"Family Politics"

"Family Politics"
aka, "Toby and Ashley have stepsibling rivalry"
Episode 3, Season 1
Original Air Date: 11/4/2001
Main Storyline Character: Toby Isaacs and Ashley Kerwin


We open on Ashley, chatting it up with Terri on the phone. "It's gonna be the best year ever!" Ashley says, repeating the likes of every teenager in every teen movie about high school ever. First step, though, is to get Terri a boyfriend. We all know how girls need to be validated by a man! We don't hear Terri's end of the line, but it sounds like she has doubts judging by Ashley's responses.

And the camera pans out to show that Ashley is coloring in some very glittery posters, because we all know more sparkle=more votes. "I am NOT a shoe-in!" Ashley says, clearly thinking she is a shoe-in. I feel like even if you didn't already watch this show, you'd know that Ashley's a popular girl. Loving high school? Running for class prez and thinking she's a shoe-in? Sounds like a popular girl to me.

Ashley hangs up with Terri and waltzes over to the bathroom where the door is shut. Ugh, annoying little brother Toby is in there! Because annoying little brothers are ALWAYS hogging the bathrooms when their teen sisters need to shower and do their hair! It's clear they are actually step-siblings by Toby's response: "How did you know it was me? Could be YOUR mom or MY dad!" Oh I get it. Family politics! Family AND politics? Guys, this episode is totally gonna be about her family politics AND school politics! Tropes are ALL OVER THIS EPISODE!



Toby is STILL brushing his teeth and pissing off Ashley, who is actually pretty calm and gives a very presidential speech to Toby about leaving the bathroom so she can shower and go to school to hang up her posters. "A generous attitude makes for a generous family." Ashley acts so regal. As annoying as little bros must be, I'd say an older Ashley sis would be super annoying, too. Toby catches a glance at Ashley's bra hanging over the shower curtain rod and makes a smirk. Ashley again begs him through the door to leave. He says he will if she says "please" and that "Toby Isaacs is the coolest kid at Degrassi." I dunno, just because you say it doesn't make it become the truth. She begs again to get inside, that she has to get something. Toby smiles at the bra again, "Get WHAT?! Your hairbrush, your eyeliner, your..." he opens the door wearing her bra over his shirt, "TRAINING BRA!?!?!?!?" Ashley screams for her mom. Ugh, brothers! HA. HA. HAHA.

Outside of Degrassi, Toby is venting to JT about how he just wanted to brush his teeth this morning with some peace and quiet, but Ashley was totally cramping his style. Also cramping his style is having Ashley around, period, because he's clearly not getting used to moving in to Ashley and her mom's house. JT and Toby then enter the school, ready for the first day of junior high. LET'S DO THIS!

Terri and Ashley are in the hallway chatting about the same thing. Ashley keeps talking about their family psychiatrist and how Toby and Ashley just "need to work together like siblings." Clearly Dr. Friedman doesn't know siblings, because working together with my brother means fighting him for the remote just to change the channel. Ashley's happy that her mom is happy and she enjoys her new stepdad, but Toby is just so annoying, like a mosquito that keeps buzzing in your ear. I do like that Degrassi doesn't totally knock the mixed-family idea. It's progressive! But we all know, siblings always have to be rivals! Terri suggests that when Ashley becomes president, she can expel him. "Yeah, from my life!" I just don't understand school politics on TV shows and in movies. Is there some place, outside of the big screen, where becoming school president means you actually have power? I mean, I know Terri's comment was a joke, but in all teen shows where there's an obligatory presidential race, there is always someone claiming that they will have "pizza every day!" or "parties every day!" or whatever teenagers want. But at my high school, being class president meant you had like, 20% of the say of deciding the prom theme, because you shared it with the rest of the student board.

Paige screeches up behind them with a belly shirt and sunglasses, making me question this school's dress code. Ashley and Terri have the same reaction, looking her up and down, to which Paige responds, "New year, new look, new Paige!" I wanna see what last year's Paige looked like. A kid behind her stares so hard at her um, look, that he runs into a row of lockers. That was actually pretty funny.

With the appropriate over-the-top head nodding to indicate attitude, Paige says in a super judge-y way "oh, you're already putting up your posters?" to which Ashley responds (with equal or greater head-nodding) "Yeah, the election is FRIDAY." "I see you like to focus more on the issues than on your appearance. That's so...admirable" says bitchy Paige, queen of the diss. After Paige walks away, Terri does a hilarious silent mock of Paige's attitude.

Manny and Paige are entering the school with Manny complaining about going to school with the grade eights, who are a whole year older and so much more knowledgeable in finding ways to make grade sevens suffer. Hazing, along with class presidency, is like a made-up thing for TV shows. Emma drops her papers and an older boy, Spinner, steps on them. He says they don't have hall passes and can't enter the school without one. Emma, so naive, says she didn't get one. Spinner says she'll just have to leave. Manny, also naive, says they can't leave because it's the first day of school. Spinner smiles, then tells his friend Jimmy that "grade sevens are such geeks!" Or idiots.

