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maya-matlin · 7 months ago

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What are all of your favorite and least favorite Degrassi episodes and why?

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But seriously, I'm not sure where to start. :p I don't think I could possibly go into much detail about why I like or dislike all the episodes, but I'll try.

Degrassi Junior High season 1:

Favorites:

(1) The Cover-Up: good introduction to Rick, the first serious Degrassi plot, the first time Joey (one of my favorite characters) isn't the worst

(2) The Great Race: strong message about sexism in sports, Snake and Melanie play bigger roles for the first time

(3) Rumor Has It: Caitlin questions her sexuality and it's miles ahead of what the Next Class writers tried to do with Grace, surprisingly progressive for its time

(4) Best Laid Plans: It's basically The Mating Game but slightly better, the Yick and Arthur subplot with Swamp Sex Robots is funny

(5) It's Late: Spike gets pregnant and the arc paves the way for TNG and beyond

(6) Parent's Night: I like seeing Wheels' conflict with wanting to know his biological father and yet feeling disloyal to his adoptive parents, continuation of Spike's pregnancy arc, the beginning of Zit Remedy

Least favorites:

(1) The Experiment: Yick and Arthur were never that interesting when they had to carry a main plot, but the story probably should have focused more on Yick who was low key being bullied by Raditch

(2) Nothing to Fear: LD isn't one of my favorite characters and for whatever reason, this story line wasn't super interesting to me. The subplot is literally a snake being loose in the school and the awkwardness of Snake the character having that nickname.

(3) Revolution: Underwhelming finale that gets kind of flashback heavy towards the end, Stephanie doesn't undergo much character growth in season 2 making it kind of pointless

Degrassi Junior High season 2:

Favorites:

(1) Eggbert: follow up to Spike's pregnancy and a lot of Shane/Spike interaction with him starting to become a more well rounded character

(2) A Helping Hand: Lucy gets a lot more development, Wheels and LD back Lucy up 100% and are very supportive after she's sexually abused

(3) Great Expectations: I don't even like Liz, but I like the message about assuming things based on how a person dresses or presents themselves. Joey kind of sucks in this episode, but he's also entertaining and still oddly lovable. I like the subplot with Arthur's wet dreams.

(4) Dinner and a Show: focus on Shane who is a very underrated character with him wanting to assert himself while being held back by domineering parents

(5) Bottled Up: I like the main plot with Kathleen dealing with her mother's alcoholism. You start to see why she is the way she is without it necessarily excusing her prior bad behavior. Plus, Rick/Kathleen. It should have been a thing.

(6) Trust Me: Joey, Wheels and Snake spend the whole episode hanging out and it's great

(7) He's Back: Follow up to Lucy's story line with Susie now being a victim of Mr. Colby with the only real downside being that we never see the resolution

(8) Pass Tense: Spike goes into labor, Joey is forced to repeat a grade which leads to a lot of character growth and getting together with Caitlin

Least favorites:

(1) Fight: just kind of underwhelming and forgettable even though it's the first time we see Dwayne who ends up being one of my favorites in the last season of Degrassi High

(2) Sealed with a Kiss: It's fine. It's another mostly forgettable episode. I like Erica and Heather as characters, but most of their plots did nothing for me aside from A New Start.

(3) Dog Days: I just feel like Stephanie's depression felt kind of.. cliché and not a very believable depiction. When you think about how characters like Cam, Maya and even Ashley at times were written, it stands out.

Degrassi Junior High season 3:

Favorites:

(1) Can't Live with 'Em: One of the most tragic, depressing episodes of the entire franchise. Wheels was never the same after this.

(2) A Big Girl Now: I don't even know. Lucy is one of my favorites, so most of her episodes were great. She finally gets rid of shitty Paul only for it to be revealed he lied about sleeping with her.

(3) Loves Me, Loves Me Not: JAITLIN. It's the true beginning of them, and Joey was an idiot for overlooking Caitlin for Liz.

(4) Food for Thought: Kathleen's eating disorder story line was really well done. I wish more had been done with it, but I at least like Kathleen initially refusing help because it's realistic.

(5) Twenty Bucks: More Jaitlin. Snake and Melanie are cute. Shane makes the decision to spend his money on concert tickets rather than giving Spike child support which leads to his accident.

(6) Taking Off: More Wheels angst over his parents' deaths, Shane jumps/falls off a bridge and ends up with a lifelong disability; I'm basically recapping the story lines but basically it's a very significant episode that has a massive effect on the characters' futures

(7) Black and White: Degrassi tackles racism for the first time. Michelle's parents are painfully realistic when claiming they "don't see race" but that people should "stick with their own kind". BLT and Michelle were great and deserved SO much better.

(8) Bye-Bye Junior High: Honestly, most of this show's season finales aren't heavy hitter episodes compared to a lot of TNG's. But because they usually wrap the season into a nice bow, I still like them for sentimental reasons. That being said, the school literally burns down in this one, so there's that. Jaitlin <3 Spike explodes due to feeling overwhelmed by teen motherhood. I wish we'd seen more of that because for such an important character, she was surprisingly pushed into the background more often than not.

Least favorites:

(1) Season's Greetings: It's a clip show about Yick and Arthur. I watch this one once a year around the holidays and it never gets better. Holiday is the superior Christmas episode.

(2) Star-Crossed: It's fine. It's definitely not a bad episode, but none of the story lines hold my interest all that much. I don't care about Clutch getting together with any of the girls.

(3) Making Whoopee: Arthur isn't a main plot type of character. It sucks that his dad broke up with his girlfriend, but we never see him again and don't have any reason to be invested in this family.

Degrassi High season 1:

Favorites:

(1) A New Start: It's one of Degrassi's strongest season premieres. Overall, I probably liked Erica's abortion story line best out of all of them. There seemed to be more fallout from what happened compared to someone like Manny whose abortion aftermath basically couldn't be mentioned again due to Accidents Will Happen being banned in America. Plus, I think the show did a really good job introducing the new Degrassi High set and establishing it quickly after three years in Junior High.

(2) Everybody Wants Something: The Zits make a music video. Joey and Caitlin broke up which hurts me, but provided good angst. I don't even know. This one's iconic and probably the first episode I think of when I think of OG Degrassi.

(3) Nobody's Perfect: I loved Kathleen's abuse story line. Out of all the abuse story lines, this more felt the most.. intense? Gritty? I'm not sure. Scott was probably the most believable abusive boyfriend of all of them which is probably low key because the actor turned out to be a real life predator and therefore had bad vibes all along. Plus, Jaitlin breakup aftermath.

(4) Sixteen: Michelle becomes more independent and starts living on her own. I just love Michelle, so I enjoyed this story line. I think this is also the episode where Joey and Snake were in driver's ed, which was fun.

