Tag: girlmeetsworld

Disney: Why Disney+ is a Good Thing

There have been mixed reactions since Disney announced their intention to create an exclusively Disney streaming service that will be available in 2019.

As more and more news has come out regarding the service, the conversation has heated up.

I’ve spent months thinking about the pros and cons of this service, how it is going to affect media in general. I have come to one conclusion…

…this Disney streaming service is a good good thing.

Here’s why.

Why Disney’s Streaming Service is Good for the Consumer

During a discussion on this very topic, someone brought up a very real point regarding the multitude of streaming options available. Yeah, I know I’ve felt like I am straddling so many different services it’s becoming obnoxious. The desire to find everything in one location (like shopping at Wal-Mart once rather than 5 different specialty grocery stores) is deeply appealing.

However…streaming services are not like grocery stores, they are more like the fast food of the visual storytelling world. They are fast and immediate.

I could spend fifteen minutes just listing the number of fast food options we have available in this country. Some are nationwide, like McDonalds, and some are more localized. Dear Folks, do give Braums a try if you are ever in the Lower Midwest.

That many options can be overwhelming, wouldn’t it be simpler to just have one?

Maybe. Would it be better? NOPE!

Ask any person in a one-stoplight town that has ONE McDonalds. They will give you a resounding NO.

nope kermit

 

One restaurant means the same food all the time. Occasionally there may be a new menu item added, but that’s rare. No guarantees on the quality of food or service, after all, there is no competition for our One Restaurant to force it to be its best in order to stay in business. Food, service, prices, bathroom cleanliness, our One Restaurant dictates these things because due to the law of scarcity, they can! They know we have nowhere else to go, they are our One Option if we want to eat out.

However, suppose we added five other restaurants to the mix? What happens?

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Now our One Restaurant is one of Many restaurants, we have other options, now they have to step up their game and compete, or go out of business.

Think about the deals we have available right now in fast food. Wendy’s 4 for 4. A McDonald’s $1, $2, and $3 menu. Taco Bell has a pretty dang tasty $1 menu. And on, and on, and on.

So much variety and constant change that is to our (the consumer)’s benefit.

Competition.

You may not have realized it, but I just described capitalism to you. Capitalism gets spread around the media like it’s a dirty word, and socialism is the “cool” thing that makes life better for everyone!

Wrong. Most people don’t actually understand capitalism or socialism. You love getting a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks, fresh flowers from the farmer’s market, a toothbrush from Wal-Mart,  and a hand-knit wool hat from Etsy? Cool! Thank Capitalism!

Capitalism is not all about trampling everyone underfoot in a mad scramble for the top spot. Capitalism that is done right can create freedom, opportunity, options, and competing in a way that holds each business accountable. The ultimate judge and jury for said businesses? Us, the consumers.

I don’t know about you, but I really like options. Sure, if I decide to eat at Fazolis, I can’t eat at Taco Bell. We do eventually have to choose one thing or another. But that’s okay, I make the choices I want for my life. And I appreciate the ability to choose.

What does this have to do with Disney’s streaming service? Lemme tell ya…

…Disney just majorly upped the ante…and we as consumers are going to benefit.

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Netflix is gonna have to up their game. I know they are trying. Lost in Space is a work of beautiful storytelling and art that I applaud from the highest mountain. They just signed a deal to create a Narnia series, another decision that I am incredibly excited about. Netflix has its claims to fame with Stranger Things, but that’s not gonna be enough anymore, and I am interested to see how Netflix decides to combat this new challenge.

Amazon is a fierce competitor. This online giant has more than just a streaming service in its empire, Amazon has a little bit of everything, and they are getting bigger by the day.

*Sidenote, just so that you can become aware, I am starting to suspect that Disney and Amazon are secretly working towards world domination, and one day this battle will come to a head. Choose wisely, Citizens, will you be a Prime Member or belong to the Micky Mouse Clubhouse? Sides must be chosen. Choose wisely.

