:43):
Yeah, did you heard them?
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Though?
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It's because Love Hewett was guest.
Speaker 7 (14:46):
Sorry, well I know, but hey, we'll take it. Yeah,
I mean, you don't have a copy of that binding chance?
Do you want to think we ever saw that?
Speaker 3 (14:53):
I you know, I don't know where anything is. I
have a page of that somewhere framed. If I i'll
find it, I'll send it the script. I'll send you
privately all if I find it. But yeah, I mean,
no TV guys feature something each week, and on that
Friday night it was on there.
Speaker 4 (15:07):
So for me that was a that was a big deal.
I think my mother said it to me. I didn't
even know so.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
But but as far as feedback goes, I know, the network,
I think probably it was a little bit nervous about it. Yeah,
but again there was no immediate feedback at the time.
You know, we shoot it, we wouldn't air for like
another well several months in this case, right, Yeah, So
I think by the time it air we were already
onto nine other episodes and none of us really paid
(15:33):
much attention to it.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
It gain notoriety later in.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Life, We talked about this with Jeff McCracken.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
It is folklore among all of us that this episode
is the first and only time Jeff McCracken ever yelled
at us because we could not keep it together while
we were shooting. We deserved it. We were laughing. We
were just having way too much fun. We weren't taking
anything seriously. Do you have any memory of that?
Speaker 2 (16:02):
And did you see him yell at us?
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Did I see what?
Speaker 2 (16:05):
Did you see him yell at us?
Speaker 4 (16:07):
I know we didn't.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
That was private, you know. I mean, I think most
of your laughing. I don't think you laughed too much
during the run throughs. I mean because the run throughs
I remember the very first one we saw, you know,
for your audience. You know, we'd have that, we would
have us and then we'd have the network. Even the
first run through, they did lighting and I think they
did music and we got to see McCracken what he
(16:31):
did in the short time from you know, the rewrite
Monday Tuesday.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
So I don't think we saw your misbehavior, but I
understand me, Colin.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
This is the kind of episode where you're letting loose,
you know, you're little get to be out of character,
So why not have fun. I'm sure he I know
he likes to corral you a little bit but let
you go but then pull you back in.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
But yeah, and.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I've seen McCracken angry, not in TV circumstances.
Speaker 7 (16:58):
We had never had.
Speaker 8 (17:01):
He always kept that from us, so when it did happen,
it was like, you know, we had certain people on
the set that we'd hear yelling all the time and
it just kind of became white noise. Where with McCracken
because we never heard it. When we did hear it, it
was like, oh, okay, so.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
Scared me a couple of times. He's a big, Irish
angry guy.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Sometimes you guys had the You guys had the benefit
of I guess maybe you call it a benefit where
adults hanging out sometimes where alcohol was involved. So you
guys saw each other in experience in ways we as
kids did not see. So you guys knew each other
in different ways than we knew you all.
Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah, we used to go McCracken and a bunch of us.
We go to Timmy Nolans a lot.
Speaker 8 (17:41):
I love Timmy Nolans has the best beef ball. Oh
my god, you get the oh you got the It
was a beef stew in a bread.
Speaker 7 (17:52):
The bread bowl was just so good.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
It was, it was so good right and there on Riverside,
and yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:56):
It was right next to the money Tree, which is
the bar that I almost bought.
Speaker 8 (17:58):
And is it I don't have no ideas still there, Yeah,
I think it's a great place.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
It was right across from Honey Baked Ham a great place.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
And I'm not gonna tell any of the cracks the stories.
But he might have had a drink or two and
maybe belligerent, but in my day I have walso, so.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Right, right, we won't throw anyone under the Irish whiskey bus.
Speaker 4 (18:23):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
Now you mentioned that your daughter remembers the episode really well, well, just.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
You remembers watching and not not back.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Then, but okay, she remembers seeing it.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Yeah, she's seeing it a lot in life, you know.
And yeah, boymous world, as you know, has had a
life of its own even.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
After it ended.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Yeah, took her to college. It was at University of Arizona.
Sho only went to one year. Not a good story,
but anyway, but we went in in the dorm, you know,
the reception desk all a giant poster.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Of Boymen's World.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
We were then, and it was like a little surreal
for me, and I didn't realize that people were still
really watching it. Again, this is before all the social
media stuff now, so it's it's taking on a life
of its own. You guys, you know, obviously.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Did you say anything about it when you walked in
and saw the poster? Did you say, like, hey, I
wrote that.
