Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 3.15 “Accident Will Happen Part Two”

Posted on October 18, 2026 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: The Next Generation, which aired from 2001 to 2015! The series can be streamed on YouTube and Tubi.

This week, we finish up the storyline that was started last week. In other words, Degrassi goes there!

Episode 3.15 “Accidents Will Happen Part Two”

(Dir by Eleanore Lindo, originally aired on February 9th, 2004)

Manny is pregnant and frightened. Craig, however, is overjoyed and can’t wait to be a father at 15. During their lunch period, Craig shows up with a book of baby names. When Ashley sees and hears Craig and Manny debating what they should name the baby, she immediately figures out what has happened. She then proceeds to announce it to the entire cafeteria.

Craig is still enthusiastic about being a father, but Manny is having doubts. When Emma briefly leaves Manny and Craig alone with Baby Jack, Craig freaks out over having to change the baby’s diaper. Manny realizes that if Craig can’t handle that, he can’t handle being a father. She decides to get an abortion. Both Emma and Craig are upset by Manny’s decision. Emma, who knows that her mother considered getting an abortion when she was pregnant, feels that Manny should give the baby up for adoption. Craig still thinks that he and Manny can raise the child themselves. But Manny says that she can’t handle the idea of giving birth and that she’s too young to be a mom. In the end, Emma supports Manny’s right to make her own decision, even if she doesn’t agree with it.

As much as I complain about Emma as a character, Degrassi deserves a lot of credit for how this episode portrays her reaction to Manny’s decision to get an abortion. Emma’s opposition to abortion is treated respectfully, and the episode allows the viewers to make up their own minds about the issue while also making it clear that neither Manny nor Craig was mature enough to raise a child. It’s the type of thing that Degrassi did so well in its early seasons. (Unfortunately, later seasons would be a bit more heavy-handed when it came to dealing with issues like abortion.)

Unfortunately, this episode’s nuanced and intelligent take on abortion is matched with one of the worst B-plots in Degrassi history. After JT tells Liberty that he will never like her and that it’s time for her to get over her crush, Liberty shifts her attention over to Sean. When Sean and Liberty are assigned to work together on a class assignment, Liberty starts trying to act “tough” to win Sean’s interest. Of course, for Liberty, this means dressing up and talking like a minor character in Grease. Eventually, Sean says, “You’re as edgy as a butter knife,” and Liberty is crushed once again. However, it turns out that Sean’s friend, Towerz (Travis Donegan), likes smart girls. So, Liberty finally gets a boyfriend!

Oh, this was just embarrassing to watch. I felt bad for everyone involved. Not only was Liberty made to look like a crazed stalker, but the idea of her dating Towerz—who is a part of the crew that’s been stealing supplies from the school—made no sense at all. It didn’t help that all of this played out in between scenes of Cassie Steele and Miriam McDonald doing some of the best work that they ever did on Degrassi.

This episode was considered to be so controversial that it didn’t even air in the States until 2006, two years after it originally aired in Canada.

Bonus Horror On TV: Degrassi of the Dead

Posted on October 14, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hey, remember that time in 2007 when all the students at Toronto’s Degrassi Community School were turned into zombies? This 10 minute episode of Degrassi Minis takes a non-canonical look at what would happen to everyone’s favorite Canadian high school if there was a zombie apocalypse!

(By the way, this was made in 2007, long before the premiere of The Walking Dead.)

Enjoy watching Drake turn into a zombie!

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 3.14 “Accidents Will Happen: Part One”

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, Degrassi goes there!

Episode 3.14 “Accidents Will Happen: Part One”

(Dir by Eleanore Lindo, originally aired on January 26th, 2004)

Jimmy, Spinner, and JT are planning on going to Buffalo so that they can see DJ Mad Bullets. Toby wants to come as well but Jimmy’s no longer talking to Toby. The official reason is because Toby’s stepsister, Ashley, broke Jimmy’s heart. Another reason is that Toby keeps saying things like, “What up, dawg?” whenever he sees Jimmy.

When Toby overhears Jimmy saying that he won’t get to go to the concert if he doesn’t pass his Algebra midterm, Toby offers to hack into the school’s system and change Jimmy’s grade. Jimmy says that he would be willing to take Toby to the concert in return. Toby attempts to hack the system from his laptop but he accidentally gives Jimmy a grade of 8,888 instead of 88. Toby’s laptop then dies. Jimmy insists that Toby try again from the computer lab’s main console. Of course, Mr. Raditch just happens to step into the lab and sees what Toby is doing. Jimmy and Toby both get Saturday detention. Jimmy tells Toby that, “You’re a fake rap fan. You’re a fake computer hacker. You’re just a fake.” OUCH! Painful …. but probably deserved.

