Late Night Retro Television Reviews: Degrassi Junior High 2.8 “Sealed With A Kiss”

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

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!

Late Night Retro Television Reviews: Degrassi Junior High 2.7 “Bottled Up”

Posted on February 18, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, Kathleen gets her moment in the spotlight!

Episode 2.7 “Bottled Up”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on February 15th, 1988)

At the start of this week’s episode of Degrassi Junior High, Kathleen (Rebecca Haines) comes home from school all excited. She has been named to Degrassi’s academic team and will be appearing on Canada’s number one academic game show, Quest For The Best!

Unfortunately, her mother (played by Sheila Brogren, the real-life mother of Stefan Brogren, who played Snake) is too drunk and incoherent to congratulate her. And Kathleen’s father is away on business. When Kathleen talks to him on the phone, it becomes obvious that he spends a lot of time away from home, leaving Kathleen alone with her alcoholic mother.

The next day, at school, Kathleen meets with the other members of the academic team so that they can practice for their upcoming appearance. (Of course, Caitlin’s a member of the team because Caitlin was a member of every non-criminal group at Degrassi.) Ms. Avery hands them a VHS tape (because it’s the 80s) of Quest For The Best‘s previous episode so that they can check out their competition. The only problem is that Degrassi Junior High only has one VCR (seriously, Canada?) and it’s broken. Caitlin has a VCR at her home but she explains that her family also has company over. (I’m not sure why that would matter but whatever. Caitlin’s perfect family was always hosting a political dissident or two.) Who else has a VCR? Hey, how about Kathleen!? Apparently, her family just got a new VCR and everyone at school knows this because Kathleen made the mistake of bragging about it.

Kathleen says that her mother is sick. Caitlin insists that Kathleen let them use her VCR. In other words, Caitlin won’t let the team use her VCR because her family has company but she has no problem with going over to Kathleen’s house and bothering her mother, despite the fact that Kathleen has basically made it sound as if the woman is on the verge of death.

Reluctantly, Kathleen allows everyone to come over to her house but she asks that everyone try to be quiet while watching the tape. But, as quiet as everyone tries to be, Kathleen’s mom still comes downstairs with a glass of booze. Kathleen is mortified while everyone else quickly leaves.

The next day, at school, Caitlin asks Rick what she should do about Kathleen’s alcoholic mom. Rick, quite sensibly, points out that it’s not Caitlin’s place to do anything. When Caitlin ignores Rick’s advice and tries to talk to Kathleen about it, Kathleen tells her to leave her alone and I am totally on Kathleen’s side here. Caitlin may mean well but she has no idea what Kathleen is going through.

On the day of filming, Kathleen is stunned to discover that she forgot to bring her Degrassi Junior High sweater to the taping. She desperately calls her mom and asks her to bring the sweater from home. Her mother agrees and then passes out drunk. Kathleen goes to the taping and stares at the empty chair that was reserved for her mom. Luckily, Rick is at the taping and he hands Kathleen his sweater. Awwwww!

Largely thanks to Kathleen, Degrassi Junior High defeats Liberman High. Yay! But — oh no! Kathleen’s mother has still not shown up and night has fallen. Kathleen starts to walk home, just for Rick to join her. (Rick was going to spend time with his Caitlin, his sometimes girlfriend, but again, she has company at home.) Rick is the one who ends up talking to Kathleen about her mother, explaining that he has similar issues with his father.

At home, Kathleen confronts her drunk mom about missing the taping and gets smacked as a result.

The next day, at school, Caitlin again tries to talk to Kathleen about her mother but when Kathleen says she doesn’t want to talk about it, Caitlin gets an attitude and says she doesn’t care anymore. Rick then walks into the classroom and Kathleen makes it a point to thank him for his advice. She says she’s going to call social services for help with her mom. In the episode’s best moment, Kathleen thanks Rick for walking her home. Caitlin suddenly turns around in her seat. “You walked her home?”

Way to go, Kathleen! Seriously, in the past, Kathleen has usually been the least likable character on Degrassi but, after seeing how judgmental and self-righteous Caitlin can be, there’s something deeply satisfying about Kathleen finally one-upping her. Add to that, Kathleen and Rick make for a surprisingly well-matched couple. I totally hope Rick dumps Caitlin for Kathleen.

