Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past!  On Sunday, I will be reviewing the Canadian series, Degrassi Junior High, which aired on CBC and PBS from 1987 to 1989!  The series can be streamed on YouTube!

Sorry, I fell asleep last night before I could write up this week’s episode of Degrassi Junior High!  Belatedly, here’s some thoughts on the episode to focus on the Farrell Twins.

Episode 2.8 “Sealed With A Kiss”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on February 22nd, 1988)

After spending much of the first two seasons of Degrassi Junior High in the background, the Farrell Twins — Heather and Erica — are at the center of this episode.

Heather (Maureen Deiseach) is the responsible twin who has never had a date and thinks that French kissing sounds gross.  Erica (Angela Deiseach) is the twin who is older by about six minutes and who wants to date and have fun.  Heather and Erica have always been close but, as this episode begins, they’re both a little annoyed with the other.  That’s not just a twin thing, it’s a sibling thing and, as the youngest of four sisters, I could relate.  My sisters and I have always been very close but, growing up, I think all of us always fought to establish our own individual identities outside of just being one of four Bowman girls.  I specifically refused to try out for cheerleading in high school because two of my sisters had been cheerleaders and I wanted to find my own thing to do.  Considering my long history of klutziness, that was probably for the best.  Anyway….

When Degrassi holds a dance with another school, Erica meets Aaron (David Stratton).  Aaron is kind of a dork (i.e., he’s in high school but he comes to a junior high dance) but he wears a leather jacket and drives his dad’s car.  Heather is scandalized when she and Alexa comes across Erica making out with Aaron on a stairwell.  Erica’s happiness over having a boyfriend is short-lived, as she soon comes down with a fever and a sore throat and fears that Aaron has given her mono.

(“At least he didn’t give you AIDS,” Alexa cheerfully says.)

While a miserable Erica rests in bed, Aaron stops by the Farrell house to see her.  When Heather explains that Erica is sick, Aaron decides that one twin is as good as another and invites Heather to take a ride in his Dad’s car.  Heather agrees and she ends up making out with Aaron as well.  Oh no!  MONO!

Well, don’t worry.  It turns out that Erica just needs to have her tonsils taken out.  No one has mono.  She and Heather both agree that Aaron was a dork.  Heather says that at least there’s a difference between them now.  One has tonsils and the other doesn’t.  Uhmm …. okay, Heather.

The Farrell Twins have never been my favorite characters on Degrassi Junior High.  Erica is shallow and Heather is judgmental.  That said, their showcase episode was not a bad one.  Along with being able to relate to the sibling dynamic, I could also relate to Erica and Heather competing for the attention of a guy who, quite frankly, wasn’t worthy of either of them.  And I had to laugh at Alexa’s cheerful vapidness as she managed to see the positive in everything that the twins were getting upset about.  Even the show’s final twist was kind of a nice relief from Degrassi’s usually bleak view of teenage life.  For once, no one was seriously ill.  No one had an STD.  No one was left sobbing as the end credits rolled.  Instead, the show ended with a dumb joke about tonsils.  It was a nice change-of-pace.

Next week …. Stephanie is suicidal!