Monday, August 10, 2015

"Finally" song

Almost all episodes are named after a popular 80s song, with the later seasons named after 90s and 2000s songs.

Season 14, Episodes 23 and 24 are named after "Finally" by CeCe Peniston.

The song is about a woman who finally finds the man of her dreams, but he doesn't know she loves him.

"But now you've come along and brightened up my world. In my heart I feel it, I'm that special kinda girl."



Full lyrics can be found here.

 

"Finally, Part 2"

"Finally, Part 2"
aka, "The prom boat and graduation episode"
Episode 24, Season 14
Original Air Date: 7/31/2014
Main Storyline Character: Drew Torres, Claire Edwards, Imogen Moreno

Normally I cluster the storylines together by character, but this episode has the storylines weaving together a bit, so I went in the order that it was presented on screen.

Previously on Degrassi:
-Drew got banned from prom after prom-posing to Becky and delaying their final exam.
-Eli asked Clare to move in with him when he goes to NYC, but she doesn't want to be the kind of girl who follows a boy.
-Imogen decided she wanted to get back together with Jack.
-Dallas booked the prom boat on the wrong day, so he enlisted Drew to help him.


So here we find ourselves at the end. Or at least, the American TV end. Degrassi will apparently continue on Canadian TV, but here in the US we're going to have to watch it on Netflix. We're saying goodbye to all the characters who have interacted with the original cast of this show, circa 2000. That means that the characters who graduate in this episode are the last to have known Spinner Mason, Emma Nelson, Manny Santos, and Liberty Van Zandt, since those characters were still in season 9, when the newbies were introduced.  All the remaining characters who will be left after this graduation never knew the aforementioned people. It's an emotional rollercoaster! I was definitely tearing up towards the last, oh, 15 minutes of this episode.


Sunday, August 9, 2015

"Finally, Part 1"

"Finally, Part 1"
aka, "The prom boat episode"
Episode 23, Season 14
Original Air Date: 7/31/2015
Main Storyline Character: Drew Torres, Clare Edwards, Miles Hollingsworth

Normally I cluster the storylines together by character, but this episode has the storylines weaving together a bit, so I went in the order that it was presented on screen.

Previously on Degrassi:
-Drew is single for the first time in his life.
-Imogen broke up with Jack because Jack was too afraid to come out to her parents.
-Drew and Clare hooked up a while back and when she got pregnant she thought it was his, but then she later found out it was Eli's.


Prom has finally arrived, and it's finally the last episode (or part one of the last episode) of Degrassi to air on tv. They should call this episode "Finally!" Oh, looks like they did.


Friday, August 7, 2015

"The Kids Aren't Alright" song

Almost all episodes are named after a popular 80s song, with the later seasons named after 90s and 2000s songs.

Season 14, Episodes 21 and 22 are named after "The Kids Aren't Alright" by The Offspring.

The song appears to be from an adult's perspective about how childhood was simple and innocent, and once he and his neighbors grew up, they all experienced personal troubles.

"What the hell is going on? The cruelest dream, reality."



Full lyrics can be found here.


"The Kids Aren't Alright, Part 2"

"The Kids Aren't Alright, Part 2"
aka, "Zig deals with turf wars, Winston's play finally happens, Becky deals with knowing about Jonah's past"
Episode 22, Season 14
Original Air Date: 7/20/2015
Main Storyline Character: Zig Novak, Frankie Hollingsworth, Becky Baker.

Normally I cluster the storylines together by character, but this episode has the storylines weaving together a bit, so I went in the order that it was presented on screen.


Previously on Degrassi:
-Becky saw Jonah get a beat down from Zig for owing tons of money.
-Zig discovers that a friend of Damon's (Jason) is threatening him, Tiny, Vince and Maya for Damon getting shot.
-Frankie quit the play, but Imogen finds out that the play may not go on as planned due to the recent threats to Zig.


At Vince's apartment, he lays down the ground rules, since threats are swirling around the interwebs. They can't take Moss street. They have to walk in the middle of the road, looking non-threatening (maybe change out of your black shirt to something more Drew-like and colorful?).  Vince in general is being very un-Vince-like, since he's the one pushing for everyone to stand down and let this all blow over. Zig is being un-Zig-like and wants to retaliate. Did I miss the Freaky Friday episode or something? Remember, Vince was the one who SHOT A DUDE and made this all happen. Now he wants to lay low. Okay, as long as you don't go off shooting Jason or whoever tickles your fancy. Also, Vince wants to attend the musical to see Zig perform. Again, when was the Freaky Friday episode? "Keep yourself in check," Vince warns. And God forbid you take Moss street! Vince, he'll go to musical rehearsal and how about you don't go shooting anyone or selling drugs, ok?