On a serious note, this episode was an example of what Degrassi did so well. It took a character like Kathleen, who has been such an antagonist in all of her other appearances, and it showed that she was human just like everyone else. Kathleen’s constant bragging and her own judgmental style was shown to be her way of dealing with having a truly terrible situation at home. With this episode, Degrassi Junior High not only dealt with the pain of having an alcoholic parent but also reminded its audience that we’re all human. Judge not, lest ye be judged.

I guess I should mention the B-plot. Scooter and his friend Max (Joshua Whitehead) want to be cool so they follow Rick around. When they discover Rick smokes, Max gets a pack of cigarettes and they give smoking a try. They end up coughing a lot. It was kind of silly, to be honest. But I did find it interesting that Rick could both inspire Kathleen to get help for her mother and Scooter to start smoking. Rick’s a powerful guy.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 2/11/24 — 2/17/24

Posted on February 17, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This was another week in which I didn’t watch much television, beyond what I usually review. A lot of that is because I was preoccupied with exercising my ankle (which is doing much better) and Valentine’s Day! And some of it is because I guess modern television just doesn’t interest me that much right now. All the game shows and the self-conscious prestige dramas are just kind of boring.

Anyway, here’s some thought on what I did watch this week!

Abbott Elementary (Wednesday Night, ABC)

I felt that this week’s episode was a clear improvement over the premiere, though the show still seems to be struggling to find its footing in the third season. I liked Gregory as the cool teacher and I enjoyed the return of Tariq but I’m still not a fan of Janine working for the district.

Bubblegum Crisis (Night Flight Plus)

The action moved to Houston in the episode that I watched on Saturday morning. As usual, I couldn’t really follow the plot but it was fun to watch everything explode. Bubblegum Crisis takes place in 2033 so I guess we’ve got nine years left.

Diocese Of Dallas Catholic Mass (Sunday Afternoon, Channel 27)

For various reasons, I really wanted to go to Mass on Sunday but with my sprained ankle, I really didn’t feel like having to hop all the way down to St. Joseph’s. Fortunately, television to the rescue!

Dr. Phil (YouTube)

I watched an episode on Monday night. A woman falsely accused her ex-husband of using their child to make pornographic movies. Her husband passed a lie detector test and, as Phil pointed out, the woman’s story was full of inconsistencies and never made any sense. Despite being exposed as being a liar, the woman refused to apologize.

On Saturday, I watched an episode that featured an online gambling addict who, having lost all of his money, was now living in his mother’s basement. “We are staging an intervention,” Dr. Phil said, in that ultra-dramatic way of his.

Night Flight (Night Flight Plus)

This Friday, I watched an episode about famous people who made cameo appearances in 80s music videos.

The Super Bowl (Sunday Night, CBS)

I have to admit that I was really rooting for the 49ers by the end of the game. I always like it when the underdogs win. But still, congratulations to the Chiefs on their victory. As usual, I was mostly watching for the commercials but I got kind of bored with them this year. The one with Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon was amusing.

The Vanishing Shadow (Night Flight Plus)

I watched another installment of this old timey serial on Saturday morning. Our heroes spent most of this episode being pursued by gangsters. Fortunately, they had a vanishing ray! This old 30s serial is a lot of fun.

Watched and Reviewed Elsewhere:

Baywatch Nights (YouTube)
Check It Out (Tubi) — Review Dropping In 30 Minutes
CHiPs (Freevee)
Degrassi Junior High (YouTube)
Fantasy Island (Daily Motion)
Friday the 13th (YouTube)
Highway to Heaven (Freevee)
Lookwell (YouTube)
The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)
Miami Vice (Tubi)
Monsters (Tubi)
T and T (Tubi)
Welcome Back Kotter (Tubi)

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 2.6 “Fight!”

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, we meet Dwayne Myers!

Episode 2.6 “Fight!”

(Dir by Mike Douglas, originally aired on February 8th, 1988)

After appearing in the background over the past few episodes, Dwayne Myers (Darrin Brown) takes center stage in this episode.

At first glance, Dwayne is the school bully. He’s bigger than everyone else. He appears to be in a permanently bad mood. He deliberately knocks Joey off of his skateboard and then laughs about it. When he later overhears Joey calling him a “dozer,” (which is seriously one of the most Canadian words that I’ve ever heard in my life), Dwayne tells Joey that he’s going to beat him up after school.