Speaker 4 (19:11):
I was, yeah, maybe, I'm sure. I'm sure Darren used it.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Yeah, yeah, that's my dad.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
I'm embarrassed.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I'm not saying I have some writer friends who, like,
you know, wear a hat to let people know. But
I'm I'm not embarrassed, but I'm proud of it.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
But I you know, what, are you gonna say, Hey,
that's me.
Speaker 7 (19:33):
I say that all the time. People still don't don't care.
Speaker 6 (19:36):
It's not no, It's okay. So I know you're a
big horror I mean a big movie buff. But how
are you into horror specifically?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Yeah, well that's specifically. But I'm in the I'm in
the truly every job. I mean, I've seen every You know.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
What, what's your favorite slasher man or slasher series. I'll
let you pick a series if you haven't.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Well, I mean, honestly, the first Nightmare in Elle Street
were terrifying. I mean I honestly, and I was, I was,
I forget what I was in probably in my twenties.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Yeah, that's scared. I mean.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
And one of my friends played a really horrible trick
on me. It was it was that's the kind of move.
That one really impacted me.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
So that's the horrible trick they played on you.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
It's something with a head in the in their bedroom
just appeared with blood.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
It was.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
It was, but I was really startled im like that
movie I saw by myself in the theater, which is.
Speaker 7 (20:28):
That's that was a scary movie. That was like a
legit scary movie.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Yeah, yeah, screen.
Speaker 6 (20:32):
Horror film I saw and it's still oh yeah, I
was eight years old.
Speaker 7 (20:38):
He saw nightbourn Elm Street when you were eight.
Speaker 6 (20:40):
Joey Fitzgerald's parents let us rent whatever we wanted to.
So Last Day, the Night of.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Joe it sounds like such a Joey fitz Gerald thing.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
Fitz Gerald's man, it was always a little wild over there.
And so we rented three movies and I wanted to,
you know, let's do this and then all the other
kids was a big sleeper. It was probably a birthday party.
Everyone else went to sleep, so I was the only
one watching it with the parents. And yeah, I couldn't
finish it, which I should have finished it because I
probably would have gotten through it and had a bat
but I had to run away and try and go
(21:08):
to sleep. I couldn't sleep all night.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
Years.
Speaker 6 (21:10):
I did finally come back and watch it. It's it's
it's a masterpiece and a dream sequence movie.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Makes sense that.
Speaker 8 (21:17):
My older brother to keep me out of his room,
knew how much I hated night Ronow. She should just
put a big Freddy Krueger post round his wall. And
I never went in his room again.
Speaker 7 (21:24):
I mean it was like he was terrifying, terrified.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
I mean scream also scared me. And uh, you know,
when I was eight, I saw a psycho.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
In the oh.
Speaker 6 (21:35):
Scarred my mom too. That's like one of those classes.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
It scarred me and scared I was. I couldn't get
over what was happening. And that was like eight years.
I can never shower at home alone without being afraid.
Speaker 7 (21:47):
She said. It's like an entire generation of people can't
in there in their shower because of Psycho.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
I mean, my kids relaxed in the shower. You always love.
My brother once came in.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
Oh my gosh, there you go.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
He did it.
Speaker 3 (22:00):
And I know and I'm yelling Stott, but it's still
it's scared. That Yeah, but I love horror movies and
like drags from the Grive scene every one.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
I still go to see them.
Speaker 8 (22:10):
You like a lawn Cheney fan like that, kind of
like the old school stuff.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, I mean I saw abnix Is telling me Frankenstein,
if you ever saw that the Wolfman scene.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
I was five. I hid behind a chair. It was
I didn't know. I didn't know what to do. A
guy's turning into a were wolf and he was so scary.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Well, the classics and the new stuff, it's all I
like to be scared.
Speaker 7 (22:32):
Do you remember were there any other pitches for what
the film genre could be to do this episode?
Speaker 4 (22:39):
I'll just keep this one short. I don't remember, Okay.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
I don't think so. I think I think we. I
think Scream had come out right, Yeah, I think that
was the template. Yes, let's let's take advantage of the popularity,
and you know, this is one where you know, maybe
Michael knows better. I mean, Blema wasn't there for this one.
He would have known better because his memory is better
than mine. But uh yeah, McCracken would now ask him
(23:05):
next time he's on again.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
He's supposed to ask you. This seems like a weird
kind of telephone game. You guys are playing with us.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
We're getting older.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Man, without being too self deprecating, is this your favorite
episode of Boy Meings World?
Speaker 4 (23:33):
Yeah? Of course, oh Boymings World.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, I'm so happy.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, I mean, obviously I have some. There's some, you know,
iconic episodes that I love you and each of you
have great story and I love all that stuff. But
it's just the most fun and it's probably the only
one I rewatch just because you know, Halloween happens. There
are something I don't really watch much on my own,
but this one, again, I was happy to watch.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Yes, it's fun.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
It's fun to watch you guys. It was really fun.
