Wise Up – Episode Review

So I never mentioned Clare or Miles in last week’s episode review, but that’s okay. I got you this week, Clare and Miles. Mad props to Eric Osborne for his portrayal of Miles, because that stuff was for real. Also, mad props to Ana Golja, who is bringing it on.

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Episode Review (Drecky-Zoe)

 Is it bad that Clare went through major teen pregnancy drama while Miles revealed he has a boyfriend… and all I’m thinking about is how Becky Baker is a b*&@)*? 

Thunderstruck – Episode Review

Best moment: Imogen dancing to Mambo Number 5 to try to cheer up Becky. It even rivaled last week when Zoe started belting out Wicked in the middle of class and we all thought Degrassi was becoming a musical. Let’s try to keep these dancing-on-chairs moments alive in every episode. Also, I could deal with 45 minute episodes as a regular thing.

Believe, Part 2 – Episode Review

Vince didn’t hire Zig as a hit man against Drew!! Ah well, Degrassi, you missed a great chance to continue an old plot. Just like you missed the chance to have a short fling with the teenage version of Angie Jeremiah. But don’t worry, in a few years maybe you can put Mia’s little Isabella Jones on the show, or Liberty and JT’s baby, or Emma’s little brother Jack. There is a chance for you to redeem yourself, and it was still a good episode.

I’m glad Luke was convicted. But I wasn’t a massive fan of Zoe’s speech at the end. “If you don’t convict Luke Baker and Neil Martin today, you’re saying I deserved it. You’re saying other girls and boys, that they’ll deserve it too.” On the one hand, it was a powerful speech, and I was proud of Zoe for standing up for herself. Just because she wore a bikini, got drunk, hit on boys, and everything else, does not mean she gave her consent to be molested while she was unconscious, or to have the photos posted online. (Also, did I actually hear Zoe say that she messed up!? She definitely is a new person).

Believe, Part 1 – Episode Review

This episode has really changed my opinion of Zoe. It’s sad that it took something this terrible to make her into a more relatable person. I appreciate how the show has managed to make us feel sympathy and support for her, though, without denying her faults or the complexity of the situation she’s in. So let’s review the transformation of Zoe from beeotch to bestie:

Out of My Head - Episode Review (Tristan)

That. Was. Intense. The closing scene of “Out of My Head” was epic. If you were somehow still under the impression that Tristan was a stereotypical and flat support character, this once scene will have wiped that notion out of your head forever. Or if you thought Lyle Lettau is only capable of acting like a delicate boy, think again.

Out of My Head - Episode Review (Imogen and Frankie)

I was relieved for the Imogen and Frankie plotlines this week because I don’t know how much drama I can handle! The scene between Tristan and Maya was definitely epic, but it was also nice to have a change of pace and to enjoy some lighter plotlines.

Hypnotize – Episode Review

This episode was so gross! Mostly because of the Tristan and Mr. Yates thing. The show was obviously building up to this for a  little while. I sort of had been hoping that Maya would just give Tristan some good advice, Tristan would tape record Mr. Yates saying something creepy, and Mr. Yates would be fired. But I knew it wouldn’t happen that way because Degrassi always has to have more drama. But ick.

My Hero - Episode Review (Becky)

Wow. Becky’s plotline this week turned very quickly from lighthearted to serious, and without involving a 40 year old perv! Good job, Degrassi. Seriously, I am super appalled by what Becky’s mom said to her: “Sticking together means you have to stand up for Luke at his trial. The family can count on you for that, right?” This was sickening, but at the same it showed that Realm of Doom really is more than a game to Becky. It is an escape from her jacked up family life. So I appreciated the writer’s ability to show how Becky’s use of the internet ties into these really heavy issues, without repeating a storyline that’s already been done in Mother and Child reunion (which, in my opinion, would have begun to perpetuated a stereotype that ALL guys who use the internet are actually, in the words of Imogen, basement trolls).

My Hero – Episode Review (Zig and Drew)

I just got back from a road-trip all over the US (from Mt. Rushmore to Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon), and it was awesome, but as I was being all campy, I was also wondering what I missed on Degrassi lol. So I watched “My Hero” almost as soon as I got home/back online, and was not disappointed. 