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

"The Kids Aren't Alright, Part 1"

"The Kids Aren't Alright, Part 1"
aka, "Zig assumes he is guilty of all crimes, Frankie baits Winston, Becky removes her rose-colored Jonah glasses"
Episode 21, Season 14
Original Air Date: 7/29/2015
Main Storyline Character: Zig Novak, Frankie Hollingsworth, Becky Baker.


Normally I cluster the storylines together by character, but this episode has the storylines weaving together a bit, so I went in the order that it was presented on screen.


Previously on Degrassi:
-Winston and Lola kissed. Like, I GET it...but Frankie needs to move on from this.
-Zig was out with Vince and Tiny when they were "running an errand." Gunshots went off and Zig picked up the boys and drove off.
-Becky used to date Drew, like ages ago. But he still hasn't moved on.


We start the episode with Winston, Zig, Frankie, Shay and a handful of other nameless students waiting to get into the gym. Apparently Imogen sent out a text to all about an early emergency play rehearsal with zillions of emojis. What emojis, though? The dancing lady? The happy face with heart-eyes? The happy face puking? It's so open to interpretation! Imogen bursts through the gym doors to the hall, "Not to worry my little chickens! All will be revealed!" She leads them into the gym and it looks spectacular...there are complete sets for the science lab and the cityscape. Winston nearly tears up, saying it's everything he could have ever imagined. Imogen can work her stage magic and make anything happen. Why ever doubt her?


Tuesday, August 4, 2015

"Teen Age Riot/Buy Her Candy" song

Almost all episodes are named after a popular 80s song, with the later seasons named after 90s and 2000s songs.

Season 14, Episode 20 has two names. The songs it is named after are "Teenage Riot" by Sonic Youth and "Buy Her Candy" by Sleater-Kinney. 

Teen Age Riot
The song was supposedly written about a fantasy world where J Mascis is president.

"Everybody wants to be proud to choose, so who's to take the blame for the stormy weather."



Full lyrics can be found here.




Buy Her Candy

The song is about a person who loves a famous woman. 

"She is selfish, she is kind. No one can say 'she is mine.'"



Full lyrics can be found here.

 

"Teen Age Riot/Buy Her Candy"

"Teen Age Riot/Buy Her Candy"
aka, "Clare gets her groove back, Frankie pities her mom, Zig has the sex"
Episode 20, Season 14
Original Air Date: 7/28/2015
Main Storyline Character: Clare Edwards, Frankie Hollingsworth, Zig Novak

For whatever reason, this episode has two names.

Previously on Degrassi:
-Clare lost her baby.
-Mr. and Mrs. Hollingsworth are going through a divorce, basically because Mr. Hollingsworth is a horrible human being.
-Zig and Maya are in loooooove.

In this episode, we have some justification for everyone's hatred towards Mrs. Pill, we get the old Clare back, Frankie decides she can be independent, and Zig and Maya star in an after school special.


Saturday, August 1, 2015

"I Wanna Be Adored" Song

Almost all episodes are named after a popular 80s song, with the later seasons named after 90s and 2000s songs.

Season 14, Episode 19 is named after "I Wanna Be Adored" by Stone Roses.

The song is simply about a person who wants to be adored. 

"I don't need to sell my soul; he's already in me."



Full lyrics can be found here.

 

"I Wanna Be Adored"

"I Wanna Be Adored"
aka, "Alli and Clare become friends again, Tristan finds a new boyfriend, Zig learns a lesson of personal responsibilty"
Episode 19, Season 14
Original Air Date: 7/27/15
Main Storyline Character: Alli Bhandari, Tristan Milligan, Zig Novak


Previously on Degrassi:
-Alli and Clare were are best friends, but we haven't seen them together very much since Clare got pregnant.
-Tristan once dated Miles, until Miles found better things to do with his time.
-Zig and Maya kissed, now he has to find a new home.



We open on Alli giving Dallas, Jenna, Drew and Connor a tour of some elaborate living diorama of the prom theme that she and Clare have been planning since freshman year (I don't remember any of this discussion). However, Clare is noticeably absent. There are twinkly lights, bistro tables, a big "Starry Night" backdrop a la Van Gogh, and about 20 random students acting as students at a dance, complete with dresses and suits. Haven't they already done a Paris-themed dance on this show before? Dallas is obligated to agree that it's romantic, given that it's his GF giving the tour, but Drew finds it so boring. He just ain't feeling the romance since Becky went away. He just wants a BOAT! How about a boat? You want a boat? You want a boat? They all vote and boat wins! Prom is being held on a boat. Alli put all that effort in and it was vetoed for "boat" in all of 30 seconds. Nice try!

Alli dismisses her 20 minion actors to go change clothes and attend class that they were missing for the strangest reason. She then tells Dallas that she just wanted prom to be PERFECT but now Drew ruined it! Maybe she can get a plank! But Alli, my prom was on a boat and it was great. I think you're underestimating the power of a boat. Dallas believes it'll be fun as long as they're "all together." Dude, why'd you have to say that? Now I feel like someone's gonna die! You just jinxed it for all of us.