Topanga's Surprise: Fishel on Girl Meets World Start

Danielle Fishel, who starred in all three seasons of "Girl Meets World," initially harbored reservations about the series. However, the opportunity to reprise her beloved role as Topanga Matthews ultimately proved too significant to pass up. The spinoff, which launched in 2014, saw Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga navigating life in New York with their children, with their daughter Riley at the center of the coming-of-age narrative.

Co-stars Rider Strong and Will Friedle, who reprised their "Boy Meets World" characters Shawn Hunter and Eric Matthews, respectively, revealed they were not formally notified of the spinoff's development. They discovered the news through less conventional means, a detail shared during their promotional tour for "Doc Meets World." Despite their initial surprise, both actors appeared in the series, with Strong noting he felt the timing wasn't quite right.

Fishel echoed sentiments of temporal unease, questioning the relatively short span between "Boy Meets World's" conclusion in 2000 and the spinoff's 2014 premiere. She felt she was at a different life stage and considered the logistical timeline. Nevertheless, the series, overseen by producer Michael Jacobs, successfully expanded the franchise's continuity and connected with audiences before its cancellation in 2017.