Father Knows Less

Father Knows Less
Season	1
Writer	April Kelly
Director	David Trainer
First Aired	October 8, 1993
← Previous	"On the Fence"
Next →	"Cory's Alternative Friends"

"Father Knows Less" is the third episode of season one of Boy Meets World and the third episode overall. It originally aired on October 8, 1993.

Synopsis

Cory fails a test at school after staying up late with his dad.

Plot

On a Sunday, Alan and Cory are making sandwiches for lunch as they plan to go see the United States Navy's Blue Angels. Amy forces them to take apples and then goes to attend to the front door when the bell rings and greets Leonard Spinelli, the assistant manager at the grocery store when Alan works. Leonard tells Alan that there's been an incident at work that requires his attention, forcing Alan to cancel on Cory. Cory tells Alan that he needs to hang out with his father or else he may end up taking ballet lessons if he's left at home with his mother, but Alan is forced to go to the store regardless. Returning home later at night, Alan sees that the Philadephia Phillies is being shown on television on a West Coast feed. He then goes to Cory and Eric's bedroom and wakes Cory up to watch the game with him; Cory is readily willing to do, but Eric chooses to sleep. Cory and Alan make sandwiches with chips and watch the game. As it is the middle of the night, Alan tells Cory that Amy can never find out about this. Cory, looking admirably at his father, states that watching the game late at night with his father is better than seeing the Navy Blue Angels any day.

At school, Cory falls asleep during a test. Cory explains that he had stayed up past midnight to watch a baseball game with his father, but Mr. Feeny chides him for staying up for something as frivolous as baseball instead of something important like the announcement of the Nobel Prize winners. Returning home after school, Cory tells his father that he failed a test by falling asleep in class because of them staying up late to watch the baseball game, but realizes too late that Amy is there. Amy admonishes Alan for it, and Alan responds that he will speak to Feeny about getting Cory a make-up test. Amy tells him that until he resolves the matter, he is grounded. Cory then asks if Amy can actually ground Alan, to which Alan stammers that in certain ways, she can ground him. Alan and Cory head to the yard, where Feeny is tending to his garden on his side. Greeting Feeny, Alan states that it was his fault for keeping Cory up and asks if Cory can take a make-up test, although Feeny refuses. Alan replies that he thought Feeny would understand, and Feeny replies that understanding and condoning are two different concepts. Alan tells Feeny that he was just trying to find some time to spend with his son in between working and fixing up stuff at home and that Feeny would not understand as he has no son of his own, which wounds Feeny, before Alan goes back inside his house.

Alan tells Cory to put on some tennis clothes so they can go play at the YMCA, and Amy tells Alan that as much she loves him for wanting to spend time with Cory, he should not negatively affect Cory's life to do so. Alan and Amy then begin kissing in the kitchen when Leonard enters, informing Alan of another crisis at work. Alan tells Leonard that the assistant manager's job is to handle situations when the manager is absent, and that he wishes to go play tennis with his son before coming home to his family. Leonard apologizes and decides to take care of the store fire himself. Alarmed at the fire, Alan decides to go with Leonard to the store; Cory tells Alan that it's okay, that Alan doesn't need to worry about making it up to him, and that they can play tennis some other time. Before he leaves, Alan tells Cory that Amy made him see that he should not have been upset at Feeny but rather at himself, and says that he is the one to blame for Cory failing to make up the test. He admits that he would want nothing rather than to spend all his time with Cory, but that he cannot, and that he failed as a father by keeping him up that late on a school night, and says that Feeny was right.

Cory then plays tennis in his yard and notices Feeny sitting by himself. Feeny invites him to sit down with him and reminisces about his childhood. He shares a story with Cory, regarding how when he was a child, World War II occurred in Europe and that it prevented him from having butter on his toast daily, or being able to get candy, or acquire a pair of sneakers, as rubber needed to be diverted to the war effort. As a result, Feeny prayed every night hoping for the war to end. Upon hearing that President Harry S. Truman would be going on the radio one night to announce the end of the war, Feeny had asked his father if they could stay up to listen, but Feeny's father told him go to bed as it was a school night. Cory believes that Feeny's father understood the value of education, but Feeny discloses that the truth was that his father wanted to get drunk with his friends instead. As a result of going to sleep early, Feeny had arrived to school well-rested the next day, but did not end up remembering whatever he was taught. He tells Cory that education is not about learning obscure facts or test scores, but rather a process of slow absorption spanning years that cannot be threatened by a child staying up late to do something like watch a game with their father. Feeny remarks that it is important that a boy spend time with his father, and when Cory wonders how he could know that when his father never spent time with him, Feeny responds that that is precisely how he knows. Alan then arrives and tells Cory to get ready for bed. Alan tells Feeny that he will ensure Cory gets to bed on time and that he will not keep him up again, while Feeny indicates that if he did have a son, he would keep him up to watch a baseball game, or to listen to the President on the radio, or even for no reason at all, before trailing off and bidding Alan good night.

In his room, Cory gets into bed and tells his mother that Alan said that Feeny was correct to reprimand them for keeping Cory up late but that Feeny indicated that Alan was right for keeping his son up to spend time with him, and wonders who was actually correct; Amy then responds that sometimes, two adults can believe two different things and both can be right at the same time. Alan then enters the room to wish Cory good night, and Cory remarks that there's still a baseball game playing; Alan, however, states that if anything happens, he will merely inform Cory of it in the morning. Alan then asks Amy if he's still grounded, and Amy replies that they can talk about it. As they exit Cory's room, Cory smirks and remarks that his father would not be waking him up tonight, indicating that he is aware his father and mother would be busy with each other that night.