And yet, Dwayne is not all bad. When Scooter (Christopher Charlesworth), a student who is younger and smaller than everyone else, needs help opening his locker, Dwayne is the one who yanks off the lock. Later, when Scooter can’t reach his bag of chips (because some other bully put it on top of a high shelf), Dwayne lifts Scooter up so that Scooter can get them. Dwayne seems to sincerely like Scooter, perhaps because Scooter is the only person at the school to not show any fear of him.

Scooter, however, is shocked to hear that Dwayne is going to beat up Joey because Joey, like Scooter, is considerably smaller than Dwayne. When Scooter asks Dwayne why he’s going to beat up Joey, Dwayne shrugs and says, “It’ll feel good.”

And Dwayne proceeds to do just what he said he would do. Joey doesn’t attempt to run away from the fight and that wins him a measure of respect from the other students. But, in the end, he still gets thoroughly beaten up. On the plus side, it wins him some sympathy from Liz and it also wins him a new friend when Scooter decides that he would rather hang out with Joey than Dwayne.

Speaking of hanging out with each other, Stephanie is still obsessed with getting Simon to notice her and Simon is still only interested in Alexa. Even when Stephanie pretends to sprain her ankle, Simon barely notices. (Ankle sprains are no joke, Stephanie! Believe klutzy little me, I know.) Stephanie finally asks Simon to go to the fight with her and Simon says sure. Stephanie is overjoyed until Simon brings Alexa with him as well. Amazingly, Simon and Alexa are both totally clueless as to what Stephanie is doing. Then again, I think we’ve all known at least one couple like Simon and Alexa, who are so perfect for each other and so thoroughly vapid in their personalities that you just know they’re never going to have any disagreements at all and that the real world is never going to invade their fantasy.

This was a good episode, largely due to Darrin Brown’s multi-layered performance as Dwayne. While this is Dwayne’s only big Junior High episode, he is destined become one of show’s most ground-breaking characters once the action moves into high school.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 1/28/24 — 2/3/24

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This previous week …. bleh. Let’s just take a look at what I watched.

The Bachelor (Monday Night, ABC)

Eh. I’m pretty lukewarm on the new bachelor. He seems like a nice guy but he’s kind of boring.

Baywatch Nights (YouTube)

I reviewed Baywatch Nights here!

Check it Out (Tubi)

I’m running behind but I’ll have a review of this week’s episode up sometime on Sunday.

CHiPs (Freevee)

I reviewed CHiPs here!

Degrassi Junior High (YouTube)

I reviewed Degrassi here!

Fantasy Island (YouTube)

I reviewed Fantasy Island here!

Football (Sunday)

Did I watched two football games on Sunday? According to my notes, Jeff and I watched two playoff games but I’ll be darned if I can tell you a dang thing about either one of them.

Friday the 13th (YouTube)

I’m running behind but I’ll have a review of this week’s episode up sometime on Sunday.

Happy Hour (YouTube)

I watched an episode of this old 90s game show on Saturday morning. Dweezil and Ahmet Zappa asked bizarre questions to celebrities. Dweezil was cool but Ahmet was like the hyperactive cousin that no one wants to deal with at the family reunion. Amongst the celebrities were Chuck Woolery, Alexandra Paul, Patton Oswalt, and that “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” ring announcer dude.

Highway to Heaven (Freevee)

I wrote about this week’s episode here!

Judge Dad (YouTube)

On Sunday, I watched an episode in which Judge Dad dealt with a woman who claimed her Canadian husband only married her for a visa. Judge Dad interrupted the show so he could do a commercial for some sort of special food delivery system. I followed this episode with an episode in which Judge Dad admonished a man for slashing his ex’s tires. Both episodes featured the same disclosure. Judge Dad is not a lawyer and the cases are fiction.

Law & Order (Thursday Night, NBC)

I got caught up with the first three episodes of the new season this week. I am really impressed by Reid Scott, who is this season’s newest cast member. He and Mehcad Brooks are working well together and Brooks, for his part, is no longer quite as stiff as he was the previous season. Sam Waterston, bless him, is obviously not in the best of health and I really hope he retires after this season and enjoys life. So far, Nolan Price appears to have mellowed out, especially when compared to previous two seasons. But what has happened to Maroun? She was finally showing some sparks of having a personality at the end of the previous season but now, she’s back to being a humorless scold who wears too much lipstick.