We all know Disney is giving their streaming service the red-carpet treatment. They are intent upon taking every wish we have made upon a star and making it come true. And while I have a love/hate relationship with Disney, I have to honestly say, they usually deliver.

Yes, some of these streaming services/shows that exist are going to die. We are going to take some hits. Daredevil and it’s fellow Marvel shows are early casualties. I can understand why those shows will no longer be continuing from a business perspective, but I can also understand the grief from fans. I’m sorry you feel disappointed, folks. I know how that feels. *coughs, AGENT CARTER! 

In the end, however, we as consumers will reap the benefits. Every streaming service with its own content is going to have to do their absolute best to compete with Disney, which means better content with higher quality.

Now, onto the really fun part.

a whole new world gif

Why Disney’s Streaming Service Is Good for the Fan

Loki.

Scarlet Witch and The Vision.

The Mandalorian.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

Live Action Lady and the Tramp.

CASSIAN ANDOR!

 

when you wish upon a star.gif

I am looking at a whole new world right now, ladies and gentlemen. A world made possible by streaming services.

I am never going to stop going to the movie theater to enjoy movies on the big screen. I do not go to the theater because it is convenient, no, I go because I value the experience so highly. Millions of other movie fans do as well, therefore I have no fear that we will lose our movie theaters into the black hole of streaming services.

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Putting a movie into the theaters is more complicated than you may realize, however. It costs tons of money, and you have to not just make that money back, you have to make a large profit for that movie to be considered a success. Next, you have Blu-ray and digital sales, and then your film ends up on streaming services.

It’s a tough world, which means that film studios really have to be choosy about what they put their time and money into for the theaters and television. Despite the number of amazing characters and stories that we as fans love and want to see told, we are only given a few at a time because they HAVE to be picky. Which means that large groups of minority fans are left disappointed.

Enter, the Disney Streaming Service.

loki looking bad

Loki Odinson has delighted viewers since 2011. He’s a complex character, one moment the villain, the next, an antihero? He’s fast, his motives blurry, his emotions unpredictable. But what is predictable is the love of his fans for this character. A large minority of Marvel fans have been begging for a Loki film for years, but in the grand scheme of the Marvel storyline and budget, it just hasn’t made sense. Until now…

…Loki is getting his own miniseries. Given how complex his character is, a miniseries is a far better format for his story than a film would be. Miniseries have the option of telling a story more slowly and going into greater personal depth than movies do. It’s just the type of storytelling the god of mischief deserves.

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Scarlet Witch and The Vision are all about exploring what it means to be human. They are complex enough characters on their own, and together? Even more so. They have not been given the amount of time required to really dig deeply into the wealth their characters’ have to offer. Not to mention these characters are not big enough mainstream favorites for a full theater release to be profitable. But a miniseries? Perfect!

captain cassian andor

The moment I saw Captian Cassian Andor my brain was on fire (yes, the man is gorgeous). But what truly got me electrified was the story he represents. It’s the untold story of the darker side of the Rebellion. A dark, painful, morally complicated side. A whole realm of questions and potential we have never seen before. We had no time for side trips in Rogue One, it was such a beautiful and focused movie that was precisely what it should have been. But at the end, my heart didn’t just ache for what we had lost, my heart ached over the stories that had been briefly introduced that I felt we had lost. Stories that I was desperate to discover. And now, I can.

the mandalorian

The Mandalorian. I’ve watched 6 Seasons of Clone Wars and 4 Seasons of Star Wars Rebels. Mandalorians are the kinds of characters that take up all the oxygen in a room. They need to be explored. I love how Star Wars films/series have recently started exploring more characters beyond just the high profile heroes and villains. It’s a fascinating world, let us explore it more!

