4-12 Easy StreetSummary by: Dennis Orginal Air Date: 1996-12-13 Writer: Jeff Menell Director: Jeff McCracken Capsule Summary: Cory and Shawn get jobs for the mob. Extendo Summary: Cory and Shawn are awaken from their naps in Mr. Turner's class while Topanga reads the poem "The Road Not Taken." For some reason, Feeny is there, creating confusion in both the boys and the viewers (as in, why is he in Turner's class?). Either way, the adults tell Cory and Shawn (especially Shawn) in a not-so-subtle way that they are making the wrong choices by putting so little effort into school. When asked what their last choices were, the boys tell their teachers that they both got jobs for over the Christmas break, Cory at a restaurant called Paulie's, and Shawn got a "soft, cushy union job" down at the docks.
Cory's job turns out the be better than he planned. Although the restaurant is essentially empty, two men in the back, Mr. Fontaine and Mr. Martini, give Cory $20 tips for his great cappuccino. Even though something seems fishy (Mr. Fontaine rambles, "Sam at the bar has the tendency to run off at the mouth. I don't like tendencies, I don't like mouths!"), Cory agrees to escort Mr. Martini's new bride to the beauty parlor for a generous tip.
The next morning in Cory's kitchen, Shawn enters, bundled up and shivering. He complains about his job's hours (he's on his lunch break at 8:30 AM), the freezing cold, and the hard manual labor. Cory reveals that he has a cushy job.
Cory brings Shawn to the restaurant to shows him the greatness of his job. Cory has developed quite a reputation with Mr. Martini and Mr. Fontaine, as they continue to tip him, and then give him another assignment. He must deliver a letter into a mailbox, but there's no mailbox at his destination, and the envelope is unmarked. Although skeptical, Cory accepts the task anyway. Shawn tells Cory he's working for the mob. Cory quits, terrified, and leaves. Shawn, however, hangs back, and tell the mobsters that Cory's a good guy and he won't say anything. Impressed by his loyalty, they offer Shawn the post vacated by Cory. Shawn immediately fits in just as well as Cory. Cory shows up to persuade Shawn to quit, expressing the fear that the job will change him. Shawn assures Cory the job is only temporary.
On December 23rd Shawn gives Cory an expensive watch. Cory doesn't want to accept it "because of where the money comes from," but does so anyway, mostly because Shawn has engraved the watch "To my best friend Cory". Cory still tries to get Shawn to quit, offering him the $160 he had made in his time there, but Shawn just can't quit "easy money." Shawn promises to spend Christmas Eve with Cory. Cory thanks him for the watch, "not because of how much it cost, but because of who it's from."
On Christmas Eve, Mr. Martini and Mr. Fontaine give Shawn another task for $200. He must exchange a box for an envelope, and then return the envelope. Although reluctant, Shawn agrees. While waiting with the box in front of the warehouse, Cory finds him, saying he shouldn't be doing this for two people that don't care if he lives or dies. Shawn says that getting money for gifts for friends make him feel important; and maybe this is where he belongs. They discuss the situation, with Shawn eventually expressing regret. Of course, an analogy involving "The Road Not Taken" pops up, miraculously without the aid of Feeny. They agree that the difference between the poem and their situation is that Shawn doesn't have to choose his road alone--he has a best friend.
Meanwhile, Eric says he'll drive Lonnie 500 miles to visit her family in the mountains for Christmas. On the trip, they get trapped in the blizzard and Eric panics while Lonnie remains cool. In fact, Eric knocks himself out trying to use his head as a battering ram against the window. The two eventually find their way back to the Matthews' house, with Eric delirious. Lonnie tells the tale, and then admits to Eric in private that it was more serious than she told. She says that she even had to keep them warm by stripping them both naked and cuddling in a sleeping bag. Eric, of course, is really upset because this happened while he was unconscious. To get Eric to stop annoying her, Lonnie tells Eric (in the tag) that the whole thing never happened. "Cute butt, though." And everyone smiles for the camera and we're wished a Happy Holidays from Boy Meets World. Quotes: "I never thought this Christmas I’d be driving 500 miles with someone who makes the whole turnpike experience seem so… alluring and voluptuous." --Eric "To roads diverge in a wood… And I choose the one that leads back to your house." --Shawn Highlights:
- Cory & Shawn sleeping through Turner's class: Shawn snores, Cory goes "yip-yip-yip," Shawn snores, Cory yip-yips again.
