4-16 A Long Walk To Pittsburgh (1)Summary by: Laura Orginal Air Date: 1997-02-07 Writer: Matthew Nelson Director: Jeff McCracken Capsule Summary: Cory thinks that Topanga and Shawn are having an affair, but it turns out Topanga is moving. You heard me. Extendo Summary: Eric walks into Chubbie's to see Topanga and Shawn hugging; Shawn also kisses Topanga's cheek. At home, Eric gives Cory a delicious meal of steak and cake, and then tells him the bad news. Cory tries to call Topanga, but she's not home. He pushes Eric in rage, then descends into depression. At school, Cory acts weird, and Topanga rushes off before he can really talk to her. Shawn tells Cory that Topanga had a big fight with her family and that she was really emotional when she ran into him at Chubbie's. He insists that the hug and kiss were innocent and comfortative. Jump cut to the Matthews living room, where Cory scolds Eric for jumping to conclusions and setting him against Shawn. He defends Shawn's innocence. He yells at Eric for failing in his big-brotherly duty to protect Cory. Jump cut to Chubbie's. Eric pulls Shawn off his pinball game and shoves him against a wall. He still thinks Shawn is having an affair with Topanga, and he wants to cause him pain for causing Cory pain. Shawn tries to explain, but Eric is totally going to beat him up; luckily, Cory comes running in to stop the carnage. And he immediately shoves Shawn back against the wall. Cory wants to know why Topanga didn't go to him with her problems; Shawn tells him to talk to Topanga. In Topanga's room, Cory makes out with Topanga, then explains, "I wanted to be the last one to kiss you before I kill you." Before he can rip her a new one about the Shawn situation, she kisses him, explaining, "I wanted to be the last one to kiss you before I kill you." Cory realizes Topanga has something really, really bad to tell him. Before she says what it is, he calls a "stoptime," so they can just hold each other. She starts to cry. He tells her she can't cry during a stoptime. They sit on the bed, embracing; Cory wonders, "Why are there so many boxes around?" Topanga's family is moving to Pittsburgh. Topanga and Cory decide to stay together and have a long-distance relationship. Cory starts working out plans for them to see each other on weekends. Amy warns Cory that it will be harder than he thinks; Amy seems to think the kids should take a break, while Cory refuses to give up on the girl he wants to be with for the rest of his life. Amy thinks he's a little young to be making such a decision. This surprisingly complex and realistic mother-son tension will be explored further in the next episode. Mr. Feeny's Minute of Wisdom: "Listen to your heart, and folow its instructions." Cory takes this as a confirmation that Feeny approves of Cory's singleminded attachment to Topanga, although after Cory runs off, Feeny seems to waffle. Cory and Topanga each bring up the possibility that the other will want to see other people. They don't really resolve the issue. Shawn and Cory down Coca-Colas and IBCs at Chubbie's. Cory is upset, but Shawn tells him not to be, since he's seen this plot on TV hundreds of time, and the girlfriend never really leaves. Cory asks if this means Topanga won't really leave; Shawn: "Not if TV is the true mirror of our lives." Cory brings up ER, in which a character really did leave. Shawn explains, "ER's real." Cory and Shawn hang out in Cory's backyard. Topanga comes over to give Cory one last goodbye, but Cory, who is apparently either deeply stupid or delusional, refuses to say goodbye, since he's convinced she's not really leaving. Topanga is not amused. She just gives him a kiss, tells him she loves him, and walks off. Cory and Shawn watch the car drive away. Shawn thinks the car is going to turn around. It doesn't. Shawn is upset. "What the hell kind of TV show is this??" Cory stands around for a long time. It grows dark. Eric walks up. He tries to cheer up Cory by offering to take him out for food and movies, but Cory just wants to stay there in the garden. Eric admits he doesn't know how to protect Cory from this pain. Cory tells Eric the best thing he can do is just stay with him. Eric assures him he's not going anywhere. Quotes: "Have you ever heard the expression--" (mimes stabbing himself in the gut) "Hggdgg--hgdg--hddddggg!" --Eric "Smells good out here. What is that, tree?" --Eric Cake Watch:
Nice: They could have made this episode all about Cory and Topanga, or worse, more about Cory's supsicions of Shawn and Topanga; but the theme of Eric's protective big-brotherhood that runs through it is sweet, and I think, a good move. Episode Themes: Cory and Topanga Trouble Rating: 2. Eh. Watchable, largely inoffensive, important to the plot, but lacking in funtastic moments. |
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