(5) Testing One, Two, Three: Joey finds out he has a learning disability. More definitely could have been done with that, but Joey was one of my favorites and I liked seeing him come to terms and kind of get the help he needed from Caitlin. Also, Jaitlin <3 Caitlin breaks Claude's nose, which I kind of love. There's also a fun subplot with most of the class attempting to cheat on the test.

Least favorites:

(1) Dream On: This is another Arthur episode. I don't care about his crush on Caitlin. Caitlin also kind of sucks in this one because she's basically cheating on Joey and yet using Arthur to do it. Not my favorite.

(2) Natural Attraction: I don't dislike this one, but it was definitely a choice to focus the aftermath on Erica's abortion during the second half of the season on Heather. I don't doubt that Heather was struggling, but I'm not that interested in seeing a pro life person's trauma over her sister's abortion.

(3) Stressed Out: This was a forgettable finale. It focuses on Caitlin's relationship with Ms. Avery, but that dynamic faded away for the most part after season 1. So I'm less invested. Michelle is also randomly abusing caffeine pills, something that mostly comes across as awkward and poorly written.

Degrassi High season 2:

Favorites:

(1) Bad Blood: Lots of character development for Dwayne. It has a very strong A plot. I love that this kind of solidifies the eventual friendship between Joey and Dwayne, one of my favorite dynamics from OG Degrassi.

(2) Crossed Wires: I'm not the biggest Liz fan, but finding out her back story is heartbreaking. While I do think more could have been done with the revelation that she was survivor, I liked that we saw her begin to heal. Alex and Tessa were cute together. There's a nice Joey/Dwayne subplot.

(3) The All Nighter: It's hard to explain why I like this episode. Kathleen's character progression was really interesting. She experienced so much trauma through the years and yet you kind of forget how much of that was supposed to a secret or something that only Melanie knew. Melanie exposing Kathleen's secrets was really dramatic and just sad. This episode had one of Degrassi's more realistic portrayals of weed. The subplot with the boys playing poker was fun. It also birthed my Luke/Arthur crackship that no one likes except me. I feel like Next Class tried to do something similar with #HugeButTrue, but it wasn't nearly as good.

(4) Home Sweet Home: Ugh, Wheels. He finally hits rock bottom (at least prior to the movie) and slowly starts to redeem himself after going on a downward trajectory throughout the High years. This might be the episode where Michelle moves home? There's a similar plot with Caitlin that happens around the same time, so I'm never 100% sure if the Michelle plot happens in the this episode and Caitlin's in the next or vice versa. Anyways.

(5) Showtime: Claude kills himself and everyone is affected by it. It was a controversial choice to make the suicide victim someone so unlikable, but in this case I think it really worked. In the end, once you're gone, it's all about the people you leave behind. We see hints of that with Claude's friend, Joanne, who isn't a major character. Then obviously, Caitlin is forced to deal with a lot of mixed emotions. Plus, Jaitlin. <3 Snake gets a rare dramatic plot after finding Claude's body.

(6) One Last Dance: This is another sentimental favorite. Nothing huge happens for the most part, but it's the official end of the series. Joey and Caitlin finally get back together. Dwayne reveals his HIV positive status with his character growth finally being complete. It's just a nice episode.

Least favorites:

(1) Loyalties: This one's just kind of underwhelming. I hated that BLT and Michelle had to break up and that one day, BLT seemingly didn't care about Michelle. I feel like Michelle was treated really unfairly during that, so I wasn't happy to Simon and Alexa so flippant about Michelle's feelings. Snake/Michelle were cute, but I wasn't that invested in them.

(2) Extracurricular Activities: This one felt like a filler episode. Mostly, I found everyone except Bronco annoying in this one. Why is a supposed well known band filming a music video at Degrassi?

(3) Three's a Crowd: This is petty, but I like Snake/Spike more than Snake/Michelle and Tessa/Alex over Tessa/Yick so I'm disappointed those ships lost out. Overall, it's basically a relationship/love triangle episode and I'm not a fan.

Bonus: School's Out: There's no real category for this one because it aired like a year after the second season. But needless to say, I mostly love it. It's iconic and unforgettable. No one will ever forget "You were fucking Tessa Campanelli,", the Joey/Caitlin/Tessa triangle and Wheels KILLING A KID. I love TNG and the later Degrassi years, but the show had a tendency to conclude character arcs with hopeful endings rather than blowing apart people's lives in pretty depressing ways. This movie had the kind of ending that sticks with you.

Degrassi TNG season 1:

Favorites:

(1) Mother and Child Reunion: It's a strong series premiere and probably one of my most memorable episodes of the first season. Many characters from the original series return, which is fun. Jaitlin <3 Emma's near rape is horrifying, but it led to a good bonding moment between Emma and Spike that kind of bridged the generations.

(2) Coming of Age: I mostly like this episode for its subplot. Emma gets her first period and after initially feeling some embarrassment and shame, she ends up completely owning it. I definitely didn't know how awesome and significant that was until many years later. Plus, feminist Spike telling off the ice cream creep. It's another thing that hits differently after you become an adult. But I also (mostly) like the Ashley/Jimmy story line. It's interesting how much Ashley values her independence so early on and how that contrasts with her romantic relationships. I feel like this is something that follows her through the years.

(3) Rumours and Reputations: Mostly, I like this one because of how well it incorporates all the characters. There aren't very many episodes that find an excuse to get every character involved in the main plot.

(4) Friday Night: Sean and Emma go on their first date. This is when I'm a fan of their relationship, so it's actually fun to see the beginning of it.

(5) Under Pressure: I pretty much love all of the Sean centric episodes outside of season 6 and this is no exception. I like hearing more of his back story and seeing how his issues over that and his anger cost him Emma.

(6) Jagged Little Pill: Iconic. People shit on Ashley all the time, but this is one of the best finales and she's easily the best part of it. Unpopular opinion, but I always enjoyed Ashley's identity story lines. It was fun seeing her cut loose, even though it ended very badly. Not to mention JT and Toby thinking they're high. Love it.

Least favorites:

(1) Family Politics: This episode is underwhelming after the series premiere. It's kind of a remake of the first episode of Junior High in some ways. It's not a favorite.

(2) Wannabe: As much as I like that this is beginning of Manny separating herself from Emma and feuding with Paige, a lot of this is told from Emma's point of view. The subplot involves multiple characters trying to win a million dollars via Pringles cans. It's a plot that would only ever happen in the first season.

(3) Cabaret: This one is fine. It's probably the episode I like least from this season, but I can't give a good reason why. Maybe that's it. It doesn't inspire anything in me.

Degrassi TNG season 2:

Favorites:

(1) When Doves Cry: This is easily one of the show's strongest premieres. Craig comes in and immediately becomes one of the most complex characters, adding a lot of weight and depth to the show. Joey becomes more involved from here through the next few seasons. It's telling that so many years later, this episode would probably still be in my personal top 10.