First of all (I’m doing this in order of least to most exciting this time), Zig’s plotline wasn’t all about watching paint dry, or watching someone watch paint dry, or chopping onions, or watching someone chop onions. W00t w00t! It was a significant improvement over last week. I mean, at least he actually had some gang drama and family drama. I would still care a lot more about it, though, if up until this point Zig hadn’t been characterized primarily as Maya’s sidekick and second-rate love interest. I mean, we only just now heard why Zig was kicked out of his home *we never even got to see how it unfolded* and now all of a sudden I am supposed to be deeply invested in Zig reconnecting with his mom? Meh. I felt like the “I’m a bad boy, I was kicked out” thing was mostly an excuse for Zig to go live with Maya and create conflict between her and Miles. I always wanted it to be developed more and wanted to learn more about it, but I feel like this was just done haphazardly. 

How Bizarre – Episode Review

Everyone has been saying the title of this episode is fitting, and it’s so true. It WAS bizarre. I also thought it was really funny. Drew had some truly priceless expressions/quotes and Becky and Imogen had their moments too.

Enjoy the Silence – Episode Review

My favorite part of this episode was Clare, the mad scientist. And I mean MAD scientist! I was really surprised at how angry she was. True, Drew hooked up with her and then refused to date her, but it was pretty understandable given the circumstances. I kept thinking, was there something I missed? Did Drew like, call Clare a skanky b—when he broke things off with her? So I re-watched Sparks Will Fly Part 2. Let’s review what actually happened:

1. Clare had sex with Drew and then had an emotional breakup with Eli right in front of Drew’s eyes, when all along she had been misleading Drew into thinking things with Eli were completely over and resolved. 2. Clare tried running immediately back to Drew like none of this had happened, and he told her, “Look me in the eye and tell me some part of you doesn’t still love him.” Clare couldn’t do it and instead said “It’s complicated.” 3. Drew made it clear that he couldn’t get together with Clare right at that moment because he didn’t want to be her rebound. He then walked off into the sunset.

You Are Not Alone – Episode Review, Part 2

 

So before the hiatus, I wrote an episode review in 3 parts, which each part dedicated to a different character’s plotline. This week, part 2 of my review is all about Canadian cuisine. I don’t plan on writing Degrassi food reviews as a regular thing, but I was really captivated by this quote from Maya (as seen in the photo above): “Do you want pizza roles, poutine, chocolate pudding, an apple, are you in a gang?”

You Are Note Alone – Episode Review, Part 1

 

DEGRASSI IS BACK!!  I can’t believe I didn’t realize this was out immediately – I’ve been waiting for so long!

I like how Tiny finally got a name. Maybe he had a name before, but if so it wasn’t mentioned much. Now all the sudden he’s worthy of having his name repeated multiple times in one episode, which tells me he might become a larger character. Speaking of Tiny though, it’s really funny that Degrassi now has an entire wing of the school reserved for rebels, in which “unique outcasts” are banished to a life of rubber rooms, trashed hallways, and graffiti-covered lockers. I think Jay, Ellie, and Johnny would have gone here. Do they even go to regular classes, or are they stuck in this rubber room all day? It seems like Maya will be in there until she graduates, and like Tiny and Grace and have been in there since birth. I’m a little suspicious that it’s actually a life-sentence situation.

Also, speaking of the rubbers: Why is Maya allowed to wear that crop top to school? Are you surprised Zig had weed? Do you think it was ok for Maya to flush it? Personally, I’m not surprised, and I do think it was okay. Admittedly, it would have been better if Maya gave Zig a choice to flush the weed himself or get out of her parent’s house. He might have just chosen to live elsewhere. Maya really should let Zig make his own decisions rather than babying and manipulating him into being someone he’s not. It’s never a good idea to be in a relationship that’s dependent upon the guy changing a great deal just so that the relationship cans stay afloat. At the same time, it’s completely insensitive for Zig to bring drug’s into Maya’s house, and understandable that she would want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. More importantly, it’s cute how much Maya cares about Zig. I actually think she loves him and is trying to protect him, and in a way, it might be effective, in the short term anyway. That kiss did seem to keep him away from whatever “collection” he has to attend to. This relationship only spells trouble down the road, though.

Sparks Will Fly Part 2 – Episode Review, Part 3

This one’s for you, Maya, Miles, and Zig. The was actually the plotline I found most dramatic and disturbing, so I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to write about it. Actually, I do. Because it was so disturbing! I didn’t want to think about it. Also I like to save the best thoughts for last sometimes.

