Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.11 “Taking Off: Part One”

Posted on October 6, 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!

This week, Degrassi goes there!

Episode 3.11 “Taking Off: Part One”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on February 13th, 1989)

Gourmet Scum has come to Toronto and everyone is excited to hear the Scum sound. At the concert, Shane and Luke (Andy Chambers) purchase LSD from the local Scum dug dealer. Shane drops acid before the concert begins. Surely, this won’t lead to any trouble, right?

Meanwhile, Wheels is still skipping school. While his teachers send notes to his grandmother to let her know that Wheels is falling behind, Wheels is spending all of his time playing a boxing video game at the local arcade. When Joey asks Wheels how can afford to spend all day playing one game over and over again, Wheels says that he sold his bass.

“What about the Zit Remedy?!” Joey says.

Sorry, Joey, Wheels doesn’t care about school or your stupid band anymore. In fact, Wheels is planning on running away from home. When he gets a birthday postcard from his biological father, Wheels discovers his father’s band has a two-week gig at Port Hope. Wheels decides to join his father, despite not being sure where New Hope is. In fact, it’s not even Wheels’s birthday. His birth father missed the date by about a month but Wheels doesn’t care. Wheels just wants to get away from everything.

How is Wheels going to get to New Hope? He decides to hitchhike! Uhmm …. not a good idea, Wheels. Actually, everyone who picks up Wheels seems to be pretty nice. That is until this guy pulls up….

“Don’t do it!” I shouted as Wheels got in the car. Unfortunately, as this all happened 35 years ago and I was just watching it play out on YouTube, Wheels couldn’t hear me.

As they drive towards what Wheels assumes is Port Hope, the driver (chillingly played by James Knapp) asks Wheels if he has a lot of girlfriends. He asks Wheels if he works out. He asks a lot of questions that immediately raise red flags. Not that Wheels notices….

Suddenly, the driver pulls off the road, turns to Wheels, and grabs Wheels’s thigh. AGCK! Wheels manages to get the door open and scrambles out of the car. The driver throws Wheels’s backpack out of the car and then drives off, leaving Wheels in the middle of nowhere.

Meanwhile, back in Toronto, Joey’s mother tells Joey that Shane’s mother has been calling because Shane didn’t come home after the concert. Soon, the police are talking to all of Shane’s friends and trying to figure out where he could be. Luke is asked whether Shane did any drugs. Luke lies and says, “No.”

This was a classic Degrassi episode and probably one of the most effective anti-hitchhiking PSAs ever filmed. When the driver attacked Wheels, it was a truly frightening moment and it was impossible not to remember all of the times, over the course of this season, that Wheels has bragged about his ability to take care of himself. Now, Wheels is stuck in the middle of nowhere and Shane, who didn’t pay child support specifically so he could go to the concert, is missing.

Never has “To be continued….” felt more ominous.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.10 “Twenty Bucks”

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, everyone needs some money. Gourmet Scum is coming.

Episode 3.10 “Twenty Bucks”

(Dir by John Bertram, originally aired on February 6th, 1989)

To quote the Zit Remedy, everybody wants something they’ll never give up. In this week’s episode, everyone wants twenty bucks.

That’s how much it costs to buy a ticket to see Gourmet Scum, Canada’s hottest band. Melanie, who has gotten her braces taken off and who is finally feeling confident about herself (Hey, I’ve been there!), has been invited to the concert by Snake. There’s just one catch. Melanie has to pay for her own ticket. When Melanie asks her mom for the money, Melanie’s mom says that she can’t spare twenty dollars. Not with the cost of groceries! (Hell, try living in 2024.)

Melanie decides to steal twenty dollars from her mom’s purse. Melanie justifies it by assuming that she’ll get paid twenty dollars for her next babysitting job and she’ll be able to pay her mom back as a result. Melanie steals the money and buys the ticket. However, her weekend babysitting job is canceled. Without the twenty dollars, Melanie’s mom will only be able to make chili until her next payday. A guilt-ridden Melanie finally confesses to stealing from her mom. Her mom promptly grounds Melanie, meaning no concert and probably no chili either.

