"Cory's Alternative Friends" is the fourth episode of season one of Boy Meets World and the fourth episode overall. It originally aired on October 15, 1993.
In class, Paige and Barbara give a presentation on environmentalism, much to Mr. Feeny's pride. Cory and Shawn are next, and they talk about how the cleaner air in Colorado is what is allowing the Colorado Rockies to perform better than the Philadelphia Phillies. Feeny blames himself for allowing himself to let them choose partners and decides to give them a chance to redo their report; he then assigns Shawn to work with Stuart Minkus, which they both groan at, while Cory is assigned to work with Topanga. Topanga asks Cory to give her his hand to sense his energy, and states that he is vibrationally acceptable. Cory then asks Feeny if he can have a new partner since Topanga is strange, but Feeny merely replies that strange is in the eye of the beholder and mentions that people might also find it strange that Cory sings along to his little sister's Barney songs. Cory is stunned that Feeny overheard him doing that and relents.
At lunch, Cory overhears Paige and Barbara discussing not inviting a boy due to his "Brillo head" and assumes they are talking about him. When Shawn confirms that he has "Nerf"-like hair, Cory despairs. Topanga then arrives and tells Cory that she has asked her father, Jedidiah, to drive her to Cory's house after school. She asks him to sign a petition to prevent the school from letting go of their librarian, Mrs. Rosemead, whose employment the school is terminating due to her age. Cory dismisses her, claiming that they are busy, and she agrees to respect his space and leaves. Shawn remarks that Feeny must really hate Cory to give him Topanga as a partner, and Cory retorts that it's not as bad as having Minkus as a partner; Shawn then states that Minkus does not like him or respect him and is willing to do the entire project by himself but give Shawn credit, which causes Shawn to state that "Stuart Minkus is a god." Cory remarks on Minkus sitting at the "loser table" but then goes back to worrying about his hair. Shawn then tells Cory that if he's that worried, he'll ask his sister Stacy what she uses to straighten her hair.
At home, Amy is working when Morgan approaches her and asks what would happen if she put her doll in the toaster oven to warm her up. Amy tells Morgan that that would be a mistake, and Morgan tells her that she made a mistake. Amy then runs to the kitchen and pulls the ruined doll out of the toaster oven. She asks Cory, who is sitting at the kitchen table with Topanga if he didn't smell the doll burning, and Cory merely quips that he thought they were having plastic for dinner. As Amy walks away, Cory refers to her by her given name since Topanga calls her parents by their names. Amy then turns around to look at Cory and repeats her first name, and Cory quickly switches back to "Mom".
As they return to working on their project, Topanga tells Cory that she wants to do something less conventional and more performance art, much to Cory's chagrin. She has Cory read a poem, while she performs to it, putting lipstick on her face. Cory does not want to do it as he states people will laugh and them, and asks Topanga if she'll be one of those girls who won't shave her legs before calling her weird. Topanga replies that she finds herself to be unique rather than weird, and Cory responds that he just wants to blend in with people. Topanga tells him that he's good at blending in and that he looks like all of the other kids, except for his red Phillies hat.
Shawn then arrives with a brown paper bag, and tells Topanga to "use a mirror, babe." Cory then asks Topanga what she thinks of his hair, and she tells him that she finds it beautiful, like a desert tumbleweed. Cory then pushes Topanga out the door and tells her that he has another project to work on with Shawn. Cory and Shawn then go upstairs, where Cory applies product on his hair. 45 minutes later, Cory tells Shawn that his hair's been burning the whole time and asks him to call Stacy. Shawn then calls Stacy and finds out that Cory should've washed his hair 45 minutes ago. Cory then runs to the bathroom and screams out loud. He comes back with hardened, misshapen hair. Amy and Eric then rush into the room due to the scream and yell when they see Cory's hair, and Shawn runs out. Morgan and Alan also enter the room and remark on Cory's hair. Cory tells his family that under no condition is he going to school tomorrow, but his wish is not granted.
At school, everyone but Topanga laughs at Cory's hair, including Shawn, which leads to Cory realizing what kind of person Topanga is. At lunch, Shawn makes fun of Cory's hair, causing Cory to go sit with Topanga and Minkus at the lunch table. When the others talk about struggling to find signatures for the Mrs. Rosemead petition, Cory agrees to help them since he is now "one of them". That evening, Cory is in his room putting curlers into her hair to try and restore his hair. Eric then walks in, and Cory threatens to get revenge when he's older if Eric says anything. Eric then quickly takes a photo of Cory and tells him that he owns him.
The next day after school, on Friday, Cory meets up with Topanga, Minkus, Hillary, Ned and Darren, and the group handcuff themselves to each other, with Cory handcuffing himself to a locker. When the bell rings, the group block the students from leaving until they sign the petition. Cory reminds them that Mrs. Rosemead does not care what they do and lets them get away with stuff, and that if the school fires her, they'll replace her with someone younger who has something to prove. This convinces the students, and they go the cafeteria to sign the petition. The others remove their handcuffs and leave, except for Topanga, who stays behind.
