Danielle Fishel and Boy Meets World’s William Daniels Dance Together on DWTS
Danielle Fishel and William Daniels delighted fans with a Boy Meets World reunion on Dancing With the Stars.
During the episode on Tuesday, October 14, Fishel, 44, and her partner, Pasha Pashkov, performed a jive to the show’s theme song, with Daniels, 98, joining them on the dance floor for the Dedication Night segment.
“I don’t think I would have reached my level of professionalism without William Daniels,” Fishel shared in her opening statements, explaining her choice to honor her mentor. Daniels called in to express how “very proud” he was of her performance.
“This dance is dedicated to you, Mr. Feeny,” Fishel declared. “Thank you for always being there, even when the cameras stopped rolling.”
Fishel and Pashkov began their jive alongside Daniels in an office setting before transitioning to the dance floor. They concluded their performance with Daniels, who rewarded them with an “A+” for their execution.
While they secured a perfect score from Daniels, the judges offered a more critical total of 29 out of 40. Notably, it marked Fishel’s first score of eight for the season from Bruno Tonioli.
Bruno commented, “You’re pitching Boy Meets World the Musical, as it was an exceptional number filled with all the structures and storylines!” He noted that while Fishel could “sharpen” her moves, he “absolutely loved it.”
Derek Hough and guest judge Kym Johnson mirrored Bruno’s praise, although Carrie Ann Inaba provided the evening’s most pointed critique, stating it felt like she was witnessing “the same dance repeatedly.” This observation was met with loud boos from the audience, but Fishel remained unfazed.
“I’m always having a blast,” Fishel told cohost Julianne Hough. “Sometimes I get so caught up in the fun that I forget I’m supposed to be dancing! Just having that much fun.”
Fishel and Daniels famously portrayed Topanga Lawrence and Mr. George Feeny in the ABC coming-of-age sitcom Boy Meets World, which ran for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000.
Earlier this month, Fishel announced that Daniels would join her for Dedication Night, revealing on her podcast “Danielle With the Stars” on Wednesday, October 8, “Mr. Feeny himself will be on the ballroom floor with me.”
She added that Daniels was “going to participate in the dance” with her and Pashkov, 39.
While she acknowledged that “saying it out loud seems surreal,” Fishel teased, “We get to dance to the Boy Meets World theme song, the one you all cherish.”
Fishel elaborated on why she felt it was important to honor Daniels with her week 5 dance.
“This is truly a dedication to Bill and the influence he has had in my life, as well as the impact Boy Meets World has had,” she expressed. “He inspires so many of us, and having the chance to say thank you and offer him this platform for the love he deserves is incredibly significant.”
Fishel also shared her admiration for Daniels in an Entertainment Weekly piece.
“He’s 98 years old, a former child actor, and has had an extraordinary career,” she remarked. “At 44, I feel like I’m experiencing a second act in my life and career. Seeing him at 98 still participating in conventions, and now on the ballroom floor next week, is incredibly inspiring—he was part of a show that transformed my life.”
Fishel hinted that other “special guests” would be present for Dedication Night, adding, “There are people I’m amazed can attend but am thrilled they can join us.”
Dedication Night was not the first instance where Fishel referenced the Boy Meets World universe during her Dancing With the Stars experience. She previously performed to her Girl Meets World co-star Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Manchild” during the TikTok-themed episode on September 30. (Fishel reprised her Topanga role in the Disney Channel spinoff, which aired from 2014 to 2017, while Carpenter, 26, portrayed Maya Hart, the daughter of Topanga’s friend.)
“I’ve known Sabrina for over ten years,” Fishel shared during the episode, “and I view her as a daughter.”
Carpenter sent Fishel a video message expressing how “proud” she was of her, saying, “I love you so much.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ every Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, with new episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