Just like I was surprised at how quickly everything started up and then ended between Clare and Drew, I was also surprised at how the episode just up and started off with Maya ditching Zig. I thought, “What? It’s over just like that?” I was expecting their relationship to drag out a lot longer considering all the build-up, but then again I guess I turned out to be right, because 20 minutes later they were back to eating out of the same carton of ice cream. (Ick, I pity Maya’s disabled mother who doesn’t realize she’s consuming Zig’s saliva every time she opens the fridge and grabs a snack).

Sparks Will Fly Part 2 – Episode Review, Part 2

Time for Part 2 of my review! I still need to talk about what went down between Miles and Zig at the wild wild west dance, and also give my two cents on Clare and Drew. So this gave me a really good excuse to re-watch the episode this morning and refresh my memory :)

Anyway, I was really surprised at how quickly things moved between Clare and Drew! I’m not talking about how quickly the romance developed either, because I honestly do think they’ve had a lot of time to get to know each other throughout the year, and it’s definitely taken a few episodes for them to get to the actually-being-single-and-asking-each-other-out point. What I’m talking about is how quickly they went from the cute beginnings of a relationship, to having sex in the prop closet (are there any male chauvinists who want to give Drew props for that? lol), to being broken up. I guess I could have seen this coming, because Drew really likes to start a relationship by having sex in various closets at schools or in other people’s houses. This essentially is his way of asking a girl out. Also, Clare was really vulnerable right then, so it makes sense she would do something impulsive.

Sparks Will Fly Part 2 - Episode Review, Part 1

Wait, Zoe actually got that role? I can’t believe I missed this! So I had to re-read my blog entry from last week (which oddly enough, didn’t completely reveal that I misunderstood this whole audition thing), and then I re-watched the Zoe clips from last week. Indeed, I was not in a coma for any part of the episode last week. As I re-watched it I was thinking, “Oh yeah, I DID see Zoe put on those sunglasses and call everyone around her a bunch of losers.” That lame “Zoe Rivas is back, baby” rang familiar in my ears.

The thing is, when I watched her say it the first time, I guess I was focusing less on the fact that she actually got the role, and more on how mean and undeserving she was. It’s like I re-wrote the episode in my mind to get her rejected from the role, because the way it happened was so unrealistic and distasteful. It’s like, you know how some people black out certain traumatic events from their past? I think I blacked out the second half of Zoe’s plotline because it would have been too mentally disturbing for me to recognize that she was receiving the world on a silver platter yet again.

Sparks Will Fly Part 1 – Episode Review

Maya is being such a brat! I know she thinks Miles was wrong to accuse Zig of having drugs in his locker, but honestly, Miles should have told Maya what Zig said about how he'd bed her. Miles is NOT standing up for himself and is being a complete pushover. He should have dumped Maya long ago, rather than basically agreeing to let her cheat. She can make as many excuses as she wants (and by the way, I think she's buying her own excuses too), but at the end of the day this is not a story about how she's helping some guy in need - it's a story about how she's playing both of them, and somehow has Miles wrapped around her finger to let her get away with it even when he knows exactly what's going on.

And it's not like this is actually good for Zig either. I don't care how kicked out of your house you are. You might need a place to stay but you DON'T need someone to be your fake girlfriend. He'll only be more hurt when he finds out. On the "bright side" though, Zig deserves to be a little hurt, considering what a jerk he's being to Miles what with his little winks and all. Also, he might not even be that hurt when he finds out, if he ends up with Maya, which seems like it's happening. He might be a little angry then shrug it off thinking, "Well, I got the girl now."

Everything is Everything - Episode Review

Are we sure this wasn’t Army of Me Part 2? This episode was interesting because it basically “resolved” everything that happened last episode: Dallas getting angry about racism, Clare and Drew falling deeper in like, and Tristan being preyed upon by Grant. I say “resolved” in air quotes because in wrapping up the issues from last week it was really just creating an official start to a few relationships. Well, I hope Tristan realizes soon that the Grant thing is more of a pedophile situation than an actual relationship, but otherwise, yeah.

Umm… so Clare and Drew. Let’s start there. I’m fine with the idea of Clare and Drew. I already mentioned last week that I think Drew has matured a lot in the past few years. He’s way more responsible than he used to be and hasn’t cheated on anyone in the longest. So I don’t think Clare needs to be weary of him. Also, they seem pretty decent together if you ask me. Yeah, Clare is into writing and Drew is more… what… athletic? But they’re both into student council and it just seems like they get each other. You don’t need to have everything in common to be a good match. Clare and Eli might even be too similar. Maybe Drew will get Clare to be a little more care-free and Clare will get Drew into some cool literature.