Cory is proud of himself for standing down a group of students, but when he sees Topanga looking at him, he asks her if she's going to kiss him. Topanga asks if it would be his first kiss and Cory begins to panic; he tries to back away but is unable to, as he is handcuffed to the locker. Topanga tells Cory that it would be interesting if his first kiss happened when he was worried about how he looked, and that way it would let him know that his looks do matter compared to who he is on the inside. Trying to dissuade her, Cory tells her that non-married people shouldn't kiss. Topanga then states that she could not kiss someone unless she really knew the person and liked him, and then pushes Cory against the lockers and kisses him. She then tells him that it was her first kiss too before walking away.
On Monday, Cory's hair has returned to normal. While in the lunchroom, he approaches Paige and Barbara and reprimands them, telling them that they shouldn't judge people on their hair and indicates that he wouldn't have attended their party anyway, although Paige and Barbara inform him that they were not talking about him. Cory then goes to sit at the lunch table with Shawn when Topanga points out that Cory's hair is back to the way it was. Minkus offers Cory a seat at his table; Cory responds that he'd already promised his friends he would sit them, and Minkus replies that he understands. Topanga then tells Cory that there will always be a seat for him at their table. As Cory sits down, Shawn mentions that they will be playing football after school, and Cory agrees to be there. He then turns around to look at Topanga, who is looking at him, and she pulls out an identical red Phillies hat out of her bag and wears it. The two then smile at each other.
Topanga: Why do you care so much what other people think? When people laugh at you, they're depleting their own karmic reservoir. Cory: You're gonna be one of those girls who doesn't shave her legs, aren't you? Topanga: I haven't decided yet.
Shawn:[to Topanga] Use a mirror, babe.
Morgan: I don't like my new dolly. She's not wearing a pretty dress. Amy: Well, honey, she's a businesswoman. I mean, this dolly has gone to college, has a good job, and doesn't need Ken to support her.
Alan: Cory, what did you do? Cory: I tried to straighten my hair, okay? Alan: With what, shellac? Cory: Dad, you think a little shampoo might– Eric: No. You see, the whole principle behind shampoo is that is actually has to touch your hair. It's completely ineffective if there's a polyurethane force field surrounding your head.
Cory: Mr. Feeny, if there was one shred of humanity in you, you’ll let me keep this on. Feeny: Too many years of sixth graders have bled me of my humanity. Take off your cap.
Cory: Darren, I've been meaning to ask you something since the fourth grade. Every day you come to school with a cape. What's the deal with the cape? Darren: What cape?
Cory: It was kinda cool staring down an angry mob. I never knew I had it in me. Topanga: Sometimes the reluctant warrior is the bravest warrior. Cory: You're not gonna, like, kiss me now, are you? Topanga: Would it be your first kiss? Cory: Hey, don't come near me! Topanga: Because it would be interesting if all your life you remembered that your first kiss happened when you thought you looked weird, wouldn't it? Cory: No! It wouldn't be interesting! Get away! Topanga: Because then you'd know. It's not what you look like on the outside that matters. It's what kind of person you are. Cory: You shouldn't kiss somebody you're not married to. Topanga: Hm... Yeah... I would have to feel I really knew the person. And that I liked him.
Shawn has an older sister named Stacy in this episode; however, future episodes would reveal that Stacy does not exist as Shawn grew up as an only child with only one sibling, in the form of older half-brother Jack Hunter.
Topanga states that her mother's name is Chloe; however, her name is later revealed to be Rhiannon.
This episode is structured as Cory's first time realizing what kind of person Topanga is and learning to like her, and vice-versa; later episodes would reveal Cory and Topanga have been in love with each other since they were toddlers and "dated" for most of their childhood.
Cory (Ben Savage) is mouthing Larry's lines when he is handcuffed to the lockers.
Shawn invites Cory to play touch football at his backyard after school; however, Shawn does not have a backyard or a house, as later episodes would reveal that he lives in a trailer park.
Behind the Scenes
Danielle Fishel auditioned for the role of Topanga Lawrence but was not initially given the role; instead, she was given the role of Barbara. However, when the original Topanga actress was not working out, Fishel was cast as Topanga.[1]
According to Shawn's actor Rider Strong, there was another character who was meant to be in this episode as Cory and Shawn's friend, and he was the one who had an older sister named Rochelle who could help change Cory's hair. However, when that actor was fired following a joke by Ben Savage, the character was eliminated and all of his lines were given to Shawn, which resulted in Shawn having an older sister, renamed as Stacy, for just this episode.[2]
Gallery
"This outfit with this hair? Hello? Buh-bye, I am so at the mall."
The image gallery for Cory's Alternative Friends may be viewed here
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