Snake, when he hears Melanie can’t go to the concert with him, decides that he doesn’t want to go to the concert either. Awwww! Snake and Melanie are cute together but, those of us who have seen Degrassi: The Next Generation, know that Snake is ultimately going to marry ….. well, I won’t spoil it.

Meanwhile, Spike is upset because Shane has told her that he’s broke and won’t be able to pay her any child support. Why is Shane broke? Because he used his last twenty dollars to buy a ticket to Gourmet Scum!

Finally, Joey makes a twenty-dollar bet with BLT (Dayo Ade). (Yes, the character’s nickname is BLT.) BLT bets that Joey can’t get a date for Friday night. Joey asks and is turned down by almost every girl at school. Even the Farrell twins turn him down! (Seriously, how much of a loser do you have to be to actually get turned down by a Farrell?) Finally, he asks the girl that he really likes (but who he fears no longer likes him), Caitlin. Caitlin says yes. Awwwww! Unfortunately, BLT pays Joey right in front of Caitlin. In order to prove that he didn’t ask Caitlin out just for the money, Joey proceeds to rip up the twenty dollar bill. (Keep in mind, it’s a Canadian twenty so he probably just ripped up the equivalent of an American dollar.)

I enjoyed this episode. It deftly balanced several storylines but it also set up a few big developments that we’ll talk about next week. Joey and Caitlin are a cute couple and so are Melanie and Snake. As for Shane and Spike …. well, like I said, we’ll talk about it next week.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.9 “Food For Thought”

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, everyone’s thinking about food.

Episode 3.9 “Food For Thought”

(Dir by Eleanore Lindo and Kit Hood, originally aired on January 30th, 1989)

The science fair is coming up and the Farrell twins are doing their project on eating disorders. One of them, I think it’s Heather, is convinced that everyone at Degrassi has an eating disorder. She even speculates that Lucy has an eating disorder, even though Lucy explains that it’s a combination of exercise and her metabolism that allow her to remain thin. “Some people are just thin,” the other twin says and that’s an important thing to remember. Not every skinny girl has an eating disorder and assuming that they do can be very harmful to their self-image.

Alexa worries that she’s fat. After she asks Simon if she’s fat, Simon stupidly says, “I don’t know.” (Simon isn’t very smart.) Alexa asks the Farrell twins if it’s possible to just be anorexic for a week. To Alexa, that sounds like a much better way to lose weight than to exercise.

Meanwhile, the person who actually does have an eating disorder — Kathleen — is left to struggle alone. Kathleen is the girl who always has to be the first to raise her hand with the answer in class. She has to be the first to get involved with every school project She always has to be the first to tell everyone else why they’re wrong. Kathleen is a bossy perfectionist who insists that she doesn’t need anyone’s help. As a result, Kathleen is not particularly popular. Melanie is Kathleen’s only friend, largely because Melanie is one of the few people to understand that Kathleen’s home life sucks. Her father is always working and her mother is an alcoholic. Kathleen wants to win the science fair so her parents will be proud of her and maybe they’ll stop fighting for a few minutes.

Along with everything else, Kathleen is bulimic. Despite already being thin, Kathleen is skipping meals and throwing up whatever she eats during the day. She’s also taking laxatives. (Ew!) Melanie, sensing that something is wrong with Kathleen, takes a look at Kathleen’s diary while Kathleen is busy throwing up. Melanie discovers that Kathleen is obsessed with losing ten pounds by the end of the week.

Needless to say, it all catches up with Kathleen. After only receiving honorable mention in the science fair, Kathleen faints in the school hallway. (It’s really not a show about an eating disorder until someone faints.) What sets this episode apart from the typical episode about an eating disorder is that, even after she faints, Kathleen refuses to admit that she has a problem. The episode ends with Kathleen refusing to listen as Melania tries to convince her that she needs to get help. It’s a dark ending but it’s also a realistic one. Problems are never as easily solved as television would have you believe.