Meanwhile, several students are sick with the stomach flu but that’s not why Manny runs from Ms. Kwan’s classroom so that she can throw up in the girls restroom. Manny has also been in training for an upcoming gymnastics meet but that’s not why her period is several weeks late. Manny asks Paige how she would know if someone used a condom. I’ll admit that I always yell, “OH MY GOD!” whenever I hear Manny ask that question but look at it from Manny’s point of view. She was raised in an extremely traditional household. She was apparently very sheltered. It’s totally believable that no one in her family ever talked to her about sex. Craig was her first and, when Manny eventually asks him point blank if he used a condom, Craig says that he assumed she was on the pill. OH MY GOD! I just yelled it again.

After talking to Spike about what it was like when Spike got pregnant as a teenager, Manny finally takes a pregnancy test and gets a positive result. Manny is scared. Craig is overjoyed. The guy who can’t even handle putting on a condom just can’t wait to be a father!

More than anything, this episode is about the importance of sex education. Both Manny and Craig are about to deal with something that neither knows nothing about. Ironically enough, this episode did not air in America until 2006, a full two years after it aired in Canada. It was considered to be too controversial for America. In America, the people who actually needed to see this episode were not allowed to.

This is a two-parter. We’ll deal with the second part next week!

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 3.13 “This Charming Man”

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

If you’re a fan of the Emma Nelson death stare, this episode is for you. Emma spends the entire episode giving Sean the death stare.

Episode 3.13 “This Charming Man”

(Dir by Stefan Scaini, originally aired on December 10th, 2003)

Emma says she’s ready to move on from Sean, and for her, that means dating Chris (Daniel Keith Morrison). Chris is happy to finally be with Emma, but it soon becomes obvious that she’s not done being obsessed with Sean. Convinced that Sean and Jay are responsible for stealing both Snake’s laptop and the school’s DVD player, Emma tells Mr. Raditch that she and Chris saw Sean and Jay putting the DVD player into Jay’s car. When Sean learns he’s been fingered by an anonymous tipster, he figures out it was Emma. “You know I’m on probation!” he shouts at her. Raditch tells Sean to calm down. Sean tells Raditch to go to hell. Sean gets two months of morning detention, while Emma smiles.

This is a good example of how Emma is never really held responsible for any of her actions. The truth of the matter is that Jay and Sean are the ones stealing stuff from the school. However, Emma still lied about seeing Jay and Sean with the DVD player. Chris calls Emma out for lying and breaks up with her. After Emma apologizes to him (but not to Jay, Sean, or Mr. Raditch), Chris takes her back. Chris doesn’t seem too worried that Emma literally tried to send her last boyfriend to jail.

From the start of this season to her final appearance on the show, the perpetually self-righteous Emma really did become insufferable. Fortunately, this episode has an amusing B-plot in which Spinner, Paige, Hazel, and Jimmy all take driver’s education together. The problem is that their instructor, Mr. Falcone (Jim Thorburn), is a total hunk, and Paige gets so distracted by his presence in the car that she runs over several orange cones. Spinner, meanwhile, gets so jealous that when it’s his turn to drive, he runs over a cardboard cutout of a family trying to cross the road.

“Really, Spin!?” Paige says from the back seat. “A family!?”

Spinner then accidentally crashes into a parked car. No license for him!

Oh, this plot made me smile. I had such a hard time with driver’s ed, and it was mostly because the instructor wouldn’t stop talking. “Both hands on the steering wheel.” “Watch the road.” “You’re on the wrong side of the street.” “YIELD!” Bleh!

I actually came home from driving school in tears once. My mom immediately went down to the school and yelled at the instructor. Then the owner of the school rode with me to see if I was really as bad a driver as the instructor claimed. Her verdict was that I had a lazy eye, which I definitely don’t. Anyway, the important thing was that I eventually got my license and now I speed everywhere.

Where was I? Oh yeah, Degrassi. Emma’s the worst, but at least this episode featured some quality time with Paige and Spinner.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 3.9 “Against All Odds”

Posted on September 6, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, Emma and Manny go to a rave and have another big fight.