The first three episodes of the new season were all fairly good. I cringe whenever the blue collar cops on Law & Order start talking like MSNC pundits (and I still laugh whenever I remember last season’s “Did you all see Morning Joe?”). Law & Order will probably never be the beacon of quality that it once was but this season is off to a good start.

The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)

I reviewed the third season finale here!

Miami Vice (Tubi)

I reviewed Miami Vice here!

Monsters (Tubi)

I wrote about Monsters here!

Sally Jessy Raphael (YouTube)

Sally talked to women who felt their marriage were in trouble. All of the husband were total deadbeats. One guy came out on stage wearing his uniform from McDonald’s. I’m sure the bosses were really happy about that.

So Here’s What Happened (YouTube)

I wrote about this obscure pilot here!

Square Pegs (YouTube)

This was a sitcom from the early 80s, about two girls trying to be popular in high school. I watched the pilot on Friday night and I smiled a few times. Trying to fit in is a timeless subject. One of the girls was played by Sarah Jessica Parker, who I love because, like me, she’s a part of the Big Nose Crew. BNC FOREVER!

T and T (Tubi)

I wrote about T and T here!

Welcome Back, Kotter (Tubi)

I wrote about it here!

Late Night Retro Television Reviews: Degrassi Junior High 2.5 “Stage Fright”

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

After spending the half of season 2 in the background, Caitlin takes center stage in this week’s episode.

Episode 2.5 “Stage Fright”

(Dir by John Bertram, originally aired on February 1st, 1988)

Caitlin (Stacie Mistysyn), who is destined to become a major figure in the Degrassi franchise, finally gets a season 2 spotlight episode. As the episode starts, she is undergoing a round of scary brain scans as the result of having had a seizure during the break. The result of those scans is that Caitlin is diagnosed as being epileptic and is put on medication to control the seizures.

The problem, of course, is that Caitlin has to take the medicine three times a day and that includes at school. Caitlin doesn’t want to take her medicine at school, especially when one of her classmates is the gossipy and judgmental Kathleen (played by Rebecca Haines). It’s hard enough with her parents constantly worrying about her without having to deal with what all of her classmates are going to think.

So, Caitlyn doesn’t tell anyone that she has epilipsey. And when she goes to Susie’s latest sleepover, Caitlyn doesn’t take her medicine with her. (You know where this is going, right?) Caitlin has a seizure in front of everyone, including Kathleen!

Now, not only does Kathleen know that Caitlin is epileptic but Kathleen has also been cast as the lead in the school play, with Caitlin playing a supporting role. At first, Caitlin says she won’t do the play but Susie points out that Caitlin is just saying that because she’s jealous of Kathleen getting the lead role. Plus, Rick Munro (Craig Driscoll, getting his first major season 2 storyline) is there to tell Kathleen to shut up when Kathleen starts to talk about snidely about Caitlin’s seizure. Go Rick!

While this is going on, poor Michelle (Maureen McKay) struggles with her natural shyness when she’s assigned to give a speech in class. Joey is a real jerk to her in this episode. Bad Joey! The grown-up Joey from Degrassi: The Next Generation would really hate teenage Joey. Fortunately, Michelle eventually does what every shy person does when they have to give a speech. She opens with a joke. By the end of class, Joey is begging her to help him write his speech.

Oh, I could relate to this episode on so many levels. First off, like Michelle, I know what it’s like to be shy. (Unlike Michelle, I deal with being shy by talking so much that there isn’t any time for any awkward silences.) As for Caitlin’s storyline, I am not epileptic but I’ve been diagnosed with enough things that I do know what it’s like to have a well-meaning parent driving you crazy by asking a hundred questions about how you’re feeling and whether you’re taking your meds. That said, what really made me relate to Cailtin is the fact that I have asthma and, in high school, I always dreaded the idea of 1) having an asthma attack in front of everyone and 2) having to use my inhaler while everyone stared at me. Even worse were the times I would realize that I had left my inhaler at home and I would spend so much time worrying about it that I would almost give myself an attack from stress. I would always end up calling my mom or one of my sisters and begging them to bring me my inhaler. Of course, I would also have to find a way to sneak out of the building so that they could give me the inhaler without it becoming a big scene….