This episode was an example of what Degrassi does so well. Kathleen, a character who most shows would simply portray as being a one-dimensional bitch, is revealed to be suffering more than perhaps any of the other regular characters. Instead of treating her like a joke or a stereotype, this episode invites us to consider why Kathleen acts the way that she does. For all the well-intentioned students at Degrassi, the classmate who needs them the most is left to suffer in isolation.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.8 “Star-Crossed”

Posted on September 15, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week …. oh, it’s just another episode about the Farrell twins.

Episode 3.8 “Star-Crossed”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on January 23rd, 1989)

Hey, it’s another episode where the Farrell twins switch places!

This time, it’s because Erica has a crush on Clutch (Steve Bedernjak) but, because Erica is too shy to ask herself, Heather is the one who ends up asking Clutch’s friends about Clutch’s “star sign.” (He’s a Virgo, by the way.) Clutch hears that Heather was asking about him and he asks Heather if she wants to go on a date with him. Erica is disappointed but then she and Heather decide to switch places. As Heather, Erica goes with Clutch to the school’s big Bowl-a-rama. Later the real Heather shows up and switches places with Erica. It’s all a bit confusing and annoying but, in the end, it really doesn’t matter because Clutch was only talking to the twins so that he could get close to their friend, Lucy.

(Lucy previously dated Clutch’s best friend. That relationship didn’t end well but apparently, Clutch is not a very good friend. Actually, Lucy doesn’t appear to be a very good friend either. Lucy has kind of taken Stephanie Kaye’s place as the spoiled girl with no self-awareness.)

(As for someone using the twins as a way to get close to another girl, this seems to happen quite often with the Farrell twins. Frankly, the twins are kind of creepy with the way that they’re always looking up and staring at the exact same time. They give off definite Village of the Damned vibes.)

Meanwhile, Wheels is finally coming out his shell and even agrees to go to the Bowl-a-rama with Joey and Snake. But then a random bully makes the mistake of pushing Wheels and then suggesting that Wheels go home and “cry to mommy and daddy about it.” Wheels snaps and attacks the bully. As a result, Wheels ends up not only getting suspended but grounded as well. It sucks to be Wheels but, as fans of the entire franchise know, this is nothing compared to the bad stuff that’s waiting right around the corner for him.

Finally, at the Bowl-a-rama, Simon and Alexa get back together. I didn’t even remember that they had broken up but no matter. They’re a cute couple. As Simon and Alexa pass the depressed Farrell twins, Alexa says, “I love a happy ending, don’t you?” Alexa’s the greatest character ever.

This episode felt a bit inconsequential, as episodes that focus on the Farrell twins tend to be. There’s really not much that can be done with the Farrell twins, beyond having them switch places and occasionally get mad when people can’t tell them apart. Still, at least Simon and Alexa got back together. I love a happy ending.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.7 “The Whole Truth”

Posted on September 8, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Finally, it’s time to wake up in the morning and return to Degrassi….

Episode 3.7 “The Whole Truth”

(Dir by Eleanore Lindo, originally aired on January 16th, 1989)

Caitlin is super-excited! She is the editor of the Degrassi Digest and she is convinced that the upcoming edition will be the best ever. The only problem is that Kathleen has written an editorial in favor a school dress code. Caitlin doesn’t want to publish Kathleen’s article but what could she replace it with?

When Caitlin sees that Liz and Spike are putting up posters featuring a monkey being tortured, she asks them what’s going on. Liz explains that there’s a big animal rights protest march coming up. Caitlin asks Liz to write an article about it but Liz says she doesn’t like to write. Instead, she invites Caitlin over to her house and shows Caitlin several grotesque videos of different animals being experiment edupon. Caitlin writes an editorial calling for the Degrassi student body to boycott any company that tests on animals.

Woo hoo! Way to go, Caitlin, right? Well, not quite. Kathleen is not happy that her editorial was cut. She informs Caitlin that a lot of important medical breakthroughs were the result of scientists testing on animals. Caitlin does some research and discovers that some animal research has to do with treating neurological conditions, like epilepsy. Being an epileptic, Caitlin no longer feels that she can go to the protest march with Liz and Spike. Liz accuses Caitlin of not caring about animals. Meanwhile, one of Caitlin’s assistant editors resigns from the Digest because her father works for a company that tests on animals.