Episode 3.9 “Against All Odds”

(Dir by Stefan Scaini, originally aired on November 5th, 2003)

When Ms. Kwan asks Sean for his thoughts on Julius Caesar, he dismisses Shakespeare as someone who has no relevance to his life. Another student, Chris Sharpe (Daniel Morrison), speaks up and says he loved the play because it was all about betrayal. Ms. Kwan says she’s glad Chris got something out of it. Chris replies, “Unlike my friend Slim Shady over there, I actually read the play.”

That’s all it takes for Emma to decide that she’s in love.

Manny is super excited about the idea of attending a rave. (Woo hoo!) According to the flyer, the DJ is going to be DJ Jacob Sharpe, Chris’s cousin, who always lets Chris spin at least one set at every rave. Manny convinces Emma to come with her. She also convinces Emma to actually dress up. Emma puts on a blue top and a knee-length pink skirt and then worries that her modest outfit is going to make everyone look at her. Manny, who has fully embraced her new wardrobe of crop tops and visible thongs, tells her that the idea is to get people to look at her. Emma and Manny sneak out of Emma’s basement bedroom to go to the rave. As Emma explains it, she doesn’t want her mom to see her new outfit. Personally, I think it’s more probable that it was Amanda Stepto’s week off and the show’s producers needed an excuse for why Spike, for once, is not clinging to her daughter and demanding to be her best friend.

The rave is kind of lame, and Chris doesn’t really seem to be that great of a DJ, but he sure is excited to see Emma. He even forgives her after she trips over a wire and unplugs his sound system. The only problem is that Chris has a girlfriend, and Emma doesn’t believe in cheating. Manny, however, does believe in cheating, which is why she invites Craig to the rave and then abandons Emma, heads back to the Nelson/Simpson household, and ends up fooling around with Craig in the basement. When Emma finally arrives home (she had to take a cab), she stumbles in on Manny and Craig and, needless to say, she is not happy. Normally this is where I would make a joke about Emma never being happy, but for once Emma is kind of justified in being upset.

Meanwhile, Marco and Spinner go over to Jimmy’s apartment so they can study for an important test. Spinner is worried that Marco is going to hit on him, and then he’s offended when Marco informs him that he isn’t Marco’s type.

The next day, Spinner is ready for his test. Yay! However, Emma is not ready to forgive Manny. When Manny lets it slip that she and Craig have been cheating for a while, Emma accuses Manny of not caring that Craig is dating Ashley. Manny says she doesn’t want to be Emma’s friend anymore. She calls Emma a judgmental prude, and Manny isn’t wrong. Emma then replies that she’s not interested in being friends with the “school slut.”

OUCH!

Oh, this episode. There was a lot about it that left me cringing because it brought back a lot of memories of my own time in high school. (Let’s just say that I was very much aware of how to climb out of my second-story window and make it to the ground without breaking my ankle, and leave it at that.) On the one hand, Emma has every right to be upset over Manny ditching her at the rave and then using her basement as a place to hook up with Craig. On the other hand, from the very first episode of Degrassi, Emma has basically been ordering Manny around and freaking out anytime Manny showed the slightest hint of independence. (Remember when Emma threw a fit just because Manny wanted to join the Spirit Squad?) Emma has spent two and a half seasons giving people the Emma Nelson Death Stare, and Manny has every right to be tired of it. Emma continually demands to be allowed to live her own life and make her own decisions, but when Manny does the same thing, Emma calls her a slut. In the end, Emma’s the hypocrite here.

As for the Spinner/Jimmy/Marco storyline, it was cute. I like anything involving Spinner, and it always amuses me how, whenever anyone goes to Jimmy’s apartment, the show uses the exact same ominous establishing shot of a huge building set off a freeway. Jimmy’s parents are rich and they’re never around, and the inside of the apartment is always oddly dark, as if Jimmy is scared to turn on all the lights. In this episode, Jimmy spends most of his time watching an adult movie on his television. “Thank God for satellite!” he says, before adding, “You are looking at the future Mrs. Jimmy Brooks.” It’s one of those things that probably wouldn’t be memorable except for the fact that Jimmy is being played by Drake.

As for Chris, he’s a nice guy, but even in this episode it was already obvious that Emma was just using him as a substitute for Sean.