(2) Karma Chameleon: Like I said before, I tend to like Ashley plots. It's hard to watch her get so close to gaining everyone's forgiveness only to completely blow it by the end - both for deserved and undeserved reasons. The ending with Ashley crying as her school picture is taken is painfully real. It's the beginning of Ashley's friendship with Ellie, which is super underrated. Paige starts to feel like a more well rounded character rather than just the mean queen bee of the show.

(3) Shout: This is another episode I love primarily for the main plot. Paige is raped, and it's a story line that follows her through the rest of the season, during season 4 when her case finally goes to trial, and again in season 7 when Paige feels violated by Griffin. Lauren Collins is great in this one. PMS singing "Poor Thing" still gets to me. There's classic Jiberty.

(4) Take My Breath Away: This episode is just funny. Obviously, Craig and Manny's differing memories of their date are entertaining to watch. For Manny, it was a fairy tale. For Craig, a nightmare. I'm definitely not a Cranny shipper, but their arc during the first four seasons holds up really well. Their on again/off again relationship brought about a lot of the drama. For better or worse, it all starts here. Craig's rejection kind of forces Manny to grow up and become very preoccupied with male attention, particularly from Craig who she can't seem to move past for multiple seasons. Even though Marco turns out to be gay, his story line with Ellie is very sweet.

(5) Don't Believe the Hype: This episode is so overlooked, but it's a very important one for its time (2002). Degrassi occasionally dealt with internalized bigotry, but typically not when it wasn't involving homophobia. Hazel feels as though she needs to hide the fact she's Muslim due to a previous hate crime committed against her. On the one hand, this episode can be considered a throwaway due to the Degrassi writers never investing in Hazel and outwardly being racist against Andrea Lewis. But because we see so little of Hazel's perspective and that her background is so unique to the show, an episode like this stands out. Much like Rumours and Reputations, every character has a point of view, even if their views can be considered ignorant and hateful. The JT/Liberty sewing plot is also underrated. JT is embarrassed for being good at sewing because of toxic masculinity. I'm not sure this one is quite as good. I mean, the whole thing ends with JT realizing there are perks literally because he now has an excuse to grope his female classmates. But I like the intent behind it. Plus, Jiberty <3

(6) White Wedding: This is another sentimental favorite. Even though I don't ship Semma as much as I used to and aren't even that invested in Snake and Spike, I have fond memories of watching this episode. There's so much going on with Emma being forced to kind of be a mini adult due to the way Spike raised her. So as a result, she does things like tell Snake about Spike's pregnancy before Spike has even decided if she's going to carry it to term. Personally, things work out a little too conveniently, but I still enjoy it. Sean and Emma's kiss at the end of the episode is still impactful even now. Manny is adorable. In the extended cut, Joey and Caitlin make heart eyes at each other and discuss their failed engagement. #JusticeForJaitlin

(7) Careless Whisper: I don't have much to say about this episode. Marco starts his slow coming out journey. It's always interesting to look back at how afraid Marco was to admit the truth when for so much of his run, he's an out and proud gay man. The Marco/Ellie dynamic is great. Their failed relationship paves the way for their strong, soul mate-like friendship.

(8) Message in a Bottle: It's a Sean episode involving his self worth and unfortunately, that's the kind of shit I eat up. That's about it.

(9) Dressed in Black: I don't even care. I love Ashley's independence and the fact she's adamant on being her true self. And unpopular opinion, Jimmy was in the wrong. While he wasn't outwardly trying to change Ashley, he didn't accept the new Ashley and wasn't on her level. Craig is a disaster, but it's not at all hard to see why they were so drawn to each other. Also, baby Crash <3 JT trying to buy extra large condoms. Oh, the foreshadowing.

(10) How Soon Is Now: I can't talk about this episode without mentioning the scene where Paige confronts Dean and vows to take him to court. It was the first Degrassi scene that deeply affected me. I still get chills to this day. We finally start to see Paige healing and moving forward, and it's beautiful to witness. JT is so sweet in this episode and exactly what Paige needs in that moment. Spinner and Paige become a couple. Marco finally comes out. There aren't that many penultimate episodes that are practically on the same level as the finale, but this is one of them.

(11) Tears Are Not Enough: This episode basically bookends Craig's story line in the season premiere. Craig struggles to decide whether or not he wants to let his dad back into his life. Just as he's made the decision to close that door for good, his dad dies. Craig can't win. My brain is mush at this point, but this episode is an emotional rollercoaster. It's great to see people like Joey and Ashley supporting Craig and stepping up when he needs them most. Also, obligatory Jiberty mention because they have a subplot in the first half.

Least favorites:

(1) Mirror in the Bathroom: This is basically an underwhelming episode. I'm glad Degrassi covered male eating disorders and touched on Terri's body image issues, but this one overall isn't a favorite. But honestly, any episode from this season that isn't Relax isn't bottom of the barrel bad.

(2) Hot for Teacher: This is another underwhelming episode. Season 2 is a fairly strong season, so it's only natural that some episodes will come up short. JT's story line with Hatzilakos isn't super memorable. Spinner and Jimmy's honesty pact is pretty funny, though.

(3) Relax: I just don't understand what the writers were trying to do with this episode. I'm kind of convinced they intentionally gave Liberty/Sarah a bad episode so they could justify ignoring her character going forward. They could have given Liberty any story line and chose to put her in a red cape, trying to emulate Napoleon. What the fuck? The subplot just feels mean to me. Paige and Hazel scheme to make Terri believe Paige is dying because she screwed up her palm reading. There's nothing entertaining about this episode.

(4) Fight for Your Right: Another underwhelming episode. My favorite part about it is watching Emma and Snake figure out their new step dad/step daughter relationship, but this is mostly an Emma protest episode. This isn't Mercy Street or Hungry Eyes, so it doesn't get that wild.

Degrassi TNG season 3:

Favorites (season 3 is my favorite season so it's going to be hard not to list practically every episode):

(1) Father Figure: I pretty much like all the episodes that are very connected to the original series. Emma was a really sympathetic during her search to find Shane. I liked that in the end, she was able to accept both her dads into her life. Craig's involvement was great, too. I wish we'd seen more of their friendship.

(2) U Got the Look: Manny's transformation. That is all. She's my favorite character, and this episode really set her on the path she was on for the rest of the series. This was also when Downtown Sasquatch formed, which is my favorite Degrassi band. At this point in the show, Degrassi has fully come into its own.

(3) Pride: Between Marco's coming out and Snake's cancer diagnosis, this episode is incredibly heartbreaking. This is another strong episode where the writers weren't afraid to make one of the main characters the villain. Even though this is Marco's episode, in a lot of ways it's equally about Spinner and how he reacts in all the worst ways when Marco needs his support the most.