Falcon

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I am constantly saying that Sam Wilson never gets the credit or time he deserves. He’s just the greatest guy ever and I am so thrilled to finally get to see more of him. And we can all agree that there is a big question mark hanging over Bucky Barnes’ life. It’s about time.

white wolf

My other big hope for this streaming service is that we will have resurrected series/films. Star Wars fans fell off of their tauntauns when we discovered that our beloved Clone Wars series (which ended horribly) was being renewed for a proper send off. Dreams really do come true!

swtcw

My personal request is that shows like Agent Carter and Girl Meets World who ended FAR TOO SOON would be next up on the renewal docket. These shows had strong enough fanbases and quality storytelling to make said endeavors worthwhile. But we shall see.

Don’t you all understand? The possibilities available to us? The potential? We may actually get a National Treasure 3 out of this service! It would flop in theaters but on the service?

And the best part yet, the monthly cost for this magical service is supposed to be less than Netflix.

take my money

In conclusion, Disney is moving into the 21st Century with style. And we, the consumers and fans are going to reap the benefits.

disney movies

I can’t wait. How about you?

 

Girl Meets Ski Lodge Part 2- The Perfect Death to the Triangle

Finally! The triangle that came into existence in Girl Meets Texas Part 1 has been laid to rest where it belongs. We can all take a deep sigh of relief now and turn our attention to other aspects of this magnificent show.

I was utterly amazed at how the writers wrapped this messy triangle up. I am continually in awe of how much depth they are able to incorporate into each, 22 minute episode. The writers are able to do this because they are experts at foreshadowing, setup, and keeping running plot threads going that they can recall in a moment’s notice.

Girl Meets Ski Lodge Part 2 is probably the greatest example of this. This masterful episode brought so many moments together, starting from the pilot episode in Season 1 and going through the seasons from there.

I could not be happier with the result. The writers managed to destroy the triangle while only lifting our hearts up. I could go on and on, but I’ll consider your valuable time. Instead, here are a few of the very best aspects of Girl Meets Ski Lodge Part 2.

Lucaya ended, but our hearts were not broken.

Lucaya

I’ve made it no secret that I was pulling for Lucas and Riley from Day One of this aggravating triangle. I wanted the quirky, non-“cool” girl to get the handsome Western hero. I loved the way they interacted. I love the expression on Lucas’s face when he looks at Riley.

Still, I know there were a lot of fans pulling for Lucaya. They loved the interaction between Lucas and Maya. The conclusion of this triangle had the potential to grieve Lucaya fans deeply, but our GMW writers are just too good to leave broken hearts behind.

Instead, they had Maya end Lucaya naturally and gently by discovering that she, Maya Penelope Hart, doesn’t care for Lucas that way. Now that she remembers who she is, she is happy to keep Huckleberry as a good friend and nothing more. The look of sheer relief on Lucas’s face was beautiful. He could never hurt her, and she saved him from that burden.

But even better, the person who helped Maya come to this conclusion wasn’t Riley, it wasn’t Evan, it wasn’t Farkle, it wasn’t even Maya herself. It was….JOSH! Uncle Boing, the boy she has cared for in her heart of hearts since Season 1. The pure joy and radiance on Maya’s face during her conversations with Josh in this episode made angels sing. I can’t imagine anyone NOT being happy for Maya and Josh.

GMW joshaya

Josh became possible, and it was perfect.

According to the writers, Josh was supposed to have been a larger part of Season 2. However, due to a near-fatal motorcycle accident, Uriah Shelton (Josh) had to be absent during the beginning of this triangle mess. I honestly wondered how they were going to bring him back into the story and introduce growth in his character when we hadn’t seen the progression of maturity.

I had nothing to worry about. Josh Matthews comes onto the scene with a depth of maturity that he has not shown before. His position as the chaperone during the ski trip, and his role as guide and mentor completely pulled his character onto the relevant timeline and made up for any lost episodes.

“Josh?”

“What?”

“Why have you let me hold onto your hand this entire time?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know everything.”