(In retrospect, I think I may have made things a bit more complicated in high school than they needed to be.)

My point is, this was a good episode that dealt honestly and nonjudgmentally with issues that all teenagers throughout history have had to deal with. This episode was Degrassi at its best.

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 1/21/24 — 1/27/24

Posted on January 27, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s some thoughts on what I watched this week!

Acting Sheriff (YouTube)

I wrote about Acting Sheriff here!

The Bachelor (Monday Night, ABC)

A new season of The Bachelor started this week. After skipping the previous few installments of this franchise, I did watch the first episode of the latest season. The new bachelor is kind of dull but I enjoyed seeing the mansion and all of the clothes. Jesse is kind of a boring host. The Bachelor hasn’t been fun since Chris Harrison was fired for upsetting the online horde.

Baywatch Nights (YouTube)

I wrote about Baywatch Nights here!

Check It Out (Tubi)

My review of Check It Out may be an hour or two late this week. It’s been a busy day.

CHiPs (Freevee)

I wrote about CHiPs here!

Couples Court With The Cutlers (YouTube)

On Sunday, I watched an episode in which the Cutlers talked to a woman who was accused of cheating on her fiancée with her husband. What? Yes, it was confusing and silly and the fact that the fiancée had a high-pitched, cartoon character voice did not help matters. This was one of those episodes where they brought in the “voice analysist” to determine who was lying. Considering that everyone on the show had a terrible voice, I did not envy the analysist. That said, I also have a hard time understanding how voice analysis can be used in the place of a polygraph. Anyway, no one was cheating according to their voices.

I followed this up with an episode in which a husband accused his wife of cheating because of muddy footprints that he found in his home. The wife was not cheating and the husband was a bit of a paranoid freak.

Later, I watched an episode in which a man felt that his wife was cheating on him because she was no longer wearing sexy underwear around him, despite the fact that he kept finding brand new thongs in the laundry. The lie detector indicated that she was indeed cheating. The wife, at one point, said that she felt like she was “starring in a romantic comedy with Will Smith.”

Then, tonight, I watched an episode in which a woman thought her much older husband was cheating on her with her best friend because she found her friend in their bed. Fortunately, it turned out that the husband was faithful and the best friend was just a blackout drunk.

Degrassi Junior High (YouTube)

I wrote about Degrassi Junior High here!

Extended Family (Tuesday Night, NBC)

I had no interest in watching this show but I was watching Peacock on Wednesday night and I was too lazy to switch to another streaming service when the show automatically started. Jon Cryer plays a divorced father in Boston who is still friends with his ex-wife and her new fiancé. Why is everything always set in Boston? Seriously, who care about freaking Boston?

Anyway, I was so lazy that I ended up watching the first two episodes and they were both pretty dire. The “created by Mike O’Malley” credit card explained why. Cryer, our beloved Duckie, is even more pathetic here than he was as wimpy Alan on Two and a Half Men. (Disclaimer: I think I’ve seen like five episodes of Two and A Half Men, maybe six.) It’s sad to think that NBC has gone from The Office to Night Court/Extended Family.

Fantasy Island (YouTube)

I wrote about Fantasy Island here!

Friday the 13th (YouTube)

I wrote about Friday the 13th here!

Hell’s Kitchen (Thursday Night, Fox)

I was so happy Ryan won! This was one of Hell’s Kitchen’s best seasons. While Big Brother, Survivor, and even The Amazing Race have struggled to remain relevant in our new, post-COVID age, Hell’s Kitchen succeeds by not messing with what works.

Highway to Heaven (Tubi)

I wrote about Highway to Heaven here!

Judge Dad (YouTube)

I watched two episodes of this courtroom show on Monday. The very slow-talking judge heard a case about a woman who wanted another woman to pay for her $900 Prada dress. The second case involved a woman who felt that her ex owed her some sort of compensation for giving her COVID. The second case bothered me because the judge’s ruling didn’t seem to follow any sort of legal precedent. I then noticed a disclaimer that stated that 1) Judge Dad was not a legal expert but just some guy making his own decisions and 2) the litigants were actors and the cases were all fictional.

On Tuesday, I watched an episode in which a tenant sued her landlord for setting up spy cameras in her apartment and “recording me in my lingerie.” Judge Dad was particularly upset by this case. “I feel like you are my daughter!” he thundered, “You must make better decision about where you live!” The landlord was really, really sleazy and disgusting but again, the whole thing was fictional so …. yeah.

