<P> Alan Darnell Matthews (William Russ) is the husband of Amy Matthews, and the father of Eric, Cory, Morgan, and Joshua . Alan, as the father of the Matthews children, provides guidance to his children . He has a quick temper, though when it shows up, usually through consultation with his wife, he often apologizes afterwards for words spoken in anger . In some later episodes, Alan does not support Eric in all of his ventures, and Amy, in turn, tells Alan that his coddling of Eric is the reason Eric has turned out the way he is . </P> <P> Alan was also somewhat of a "father figure" for Shawn Hunter . He explained to Cory in the first season that he saw a lot of his younger self in Shawn, and encouraged Cory to be there to help Shawn through his tough life . While there were times when he thought that Shawn was too much of a negative influence, such as when Cory and Shawn were arrested for underage drinking, he always cared about Shawn's well - being, even stating in the fourth season that he would "kill to protect Shawn from con men like you" to a cult leader who was trying to take advantage of Shawn's feelings of isolation . </P> <P> He began his career as the manager of the Market Giant supermarket, eventually winning a prized "Grocie" Award . Prior his marriage, Alan joined the United States Navy instead of enrolling in college after high school, a decision he is regretting and glad that his children did not made the same choice . In the episode "Better Than the Average Cory", reveals that after Alan's father's health deteriorated, he took over his job as a janitor for a factory before working at Market Giant . Eventually, he becomes disillusioned with his standard "9 - 5" job that he had worked for so many years, and quits without discussing it with his family first . A brief period of family distress follows, with Amy proclaiming that she will, in turn, "make a major decision that affects the entire family without consulting with him first". Accordingly, she purchases a sporting goods and outdoor supply store that is up for sale, which Alan happily takes over, and renames Matthews & Son . </P> <P> Topanga Lawrence - Matthews (Danielle Fishel) is Cory's main love interest . Her character underwent dramatic changes during the course of the series . When she was initially introduced in the first season, first as a guest character and later recurring, she was a hippie vegetarian and somewhat of an outcast, sitting at the table with the other "weird kids". Even her name was taken from a hippie hangout, Topanga . California . However, once the characters entered high school (and Danielle Fishel became a main character), she became more of a "regular teenage girl", and her beliefs about the environment and other topics were less emphasized . Much was now made of the fact that Topanga was the most attractive and the most popular girl at school, and academically successful . She also cut her trademark long hair in an episode in season 4 while trying to show Cory that true beauty is on the inside . She grows distant from her parents, whom she once was very close to; by the fourth season . In A Long Walk To Pittsburgh Part 1, her parents force her to move to Pittsburgh; but in part 2, she runs away from them back to Philadelphia to be with Cory . Her relationship with her parents became further apart after their divorce . </P>

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