Mature people know that the value of a person isn’t dependent upon age. Before, Josh was too immature to see past 3 measly little years. But now that he’s grown up and has a desire to be a mature person, he can recognize the incredible treasure that Maya is.

“For me to think that I don’t ever need a friend like you, in the world, just ’cause I’m a little older? That’d make me a lot less mature than I wanna be.”

Oh, just watch his cute face. I could just eat up his facial expressions and Maya’s along with them.

“You once said you were playing the long game.”

“I like you, Josh, it’s you I like.”

“I like you too.”

“I’ll play the long game. Live your life, I’ll live my life, I know you’re out there and….I’m out there too.”

“Someday?” “Someday.” 

Eat it up, people. Every person who has ever loved someone older is crying their heart out right now. We are SO happy for Maya!

Purple shirt, purple jellybean, his favorite thing in the world, it was Riley all along

jealous Lucas

Lucas comes down the stairs wearing a purple shirt. His face falls and he looks both threatened and devastated when he sees that Riley spent the entire night having a heart-to-heart with another guy. Why?

Because,

“My favorite thing in this world is when you talk to me.” 

“It is?”

“It’s okay for you to talk to whoever you want, Riley. You know why? Because I am a secure Western hero.”

“Yes, yes you are.”

“But the important talks, the ones that we’re gonna think about and always remember….can those just be between you and me?”

Lucas has opened up his heart to Riley in a way that he has to no one else. She touched a deep place in him and he fell in love. The best friendships and romantic relationships are built on a deep, lifelong conversation. It is when we converse deeply that we reach each other’s hearts and souls. Riley reached Lucas’s, and she has owned his heart ever since.

“So, this is our moment?”

“Mmhmm. I promised you, that my moment, would be my moment. This is it.”

Watching Lucas’s face during this whole scene is priceless. His dialogue along with his face are telling the story of a boy who has loved a girl deeply, and feared he would never get to have her. You know that feeling when you are looking at your favorite thing? Or when you can’t believe that you are so blessed as to experience something uniquely wonderful? That is what Lucas is feeling.

Riley has the sweetest response. Her face is both surprised and thrilled. She has hoped and dreamed for this, and yet, she’s still in awe of the fact that she is this blessed. She’s on the verge of tears this entire conversation.

The climax is when Lucas pulls out a jewel box- momentarily freaking Riley out- and produces a purple jellybean.

“It means you, Riley, I choose you. And I really want you to choose me.”

“I do.”

He’s had that purple jellybean in the ring box this whole time, even when he thought the triangle was still a thing. This is the biggest clue of all, it has been Riley all along.

Look at Lucas and Riley’s faces, they both landed on the right person to talk to.

landing in the right lap

The long game, playing for the future

Both Josh and Maya, and Riley and Lucas have the gravity and maturity that few people their age have. They think long-term, not just about instant gratification which often leads to heartache and poor choices. Their relationships are built to last.

Riley and Lucas talk about landing on the right person to talk to for the rest of your life. They aren’t in this just for the momentary fuzzies (even though they are enjoying the fuzzies), they are willing to work for this long term.

Whether that ends up happening or not, you will always make better decisions when you keep your head on straight and think about long-term results. Cory and Topanga modeled this when no one else did, and it is changing how relationships are depicted on GMW.

Josh and Maya know it’s too soon for them to be together. Still, they are grown up enough to recognize the value they see in each other and their desire to be together. Real love is willing to wait. Real love plays the long game.

GMW the long game

Girl Meets World does it yet again, overturning cheap, cultural tendencies and instead promoting life and commitment.

I held my breath during this entire episode. I knew what I wanted to happen, and yet, my imagination never came close to the glorious result that is this episode. Well done writers! Well done actors! Well done everyone, you make a show that is a gift our world.

Also, Girl Meets World needs a Season 4 and MANY more seasons to follow! Here’s to taking on the world for many years to come!