And so, Caitlin learns that there are two sides to every story! Of course, that’s a lesson that Caitlin will have forgotten by the time Degrassi: The Next Generation rolls around but we’ll get to that later.

While Caitlin learns an important lesson about journalism, Joey continues to try to get someone at CRAZ-E radio to listen to the Zit Remedy demo tape. He even get a job working at the place as a janitor. He does such bad job that he gets fired after three days. But radio sex therapist Dr. Sally (Sue Johanson) listens to the tape and tells Joey that he’s very talented. Joey is super-excited. As for the other Zits, Snake seems to be largely indifferent and Wheels is still too depressed to care about anything.

Finally, Scooter and Bart order some “sea monkeys” from the back of a comic book and are shocked to discover that the ad was rip-off. I understand that Scooter and Bart were probably added to the show so that it could still appeal to kids even as the main cast became teenagers. But seriously, Degrassi Junior High is a show that deals with teen pregnancy, drugs, eating disorders, journalistic ethics, and family conflict. Nobody has time for any of this sea monkey nonsense.

Despite the sea monkeys, I thought this was a pretty good episode. Caitlin’s shock upon discovering that an issue was more complicated than just right or wrong was something to which I could relate. That there are two sides to every story may sound like a simple lesson but it’s one that people often need to be reminded of, perhaps now more than ever. As for Joey, my heart broke for him in this episode. He really doesn’t seem to get that his friends just aren’t as enthusiastic about the band as he is. Poor guy.

Next week, it appears that the episode will be about the Farrell Twins, who are my least favorite characters on the show. Oh well. I know I can make it through.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.6 “He Ain’t Heavy”

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Finally, it’s time to return to Degrassi!

Episode 3.6 “He Ain’t Heavy”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on January 9th, 1989)

Snake’s older brother Glenn (Montgomery Randal) is a Degrassi legend, a star football and basketball player who graduated at the top of his class and who is now attending medical school on a full scholarship. When Glenn unexpectedly returns to Toronto, Snake is confused.

Glenn explains that he’s come home to tell his parent that he’s moving out of the dorms and getting an apartment with someone with whom he has become very close.

Snake laughs about Glenn moving in with a girlfriend.

No, Glenn says, my new roommate is gay.

Yuck, Snake (who, we should remember, is only 14) replies, why do you want to move in with one of them?

I am gay, Glenn replies.

This episode is a huge moment in Degrassi history, because it’s the first episode to deal with someone coming out. (Coming out episodes would eventually become a regular occurrence on Degrassi: The Next Generation, to the extent that they would actually become a bit of a cliche.) Though not a regular character, Glenn is the first person on Degrassi to come out and the episode focuses on Snake’s reaction to his brother being gay. It’s to the show’s credit that Snake does not have the ideal reaction that one would hope to have. While the show clearly supports Glenn and portrays him sympathetically, it doesn’t lose sight of the fact that Snake is a 14 year-old boy growing up during a very homophobic time and it portrays his reaction realistically, showing how even a “nice guy” like Snake has his own prejudices, though in his case his prejudices are largely due to peer pressure and growing up in a society and an era that portrays people like his brother to be somehow a threat. (Early on in the show, Snake and his classmates snicker as their teacher attempts to educate them about AIDS.) Of course, those of us who are longtime Degrassi fans know that Snake is going to grow up to be a level-headed and open-minded and tolerant adult and this episode offers up hints of the man who Snake is destined to be. Snake may be 14 years old and he has a lot of growing to do but even he realizes that it took a lot of courage for Glenn to come out and that their mother’s reaction is even worse than Snake’s. The episode ends with Glenn telling Snake that he won’t be returning home until he feels his family has accepted him. Snake may not be where he needs to be but, by the end of the episode, one can see that he’s changing and maturing.