This was a good episode, but it ended on a dark note. Allow me to lighten things up by noting that the episode is named after a song by Phil Collins. The summer after I graduated from high school, my sisters and I took a trip to Europe. While we were in Switzerland, we stayed in a ski lodge. Our host told us that the chateau next door was rumored to belong to Phil Collins. That night, I went out on the balcony of my room and noticed that there was a light on in the chateau. At the top of my lungs, I started to sing, “Well, take a look at me now!” I wasn’t really sure how the whole song went, so I mostly just focused on the chorus and tossed in a few lyrics from “In the Air Tonight.” The light in the chateau went dark while I was singing. Did Phil Collins personally turn off the living room light while I was singing? I have no way of definitively saying, but .… yeah, I’m pretty sure he did.

Next week on Degrassi, Rick Murray shows his true colors and sets in motion a drama that won’t be resolved until halfway through the fourth season.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 3.1 “Father Figure: Part One”

Posted on July 12, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, we start season 3!

Episode 3.1 “Father Figure: Part 1”

(Dir by Bruce MacDonald, originally aired on September 17th, 2003)

The third and fourth seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation were Degrassi at its best so, over the upcoming year, we’ve got a lot to look forward to. Unfortunately, though, we have to start things off with some Emma drama.

The season premiere finds Emma in a bad mood. Yeah, that’s a shock, right? Emma was always in a bad mood. This time, she does have a somewhat legitimate grievance, even if, as usual, she seems to be totally unaware that other people have lives that don’t necessarily revolve around whatever she’s upset about at the moment. Her mother has always refused to tell Emma much about Shane McKay. Emma’s only memory of her father is visiting him in a clinic and Spike telling him that he couldn’t be a part of Emma’s life. Emma thinks that Shane was a doctor. Of course, all of us veteran Degrassi watchers know the truth. Shane McKay was a flakey high school student who suffered brain damage when he dropped acid and fell off a bridge.

Sean, quite sensibly, says that maybe Emma should just let it go for a bit, seeing as how she actually has a nice home and mother and stepfather who love her. (Emma often seems to forget that Sean has essentially been abandoned by his entire family.) Sean also points out that Spike is pregnant and doesn’t need the extra pressure of Emma constantly losing her temper. Realizing that Sean is making too much sense, Emma instead partners up with Craig and tracks down Shane. As the episode ends, she discovers that Shane (played by Jonathan Torrens) is living in an assisted living facility,

While all of that is going on, Paige is freaking out because of the location of her locker. Spinner makes a series of deals which leads to him eventually convincing new student Chris Sharpe (Daniel Keith Morrison) to trade lockers. Chris’s locker is located in Degrassi’s best hallway. Paige is happy about that. But the locker still looks old and dingy. Paige would rather have Jimmy’s locker. Good luck with that, Paige. Despite agreeing to set aside their differences at the last school dance, Jimmy is back to hating Spinner.

This episode also features the return of Caitlin Ryan, who comes back Toronto for Spike’s baby shower. (The creepy Farrell twins show up too. AGCK!) Caitlin meets Joey’s new girlfriend, realtor Sydney (Elisa Moolecherry). Before realizing who Sydney is, Caitlin rambles on about how she and Joey have such a complicated romantic history. This was the episode in which Caitlin was suddenly changed from being a level-headed professional woman to a neurotic klutz who continually got into awkward situations.

This is a two-part episode. We’ll conclude the story of Shane McKay next week!

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 2.22 “Tears Are Not Enough: Part Two”

Posted on June 28, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, the second season comes to an end.

Episode 2.22 “Tears Are Not Enough: Part Two”

(Dir by Philip Earnshaw, originally aired on February 23rd, 2003)

As would become a tradition on Degrassi, the season ends with a dance and a character having a breakdown.

In this case, the dance is Hawaiian-themed. And Craig is the one who has the breakdown, shortly after he and Ashley are named the King and Queen of Degrassi. When he thinks he spots his dead father in the back of the gym, Craig tries to talk to him. Unfortunately, the man turns out to just be a teacher and not the ghost of Craig’s abusive dad. Soon, Craig is ripping down streamers. Finally, Terri talks to Craig. She lost her mother so she understands what he’s going through. So, if nothing else, at least Terri finally got to do something this season.

Meanwhile, Spinner and Jimmy finally get over being mad at each other. They bond over getting defeated by Craig. Paige and Hazel are also dissappointed about not winning Queen of the Dance. The lesson here is that the sympathy vote rules and everyone felt sorry for Craig. Ashley was just along for the ride.

