Disney Channel sets ‘Girl Meets World’ premiere date

An announcement of the TGIF variety: Disney Channel has at long last announced its much-shrieked-about “Boy Meets World” spin-off, “Girl Meets World,” will premiere Friday, June 27.

The comedy will air on the network at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. But given how tech-versed its audience is, the network will kick things off early with a multiplatform roll-out by making the premiere episode available to verified viewers on WATCH Disney Channel, its streaming site, beginning May 21. For those in need of refresher course, or perhaps an introduction, there will be a marathon of originator “Boy Meets World” on June 15.

After its June 27 debut, “Girl Meets World” will settle into its regular time slot at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT beginning July 11.

ABC’s popular sitcom “Boy Meets World” aired from 1993 through 2000 as part of the network’s Friday block of programming known as TGIF. Twentysomethings (and beyond) nearly broke the Internet by going into hysterics once they learned that in the spin-off, Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel would reprise their roles as TGIF royal couple Cory and Topanga.

This time around, the duo will play the parents of a 13-year-old daughter named Riley (Rowan Blanchard), the protagonist of the new show.

“Boy Meets World” mastermind Michael Jacobs is returning to helm the spin-off. Other staples from the original series, which reruns on ABC Family, set to appear in the sequel are William Daniels (Mr. Feeny), Rider Strong (Cory BFF Shawn Hunter), William Russ and Betsy Randle (Cory’s parents), Lee Norris (Minkus!) and Danny McNulty (Harley Keiner).

Disney Channel also announced that its original movie “Zapped” will serve as the lead-in to the “Girl Meets World” unveiling. “Zapped,” starring Disney Channel starlet Zendaya, will air at 8 p.m. ET/PT.