Feeny: "Interesting. In my class, Mr. Hunter handles the yipping."
Cory: (Wakes up) "Shawn! Shawn, it's both of them!"
Shawn: "Oh, no, now I don't know which class I slept through."
- Mr. Fontaine intimidates Cory:
Mr. Fontaine: "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Cory: "I do... but I'm scared."
- Shawn's monologue about his job relies on his consistently funny frozen whimpering noises.
Shawn: "So I show up this morning, and the wind chill factor is like, Jupiter, and I go up to the boss and I say {frozen whimper!} and he goes 'Yeah, but you took the job' and I go {frozen whimper!} and he goes 'That's nice, Christmas presents for your friends' and I go {frozen whimper!} and he goes 'Oh look, Turkish freighter' and all of a sudden there's this Turkish freighter!"
Cory: "Unexpectedly?"
Shawn (borrowing a page from Aaron Sorkin's book): "Out of the mists it came."
- Cory: "You both know how I'm not one to ruffle feathers, but there is no mailbox at Fourteenth and Pine."
Mr. Fontaine: "Today, there's gonna be a mailbox at Fourteenth and Pine."
Mr. Martini: "Mr. Fontaine is never wrong about mailbox placement."
- Eric crashes his head into the window thrice.
Eric (dazed): "I've hurt my head." (swoons)
- Shawn: "There's a teddy bear in this box!"
Cory: "Oh, a teddy? Okay, so some over to my house, we'll put the teddy under the tree, and at the end of the night, we'll play a little game called 'Let's Guess the Street Value of the Teddy'."
- Alan: "Ooh, this is exactly the shirt I saw in that window and told you I wanted it, and made you buy it... And now I have it!"
Amy: "Do you like it?"
Alan: "I love it! I do kinda miss the surprise element."
Errors: Cory says Shawn's job is hurting him because he's cutting school. But weren't these jobs for Christmas break? So would that mean that he'd only have the job during the break, when school is out?
Eric is... Special Hints
Lonnie: "There was only one thing left to do to survive."
Eric: "You ate my leg?"
Question:
Why is Jonathan Turner at the Matthews' house for Christmas? Does he not have his own family? In fact, the whole Matthews' family have an odd assortment of people present who rather be with them than their real families! (Including Shawn, Topanga, Turner, Feeny, and Lonnie) [I believe we later find out that Mr. Turner doesn't get along with his family; actually, I understand why everyone is there except for Topanga. I mean, we KNOW she has her own family!]
Oh, For Gay!
- Cory to Shawn: "Sit, darling, I'll make you some hot chocolate."
- Shawn tries to give Cory his hypothermia or whatever by touching his ice-cold face and rubbing Cory's face. "If I go, you go!"
- Cory: "Why are we on the ground?"
Shawn: "Cause it's fun, and we do everything together."
Guest Stars
Boy Meets World went way back and got Buddy Hackett and Soupy Sales to play Mr. Martini and Mr. Fontaine. These two are comedy legends that really made this episode much better than it would've otherwise been.
Fun Facts: Topanga only appeared in the tag, and she had not one line. I believe this is the last episode where Topanga doesn't speak (for she weaved in and out in seasons one through three) Episode Themes: Feeny Teaches a Lesson, Troubled Shawn Rating: 3. Overall, this episode is exceedingly average. Everyone did a good job, but no one was fantastic. The presence Buddy Hackett and Soupy Sales made the episode much better. They were a riot and Ben Savage played so well off of them, it’s actually pretty amazing that Ben and Rider did great jobs so as not to let the two amazing guests overshadow everyone else (which tends to happen with big guest stars). Back | Back to Season 4 Episode Guide | Next | |