For a Degrassi season finale, this was something of a low-key affair. I get that the season began with Craig so it also had to end with him but it’s still hard not to feel a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing. Craig spends this episode going from one extreme to another. First, he acts like he doesn’t care that his father is dead. Then, he starts to laugh like a maniac at his father’s funeral. And then he ends up begging a stranger for his approval. Jake Epstein got a chance to show off what a good actor he is but still, it didn’t reveal much that we didn’t already know about Craig. Fortunately, us Degrassi fans know what’s waiting for everyone during seasons 3 and 4. We’re about to start peak Degrassi!

I’m taking next week off for the 4th of July so we will start on season 3 of Degrassi on July 12th.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 2.19 “Fight For Your Right”

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Oh no, Emma’s got a cause!

Episode 2.19 “Fight For Your Right”

(Dir by Chris Deacon, originally aired on February 2nd, 2003)

This episode is a good example of Emma being the worst.

Emma and Ashley approach Principal Raditch and tell him that they don’t want genetically modified foods in the cafeteria. Raditch tells them to buzz off, which is the right response when you consider that Raditch is probably just following the orders of the school board. Emma responds by standing outside the school and handing out flyers that announce that Sheila the lunch lady is “poisoning” the students with the food she’s serving.

Now, to me, this is the moment that Emma goes from being a young idealist to being arrogant brat. Sheila works for the school. She’s a lunch lady. I doubt she lives in a nice big house like Emma. Sheila probably needs the job. Emma is accusing Sheila of poisoning people. When Ellie sensibly points out that saving money with GM food — as opposed to the expensive organic crap that Emma wants the school to serve — allows Degrassi to give free meals to poor students, Emma accuses Ellie of not caring about the fact that the students might get cancer in 20 years. Principal Raditch finally comes out and tells Emma that she’s not allowed distribute “propaganda” on school property.

And again, it seems to me that Radtich is within his rights. Number one, why isn’t Emma in class? Number two, Emma is accusing a school employee of being a potential murderer. Number three, Emma is causing a disruption on school property.

The show disagrees with me. The show wants me to say, “Yay, Emma!” Even when Emma goes into the cafeteria and accidentally starts a food fight by knocking Toby and JT’s lunch on Jimmy, we are meant to be on Emma’s side. When Emma gets offended at Raditch’s insistence that she apologize to Sheila, we’re meant to be on her side. One thing that we don’t see is who gets stuck cleaning up the cafeteria after the food fight. I’m going to assume that it was probably the same Sheila that Emma accused of poisoning the students.

Emma is suspended for the day so she stands across the street and holds a sign, claiming that her right to free speech has been violated. Raditch tells Emma that if she doesn’t apologize on the next day’s video announcement, she’ll be suspended for a week.

At home, Emma asks Snake what she should do. Snake encourages her to …. NOT APOLOGIZE! Well, he doesn’t directly say that but he doesn’t say that she should apologize either. Snake, in case you had forgotten, is not only Emma’s teacher but also her stepfather. Spike is on a trip so he’s the only parent at home. Snake, at this point, should be saying, “This is a dumb protest and you should at least apologize to Sheila. No matter what else happens, you’re not getting your organic food in the cafeteria so there’s nothing to be accomplished with any of this.”

Instead, the next morning, Snake just sits there with a big dumbass grin on his face when Emma goes on the video announcements and refuses to apologize. Okay, Snake, do you think it’s cool that a school employee has been accused of poisoning the students? Oh, and Snake — are you the one who is going to call Spike to tell her that you got her daughter suspended from school for a week? Spike, who had to fight so hard for the right to go to school when she was pregnant with Emma, will certainly appreciate hearing that!

Seriously, Emma is the worst! But the only she’s the worst is because this show was convinced that she was the best. One gets the feeling that Emma’s character was a case wish-fulfillment for the show’s writers. Imagine a world where you can be obnoxious and self-righteous and everyone loves you for it!

There is a B-plot and, to be honest, it probably should have been the A-plot. Spinner, jealous that Jimmy’s parents buy him everything, steals Jimmy’s CD player and attempts to sell it. When Jimmy finds out, he overturns a trash can. Spinner takes a job at the cafeteria to earn money and gives Jimmy back the CD player.

“You are my best friend!” Spinner says.