(4) Gangsta Gangsta: This is another character transformation episode. While not as consistently written as Manny's, Sean ends up embracing his worst traits and instincts in a misguided attempt to finally belong somewhere. Somehow, he remains sympathetic even though he's kind of the worst in the second half of the episode.

(5) Should I Stay or Should I Go: Craig/Ashley/Manny. All three are messy and feeling strong emotions. All three make questionable choices, particularly Craig and Manny who end up sleeping together when his relationship status with Ashley is up in the air. I hate this episode and love it at the same time. I also really love the subplot with Wheels coming back to support Snake. It's so nice to see his character end on a more positive note after School's Out.

(6) Whisper to a Scream: This episode is beautifully shot. It's almost surprising that such a serious episode wasn't a two parter. The writers managed to introduce Ellie's problems and show her struggles very quickly, yet somehow the ending didn't feel at all rushed. I don't even know. Season 3 is so good. I don't think this season is bad for a single character.

(7) Holiday: This episode always puts me in the mood for the holidays. God, the messiness of all the triangles and Craig's fuckboy ways. I can't handle it. Joey and Caitlin finally get back together and have their sweet moment at the airport. Manny literally has no right to be sympathetic in this and yet my heart always goes out to her. Ashley dumps Craig's ass and takes the guitar back. There's somehow hope that Craig will eventually learn his lesson. Spoiler alert: he didn't. It's a good time.

(8) Accidents Will Happen: How can I not include the episode that was banned in America for the first couple of years? Obviously, Manny gets an abortion. I've read interviews and excerpts that make it clear how important it was for the show to get this story line right. They really fought for Manny's certainty and lack of remorse, and I love it. This is really the turning point for Manny's character in a lot of ways. There's also the tease of Craig's mental health problems that come into play in season 4.

(9) Take on Me: This episode is a lot of fun. I don't even care about the plot, as thin as it is, because I like seeing all the characters interact. The Breakfast Club is one of my favorite movies, so any remake episodes of it work for me. Sean and Ellie get together and everything is beautiful. The Sean/Jimmy rivalry and Toby/Jimmy friendships are given closure. Hazel actually matters for once.

(10) Don't Dream It's Over: I wish I could say I like this episode because of Terri, but truthfully it's Paige and Spinner who carry this episode for me. Anyways, this episode shows the consequences of escalating abuse and its toxic cycle. It's honestly a shame the Terri/Rick relationship wasn't stretched out a bit more because much more could have been done with it.

(11) Rock and Roll High School: I just love the battle of the bands. Ashley is amazing and gives Craig exactly what he deserves. I have no idea how I can so easily ship them in season 4, but oh well. As intense as Crash breakups and fallouts were, at their best there was a lot of love and passion. This was a fun plot that incorporated most of the grade 10's. Jaitlin were there. I don't think it's a good plot, but I love them so I can't dislike it.

(12) Our House: SEAN'S CHARACTER GROWTH. He finally starts to turn his life around. It kind of kills me that he had to come back for season 6 at all. Late season 3 and season 4 Sean was peak Sean. I also love the way Ellie kind of effortlessly inspires Sean to be better without needing to change him or push him into making the right choices. He does that entirely on his own. And I can't lie. I don't ship JT and Manny anymore, but they were the first couple I ever shipped on this show. So because of that, I always like seeing them become a couple and Manny happily accepting JT's invitation to the dance. Plus, Manny's memorable line about how no one ever talks about the fact Craig was cheating on his girlfriend - just that she was the other woman. It's been giffed multiple times and brought up many times for a reason.

Least favorite:

(1) The Power of Love: This is a filler episode. According to the episode descriptions on my season 3 DVDs, the story line was originally about Marco and Ellie clashing over the Bollywood themed dance. Presumably, this was going to be over cultural appropriation. So I have no idea how the final version ended up being about Jimmy trying to have a perfect night with Hazel with very little drama happening. It's not a bad episode. But compared to episodes 1-21, it's forgettable.

Degrassi TNG season 4:

Favorites:

(1) Ghost in the Machine: This a very strong season premiere. Paige losing her trial hurts so fucking much, but it's sadly true to life. So I can't be sorry Degrassi was willing to go there and show that not every survivor gets a win. Sometimes you have to find closure in your own way, which is what Paige does when she crashes Spinner's car into Dean's and then willingly turns herself in. I feel like I keep coming back to "development" and "turning points," but needless to say this is a new beginning for Paige. Minus the Mr. O bullshit, the rest of her high school years are probably Paige at her best. The Craig/Joey story line is controversial, but I loved seeing more of their development as father and son. Plus, Craig and Ashley reconnect, and I'm a big fan of that.

(2) King of Pain: Marco vs. Alex. This might be my favorite election episode. Marco takes another step in his coming out journey when he admits to his mother that he's gay. He manages to turn Alex's threat to out him into a win for himself when he's inspired to promise to bring the school together. As messy as Alex is during this episode, this is when she finally becomes a real character with potential to be so much more. And I love Alex, so there's that. I deserved more of their friendship.

(3) Mercy Street: Any episode related to the return of Rick and its effect on the rest of the school is automatically great. This story line is exactly the point I was making about Degrassi turning main, usually sympathetic characters into villains to prove a point and to reflect reality. The protest to keep Rick out of Degrassi quickly gets out of hand with people joining in more for the sake of bullying than out of any genuine cause. Emma becomes somewhat problematic when even she proves she isn't above conforming to fit in with the popular kids. The subplot is kind of awful with JT and his tiny penis, but it's entertaining LOL

(4) Anywhere I Lay My Head: Ellie's complex, toxic relationship with her mother was interesting to watch and 100% deserved more screen time. But anyways, Ellie decides to put her own wellbeing ahead of her mother's and finds a better home with Sean. It's very sweet and nice in the moment. I know the writers can't in good conscience have two teenagers living together indefinitely without there being setbacks, but I wish it had lasted a little longer. Or at the least, we'd gotten more follow up between 405 and 409. Sellie though <33 I love them so much. I also really like the carwash as a setting/event, but Spanny will never be a good pairing to me.

(5) Time Stands Still: This is forever the best, most iconic Degrassi episode. I don't think a single person would disagree that this is a mandatory episode to watch. The school shooting creates so many story lines going forward. Things that happen in these episodes having lasting effects all the way to the characters' graduations. Ephraim Ellis's acting is top notch. Really, everyone's is. This is a terrible description, but just talking about the episode makes me want to do a rewatch.

(6) Back in Black: This is another strong Sean episode. His character comes full circle when he leaves the show to move back with his parents. As sad as it is to lose his character and for Sellie to break up, overall Sean's ending would have been satisfying had this been the last time we saw him. Unfortunately, the show didn't do that and so season 6 Sean was mostly just around to spend half the season in jail and then hold Emma's hand once he was released. But I digress. Overall, this was a good portrayal of PTSD and how Sean sometimes lashes out to avoid vulnerability. The subplot was also pretty solid with Toby coping with the death of Rick and JT eventually stepping up to be the support Toby needs.