Cast

Main Cast

• Ben Savage as Cory Matthews
• William Daniels as George Feeny
• Betsy Randle as Amy Matthews
• Will Friedle as Eric Matthews
• Rider Strong as Shawn Hunter
• Lee Norris as Stuart Minkus
• Lily Nicksay as Morgan Matthews
• William Russ as Alan Matthews

Guest Cast

• Willie Garson as Leonard Spinelli
• Tommy Brown IV as TV Announcer

Appearances

Locations

• Philadelphia, United States
  • Matthews Residence
  • Jefferson Elementary
  • Feeny Residence
  • Market Giant (mentioned)
• Stockholm, Sweden (mentioned)
• Europe (mentioned)
• Los Angeles, California, United States (mentioned)

Mentioned

• Blue Angels
• United States Navy
• Heather Ralston
• Perrier
• Alka-Seltzer
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Curt Schilling
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Tommy Greene
• Jim Bunning
• Ferdinand Magellan
• Harry S. Truman
• Magna Carta
• George Feeny's Sister
• George Feeny's Father
• George Feeny's Mother

Quotes

Eric: Heather, I'm sorry. Look, you wear a turtleneck no one's even gonna notice. Amy: [stops to stare at Eric] Eric: Okay, I sucked a neck.

Alan: Cory, I got to go. I've got an effervescent produce manager. Cory: Well, you got a warping son. I'm not spending enough time with my dad. You step out of this house, I'm on my way to my first ballet lesson.

Cory: So, what did I get? Feeny: Well, you answered one question out of forty, and got it wrong. So what grade do you think I'm going to give you? Cory: Can it be found at the beginning of the word "fajita"? Feeny: Si, señor.

Alan: Hi, babe. Morgan: Hi, Daddy. Amy: I think he was talking to me. Alan: Well, actually, it was a generic "babe", encompassing all of womanhood. Amy: Oh, don't I feel special.

Alan: I'll explain it to him, get him to let Cory take a make-up test. Amy: Oh, I'm so glad. Because until you do, you're grounded. Cory: Does that really work? Can she ground you? Alan: ...In certain ways, yes.

Alan: Look, I don't understand why you're making a federal case out of this. Feeny: Maybe if you were entrusted with the education of sixth-graders every day, you would understand what I'm talking about. Alan: And maybe if you had a son and were trying to find time to spend with him in between your job, and fixing the car, and insulating the attic, you'd understand what I'm talking about. But you don't have a son, George, so how could you understand?

Alan: Are we talking about a fire, Lenny? Leonard: Yeah, but there is no problem for you. Alan: How much of the store is left? Leonard: St- [pronounced Stuh]

Alan: Look, if it was up to me, you wouldn't have to go to sleep at all. You wouldn't have to go to school, I wouldn't have to go to work, and we could just spend all our time together. And there's nothing that I'd rather do. Cory: Then why don't we do that? Alan: I don't know. I guess the family's gotten used to eating.

Cory: So, how come you're sitting outside in the dark? Feeny: I was thinking about when I was a boy, just a little younger than you are. There was a war going on. Cory: It's hard to picture you as a boy. Did your parents call you Mr. Feeny? Feeny: I used to ask my mother why I could only have butter on my toast two mornings a week, and she said, "Because of the war in Europe." And I wondered why there was never enough candy, and she told me, "Because of the war in Europe." Oh, and I longed for a pair of sneakers. But I couldn't have any. Cory: Those Europe guys stole 'em? Feeny: No, no. The rubber had to be diverted to the war effort. There was a version of a sneaker available, but it was made out of recycled tires and left black marks on the gym floor. Cory: Hey, you took gym? Feeny: They made me. Anyway, I prayed every night for an end to the war in Europe. Not from any altruistic desire for world peace. Just a boy's selfish wish for buttered toast and sneakers. Then I heard that Mr. Truman was going on the radio that night to announce the end of the war. And I went home and asked my father if I could stay up with him to hear the president. Do you know what he said? Cory: I'm guessing it's either yes or no but we both know how well I do on multiple choice. Feeny: He said, "Tomorrow's a school day. I don't want you up with me." Cory: So you're saying your dad really knew the value of education. Feeny: No, I'm saying my father didn't want me hanging around with him and his drinking buddies. As a result, the next day at school, I was rested and fresh and ready to learn. Cory: I see your point, Mr. Feeny. Feeny: No, I don't think you really do, Cory. What do you suppose I learned in school that day? Cory: I know this has got to be a biggie, like the Magna Carta or something. I have no idea what you learned that day. Feeny: Neither do I. You see, Mr. Matthews, education is not about obscure facts and little test scores. Education is about the overall effect of years of slow absorption – concepts, philosophies, approaches to problem-solving. The whole process is so grand and all-encompassing that it really can't be threatened by the occasional late-night no-hitter. It is important that a boy spend time with his father. Cory: But... how do you know that? Your dad didn't let you stay up with him. Feeny: That's precisely why I do know.

Alan: I, uh, just want you to know I'm gonna have him in bed every night when he's supposed to be. Feeny: Well, I want you to know that if I did have a son and the opportunity presented itself to wake him up to watch a baseball game, or to listen to the president on the radio... or for absolutely no reason at all... Well, good night, Alan. Alan: Good night, George.

Alan: Am I still grounded? Amy: We'll talk about it. Alan: Hey, talk I can get anywhere. Cory: [smirking as his parents leave his room] He won't be back tonight.

Trivia

• The three Nobel Prize winners that Stuart Minkus mentions – Dr. Ira Soochek, Dr. Lin Yi Pao, and Professor Narwhal Fowab – are not real-life individuals, but rather fictional characters coined for the scene.

Gallery

"This outfit with this hair? Hello? Buh-bye, I am so at the mall." The image gallery for Father Knows Less may be viewed here