 

5 Reasons You Should Watch Girl Meets World

I know, some are going to see this article and roll their eyes. “Why would I want to watch another Disney Channel show with over-exaggerated acting and teenage drama?”

Fair enough, I do enjoy Disney Channel, especially their original movies, but I fully recognize the many shortcomings of that channel. The shows generally lack depth and meaning. Characters’ lives magically reset at the end of each episode, and the moment things start to get serious another cheesy joke is thrown in before we are allowed to get emotional. Parents aren’t involved, and characters are incredibly self-focused about their own problems. The acting is overdone and sometimes downright embarrassing.

The biggest reason I feel disappointment about this is because I think Disney Channel is underestimating their audience. The target age group for their shows is much smarter and more capable of handling real stories than Disney gives them credit for. Instead of wasting money on cliche plots and cheesy jokes, Disney could invest a bit more time and teach the next generation about life. And that, is precisely why I love Girl Meets World.

Girl Meets World has never been a run-of-the-mill Disney Channel show full of cheap humor, insults, and teenage drama. It was never intended to be. Girl Meets World, just like it’s predecessor, Boy Meets World,  is a show that teaches both children and adults about life, people, and how to grow up well. If you have only ever watched this show for a few minutes, might I recommend sitting down and watching some episodes all the way through?

Some of the episodes I would most highly recommend are Season 1: Girl Meets Father, Girl Meets Maya’s Mother, Girl Meets Flaws, Girl Meets Game Night, Girl Meets First Date Season 2: Girl Meets the Secret of Life, Girl Meets Hurricane, Girl Meets Yearbook, Girl Meets I Am Farkle, Girl Meets Rileytown, Girl Meets Forgiveness.

Now, on to 5 specific reasons why you should watch Girl Meets World

1. Girl Meets World Teaches Everybody, No Matter Their Age

The messages and values taught in this show are not just for children, grown adults are learning things about life they never knew. Children are future adults after all. We don’t immediately lose everything we ever felt or thought as a child once we grow up, those things stay with us throughout our lives. As a child, we were trying to understand the world and grasp its meaning. Most of us are still in that place even as we are adults. Girl Meets World pulls out the meaning and truths of life and weaves them into digestible messages told through charming characters and witty humor.

2. Girl Meets World Focuses On Building Lasting Relationships

How many people in our world have grown up isolated and alone? Our culture is infested with poor relationships. Most people don’t even know how to form a healthy relationship, even if they want to. Isolation and self-centered attitudes pervade so much of our society. What if we had all grown up learning about what it means to be a good friend and to have good friends? What if we stuck together when the hard times came, instead of letting hardships come between us? What if we committed to each other, come what may? Almost nowhere is this being shown, or taught. Why? Because so few people actually know how to build and keep lasting relationships.

Girl Meets World is changing that for this generation. On this show, people don’t give up on other people. They know that having friends is a result of being a good friend. Riley, Maya, Lucas, and Farkle are growing together, and learning how to face the world side by side. Hard times do arise on the show, heartbreak does happen, but these four characters are committed to holding each other up when the hard times do strike. We can all learn and grow from watching these characters.

3. Girl Meets World Brings Parents Back Into the Picture

I don’t know about you, but I am sick of shows that portray teenagers and children as utterly independent from their parents. They treat their parents as obsolete and unnecessary, an attitude that also infects our culture. Guess what we end up with? Disconnected parents and children everywhere. Children are trying to grow up without the loving and guiding hand of their parents, who are supposed to be in their children’s lives to be their safety net and road map. No wonder so many children go flying off the deep end once they get a little freedom, they have no idea what they are doing.

Girl Meets World puts parents back into the picture where they belong. Cory is an integral part of Riley’s world as she grows up, and even better, Riley willingly welcomes him and Topanga into her life. Riley knows that her parents are her safety net, her guides, and her biggest fans. She trusts in her parents’ love for her, and while she does sometimes struggle against their decisions, she is ultimately grateful that they are so involved. Riley regularly brings her friends into her world with her parents as well; she is neither embarrassed nor ashamed of her mom and dad.