(7) Voices Carry: You can't go wrong with a Craig episode. At least not during seasons 2-4. The more I think about it, the more I realize that season 4 was the year that most of the characters reach the point where they either get better or worse, becoming richer characters in the process. Craig is no exception. All the hints about Criag's mental health finally manifest into an actual plot when he has a breakdown. This is also peak Crash. Jimmy weirdly provides the comic relief as he reacts to everything Craig says and does with befuddlement. Joey and Ashley are both great supporting characters. The Marco and Spinner cover of Dust is hilarious. JIBERTY. Liberty being a badass. I love it.

(8) Secret: This episode is so dark, but that's why I love it. The chemistry between Emma and Jay is undeniable. Emma doesn't want to be drawn to Jay and he doesn't have the best intentions for seeking her out, but something pushes them together. It's honestly a shame more wasn't done with this dynamic, especially considering Emma's eventual relationship with Peter. What a waste. But even beyond all of that, this episode is primarily about Emma and how she's lost her way after the shooting. I love it when Degrassi is so willing to take such big risks with their main, supposedly good characters. There aren't that many main girls that end up contracting STDs from the slimy fuckboy of the show (pre-Manny) in a misguided attempt to regain control after trauma. I didn't love every writing decision made for Emma, but I like that she wasn't pigeonholed into being one specific thing. Both subplots are great. This is the first and last time I enjoy the dynamic between Craig and Ellie. Because in all honesty, pairing them together for any kind of story line made sense and would have been a good idea. The execution was just SO bad. But I do like that Craig and Ashley grow closer and communicate openly about Craig's needs. The Jimmy/Craig/Marco trio is also great.

(9) Eye of the Tiger: This episode probably singlehandedly sets up large parts of Spinner's and Jimmy's season 5 arcs. Jimmy finds out about Spinner's role in the shooting. It's painful to watch. This is another story line where a character is clearly trash and doesn’t deserve sympathy. But because Degrassi is overall pretty well written and the writers make us love the characters, you can't help but still root for them. This story line also introduces a moral dilemma with no actual right answer. Maybe Jimmy deserved to know Spinner betrayed him, but he didn't necessarily need to know and didn't gain anything from that devastation or the loss of his best friend. Anyways, Spinner had some of the best character growth and the most consistent, believable redemption arc, so I suppose it all worked out.

(10) Moonlight Desires: As much as I hate what this episode does to Marco's relationship with Dylan and Dylan's character (who never really recovers IMO), I love it for Marco. You really see how far he's come and how comfortable he is in his identity as a gay man. I honestly wish we'd seen more of the activist side of Marco. During the college years, they mostly reduced Marco to being the boring one who obsessed over Dylan and not much else. Also, the subplot with Spinner and Jay is really strong. Spinner finally reaches a breaking point and starts his slow redemption arc. Jay also proves he has a heart and genuinely cares for Spinner.

Least favorites:

(1) Bark at the Moon: I love the idea of focusing an episode on Manny just to see where she is a year after the affair with Craig and her abortion. Unfortunately, this is mainly centered around Manny's relationship with Spinner and how she needs to commit to him in order to fully move forward. The problem is, we've seen so little of Spanny. And during the few times we did, it was never anything good. Their fling basically happened at the expense of Spinner's much more significant, far more likable relationship with Paige. The entire conclusion is them getting together which gives the impression this is going to be the new, iconic relationship. But they literally break up three episodes later. Even that is only briefly touched on compared to Spinner's friendship breakdown with Jimmy, the loss of his entire friend group, and his expulsion. So what was even the point? Oh, and Paige and Mr. O got together in the subplot. Need I say more?

(2) Goin' Down the Road: Kevin Smith. Kevin Smith becoming a self insert and the big hero of the show. Kevin Smith somehow turning Caitlin's attention away from Joey. Jaitlin, a legacy couple since the 80s, were torn apart forever over this bullshit. Jason Mewes is around and perving on the teenage girls. Craig becomes homeless for five minutes. Unlike Voices Carry, Craig's mental spiral in this episode doesn't feel nearly as well done and instead comes across as super rushed. Ashley leaves for London, paving the way for Craig to mostly be reduced to love triangle nonsense during season 5 and beyond. It's easily my least favorite finale.

Season 5:

Favorites:

(1) Venus: This episode is a mixed bag for me. It's a favorite because it's iconic and because the more times I watch it, the more Manny's struggles with body image and desire for independence resonate with me. Even though I hate everything about the lack of punishment for Peter and the victim blaming towards Manny, the parts of this episode that work really work.

(2) Turned Out: Practically every episode of season 5 that I like comes with the caveat that at least half of it doesn't work. Season 5 is a middle of the road season that mostly gets away with it because it's part of the classic TNG era and because the highs elevate it. As much as I sympathize with JT and and find him turning to drug dealing to support Liberty and their baby compelling, the elephant in the room is that there's a lot of emphasis on JT's feelings and none on Liberty's. If I ignore those issues, seeing a normally lighthearted character like JT get such a tragic, dark plot is great. Ryan Cooley isn't normally singled out as being one of the stronger actors, but I honestly think he delivered during this story line. And Jiberty is so tragic, too. Foolin' felt a lot more slanted in JT's favor than Liberty's, but this episode is what shows how much the two love each other in spite of the problems life keeps throwing at them. I can't help but love it. The subplots are trash, though.

(3) Redemption Song: Like I said before, I love Spinner's redemption arc. This is firmly in the middle of it where Spinner is trying to do good while still struggling to leave his past behind. Jay is a mess, but I love his role in this episode and how he wants to help Spinner in his own way even when that inevitably ruins things. Darcy's great, too. You wouldn't expect her to be so easily manipulated, but her throwing herself at Spinner was a strong character moment that was difficult to watch. I like the way Spinner and Darcy come together at the end. Hazel dumped Jimmy's emotional cheater ass and threw paint all over him. He deserved it, honestly.

(4) The Lexicon of Love: This is another very strong A plot with a mediocre subplot. I hate the Snake/Hatzilakos near affair, but thankfully it's overshadowed by the main story line. As much as I don't ship Paige and Alex, the way they came together was beautiful and felt really genuine. Paige's immediate panic and instinct to deny her feelings is realistic. She puts so much stock in her reputation and clearly feels pressured to be the straight kid of her family due to her brother coming out years before. I would have loved to have seen that expanded on, but the writers overlooked it. We see more of Alex's home life and see how in a lot of ways, Paige is Alex's escape and her shining light in an otherwise pretty depressing life. Seeing them explore their feelings and not worry about labels (at least at that moment) and preconceived notions feels really good.