Judge Mom (YouTube)

On Wednesday, I watched an episode of Judge Dad‘s companion series, Judge Mom. A young comic book artist accused an older artist of stealing his ideas. Judge Mom found in favor of the younger artist. Just as with Judge Dad, the episode ended with a disclaimed that “Judge Mom is not a legal expert” and the case was fictional. The acting on Judge Mom was far less convincing than the acting on Judge Dad.

It was just bad enough that I had to watch a second episode. This one featured a set of parents suing a little league team for “firing” their son from the team. Judge Mom was offended by how petty all of the adults were. Little league is supposed to be about the kids! You tell ’em, Judge Mom!

The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)

I wrote about The Love Boat here!

Miami Vice (Tubi)

I wrote about Miami Vice here!

Monsters (Tubi)

I wrote about Monsters here!

Night Court (Tuesday Night, NBC)

It’s weird. This is a badly conceived show that rarely even makes me smile and yet it’s something that I find myself watching on Peacock whenever I’m bored and I don’t have time to watch anything that runs longer than 21 minutes. I don’t know why this is, because I really don’t care much for the show and it’s only gotten worse in its second season. I think the problem is that Abby Stone is way too naive to be a judge and her nonstop enthusiasm can be a bit hard to take. For instance, this week’s episode featured her still trying to get over breaking up with her boyfriend and obsessing over her inability to get a date. That story had comedic potential but seriously, Abby’s a judge. IN NEW YORK CITY! Toughen up!

Paternity Court (YouTube)

I watched an episode on Monday. Fortunately, the former army officer who had just returned from deployment was the father.

T and T (Tubi)

I wrote about T and T here!

Welcome Back, Kotter (Tubi)

I wrote about Welcome Back, Kotter here!

Late Night Retro Television Reviews: Degrassi Junior High 2.4 “Dinner & A Show”

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In yourself, you must believe….

Episode 2.4 “Dinner & A Show”

(Dir by John Bertram, originally aired on January 25th, 1988)

It’s a night of awkward dates and dinners on this week’s episode of Degrassi Junior High!

Yick Yu finally works up the courage to ask Melanie if she would like to go to a movie with him. While Kathleen rolls her eyes in the background, Melanie says that she’d love to see a movie with Yick. Yick suggests that they see Revenge of the Reptile, which is really gory and features killer reptiles! Melanie says that she’s not into any of that and suggests that they instead see Crying Into The Wind. Yick agrees, even though it’s obvious that Crying Into The Wind is not a film that is going to appeal to a typical 13 year-old male.

After Yick leaves, Kathleen makes fun of Melanie for having a date. Melanie replies that it’s not a date. She and Yick are just friends and Melanie is looking for “a man.” Right on schedule, Snake walks up and asks Melanie if she wants to see a movie. Melanie, forgetting all about her plans with Yick, says, “Sure!” Snake suggests Revenge of the Reptile. Melanie, forgetting that she’s not into gory reptile films, says, “Sure!”

Poor Yick is heartbroken when Melanie tells him that something has come up and she won’t be able to go to the movies with him. Arthur suggests that Yick cheer himself up by going to see Revenge of the Reptile….

Meanwhile, Shane’s parents want to have dinner with Spike and her mother. Shane’s parents have decided a few things. First off, the baby is going to be given up for adoption. Secondly, Shane is going to private school. While sending Shane to a private school might not be a bad idea, deciding what’s going to happen to the baby before they’ve even met Spike or her mother is definitely not cool. Shane’s parents are the first of many bad parents that will show up over the course of Degrassi’s long history.

Spike decides to just not tell her mom about the dinner invitation. But then Shane’s parents call personally and invite them to a fancy restaurant. Needless to say, it’s not a pleasant dinner. Shane’s father not only wants to send Shane to private school but he also thinks that Spike should be sent to a home for unwed mothers, like a character in a 1930s farm melodrama. Shane’s mother, meanwhile, makes no secret of the fact that she blames Spike more than she blames her son. Finally, Shane stands up for himself and says that he’s not going to go to private school. Of course, Shane then ruins the moment by saying that he’s ready to be a father. No, Shane, you’re not. You’re barely ready to be in the 8th Grade.

