‘Boy Meets World’ Star Rider Strong Reflects on Being ‘Very Upset’ Over How Show Handled Controversial Sex Scene

Popular ’90s ABC sitcom Boy Meets World was known as part of the channel’s wholesome “TGIF” slate between 1993 and 2000. As the characters aged, more serious subject matter played into the storyline, with the show chronicling their lives from 11 to 17. According to reports, Disney Channel banned three episodes when they acquired the rights to Boy Meets World in 2000. Boy Meets World’s cast has now discussed these banned episodes on their podcast, Pod Meets World, on which they speak openly about their experience on the show as child actors.

Danielle Fishel, who played Topanga, Rider Strong, who played Shawn, and Will Friedle, who played Cory’s older brother Eric in the sitcom, host the podcast. When asked by a fan, “What do you guys know about the episodes banned from Disney Channel?” Strong responded with an emphatic answer. When he was 18 years old, the actor filmed the banned episode “Prom-ises, Prom-ises,” which he still remembers very negatively. Season 5, Episode 22, “Prom-ises, Prom-ises,” was the first episode to be axed after it premiered on ABC in May 1998, as it focuses on either sex or alcohol. On the night of their senior prom, Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) and Topanga Lawrence plan to have sex for the first time together. Cory even books a hotel room for the occasion, and the couple kisses on a bed while stripping off their clothes before they decide to wait.

After the AIDS epidemic, Strong felt that the adults on set were being “irresponsible” in not making any references to safe sex during the episode. Michael Jacobs, the show’s creator and executive producer, “completely” ignored Strong’s concerns with the show’s approach. “I remember really not liking the prom episode while we were taping it. I remember being very upset that entire week,” he told his cohosts. “I was very upset with the adults on set, the way that they were approaching this. Specifically, because we were not discussing safe sex. “The fact that we would not bring up Cory and Topanga using condoms or having a discussion about birth control at all, and yet the entire episode was about will they or will they not…” Strong continued. “I remember just being so upset, and I brought it up, I remember talking to Michael about it and saying: ‘Can we talk about this? Maybe you generationally don’t understand that, but we were growing up in the era of AIDS, this is something that we have to talk about. When you are discussing losing your virginity, you discuss how you’re going to do it and how to be safe about it,’” the star recalled.

“And he completely blew me off and told me it was a ridiculous thing to worry about and that we don’t even need to discuss it,” Strong added. “I felt, at the time, that that was incredibly irresponsible.” Strong then remembered an incident that left him even angrier three weeks later. “Three episodes later, we were doing an episode where we made a joke about sharing razors, where Cory and Topanga talk about sharing razors in college,” he said. “And I remember during a notes session, Michael Jacobs saying: ‘Y’know, I recently read that hepatitis can be spread through razors, are we being irresponsible…’ “And I just remember being so pissed,” he continued. “I was like, ‘Oh, this is where now we’re going to talk about hepatitis but, for whatever reason, the notion of discussing safe sex was off the table even though the entire episode was about having sex.’”

“So I remember being very upset during that episode and just generationally feeling that difference. Like, ‘Oh, wow, it’s not something that they were really concerned about,’” Strong concluded. Fishel agreed, saying, “I remember also feeling very uncomfortable the whole week for similar reasons, but I don’t have specific memories other than just, kind of, ickiness about the week.” According to Strong, the show’s approach to sex never appealed to him, and he particularly disliked the focus on Cory and Topanga having no sex before marriage. “I remember being very uncomfortable about all the sex conversations on Boy Meets World. It was just really weird,” he said. “I remember rolling my eyes about all the Cory and Topanga virgin stuff. It just felt so precious, outdated, and just weird to be talking about. “Like, why are we obsessing over this?” Strong continued. “And then if you’re going to do a whole episode about it, to not discuss it responsibly felt really off.” 

Fortunately for fans, Disney’s bans did not apply to their streaming service, Disney+, which launched in 2019 and currently offers all Boy Meets World episodes, including those previously removed. In addition, the cast has previously spoken out against the sexualization of their characters on Pod Meets World, describing the experience as “creepy” and “uncomfortable.” Strong and Friedle often had to make out with background actors to fit into their heartthrob personas. Both admitted that having an intimacy coordinator on set would have been helpful, which wasn’t available in the 90s. Friedle was 17 years old when he was cast in Boy Meets World, Rider was 14, and Danielle was 12.