Two minutes into “Girl Meets Fish,” I readied myself for terror.
Not because an Auggie-heavy episode is inherently a terrible idea. I like Auggie, especially with Ava along. He’s adorable, if a child actor in every way, and the show’s managed this trick without too much issue before. It’s unclear how he’ll do as he ages, but for now, he is an endearing go-to and always seems delighted to be taking part.
Not because it’s gimmicky, either. In fact, it’s a far more successful jab at time-play than the show’s last flirtation with the device, in “Girl Meets 1963.” The noir dips in and out, always with a twist given Ava and Auggie’s age but actually fairly well grounded even outside of the stylized segments. Granted, it’s unclear why Auggie and Ava are envisioning a noir set up, unless Auggie’s kid show is way cooler than the name suggests. Presumably they’re both too young to know what hardboiled dialogue is, or even that such a thing exists. But it’s hard to complain about such small logic questions when it works to such hilarious effect. Farkle’s interrogation is easily Fogelmanis’ best work he’s ever done, and while occasionally the combination of little-kid speak and your average “see here” and “dollface” lingo is cloying, mostly the show avoids going too far with it. It’s just a bit of fun to lighten the mood—which does need lightening, when we’re basically talking about a dead beloved pet.
What is easy to complain about—and which does feel like a product of having Auggie at its core—is the framing of this dead beloved pet story. Because Auggie is a child, the mystery must be child-safe. Because the mystery must be child-safe, anyone older than Auggie can guess the rest of the episode from the moment Farkle comes in nervous about his replacement fish. There’s some genuinely amusing lampshading of this at Riley’s expense, but it still takes half the episode for us to finally get past the murder of the infinite Chelseas to the final reveal that Auggie, also in his childishness, is responsible for the death himself—which is also predictable for the fact there’s no other reason to fixate on the graham crackers. Riley is innocent, true, but she’s not an idiot, and it’s distressing to see the show keep going to this well in order to keep a story going. Eric Matthews is one thing (and not a lead, most importantly). Riley is quite another—ideally, a role model, or at the least a relatable average girl. The writers would have done better to have kept the mystery for Auggie’s sake, and to have spared the rest of us—particularly when the night’s best jokes come directly from knowing kids are the worst.
And by best, I do mean best. As cringeworthy as I found the opener, there’s no denying that “Meets Fish“ is the show’s funniest work—and all magically somehow without the adults. It’s a balance win, primarily, and a promising one for the show. The episode is ludicrous, but grounded with a universal touchstone. It’s dark, but inherently good natured; cynical, but ultimately warm. A healthy mix of all of the above plus some inspired lines make for an episode that could quite easily sit alongside any of Boy Meets World’s standalones, humor wise—and given how the show has struggled with this, it’s especially exciting to see.
Two minutes into “Girl Meets Fish,” I readied myself for terror. Twenty minutes in, I was still smiling a little, as the show got in one last gag with Fish Store Phil. It’s easy to nitpick and I do, but I’m more than willing to call this one a win.
What are your own thoughts though? Sound off in the comments!