Toby, JT, Manny, Emma, and some other grade sevens gawk through the window of their classroom, so excited for homeroom. Mr. Simpson shows up to let them in, fumbling with the keys, then telling them to choose their own seats. He's totally gonna be one of those teachers who loses control of his students. Mr. Simpson explains that he's their homeroom and media immersion teacher, and they lucked out because he's apparently the coolest. Again, saying something doesn't make it true. Just ask Tobes. As he walks past JT, he takes off JT's hat and sets it on the table. So the school does have a dress code? No hats, but belly shirts are totally cool.

In the grade eight classroom, Miss Kwan walks around, saying there's both some familiar and new faces. Spinner is a familiar face, because she asks him if she'll have to give him another 14 detentions. "Not if you don't want to," he responds. This teacher pisses me off. Why would you say that in front of the whole class? He clearly has issues if he really went to detention that many times. Miss Kwan says to the class that it's important to get involved. Paige, in the most suck-up voice ever, says she's starting a Spirit Squad, since the school so desperately needs one. "How industrious of you!" says Miss Kwan, with no trace of sarcasm. Ugh. Speaking of industrious, Miss Kwan says, Ashley already has her campaign underway on the first day of school. See, Paige is obviously sucking up, whereas Ashley is passively sucking up.

The principal announces over the intercom that student council nominations are due by 3:15pm today. The first day of school, really? I hope you all get to know your classmates well in those first 6 hours. One of them could soon be your class prez. Emma points to Ashley's poster and asks Toby if that's his stepsister. He denies it saying it's more of a "forced living situation." Manny says she thinks Ashley's pretty. Because that's really what matters here. Thanks for the contribution, Manny!

Toby points out that Ashley is running unopposed, kind of ruining the democracy idea. His friends suggest he runs, too, but he sarcastically states that it would ruin their "fragile family dynamic." Manny and Emma walk away, and Toby tries to convince JT to run. JT says no, since it's only his first day. Again, why are the nominations due today? Toby argues that it will make him relatable, since most of the student body is in the same boat. JT still says no, but Toby says it would be a chance for this jokester to practice his comedy on a large crowd. It's JUST like the Apollo! Toby says he'll do all the work, allowing JT to get his instant fame with little effort. JT wonders what will happen if he wins, but Toby assures his friend that he doesn't stand a chance.

As Terri adjust's Ashley's poster in the hallway to Ashley's exact specifications (read: Terri is Ashley's bitch), Liberty Van Zandt pops up, very eagerly introducing herself as the girl running for secretary. She is already excited to discuss policies with Ashley. Ashley's like "let's wait until after the election," to which Liberty says "fine" and insults her poster for being a little high on the left. Ugh, can't Terri do ANYTHING right!? Jimmy, Spinner's sidekick from earlier, pops up and puts an arm around Ashley, establishing himself as the Boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Toby's busy printing out copies of JT's campaign posters. Mr. Simpson shows up to give a nod of approval and clarify that it's 10 cents a copy. Toby freaks out on the Xerox machine and tries to stop it.

As Toby hangs them up in the hallway, Ashley and Terri round the corner. "What is THAT?!" Ashley inquires. "A poster without your face on it," says Toby, matter-of-fact. Ashley scoffs, saying his annoying little friend won't win, since the president is always an eighth-grader. Toby thinks she's afraid of a little competition. Ashley clearly is not.

Someone is making a school documentary and asks JT why he wants to run for president. Toby cuts in with a seemingly rehearsed speech on democracy and fairness and not being afraid of 8th-graders.

Liberty goes on camera to say she wouldn't be caught dead voting for a 7th grader for president and further pushes her own agenda by saying her and Ashley would make a great team.

JT is surrounded by a handful of students, raising his poster above his head and making political claims that he would do as a real politician would do: absolutely nothing! And, like a true politician, he will also accept bribes. Terri and Ashley look on, with Ashley scoffing that people are actually listening to him. Terri says JT is funny, and Ashley gives her a look. Terri corrects herself, saying JT's humor is immature. Smooth. Terri wonders aloud if Ashley's worried. Ashley gives a totally fake laugh and says no, but it's clear she is actually worried now.

We get a straight-to-camera handicam shot of Emma, who says 7th graders deserve to run as much as the 8th graders, so her vote is for JT. I dunno, what about all the 8th graders' extra knowledge about playing kickball and which cafeteria lunch options are the best? That can be a wealth of knowledge that can help lead the student body, if you ask me.

Ashley dictates some presidential promises to some faceless extras as Terri stands beside her handing out flyers. One of Ashley's promises is an updated recycling program. With Terri handing out colored paper flyers, you better hope some sort of recycling program is already at hand...

