Standing in the Dark (1)
Welcome to a new semester of Degrassi, where Lakehurst has just moved in.A-Plot: Peter wants to keep his relationship with Darcy secret, but she wants to go public. Thankfully, he sees things her way, but then Ms. Hatzilakos meets her parents who have no idea that they're dating and definitely don't approve. Then when Peter declares that he's not okay with abstinence, Darcy drowns her troubles at a party, where she blacks out and...
B-Plot: Toby is very vocal about being upset with all of the new students. This is a surprising change in tone for Toby, but an understandable one, since there's no way he's going to get over his best friend being killed.
Standing in the Dark (2)
A-Plot: Darcy wakes up naked with Peter and assumes that they had sex. She assumes they were drunk and made a horrible mistake. But Peter doesn't think they did anything. Or at least, he didn't do anything. Darcy does not want to hear this. And much like Paige's rape story-line, this is just the beginning of a downward spiral for Darcy.Like I mentioned in my thoughts for Shout, Darcy's situation was closer to my own and gives me all kinds of feelings. Girls, be careful at these large gatherings. Don't leave your drink unattended. Don't accept drinks from anyone. Just be careful.
B-Plot: Marco is desperately holding on to Dylan despite him being in Switzerland. Everyone realizes that it's not work, so Ellie tries to hook him up with Erik from the newspaper. Marco finds him attractive, but he really cannot let go of Dylan.
Love is a Battlefield
A-Plot: Paige gets a very demanding job as a fashion assistant. Meanwhile, Alex is just moping around and acting as Paige's chauffeur. At least until she gets high with Jay when Paige needs her. She also makes judgments about the job and Paige. Needless to say, this marks the end of Palex. For good. It breaks my heart. But Paige's ambition and Alex's more laid back approach to life just do not mesh.B-Plot: Damian and Manny give their relationship another try as Degrassi and Lakehurst merge. They're not the poster children of combining the two schools, but Damian thinks the school's clubs and sports need to stay separate. The two break up and joke about it being because he's black. Holly J overhears and makes Manny out to be a racist.
It's Tricky
A-Plot: Craig's album just dropped and he used one of Ashley's songs, but didn't mention her anywhere in the acknowledgments. Now, Ashley wants her time to shine so she starts up with music again, but with Jimmy at her side. But as we know, he's Drake, sooo...Once again, Ashley is looked at as backup.B-Plot: Mia and Holly J have to share a locker and they share a crush on Sav. Who isn't interested in either of them.
Death or Glory (1)
A-Plot: Violence at Degrassi is on the rise, and Spinner steps up to stop it. Then he and Jane are roped into joining the school's Peace Committee, but the first meeting is disrupted by a fight. Spinner breaks this one up too, but realizes that something might be wrong when he gets a weird pain in his pelvis. He goes to the doctor, but then avoids hearing the diagnosis. He does not want to hear the C-word.B-Plot: Darcy wants to stop her therapy sessions with Ms. Sauve, because she wants to move on with her life and forget what happened. No one thinks that's a good idea, especially when she starts acting out in class. Then she admits to Mr. Simpson that she was raped. But she isn't ready to talk about it yet. I totally identified here. It took me almost 6 months before I admitted it, to a teacher, then a counselor. I still haven't told my parents, and it's been 15 years.
Death or Glory (2)
A-Plot: Spinner doubts his ability to beat his cancer, since his dad couldn't. Things get even worse when Danny and Derek upload a video of him punching Johnny DiMarco, afraid he'll get expelled. He also pushes Jane away before they can even get anywhere. After getting his treatment plan, Spinner shaves his head, and then goes out to pick a fight Johnny.B-Plot: Marco is feeling lonely after dumping Dylan, but then their new roommate, Griffin, invites him to hang out. Marco then gets quite clingy until he realizes that he doesn't have to be alone. He buys a bunny.
"You can't beat cancer with your fists." --Jimmy Brooks
We Got the Beat
A-Plot: Manny is still at odds with her father. He wants her to participate in this debut, which she has no interest in. Then she gets into a little accident, and needs Jay to fix the car ASAP. This is the beginning of one of my most favorite couples, even if they never saw it coming! Manny wants to use Jay to terrify her parents, but they love him! Soon Manny will too.B-Plot: Jimmy desperately wants to walk and is excited about his and Ashley's music career. But Ashley was awful and cut him from the demo, upsetting Jimmy. But Jimmy realizes that Griffin just sees him a wheelchair bound rapper, rather than just a good rapper. He doesn't want people to look at him and only see the chair!
Jessie's Girl
A-Plot: Ellie is once again a pushover for a guy. But she wants to be taken seriously at the newspaper, and not because she's the editor's girlfriend. Lucky for her, Ellie has great connections: Caitlyn Ryan! Now Jessie feels threatened and turned on, as he hooks up with Caitlyn right before Ellie has to interview her. Ellie is willing to quit the paper to keep their relationship.B-Plot: We finally meet Anya, Holly J's sidekick. We've seen her several times, but she finally speaks! But Holly J tries to speak for her, while also belittling her, and mocking her dyslexia. Mia tries to befriend Anya and get her away from Holly J's cruelty. I always liked Anya right away. You can just tell how desperate she is in to fit in and be popular, but she's not like Holly J and the other girls at all. She's sweet and a nerd.