This episode was dominated by Snake and Glenn’s storyline and Stefan Brogren’s sensitive performance as Snake. That said, there were three minor subplots that played out over the course of this episode. Joey desperately tried to get the program manager of CRA-Z Radio to listen to the Zit Remedy’s demo tape and discovered that it takes a lot more than desire to be a rock star. While that was going on, L.D. refused to be Lucy’s friend until Lucy shamed her ex-boyfriend into admitting that they didn’t have sex at Lucy’s last party. (Like it’s any of L.D.’s business, quite frankly.) And Arthur freaked out because a bunch of younger students asked him if he was rich. “Who could be telling everyone we won the lottery?” Arthur asks Yick. Uhmm, Arthur …. remember your cousin, who goes to Degrassi and is a year under you? Seriously, Arthur gets the worst storylines.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.5 “Loves Me, Loves Me Not”

Posted on May 19, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week’s episode broke my heart.

Episode 3.5 “Loves Me, Loves Me Not”

(Dir by John Bertram, originally aired on November 28th, 1988)

Oh my God, this episode! This episode had me cringing with second-hand pain. As you can probably guess from the title, this week’s episode is all about crushes and we all know how painful a middle school crush can be. Still, even with all that knowledge, nothing prepared me for the pain of this episode….

Of the three main storylines, the simplest features Yick noticing that Arthur’s cousin, Dorothy, keeps staring at him. Arthur looks away from the business page long enough to tell Yick that Dorothy has a crush on him and goes on to explain that Dorothy is strange. Yick looks concerned.

Meanwhile, Michelle has developed a crush on BLT (Dayo Ade). Michelle goes to Alexa for advice because Alexa has been dating Simon for nearly a year and that makes Alexa and Simon the most stable couple at Degrassi. Alexa suggests that Michelle come hang out with her, Simon, and BLT. Michelle agrees but it turns out that BLT would rather talk to Alexa. Alexa tells Michelle that Michelle doesn’t really have much in common with BLT. In fact, Alexa seems to really like BLT, despite the fact that she’s dating Simon. Simon, as usual, seems to be a bit confused by the whole thing.

Finally, Caitlin has a crush on Joey. Both Caitlin and Joey are students in Mr. Raditch’s class. Caitlin, who now has the blonde streak in her hair that would be her trademark for the rest of the original Degrassi series, is the best student in the class. Joey, who is repeating the 8th Grade, is still struggling. Caitlin has such a crush on Joey that she even buys the Zit Remedy demo tape and starts listening to Everybody Wants Something over and over again.

When Mr. Raditch assigns the class to watch and review a movie, Caitlin asks Joey to be her partner. Joey is totally excited because Caitlin is smart and Joey feels that he’s dumb. Caitlin and Joey go to see Teen Academy 4. (Apparently, Teen Academy is a forerunner to the Clown Academy films that everyone was always going to see in Degrassi: The Next Generation). Joey thinks the film was funny. Caitlin thinks the film was sexist. For their presentation, they both give their own opinion and playfully debate the merits of the film. Awww, what a cute couple! And hey, the school dance is coming up!

For the dance, Caitlin — who says she’s never had a boyfriend or been on a date before, which I’m sure would be news to Rick Munro — gets a pretty black dress and gets all made yo. She arrives shortly before Joey. When Joey walks into the gym, he walks over to Caitlin, smiles, and says, “Hey, Caitlin, have you seen Liz?”

AGCK!

SERIOUSLY, THE PAIN!

JOEY!!! — Liz doesn’t even like you!

When we next see Caitlin, she’s crying, wiping her makeup, and throwing away her demo tape. Poor Caitlin! I mean, if you’ve watched Degrassi — The Next Generation, you know that Joey and Caitlin are eventually going to get back together (they’re actually going to get back together several times), but it’s still painful to watch her face when she realizes that Joey is still interested in Liz. My heart broke for her. I mean, Caitlin’s hair is a hundred times prettier than Liz’s! There’s no way Liz could pull off a blonde streak.

The next day, an oblivious Joey is surprised to discover that Caitlin is upset with him and no longer wants to help him out with his classes. “I thought you liked me,” Joey says, right before the end credits roll. (To be clear, clueless Joey means “like” as in friendship.) Poor Caitlin. I can see where this is probably going to lead, with Caitlin doing Joey’s homework while Joey asks for advice about Liz.