(5) I Against I: This is another strong Spinner plot. It can be kind of tiring to see him be led astray by Linus and go against Marco right after regaining his friendship, but I really like the point made at the end of the episode that Spinner is lost and looking to find acceptance anywhere he can find it. Marco is great in this. Marco the activist is the best Marco. I like that he showed Spinner compassion and was open minded to the new Spinner. Manny is fun. I feel like I'm explaining really badly.

(6) Our Lips Are Sealed: I mean, I love this episode mostly for Emma's eating disorder story line. I have some qualms about the writing and the way it was executed now that I know both Miriam and Cassie were uncomfortable with it due to Miriam's actual experiences with eating disorders - something the writers were aware of. But it doesn't change the fact it was a powerful story line. It's too bad more wasn't done with it. The subplots are fun. Snake and Spike getting back together was very sweet. I've always liked Alex and Hazel attempting to bond for Paige's sake. They had an underrated dynamic I would have liked to have seen more of.

(7) High Fidelity: It's kind of odd that I like this episode so much since a lot of it revolves around a love triangle, but in the end I feel like I view Spinner's plot as him being torn between wanting to go back to the past where he believes things were better (Paige) and looking towards the future where he's become a better person (Darcy). Sadly, Spinner and Jimmy's friendship reunion ends up feeling kind of tacked on because of this. But I still get emotional when it happens. As problematic as things got between them, Spinner and Jimmy have always been my favorite friendship. Everything else that happens in this episode is mostly tying up loose ends.

Least favorites:

(1) Weddings, Parties, Anything: I can't stand the Craig/Manny/Ellie triangle. I don't like the idea of it. I don't like the way it plays out and what it brings out in the characters. I don't like the timeline for it. Unlike how the Craig/Ashley/Manny triangle was carefully set up, it was just like "Craig and Ellie hung out all summer and are now BFFs" and "Craig and Manny reconnect after he protects her from Peter without any acknowledgement of their messy history". It all happens so quickly, making it difficult to care which girl is unlucky enough to get stuck with season 5+ Craig. Also, 30 something Joey and the father of a teenager starts dating a woman not much older than his stepson. I just want Jaitlin back. Fuck this episode.

(2) Together Forever: The fact Toby's (because it's mostly his perspective, not Liberty's because OF COURSE) story line surrounding Liberty giving birth happens in a subplot and is wrapped up much more quickly than the average subplot says it all. The writers didn't value Liberty's character and didn't remotely care about her pregnancy once JT was no longer the central figure. There is no good reason for Liberty giving birth to be such a non event. Worst of all, what should be Liberty's big moment is overshadowed by yet another Craig plot. And not even a good one, at that. Jake Epstein wanted to go to college, so the writers had to give his character an exit midway through the season. The idea of Craig pursuing his music was fine and made sense. But nothing interesting happens. There's never any conflict or chance Craig will choose his college scholarship over his dreams. The undercurrent of Craig/Manny/Ellie and especially romantic Crellie makes me enjoy the plot even less.

(3) Total Eclipse of the Heart: This episode is mostly tainted for me because of the Marco and Dylan story line. I'm one of the rare fans that actually ships them, but what a horrible way to put them back together. Why is Marco being bullied for not wanting to take a chance on his cheating ex of more than a year? The actual sweet reunion scene isn't even earned due to Dylan's bad behavior throughout the whole thing. It's like if Zig and Maya hadn't gotten back together at the end of Next Class and instead were thrown back together two minutes after Zig told Maya it takes two people to fuck up a relationship. No one would be rooting for that and rightfully so. Marco deserved better.

Season 6:

Favorites:

(1) Eyes Without a Face: Mostly, I like this episode for Darcy. These days she's sadly more hated than appreciated, but overall I feel like she was a well written character who wasn't all good or all bad. She felt realistic. One thing I liked about Darcy is that sometimes, she contradicted herself because she was a complex person incapable of staying in a specific box. At this point, Darcy doesn't want to have sex outside of marriage, but she still wants to feel sexy and feels limited by her current relationship with Spinner. While I wish this had led Darcy to literally anyone but Peter, the two of them kind of colliding and becoming attracted to each other made sense. It was at least a more intriguing, believable dynamic than Peter/Emma. Plus, this episode introduces Clare and showcases the hardly ever seen Darcy/Clare sisterly bond. It's too bad we didn't see more of that before Shenae Grimes left the show.

(2) What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost: I honestly don't know why I like this one. I have a lot of problems with the main plot, namely that Craig carries the entire plot with his drug addiction and yet it's all told from Manny's and Ellie's perspective with him being villainized. But by season 6 standards, it's memorable. I think I'm just glad to finally be done with Cranny and that Crellie is over for a long time after this. The constant back and forth was really annoying. I do like the subplots, though. As hard as it is to see JT move forward with Mia when he and Liberty clearly have unfinished business, these episodes show how far JT has come and make the next episode very painful. Plus, it sets up the Degrassi/Lakehurst feud.

(3) Rock This Town: This episode is the definition of "it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt." Or you know, gets murdered. The majority of the episode is very funny with most of the main cast all at the same party and getting to interact. JT and Liberty are finally on the right track and openly communicating without fighting. In spite of the tragic ending, this is easily my favorite Jiberty episode. It's also the only time season 6 Semma halfway works for me. But of course, the real reason this episode is memorable is because of the way it ends. "I'm sorry. Your brother's gone." 😭😭😭 It still hurts.

(4) The Bitterest Pill: I mean, it's the aftermath of JT's murder. Everyone is sad and grieving in complicated ways. There isn't much to say about it. I'm probably most affected by Liberty's and Toby's reactions to it, but even the smaller moments work for me such as Ms. Hatzilakos smiling while watching JT's slideshow. He was a character that had so much history. It's so sad he didn't get the happy ending he deserved. But that's life, I guess. So it makes sense for Degrassi to show that sometimes, life is unfair and tragedies happen.

(5) Free Fallin': This is the sole good college story line on Degrassi and it only lasted for as long as these two episodes. But needless to say, I love that Paige was given the panic attack story line. She'd be the last character you'd expect to struggle with university out of the recent graduates, but it honestly made sense once we saw it. Paige seemed to go to Banting less because it's what suited her and was what she wanted and more because she thought it was something she had to do. Lauren Collins was consistently one of the best actresses on the show, so she crushed all of her scenes as always. And again, I don't ship Palex, but I enjoy the lightness that Alex brings out in Paige. It's understandable why Paige gravitates towards Alex when things start to fall apart.

(6) Don't You Want Me: This is Alex's only major plot and she's one of my favorites, so naturally I overall love this episode. Degrassi very rarely delved into issues pertaining to their poor and lower income characters. It was obvious they were far more comfortable writing for characters from middle class or wealthy backgrounds. While I don't think the sex worker shaming aged well, I still feel for Alex throughout these two episodes. The subplot is pretty irredeemably terrible, but I mostly ignore it.