Hungry Eyes
A-Plot: Purple Dragon energy drink is sponsoring the school's badminton competition and is looking for a spokes-model. Emma tries out to infiltrate the enemy from the inside! Or to try something new to feel confident in her body. It also catches Damien eyes. And the whole school's eyes when Emma kicks her protest into high gear by...removing the dress. This plot could have easily gone in a different direction with Emma falling back into anorexia, instead she finds power within.B-Plot: Mia is still trying to hook Sav. In exchange for him giving her badminton lessons, she's going to give him kissing lessons. Too bad he wants to use those lessons on...Anya! They're too cute.
Pass the Dutchie
A-Plot: Spinner tells Jay that he has cancer and is going through chemo. Jay offers to get him some weed since the hospitals don't prescribe medical marijuana to teenagers. Weed may be the only thing that can get him through the school day so he can graduate this year. Or it might be the thing that holds him back. Spinner wants to live and he wants to keep that life on track.B-Plot: Paige is still working her fashion assistant job and is impatient for a promotion to more meaningful work. Until she walks out. The walks back in. Sometimes you have to suck it up and work your way up.
"Life's a prison." --Darcy Edwards
Owner of a Lonely Heart
A-Plot: Returning to Marco's loneliness, and his empty wallet. He starts hanging out a lot with this older guy who has a sugar daddy in Spain, and can't afford to keep up with that lifestyle. So Devon tries to hook Marco up with a "client" to make some quick cash. I think this is the only time Degrassi covered prostitution.B-Plot: Jay is pursuing Manny! Much happy squealing. Then her dad catches them making out and Manny says they were celebrating their engagement! I thought this happened later in the season, but yay! I love Janny!
Live to Tell
A-Plot: Darcy is finally free from detention, but not from her memories. She's struggling to keep her spark for life. She quits Spirit Squad, Peter dumps her, but she feels like she can talk to Mr. Simpson. Who she starts coming on to after Peter rejects her sexual advances. This episode is seriously intense. I'll always remember Darcy grabbing those scissors.B-Plot: Jimmy entered in a contest to design the new school logo. He's also trying to be more independent and nor rely on Ashley so much. Trina, from physio, even teaches him how to drive.
Bust a Move (1)
A-Plot: Manny is desperate to tour Smithsdale college with her friends, but her father won't let her take the car. Until Jay steps in with a story about his dying grandmother. He will do anything for that girl and she' just using him! Or she's in denial about her feelings. But at this point she just wants her freedom and pushes Jay away once she get what she wants. Jay is understandably angry and switches her demo video for their make-out session. But we all know Jay does have a conscience.B-Plot: Darcy's parents send her to a camp for troubled teens during Spring Break. Peter's also there, and Darcy uses the alone time to "start over" with Peter. The two have sex.
Bust a Move (2)
A-Plot: Manny is stressing abut her lack of demo reel, but Jay will stop at nothing to get to her and make this right. Even from jail. She blows the audition which is doubly bad since she showed up without a demo. But Jay will fix it! He has to fix it! He has to win Manny back! Even if he has to wine and dine a woman old enough to be his grandmother.B-Plot: Darcy and Peter are heading out to their solo treks in the woods with the other campers. And they make it! Darcy admits what happened to her and releases her feelings and arises like a phoenix!
Got My Mind Set On You
A-Plot: Danny, Derek, Peter and a Lakehurst girl named Rachel team up for a group project. Their topic? How to get girls. Oddly enough, Rachel seems to be into them. Or at least one of them. This episode's important point is racial profiling though. A surprising twist. It's a very real phenomenon.B-Plot: Emma is dealing with harassment from Darcy falsely accusing her step-dad of harassment. Damian to the rescue! He loans her a book! A guy after my own heart. And Emma's, of course. But she pushes too fast too soon by adopting them a dog. Cute idea, but a little strong.
Sweet Child O' Mine
A-Plot: Mia finally has her life on track, at least until her baby daddy tries to get back in the picture.B-Plot: Manny finds out that Jay gave her a real diamond for their fake engagement, which is now real. Jay tells her that his parents live in Malta, so she sells the ring to buy tickets. She wants to meet them since they're going to be family soon. Of course, she finds out that he lied. Dammit, Jay!
Talking In Your Sleep
A-Plot: It's time for Paige to redecorate. Her room and her love life. Griffin might be a good match for her, but he's scared to start something because he has HIV. They sleep together before he gets a chance to tell her and she finds out when she finds his pills. She jumps to conclusions about how he got it, and I loved how the show discusses this toward the end of the episode.B-Plot: Jane needs some girl friends, so Darcy invites her to the new archery club. But Jane sucks at keeping her mouth shut with things that should be secret.