This was a powerful episode, one that I think anyone could relate to. Pat Mastroianni and Stacie Mistysyn both gave strong and likable performances and the show deserves a lot credit for realistically portraying their relationship. I think everyone has been Caitlin at some point in their life. Don’t worry, Caitlin — it’s going to get better!

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.4 “Season’s Greetings”

Posted on May 12, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, Arthur and Yick experience memories of the way they were.

Episode 3.4 “Season’s Greetings”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on December 12th, 1988)

It’s Christmas time!

In the school cafeteria, the students have gathered for lunch and gift-exchanging. For the first time, Spike brings baby Emma to school and Shane finally sees his daughter. Meanwhile, Snake and Joey talk to Wheels, who is facing his first Christmas without his adopted parents. Joey invites Wheels to spend Christmas at his house. Wheels replies that he’s going to be spending Christmas with his grandparents and a social worker. Yikes!

Unfortunately, those interesting storylines are only given a few minutes of screentime. Instead, the majority of this episode is about Yick thinking that Arthur has let being rich go to his head. The two exchange presents but then refuse to open them. Arthur’s annoying cousin Dorothy (Annabelle Waugh) encourages them get over being mad by reminding them of all of their previous adventures….

Yep, it’s a clip show. There’s Arthur meeting Yick for the first time! There’s Yick trying out for basketball! There’s Arthur giving Yick one of Stephanie’s old term papers! Most of the clips come from the first season and they’re interesting as a reminder of the fact that, when this show started, Arthur and Yick were at the center of almost every first season episode. Of course, eventually, Arthur and Yick would both be pushed to the side by characters like Spike, Caitlin, Joey, Snake, and Wheels. Even in this episode, it’s hard not to notice that,while Yick and Arthur are remembering the past, Spike and Wheels are the one dealing with present storylines.

After remembering the past, Arthur and Yick decide to remain friends. Good for them! Upon opening the presents, Arthur discovers that Yick got him an expensive calculator while Yick gets an extremely cheap band that he can use to keep his glasses from sliding off his face. Seriously, Arthur? You’re the richest kid in school and you only spent three dollars on your best friend’s Christmas present? No wonder Yick was mad!

Clip shows are difficult to review. This episode was about showing clips and that’s what it did so I guess it accomplished its goal. But I’m still looking forward to reviewing a real episode next week.

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.3 “A Big Girl Now”

Posted on May 5, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

This week, Lucy learns that she has the worst friends in the world.

Episode 3.3 “A Big Girl Now”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on December 5th, 1988)

Lucy is totally in love with Paul, her older boyfriend from the high school. At first, all of her friends are excited for her but then Lucy stops spending time with them and they start to get jealous. When Lucy misses L.D.’s big soccer game because she already has plans with Paul, Lucy promises to make it up to L.D. and everyone else by letting them have a party at her house.

But then Paul and his high school friends discover that Lucy’s parents are out of town and they decide that they should throw a party of their own. And when they announce that they don’t want any “niners” other than Lucy at the party, Lucy agrees to lie to her friends. She tells them that the party’s been cancelled because of a family crisis.

Needless to say, both L.D. and the Farrell twins discover that Lucy lied to them. (It doesn’t help that Paul and his friends chant, “Party! Party!” when they pull up in front of Degrassi.) Lucy loses their friendship and, because she doesn’t want to have sex and risk getting pregnant like Spike did, Lucy also loses her boyfriend. What she does get is a “reputation” because everyone assumes she had sex with Paul even though she didn’t.

Poor Lucy! Listen, Lucy should not have lied about the party. And Paul really was a jerk. But her friends need to cut Lucy some slack. Lucy’s parents are never home, she’s still dealing with the trauma of being groomed by that creepy substitute last season, and she’s not even allowed to shoplift anymore. So, Lucy made some mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes!

Why can’t Lucy’s friends be as forgiving as Wheels? During this episode, Snake finally approaches Wheels and apologizes for not talking to him since the funeral for Wheels’s parents. Snake admits that he didn’t know what to say and Wheels admits that he’s struggling with depression. Wheels explains that he no longer wants to go to school and he certainly doesn’t want to be a part of the Zit Remedy. Still, Wheels is clearly touched by Snake’s apology. Both Neil Hope and Stefan Brogren did a good job of portraying the combination of awkwardness and sincerity that lies at the heart of their friendship.