“Was,” Jimmy replies.

Oh my God! Spinner and Jimmy, no! Actually, Spinner and Jimmy were always ending their friendship and then eventually restoring it. They’ll be fine. Still, their storyline was a lot more interesting than Emma’s latest crusade.

When in doubt, always focus on Spinner. That’s a lesson the writers should have taken to heart.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 2.18 “Dressed in Black”

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, Ashley is back with Jimmy. But for how long?

Episode 2.18 “Dressed in Black”

(Dir by Gavin Smith, originally aired on January 19th, 2003)

This episode of Degrassi features one of my favorite opening scenes. Ashley, in full goth mode, sings a depressing and rather overwrought song to Jimmy, who she is finally dating again. Jimmy listens and is obviously struggling to appear interested. After Ashley finishes, Jimmy tells her that it was a great song. Ashley asks him if he really understood it. Jimmy nods. Ashley says that she’s going to sing another one. Jimmy gets a panicked look on his face….

While Ellie has always been the character to whom I’ve related (we’re both reheads!), I have to admit that I was probably more like Ashley in high school. I wrote my share of emo poetry and I always made sure to ask my friends whether or not they got what I was truly trying to say. One reason why I would ask was that I really wasn’t sure what I was trying to say.

Anyway, this episode features Ashley and Jimmy back together for a short time. Unfortunately, Jimmy wants to bring back the old Ashley while Ashley wants to be the new Ashley. Ashley also has a pretty obvious crush on Craig, who captures her attention by discussing how Shakespeare was actually a misogynistic creep. For their English class, Jimmy and Hazel and Craig and Ashley are instructed to reinterpret Taming of the Shrew for a modern audience. Jimmy and Hazel come up with a silly love story, complete with Hazel doing a cheer. Craig and Ashley interpret the play as a harrowing portrait of domestic abuse.

At the end of the episode, Ashley gives Jimmy a poem and breaks up with him. I once did the same thing in high school. I still feel kind of bad about it. I worked way too hard to make it rhyme.

Meanwhile, after sitting through a sex ed class, Toby and JT buy condoms. Spinner finds out and, seeing as how Toby is dating Spinner’s adopted sister, he is not amused. Spinner tells Toby that there’s already too much pressure on young women to be sexually active. Wow, that’s a good message but also totally out-of-character for Spinner!

This storyline …. eh. Toby’s storylines were always kind of boring, largely because Toby never got to do much other than try to hide in the hallways. I’m glad he’s no longer pining over Emma but still, he’s not a particularly interesting character and the writers never seemed to really know what to do with either him or Kendra.

This episode is a lot more interesting if you know that Ashley and Craig are eventually going to become a couple and that Craig’s going to end up on the streets after trying to kill Joey during a manic episode. And let’s not even talk about the fact that Ashley is going to eventually steal Jimmy’s music and use it to launch her own career. As a stand-alone episode, it’s a bit blah but it definitely foreshadows the show that Degrassi is going to become.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi: The Next Generation 2.17 “Relax”

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, it’s all about uniforms and palms.

Episode 2.17 “Relax”

(Dir by Laurie Lynd, originally aired on August 8th, 2003)

Eh, it’s a Liberty episode.

Liberty is upset when she doesn’t make the girls’ hockey team. However, she is appointed to be their equipment manager and, as was always the case with Liberty, she immediately allows the least bit of power and responsibility to go to her head. Realizing that the girls need new uniforms, Liberty goes to Joey Jeremiah and asks him to sponsor them. Joey is willing …. except, he’s already sponsoring the boys’ team and he can’t afford to sponsor both. Liberty challenges the boys’ team to a game. The winner gets Joey’s sponsorship.

Needless to say, Coach Liberty (she puts on a cape to make sure everyone knows that she’s in charge) pushes the girls too hard and forgets that sports should be fun. At halftime, the girls tell Liberty that they’ll only continue playing if Liberty isn’t out on the court. Liberty agrees. The girls don’t win but Joey is so impressed with their determination that he sponsors them anyway. It would be nice to say that Liberty learns a lesson from all this but I’ve binged Degrassi enough times to know that Liberty never learns a lesson from anything.

Meanwhile, Terri freaks out when she misreads Paige’s palm and becomes convinced that Paige is going to die. Paige takes advantage of the situation. Good for Paige. Terri has never been particularly intelligent but this episode takes the proverbial cake.