Another Brick in the Wall
A-Plot: Mr. Simpson is cleared of all charges and can return to Degrassi. But he doesn't feel like he can. It's again up to Emma to get him to start living again rather than hiding in the house and fighting with her mom.B-Plot: Holly J is failing math and needs a tutor. Toby to the rescue! He needs help with DDR for gym, so Holly J offers to help him if he helps her. My favorite part of this episode? Toby rejecting the Queen Bee.
Broken Wings
A-Plot: Jimmy got into college! His dad also got him an internship with his law office. He also sees a guy from physio who had an experimental surgery and can now walk. Trina is about to go get it as well, making Jimmy hopeful that he'll walk again. But when Jimmy decides to stay home and turn in his application, he finds his dad with another woman. Cheating bastard! So he decided to stop living under his dad's thumb and goes for what he really wants.B-Plot: Darcy is spending time with her parents and tells Peter to call his friends. Peter has no friends, so he starts a band! Duh. He just needs a drummer, but Spinner is embarrassed to be seen with Danny and Sav. So...masks!
Ladies' Night
A-Plot: Anya wishes Sav and Holly J would get along. Holly J uses this to her advantage by telling Sav they should trade secrets to build trust. Sav asks for her advice, since his parents are going to set him up in an arranged marriage. Holly J uses this fun fact to come between the couple. Anya and Sav are smarter than Holly J gives them credit for, and realize what she's up to, so they set up her up to be ridiculed by the school. Holly J gets her revenge by ruining Anya's Freedom Fast.Holly J is sooo horrible! But since I know where her character arc is going and it's hard to believe this is how she started out. At least she's honest about why she's so mean to Anya.
B-Plot: Manny and Jay try to get her ring back from the pawn shop. Jay wants to simply break in, but Manny won't have it. But...Jay does what he wants, getting the ring back, and losing his girl.
Everything She Wants
A-Plot: Mia and Lucas are still going strong, but he starts getting into trouble again, and he makes it pretty clear that he doesn't want their daughter around. Then he throws a party while Mia and Isabelle are over and things get out of control. Mia's worst nightmare is realized when CPS gets involved.B-Plot: Sean is back from basic training! He's still with the Nelson-Simpsons until he deploys which is bringing up all kinds of emotions for Emma. And having noticed that Snake put on weight, he offers to train him and things go too far. This episode is way less emotional and interesting than it should have been, since we're basically seeing Sean for the last time before going to war.
Don't Stop Believin'
A-Plot: With Paige moving out, Marco and Ellie must find another roommate or find a new place to live. The primary objective of this episode is to show that it's possible to become codependent on your friends. Ellie and Marco have never been apart and it's about time they try having a little space. Especially when they get a bit too close one night. I never saw that one coming, and forgot that it had happened.B-Plot: Liberty and Damian are tied for valedictorian. Liberty finds it unjust since he's only been at Degrassi for one semester. The two go head to head for the title. Liberty was going to play dirty but was inspired by Damian being a gentleman.
"Cheating is in the heart." --Paige Michalchuk
If This is It
A-Plot: It's time for finals, and Spinner needs to ace his Physics project. But his mind is on the results of his chemo. And on his new band. He's terrified of the future and has no idea what to do. Luckily, he has his best friend to bail him out.Do all senior Physics classes do this noodle bridge project vs actual exam!? That's so weird. I opted to do neither, honestly. Well I took the exam, but just filled in random letters. I was so over high school.
B-Plot: Manny and Emma got into the same college! What's with the small envelopes? Those are rejections. and I know it's not a Canadian thing because Paige got a jumbo envelope from Banting. Anyway, Manny also got a role on the West Drive show! Does she live her dream of being an actress now, or go to college with her BFF?
"It's 4:20 somewhere, man!" --Random Dude
We Built This City
A-Plot: Liberty won a contest to have Natasha Bedingfield play at prom! She's also kicked up her flirting efforts with Damian and the two hookup at prom, despite him still dating Emma. However, Emma would rather keep Liberty as a friend as the two graduate. Enough fighting over boys!B-Plot: Peter and his mom need to move to be near her dying mother. Of course, he doesn't want to go. But his dad doesn't want him moving in with him either. The solution? Emancipation!
Degrassi Character Rankings
For this, I tried really hard to only use this Season and leave my future feelings out of it.- Darcy Edwards
- Spinner Mason
- Jay Hogart
- Manny Santos
- Anya McPherson
- Holly J. Sinclair
- Damian Hayes
- Jimmy Brooks
- Mia Jones
- Jane Vaughn
- Ashley Kerwin
- Peter Stone
- Ellie Nash
- Paige Michalchuk
- Alex Nunez
- Emma Nelson
- Liberty van Zandt
- Marco del Rossi
- Toby Isaacs
- Danny van Zandt
- Sav Bhandari
- Derek Haig
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