Least favorites:

(1) Here Comes Your Man: Ugh. This episode, or at least the main plot, feels like poorly written fan fiction. It's not totally out there that Sean and Emma would end up getting back together. Back in Black implied there were still feelings there on Sean's end. But at the same time, the way Sean kind of aggressively pursues Emma and wants only her without any real regard for Ellie, who he lived with, is ridiculous. The execution is awful. Their story line barely resembles early Semma. If you told me this was either someone's spec script or discarded YA book where the bad boy likes to race cars and the good girl has a boyfriend but can't stay away because "chemistry", I would totally believe you. I still can't believe Sean's return was so botched. As soon as he returns to Degrassi, he ends up expelled and sent to jail. Who thought that was a good idea and didn't see the obvious that it would sequester him away from practically everyone except Emma?

(2) True Colours: My problem with this episode is an extension of the one I have with the season premiere. Season 6 Semma is awful. It's a mediocre continuation of what used to be a fairly interesting, believable depiction of first love. Suddenly, Sean's entire purpose in life is Emma Nelson and he can find the strength to keep going as long as he has her. There are embarrassing things like Sean's love of honey vanilla shampoo, which Peter of course hates to prove to us that he's the wrong guy. Yes, this and Peter's actions against Sean are supposed to be the thing to make the audience realize Emma shouldn't be dating the boy who released revenge porn of a drunk and vulnerable Manny. And for some reason, Ellie starts dating Jesse, who exclusively dates barely legal college freshmen who are his subordinates.

(3) Working for the Weekend: I mean, the fact this episode upholds copaganda alone makes it deserving of being a least favorite episode. Spinner is a skilled fighter and was able to defeat the robbers, meaning he should go into law enforcement. Any time Spinner's dream to become a cop comes up, it's generally reduced to participating in police brutality. SMH. Anyways, Spinner and Jimmy open a t-shirt store for five seconds. Why is this deserving of being an A plot? Alex's plot is much better.

(4) Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Yet again, Semma 2.0 is given an A plot. Much like the others, this one is awful. Sean Cameron is one of my favorite characters. I'm even able to understand him and find him sympathetic at his worst, hence why season 3 is one of my favorite seasons for Sean. But in this episode, I kind of hate Sean. I cannot deal with Sean whining about Emma's tarnished goods because she blew Jay. It comes across as much less jealous and hurt over Emma's involvement with his best friend and more the fact Emma dares to be less than pure and good. I'm glad Sean does the bare minimum and seems to want to get to know the new Emma, but it's kind of too little too late for me. Oh, and because I'm still pissed about this years later:

This seems to be the same sexist bullshit Sean was doing during season 6. Fuck that. I'm glad she married Spinner if only because of this episode. Well, almost.

(5) If You Leave: I just don't enjoy watching this episode. I understand that grief can bring out the worst in people and cause them to do misguided things in the name of finding peace or getting justice. But Manny somehow gets shat on in all of this and is forced to easily forgive Emma. I'm just not a fan? Emma comes across more smug than I'd like her to rather than being driven by pain and grief. Marco is embarrassing himself over Dylan. It's season 6, so naturally a lot of what's happening is pretty terrible.

(6) Love My Way: This is another not-so-great college episode. I understand it's a transition episode for Paige and that she's focusing on her love life so she doesn't have to worry about things like her mental health and her academic future, but most of this episode leaves me feeling pretty indifferent. Paige is obviously going to end up back together with Alex, so the detours back to Spinner and to Jesse are kind of pointless.

(7) Sunglasses at Night: Marco gets into gambling and has money troubles for 20 minutes because he's lonely and feels insecure about being the boring, reliable one. Who honestly cares? This is the point in the series where it becomes obvious the writers have no idea how to write college story lines and are struggling HARD. Peter and Darcy sneak around and somehow think they're Romeo and Juliet because Peter is a disgusting pig, resulting in no one liking him including his mom. A lot of people complain about season 7, but thank god for all the new characters and the stronger story lines because this show was treading water for most of this season.

Season 7:

Favorites:

(1) Standing in the Dark: This is the kind of episode that speaks for itself. Darcy's rape story line is somehow darker and more haunting than Paige's. Seeing Darcy get to such lows and watching her spiral as she comes to terms with what happened to her is painful to watch. The Toby subplot is also solid and a strong way to start the season.

(2) Death or Glory: This is the beginning of what's probably Spinner's best story line. I can't quite put it into words, but I liked that the writers chose to give Spinner the cancer arc. Spinner for most of his run was pretty wrapped up in his masculinity and how it defined him, so seeing how struggle with the idea that he's "less of" a man due to losing a testicle was.. interesting? Very sad, but it worked for the character and I feel it gave him more depth and wisdom in the long run. One of the episodes also features Darcy growing closer to Snake after sharing the secret of her rape. Obviously, that story line ends up going in a very messy direction, but the moment where he reaches out to her is touching.

(3) We Got the Beat: I mainly like this episode for the main plot, but I also feel like it's really underrated. I loved seeing Manny much more independent and so willing to stand for herself to her parents. Plus, it's the beginning of Janny which ends up being not only one of my biggest couples on the show but also very entertaining and funny to watch. Jay Hogart was never the same after crossing paths with Manny. The resolution with Manny and her dad finally coming together and starting to forge a better relationship was really nice. One overlooked aspect of Degrassi is the occasions where the parents sometimes grow as much as the kids do, and Mr. Santos is an example of this.

(4) Live to Tell: Darcy is a mess in this episode, but I kind of love it. To be honest, I wish we'd seen a little more of it. That's one of the downsides of the first half of TNG. Whereas the telenovela years had more episodes and more opportunities to sprinkle in continuing plot threads spread out over multiple episodes, in early TNG things could feel a little crowded and somewhat rushed. But anyways, I'll always love that Darcy represents the imperfect victim. Not everyone heals in an outwardly beautiful way where you come away wiser and stronger. Sometimes, you fall apart in a pretty destructive way and can behave in unsympathetic ways. Even after falsely accusing Snake, I never stop viewing Darcy as a realistic character.

(5) Bust a Move: I love watching Manny getting everything she wants and finally ending up with a guy 100% devoted to her and totally on her level. That's reason enough, but mostly this episode is a lot of fun. But I also love Darcy's story line. She finally starts to heal from her rape and find some hope after an undetermined amount of time (because of the confusing timeline) in the darkness.