At the movie theater, Snake and Melanie discover that they really don’t have much in common. Snake may be a nice guy but he’s a terrible conversationalist. Joey and Wheels, upset that they don’t have dates, show up and spend the whole time making snarky comments. (Joey brings along a toy Godzilla that he uses to try to scare Melanie.) Worst of all, Yick shows up and finds himself staring straight at Melanie. Melanie smiles awkwardly while Yick’s heart breaks once again.

The next day, at school, Melanie tells Kathleen that her date wasn’t that great. Meanwhile, Spike asks Shane if he even wants her to have the baby and Shane can’t answer.

I loved the way the episode contrasted the awkwardness of Melanie’s date with the awkwardness of Spike’s dinner. Melanie’s problems are nowhere near as serious as Spike’s but both of them are a result of immature people trying to make mature decisions. The main theme of this episode is that no one is ready to be an adult. Melanie says that she’s ready to date “a man,” but she can’t even find it in herself to be honest with Yick. Yick and Snake both want to start dating but they’re still incapable of understanding that Revenge of the Reptile is not exactly a romantic movie. Shane wants to be a father but can barely stand up to his own parents. Shane’s parents may be adults but they don’t understand that being an adult means talking to other people before deciding their lives for them. The only person who truly understands how lost everyone is Spike and all she can do is try to make it day-by-day.

Watching an episode like this, it’s nice to know that Spike will eventually find happiness with Snake and that her daughter will grow up to be Emma. I can only imagine how emotionally devastating all of this must have been for people watching it for the first time in 1988. Degrassi Junior High rarely offered false hope, which is why it remains relevant today.

Late Night Retro Television Reviews: Degrassi Junior High 2.3 “Great Expectations”

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Finally, after being preempted two weeks in a row, Degrassi Junior High returns!

Episode 2.3 “Great Expectations”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on January 18th, 1988)

There’s a new student at Degrassi Junior High. Her name is Liz O’Rourke (Cathy Keenan) and she’s not happy to be starting at a new school in a new country. (Liz formerly went to school in London.) Liz dismisses the students at Degrassi as being a bunch of “preppy” snobs and Stephanie and the Farrell twins do their best to prove her right by making a bunch of catty comments and making her feel even more like an outsider. Only Spike and Joey attempt to befriend Liz. Spike knows how it feels to be an outsider at Degrassi. As for Joey, he’s desperate to lose his virginity and he’s convinced himself that Liz, because of the way she dresses (even though she doesn’t dress all that differently from anyone else at the school), wants to have sex with him. When Joey shows up at Liz’s house to work on a school project and then, from out of nowhere, asks to have sex with her, Liz kicks him out.

Oh, this episode broke my heart. As someone who moved around a lot when she was younger and who frequently had to get used to new schools and as someone who learned early on that teenage boys almost always had one thing on their mind, I knew exactly what Liz was going through. In true Degrassi style, this episode opened with Liz feeling miserable about starting at a new school and ended with her feeling even more miserable about being at a new school. One of the many things that set Degrassi apart from and elevated it over other teen shows was that Degrassi rarely ended on an altogether happy note. The problems that the students dealt with on Degrassi could rarely be solved in just 30 minutes. Cathy Keenan did a great job capturing Liz’s brief hope that she may have found a new friend and also the crushing heartbreak of discovering that friend was only talking to her because he thought she was “easy.”

For those of us who first discovered the character on Degrassi: The Next Generation, it can be a bit jarring to see the way Joey Jeremiah behaves on Degrassi Junior High. There’s a big difference between the mature, adult Joey of Degrassi: The Next Generation and the immature and self-centered Joey of Degrassi Junior High. But I suppose that’s true of most people. Everyone does foolish things when they’re younger and everyone makes mistakes when they’re immature and unsure of themselves. As the episode ends, Joey tells Wheels that he actually did like Liz and that he made a huge mistake. Joey realizes what he did was wrong but that’s not going to make things any easier for Liz, who starts another day of school while feeling more alone than ever.

