Jennifer Love Hewitt was killed off in an episode of Boy Meets World because of her real-life relationship with series star Will Friedle (Eric Matthews). Hewitt appeared in the 1998 episode "And Then There Was Shawn," where the characters were locked in John Adams High School, while a killer was hunting them. Just like almost everyone else in the episode, the killer murders Hewitt's character (although it was later revealed that the entire episode was a dream).
On the Pod Meets World podcast, Friedle discusses the episode with fellow Boy Meets World stars Rider Strong (Shawn Hunter) and Danielle Fishel (Topanga Lawrence). Friedle reveals how shortly after his relationship with Hewitt ended, series creator Michael Jacobs told him that the reason he had her appear in the episode was so that he could have her killed off in front of Friedle.
Jacobs told Friedle about how the actor believed that he and Hewitt were going to be "together forever." Jacobs said that as an adult, he knew that their relationship wasn't going to last, so he decided to have her die onscreen to show Friedle that "this was just kind of another relationship." Both Strong and Fishel felt that that was an odd thing for Jacobs to tell Friedle. Friedle's full comments can be found below:
So I remember, there's a story here where, Michael told me later, that he claims, that the reason he brought Love on was because I went to him, he and I were talking, and I said, 'Oh, yeah, no, we're going to be together forever.' And he's like, 'I knew you weren't going to be, so I wanted to bring her on and kill her right in front of you. So you'd see that this is what...' swear to God this is what he told me, 'I'm going to bring her on and kill her in front of you, so you'd see that this was just kind of another relationship that, you know, I knew as an adult that you weren't going to be together forever, so I brought her on and I killed her.'
Friedle also points out the irony of Jacobs telling him that his relationship with Hewitt would never last, while Boy Meets World was telling a love story between Cory and Topanga, where the two would be together forever, despite being teenagers.
How about also the contradiction of him knowing we'd never be together, where Cory and Topanga are supposed to be together for the rest of their lives? It was so strange.
What Hewitt's Appearance Meant For Boy Meets World
An Appearance From The Star Of A Hit Horror Movie
Although Jacobs revealed that he had an odd reason for wanting to bring Hewitt onto the show, her guest appearance fit with the episode's theme of parodying horror movies. By the time she appeared on Boy Meets World, Hewitt had already starred in the 1997 horror movie I Know What You Did Last Summer. Since the episode was parodying horror tropes, having Hewitt there also felt like a reference to a recent hit movie in the genre.
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Hewitt already being known for I Know What You Did Last Summer also gave the episode an appearance from a well-known movie star. The episode even parodied her name by having the character called "Jennifer Love Fefferman." Another reference to Hewitt is made when the hit 90s show Party of Five is brought up in a meta-joke about her and horror icon Neve Campbell. The episode is widely considered to be the best in the series, and Hewitt's appearance only elevates its status.
Our Take On Michael Jacobs' Reason For Bringing Jennifer Love Hewitt To The Show
An Odd Reason To Bring Her On The Show
Like the actors said in the podcast, Jacobs' reason for bringing Hewitt to Boy Meets World was an odd one. Usually, when a sitcom star's significant other makes an appearance on the show, it's an inside joke for the viewers who already know about the relationship. Despite Jacobs' original intentions, Hewitt's role stands out as one of the biggest cameos Boy Meets World got at the time.
Source: Pod Meets World
In this coming-of-age sitcom, Cory Matthews navigates middle and eventually high school, exploring his relationships with his friends and family and learning life lessons along the way.
Cast Ben Savage , William Daniels , Will Friedle , Rider Strong , Lee Norris , Lindsay Ridgeway , Danielle Fishel , Alex Désert , Maitland Ward
Release Date September 24, 1993
Seasons 7
Writers Michael Jacobs
Directors Michael Jacobs
Showrunner Michael Jacobs
English (US) ·