It's just fun to see you guys in that element.
And and also remember the storyline how upset you know, right,
it was about you guys breaking up and everyone mad
about it. It was, but but just within the context
of what this episode became and again mccrack and mccrack
and McCracken, and you know, I never want to downplay
(24:23):
Michael's involveding.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
You know, this was the joke with Kenny with the.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
Pencil, such a good joke, you know, and well.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
He was this tall, you know, I mean, so it
might be the best joke. It's a great joke.
Speaker 6 (24:36):
It's because it's because it comes off of a death.
It's like the reversal is just the fact that Corey just.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
And Ben's a lot reading was like it was great.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
So yeah, line you were able to straddle between horror
and scares and hard sharp laughs is just unparalleled, Like
it's so so good. You guys did a fantastic job.
You especially, and just so you know, it is many
(25:08):
many people. I know you know this but because there
is social media now, but it is many people's favorite
episode of Boy Meets World. It's also many people's first
terrifying memory of being scared by an episode, which in
hindsight is also it's so fun.
Speaker 8 (25:26):
So also you have to keep in mind you're tuning
in to Boy Meets World, so you're expecting one thing.
It's not Halloween, so you're not expecting a scary episode.
You just think it's going to be another day and
then you're eight years old and then you can't sleep
that night.
Speaker 7 (25:43):
So you did that.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
You did that, LL do that. Forget the January. He
was a big part of it all.
Speaker 7 (25:51):
We can't find him now.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
I really believe he was.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
A background actor, a fig minut of our imagination. No,
that's when we.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Think all made him up.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Yeah, crack and found him somewhere. Honestly, I don't know,
but you could not have found someone I was. I
watched him really carefully last night. I mean, he's obviously
not an actor, but just he didn't even react the
way you would expect him to react.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
He just had Yeah.
Speaker 7 (26:15):
And it works. Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 4 (26:17):
It all works.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
It works so well.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
Thats were great, it was. It was fun to watch
you all. I mean, you know, the screams, you know,
you know why why why why? Why? You know?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yeah, why why why? Why? Why is he doing that?
Speaker 1 (26:28):
It's uh, it's really just one of our favorite episodes
for so many reasons.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
You are the largest part of that.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
You and McCracken, for sure, So thank you both so
much for such a fun week, such a fun episode.
On behalf of all of our fans. We want to
thank you as well. I did say in your intro
I'd like to think that you've just never had to
pay for a meal ever again in your life since
that episode aired.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
But I know, I know that's not true.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
But plenty and I've had plenty of meals. Well, we
love from I just we'll talk about talk about meals.
But that's another let's.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
Get sushi again, So let's get let's get lunch, something
other than sushi. He doesn't love sushi, so something other
than sushi.
Speaker 6 (27:08):
I just liked that place that we went to last time.
Speaker 7 (27:11):
Man, that's my place.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I'll email you the script please and we'll click a
date and all that stuff. But seeing you guys, I
love doing this. It's fun to relive that time. Yes,
special episode.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Thanks, it really is. Thank you.
Speaker 9 (27:28):
Bye.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Oh what a week?
Speaker 9 (27:30):
Huh?
Speaker 6 (27:33):
Well, I think we we've talked it to death, have
we until it comes?
Speaker 7 (27:38):
Yeah, this should be the rest of the podcast. I
think we should just go over and then there were shown.
Speaker 6 (27:43):
Just every week that podcast where I just watched Grown
Ups two every day for a year.
Speaker 7 (27:47):
Yes, I have.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
Yeah, I think it's an Australian podcast. I could never
do that.
Speaker 2 (27:52):
No, no, I would, I would not make it.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
Well.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Thank you all for tuning in for this episode of
Pod Meets World. As always, you can follow us on
Instagram pod Meets World Show. You can send us your
emails pod meets World Show at gmail dot com, and
we have merch.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
We'll always remember.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
The merch was this.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Tall Podmeetsworldshow dot com. We love you all, pod dismissed.
Pod Meets World is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted
by Danielle Fischel Wilfridell and writer Strong. Executive producers Jensen
Karp and Amy Sugarman, Executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo,
producer and editor, Tara Suebachsch producer, Maddie Moore, engineer and
(28:30):
Boy Meets World superfan Easton Allen. Our theme song is
by Kyle Morton of Typhoon. Follow us on Instagram at
Podmeets World Show or email us at Podmeets Worldshow at
gmail dot com
Hosts And Creators
Will Friedle
Danielle Fishel
Rider Strong
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