Cory and Topanga are fully committed to engaging in their daughter’s life and preparing her for the world. They are going to give their utmost to ensure that Riley is nurtured, taught, and strengthened.

GMW also points out what a lack of good parents can bring in the character of Maya. Maya, despite her attitude of confidence, always carries a wounded look of hunger. She often verbally expresses her longing for a father, and Maya sometimes points out to Riley just how blessed she is to have parents. Cory and Topanga mother and father Maya like she was their own flesh and blood. Maya soaks up as much parental love as she can hold. Riley’s parents don’t apologize for loving and teaching any of the children on GMW, and the children don’t want them to.

Cory and Topanga are the foundation upon which this show rests, without them, Riley’s world would crumble.

4. Girl Meets World Takes On the Big Issues

Bullying, beliefs, forgiveness, autism, growing up, perseverance, consequences, you name it. Girl Meets World takes the hard things of life that we have all experienced to a degree, and faces them head on at a level most of their peer shows wouldn’t dare. Political correctness is not the top priority, rather, learning about life and people is. Girl Meets World is a place where true things are taught in a way that is gentle and non-aggressive. You are drawn in by the sincerity and heart. Have I agreed with every single thing said on this show? Of course not, but then, no one can say that. I heartily applaud the writers and makers of this show for being kind and brave enough to teach the next generation truth about life. And hey, while they are at it, they are teaching some of the previous generations as well. More power to them!

5. Girl Meets World Let’s Their Characters Grow, and Us Along With Them

Life never stops moving, it never resets, and things don’t stop changing. So why do TV shows think that they can write a story where nothing drastic ever changes, the characters barely grow, and real problems don’t last more than a few episodes at best? This is why Disney Channel hasn’t been able to get beyond 4 seasons for any of their other shows. This stagnant kind of format for a show only lasts a little while before the shine has worn off and everything is old hat.

Girl Meets World doesn’t allow for stagnation. The entire point of the show is to teach us how to grow. The Riley, Maya, Lucas, and Farkle of Season 1, Episode 1 will be different in Episode 10. The characters learn, grow, and mature. They build on previous experiences and growth when facing a new situation. It’s a continuing story, not a chopped up collection of events. New characters come, and old characters go. The setting changes, friendships change. We are able to follow the progression of these characters as they are going from childhood into adulthood. This kind of storytelling clearly mirrors our own lives and experiences, making it easier for us to understand the lessons and how to apply them.

Girl Meets World is a different breed of show, and the incredibly amazing thing, is that audiences are responding to it. Girl Meets World has touched so many people, of all ages. It has helped teach, grow, and heal many of us. I cry more regularly when watching this show than probably anything else that I watch on TV today. I learn and grow as a person as I watch the characters struggle to meet the world and live in it gracefully. I have only listed a fraction of the reasons why GMW is an excellent show, but I believe I have given you enough to get started on. So please, join me and all of the other fans as we take on the world.

*****

Do you watch Girl Meets World? If you do, what do you love best about it? What characters do you identify with the most? What lessons have you learned from watching this series? Have you been able to heal from anything in your past?

And if you don’t watch Girl Meets World, would you be willing to give it a shot?

If you liked this article, then you would also like 10 Gifs That Sum Up Girl Meets World Fans

 

 

 

10 Gifs That Sum Up Girl Meets World Fans

How we feel when the theme song starts playing.

#Rucas vs #Lucaya

Our reaction to the ‘triangle’.

Whenever something goes horribly wrong.

Us for the first 2/3 of the episode until all of the pieces come together.

Farkle time. What would we do without him?

When someone doesn’t understand why we love Girl Meets World.

Whenever Auggie opens his mouth with some words of wisdom.

When the episode ends and there are still problems and unresolved feelings.

When someone says something mean about Girl Meets World.

 

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