Army of Me - Episode Review

Whoa. Mr. “Grant” Yeats seems totally creepy. By the end of the episode, it’s pretty obvious that some pedophile thing is about to unfold, but did anyone else pick up on the weirdness from the beginning? What was up with him just staring out the window and pretending that he didn’t notice he was supposed to be teaching or introducing himself until the students said something? It’s like he was trying too hard to look cool. “Oh, I’m supposed to be teaching you? Oh yeah. Sorry, dudes, I was just really busy pondering the shape of the clouds. But whatevs. Call me Grant.” Then he walks on the desks and talks about the collective and only the collective.

You’d think he’d have something to say about the course he’s teaching, or his rules and expectations, or he’d have a little lesson for that day and some homework, but no. It’s like his only concern is looking completely chill and then making an exclusive group of students who will feel like his “special friends,” getting them to meet in a secret location, getting them to confide in him, giving them special rides around town, making them little cards with old-fashioned personalized stamp seals… ICK! The more I think about it the more it grosses me out and the more obviously it seems like predator behavior. Maybe one or two or even a few of these things in isolated and appropriate situations would have been fine, but the whole combination of them is just too much. Tristan’s probably going to keep confiding in Mr. Yeats about his parents, and between that and getting special rides and meeting up in the woods it definitely spells trouble. Plus, it’s Degrassi, so you know it’ll go there. I just hope Mr. Yeats gets in trouble for whatever he’s planning before it gets too far.

Close to Me - Episode Review

Okay. I don’t know how I forgot Jack’s name. That’s a really easy name to remember. Anyway.

This episode made me really like Miles! At first he was just the spoiled by who was dating Zoe and making out with her everywhere, and I didn’t like him. Then he got together with Maya and it seemed like he thought he could get whatever he wanted, and I didn’t like him. Then they skinny dipped at his mansion and I was like – wait. Why did Maya just strip down in like zero seconds at the slightest suggestion? When else have they…? Other than this confusion, though, I still figured he was a spoiled brat, especially because his family was like “LOL Miles getting naked with an (underage) girl again outside in public… tsk tsk… now run along.”

What It's Like - Episode Review

Between Connor getting contacts, Maya inviting Zig to stay over her house, and Becky getting jealous of Imogen’s new gal pal, I thought this episode was pretty lighthearted.

Connor is awesome. He was probably right to not worry about fitting in, but he still apologized and was just an awesome boyfriend. I hope he and Jenna win the King and Queen. I don’t see why they wouldn’t. Who else is even running? Maybe out of nowhere Clare and Drew will get together and win!

I guess you could argue that the plot about Maya and Zig was about homelessness, but really it wasn’t. It was about giving Maya a reason to invite Zig to stay at her house, so we can see relationship drama ensue. The question is, how much are you hoping this will screw with Maya and Miles? Do you want Maya to be loyal to Miles? If that ends up being the case, maybe Miles will just overreact based upon ill-founded suspicions, ask for forgiveness, and move on. Or Maya will hide the fact that Zig is staying with her, and then start feeling really guilty and apologize, or something along those lines. It could still make for some good TV viewing, and would keep Mattlingsworth fans happy.

Unbelievable Part 1 & 2 - Episode Review

Becky was a real hero in this episode. She did the right thing when it was hard to do, and remained humble about it even in the end when Zoe approached her. The only parts that actually made me almost cry were when Becky outed Luke in front of the entire school and when Becky hugged Zoe at the end of the episode, knowing full well that her brother was in cuffs.

It would be nice if Zoe had some of Becky's conscious and humility. Don't get me wrong - Luke deserved to be arrested and Zoe did NOT deserve to be raped/assaulted. I definitely don't want that sort of thing for Zoe. All I want her to do is say "I shouldn't have gotten drunk" or show some sign that she is even the tiniest bit angry at herself in addition to being angry at Luke & friend… and the entire rest of the school.

Zoe makes me angry. She was mean when she first came to the school, kissing Miles in completely inappropriate places when she clearly knew it was hurting Maya. I don't think Zoe ever apologized for that. And I could be wrong about this, but I don't remember her apologizing for posting the scandalous photos of Maya online either. Personally I never saw why Maya was still friendly to Zoe after all that.