Things work out a bit better for Arthur and Yick Yu. Arthur is freaking out because he’s been having wet dreams so Yick encourages Arthur to call Dr. Sally (Sue Johanson), a sex educator who has her own radio show. Arthur calls and Dr. Sally tells him that his dreams do not make him a pervert. It’s a pretty simple storyline but an important one as it introduces the character of Dr. Sally, who will be mentioned many times throughout both Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi: The Next Generation. It’s also an important storyline because of the contrast between how Arthur and Joey handle their questions about sex. Arthur asks an adult and is lucky enough to get a straight-forward and nonjudgmental answer. Joey convinces himself that he’s ready for sex when he’s obviously not, freaks out just trying to buy condoms, and then ruins his friendship with Liz.

Finally, Stephanie is once again secretly changing into her trampy clothes at school in an attempt to get Simon to notice her. However, whenever Stephanie tries to talk to Simon, she gets interrupted by the Alex, the dorky student council treasurer. Even if Alex didn’t keep showing up, I doubt it would have made a difference. Simon’s just not that into her.

This was a sad episode but I’m glad I finally reviewed it! Between taking time off for the holidays and getting ill, I was worried I’d never review Degrassi again! But, as the theme song says: “In yourself, you must believe.”

Lisa Marie’s Week In Television: 1/7/24 — 1/13/24

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I’m sitting here as a cold front rolls through my town. The temperature is way below freezing and it will remain that way for at least the next three days. So, I look forward to hiding underneath a lot of blankets and watching a lot of TV between now and Thursday morning.

Here’s some thoughts on what I watched this week:

Baywatch Nights (YouTube)

I wrote about Baywatch Nights here!

Check It Out (Tubi)

My review of Check It Out will be dropping later tonight.

CHiPs (Freevee)

I wrote about CHiPs here!

Degrassi Junior High (YouTube)

My review of Degrassi Junior High will (finally) post tomorrow! Keep hope alive!

Dr. Phil (YouTube)

On Tuesday afternoon, I had a two-part episode of Dr. Phil on as background nose. Dr. Phil was talking to people who felt their sons and daughters had been brainwashed by a cult in Louisiana. And indeed, they had been. Cults are weird. I never know how to react to people who fall for that stuff.

Fantasy Island (YouTube)

I wrote about Fantasy Island here!

Friday the 13th (YouTube)

I wrote about Friday the 13th here!

Highway to Heaven (YouTube)

I wrote about Highway to Heaven here!

The Love Boat (Paramount Plus)

I wrote about The Love Boat here!

Maury (YouTube)

On Friday, I used two paternity tests episodes of Maury for background noise while I was watching. I feel very disappointed in myself. On Saturday, I disappointed myself even further by watching an episode of Maury that featured lie detector tests.

Miami Vice (Tubi)

I wrote about Miami Vice here!

Monsters (Tubi)

I wrote about Monsters here!

Night Flight (Night Flight Plus)

On Friday, I watched an episode of this show from the 90s. It featured music video profiles of The Kinks and The Cure, along with a tour of Universal Studios.

Sally Jessy Raphael (YouTube)

I watched an episode of this ancient talk show on Thursday. Sally talked to kids who were being bullied and then confronted the bullies on the air. I felt bad for all of the bullied kids, except for the one who said being bulled made him hate America. If that’s how you feel, move.

On Friday, I watched an episode about women who could not forgive their men for cheating. I don’t blame them but I bet half of them ended up marrying the guy anyways.

Saved By The Bell (Sunday Morning, MeTV)

Casey Kasem hosted a dance contest and encouraged everyone to do the sprain. Jessie freaked out because a short guy wanted to date her. A new substitute teacher taught everyone to appreciate Shakespeare. Wow, this was a dumb but addictive show.

The Steve Wilkos Show (YouTube)

On Tuesday afternoon, I put on an episode of Steve Wilkos for background noise. Steve was screaming at a woman who he felt was an unfit mother. And who knows? Maybe she was an unfit mother. But Steve definitely came across as being a bully and his chanting audience didn’t help matters.

On Saturday morning, I watched an episode in which Wilkos threw several chairs across the stage while the crowd chanted, “Steve! Steve! Steve!”

T and T (Tubi)

I wrote about T and T here!

Turn-On! (YouTube)

I wrote about the second episode of Turn-On! here!

TV 2000 (Night Flight Plus)

On Friday night, I watched an episode of this old music video show. The episode was from 1985 and it featured a lot of good music, along with some slightly annoying hosts.

Welcome Back Kotter (Tubi)

I wrote about Welcome Back, Kotter here!