.Finally, the results of the student election are announced. To the surprise of no one, Nancy Kramer defeats Kathleen for student council president. Kathleen becomes Vice President. Melanie begs Kathleen to nominate her for the dance committee. Kathleen, however, tells Nancy that only niners (and Melanie is not a niner) should be allowed to serve on a committee. Melanie overhears and proceeds to pour a carton of milk in Kathleen’s hair. Poor Kathleen! Seriously, ladies, be more like Snake and Wheels and support each other!

This episode felt like it was setting up a lot of future storylines. Will Lucy get her friends back? Will Wheels ever regain his love of life? Will Kathleen be able to get all the milk out of her hair? We’ll find out next week!

Late Night Retro Television Review: Degrassi Junior High 3.2 “Can’t Live With ‘Em: Part 2”

Posted on April 28, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The tragedy of Wheels continues.

Episode 3.2 “Can’t Live With ‘Em: Part Two”

(Dir by Kit Hood, originally aired on November 28th, 1988)

What a sad episode!

Much as with the previous episode, several storylines play out over the course of this episode. For the most part, this episode is all about setting up the rest of the season. Among the things that happen:

Lucy starts to hang out with Paul (Michael Blake), a student at Borden High and she stops hanging out with her best friend, L.D.

Arthur, who has taken to wearing a white scarf to school, finally admits to Yick that his family is rich and that he has been buying and selling stock in a company called Repco. Yick responds by demanding that Arthur pay for their food when they go to the local diner.

Shane hears Spike talking to Liz about how much she misses having free time. As soon as Spike gets home from school, she has to look after baby Emma while Spike’s mother goes to work. Shane approaches Spike and says that he knows that she doesn’t want to talk to him but he’s still going to give her half of his allowance and get a part-time job to help her pay for a babysitter for Emma.

Nancy and Kathleen are still running for school president and getting aggressive in their campaigning. Kathleen confesses to Melanie that she’s scared she’s going to lose. Melanie points out that, even if she does come in second, Kathleen will still be Vice President. Kathleen replies that she doesn’t want to be the second-in-command. She wants it all.

(Kathleen is rarely portrayed sympathetically on this show but I totally related to how she felt.)

Scooter and Bartholomew Bond debate whether Superman is better than Spider-Man.

Even with all that going on, this episode is dominated by Wheels. Last week, Wheels was informed that his parents had been killed by a drunk driver. This week found him struggling with anger, depression, and survivor’s guilt. He was supposed to be with his parents when they were going to the movies and if had gone with them instead of sneaking out to Joey’s house, Wheels probably would have died with his parents. Wheels is haunted by a nightmare in which he wakes up to find his parents coming home from the movies.

“I thought you were dead!” Wheels says.

“We are,” his mother replies.

Wheels doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Wheels is only 14 so living on his own is not an option. His grandmother and grandfather live miles away so if Wheels goes to live with them, it’ll mean abandoning his entire life in Toronto but that might be better than having to enter the foster system.

When Wheels returns to school, no one knows how to talk to him. Not even Snake is willing to approach him. Only Joey tries to talk to Wheels. The first time, Joey hands Wheels the demo tape that they made for the Zit Remedy. Wheels breaks the tape. The next time that Joey approaches Wheels, Wheels beats him up in the school hallway. Joey — and this is why everyone loves him — doesn’t get angry at Wheels. When Wheels finally approaches him and apologizes, Joey tells Wheels that he can beat him up whenever he needs to.

“I’m scared,” Wheels says.

Joey hugs him as the end credits role.

Awwwwwww!

This episode was Degrassi at its best, offering a lot of heartfelt emotions but no easy solutions. Neil Hope (who had lost his own father right before shooting this episode) gives a heart-breaking performance as Wheels and Pat Mastroianni reminds us that, underneath Joey’s bluster, he’s a good person who truly cares about his friends. Just as with last week, this episode is even more tragic if you know what’s destined to happen to the characters later on in the series. For now, though, I’m just going to be happy that Wheels had a friend like Joey.