JT is across the parking lot making campaign promises, one of which is allowing student access to staff washrooms. What he doesn't realize is that THAT is the allure of the staff washrooms. Once kids get in them, they ain't nuttin.

Back at the Ashley/Toby household, Ashley is ripping on Toby for torturing her through school politics. Or is it family politics? Get why this title is so relevant yet?!?! Ashley's mom walks in and asks what's wrong, and Ashley complains that JT is ruining the race. Toby argues that there was no race before JT, and now it's fair democracy. Ashley explains that JT is only running to piss her off, and her mom disagrees. Ugh, moms know NOTHING.

The next morning (Have I expressed how odd it is to have these elections in the first week of school? Because it is!), Toby taunts Ashley about election day, which is today.

At school, Paige is being interviewed on camera about the election. She says Ashley will win it, of course, but only because she always gets what she wants. Then she babbles about her new sunglasses and her new belt and her new purse which is in one of those clear plastic Caboodles train cases (omg, so 2000s) until she discovers a tampon which she claims is so not hers (when you have a clear plastic purse, you might want to be aware of what people can see).

Toby and JT are in the computer lab looking at the most basic website ever of pre-election favor ("52% JT Yorke! 48% Ashley Kerwin!") Toby says JT will be making Degrassi history, although I think he hasn't seen season 6. JT worries that if he wins, he'll actually have to do work.

Camera interview time! Liberty says it would be "tragic" if Ashley lost, but she'd deal with working alongside JT. And by working alongside JT, I mean working alongside JT if you catch my drift.

Spinner and Jimmy grab JT in the hall and carry him to the gym, where Ashley tries to bribe him to quit the election for $80. High roller for an 8th grader. That's almost $105 in modern dollars! JT accepts her offer, but Ashley has a stipulation: he must quit in front of the whole school and make a show of it. She gives him half now, the rest he'll get after the assembly. By the way, these Canadians keep taking away the "the" before "the assembly." "I'll give it to you after assembly." It's like University to them. "I go to university." So strange!

Emma and Manny talk about avoiding Spinner when Spinner sneaks up and sends a spitball flying at Manny's head. She says "ow" which is not the proper reaction for a 12 year old to a piece of wadded up paper hitting your head. It should not hurt that much, nor should you feel it through your hair! And now she starts crying, and Spinner says he was "just kidding." That's how bullying starts, don't ya know? Terri walks by and says that was so uncool of Spinner, who now actually looks apologetic. Spinner leaves and Emma tells Manny the coast is clear. Manny wipes away her crocodile tears, saying that trick "always works on [her] brother."

JT explains the bribe to Toby, who's pissed, and doesn't even want to take 50% when JT offers it. That's $40, bro! You could by a couple of nice dinners at TGI Fridays! Toby says Ashley is getting exactly what she wants, as usual, and JT's all I'll keep the money if you won't take it.

We catch the tail end of Liberty's speech, which is super enthusiastic for a school election. As JT raises the roof with the best comedic stylings that a 7th grader can offer, Toby tries to beckon Ashley off the stage. Dude, she's on stage in front of the whole school, and you can't exactly do this inconspicuously. The Degrassi writers make us assume he did, since no one else seems to notice as she slips off the stage. In the hallway, Toby says he knows all about the bribe and he's willing to reveal the big fraud that is Ashley Kerwin. "You wouldn't," Ashley says, the most famous last words ever. Ashley then lets up and says her life can't get much worse. She wants her mom to be happy, and she's tried to play nice with Toby and the new family. Toby says that he feels the same, but Ashley corrects him, saying that she no longer has her own time. Time at school, time at home, time working on the election...it's all interrupted with Toby time. Ashley wanted just one thing to herself, but he wouldn't even let her have that. Toby looks apologetic. Ashley begs Toby to wait for her to give her speech, then decide whether or not she deserves winning before he reveals her bribe.

Meanwhile, JT wraps up his speech with a few zings at Ashley, but then flips it around and says that he quits the race. Principal Radcliffe confusedly accepts JT's withdrawal, then passes the floor to Ashley. Commercial break!

We see Jimmy chatting with Ashley, and before they depart, he calls her Mrs. President, so I guess we know how the race ended. Ashley walks over to Toby in the courtyard and asks if "this is what defeat looks like, or guilt?" Toby offers a sincere congratulations, but Ashley is skeptical. Toby explains that it's his fault that JT is now in hot water for the fake campaign, so he was stupid to push him to do it.

Ashley offers that it does suck to live with Toby, and Toby says it sucks to live with Ashley, but they don't have to make it suck SO much by being horrible to each other. Ashley comments that they are bonding, and Toby says "Dr. Fried would be so proud!" Ah yes, bonding over family psychologist jokes.

THE END!

Lesson Learned: Stepsiblings fight as much as real siblings and that's okay; Life can suck less.