(6) Another Brick in the Wall: This is a rare time where one of the adults is the focus of the main plot. I feel like the general audience never fully warmed up to the OG characters having story lines in TNG, but Snake is probably an exception this rule considering Snake the teacher and stepdad is as beloved as any of the kids. I don't have much else to say about this, but I guess it's a realistic depiction of the effects of false accusations, as rare as those are. Holly J also finally gets more depth. Toby of all characters is given a rare chance to "win", so to speak.

(7) Ladies' Night: This episode is the one that proved that the season 7 newbies could carry actual story lines and weren't reliant on the longtime characters. While we hadn't seen a lot of focus on Anya and Holly J prior to this, Holly J being the dominant one in the friendship and the heavily influencing Anya had been clear in other plots and smaller moments. So Anya's eventual independence and Holly J's downfall was already fairly well set up. Samantha Munro and Charlotte Arnold were great in the scene where Anya finally confronts Holly J over mistreating her. I hate seeing Jay and Manny break up, but both clearly needed to do more growing (especially Jay) before they could end up together for good.

(8) Everything She Wants: Season 7 Mia is incredibly underrated. I think some questionable decisions were made for her character in season 8 when she was kind of rebranded as the hot model. But back when she was still a struggling single mother who just wanted to have a normal life, all of her plots were pretty great. I hate seeing Lucas let Mia down yet again, but it's painfully realistic. Mia sadly needed to learn the lesson that she can only depend on herself. Also, the brief return of Sean. I don't know what was different about his one episode appearance vs his season 6 run, but Sean felt much more like Sean than he'd been in a long time. I'm very happy the focus was on Sean's mentor bond with Snake rather than his romance with Emma. That relationship had barely gotten any attention during Sean's season of living at the Simpson/Nelson house, so it was nice to be reminded how well those actors worked together. Back in Black will always be the superior ending for Sean and there's a lot questionable about Sean joining the army at all, but I was happy to see Sean moving on to a brighter future that didn't completely revolve around Emma.

Least favorites:

(1) Love Is a Battlefield: I'll never forgive the writers for the way Alex was written off. Palex breaking up is whatever to me, though I seriously feel for their fans because neither character was written well during this episode. It's just bad. Alex was given zero understanding or patience regarding her mother literally betraying her by bailing out her abusive boyfriend instead of keeping them housed. If she needs to take a couple of weeks off and spend some time getting high, let her. Jesus fucking christ. Then of all things, Alex's stripper past gets thrown back in her face after Paige shamed Alex into quitting that job in the first place. She literally can't win during this episode. The subplot is pretty bad as well. Manny is mistaken for racist and somehow that relates to the Degrassi/Lakehurst feud. I don't even know why Manny and Damian got back together for all of two scenes. This episode was a massive disappointment after the season premiere.

(2) Got My Mind Set on You: Mostly, I just struggle to care about anything happening in this episode. It's sort of about racism, sort of about Derek being a bad friend to Danny. There's a minor love triangle thrown in. I don't think any of it comes together very well. Emma has a subplot where she's reacting to Snake's suspension from school and how difficult that is for her specifically. I'm just not interested in Emma's perspective. Another Brick in the Wall was a much better episode.

(3) Talking in Your Sleep: I haven't watched this one in a while so I'm slightly fuzzy on the details. But.. Paige unknowingly has sex with an HIV positive man because he makes the conscious decision NOT to tell her beforehand. Because of this, Paige is unable to give her fully informed consent to sleeping with him. Canonically, Paige's reaction to Griffin's violation is intensely triggered to the point she subtly references being raped by Dean. "I swore I would never be out of control with a guy again." Even though Paige's relationship with Matt was inappropriate and wrong, during their relationship she didn't view herself as a victim and him a predator. This doesn't apply to Spinner or Jesse, so that literally leaves Dean, the guy who took her virginity the night he raped her. Referencing that at all is a fucking choice considering the narrative wants us to side with Griffin and view Paige as ignorant for assuming promiscuity led to him becoming infected with HIV. Anyways, Griffin committed rape by deception, but no big deal or anything. The episode ends with Paige vowing to be a supportive partner to a guy she's been seeing for a day or two and we're supposed to not think anything of what he put her through.

(4) Broken Wings: The main plot just feels so.. soapy. Even for Degrassi. Jimmy can't access his trust fund to pay for his risky stem cell surgery, so he blackmails his dad into giving him the money after catching him having an affair. Jimmy was pretty consistently overlooked and underwritten and it's kind of unbelievable that this is the note they chose to end on minus his season 8 cameo. Also, Studz is formed and I have to listen to Peter sing. Enough said. I will never forgive the bunny masks or the shitty, privileged lyrics about being on house arrest and having a rich parent that doesn't love you.

Season 8:

Favorites:

(1) With or Without You: This episode has grown on me a lot and I'm not fully sure why. I really enjoy the main plot with Sav and Anya. They were never a major couple of mine even during the time I shipped them. I have more issues with them in retrospect, but that's neither here nor there. But I liked the focus and depth their relationship got in this episode. This is when they officially get on the on again/off again "Sav will never stand up for Anya to his parents" ride. It goes from being a cute plot about two teens who seem to be in love for the first time and potentially want to explore that through sex to a story line about sexism and double standards when the Alli/Johnny plot is tied into it. Also, the Emma/Manny subplot has become a random favorite of mine. So many episodes featuring the college kids tended to be either relationship focused or something extreme like Marco nearly prostituting himself for money, but this one was just Emma and Manny having a playful competition over Kelly that isn't being taken that seriously. The chemistry between Miriam and Cassie was always great, so it really worked.

(2) Jane Says: The main plot is very well done. I don't have a lot of thoughts about it, but Jane's slow processing over her past molestation was heartbreaking. I loved Lucas's role in it and how he finally stepped up when Jane needed him.

(3) Heart of Glass: Degrassi had multiple story lines involving consequences to sex and regretted first times, but I don't think any of them felt as personal as Alli's. It's subtle, but there's a lot of emphasis on how Alli is still a little girl in so many ways and wasn't emotionally ready to have sex. She wanted so badly to have the grand romance and to get the validation of just having her older boyfriend acknowledge her in front of his shitty friends. So when she makes the decision to go there with him and none of it turns out like she expected, I just feel sad for her. As much as I ended up hating the Alli/Johnny relationship and don't feel that it aged well at all, the ending with Johnny and Alli coming together and making actual relationship progress felt nice. Granted, that all went out the window in a big way come season 9.

(4) Danger Zone: While I think parts of this episode is kind of shoehorned in such as Holly J's sudden strong crush on Spinner that hadn't even been alluded to before, Holly J taking on a more heroic, compassionate role really worked for me. It felt good to see her undergo so much growth after being mostly unlikable for a good season and a half. Besides, even if it was rushed, the Holly J/Spinner dynamic is still one of the strongest from seasons 8 and 9. Connor schemes to get KC and Clare together, which is very cute. The Dot hostage situation was surprisingly good as far as Degrassi drama goes. It felt believable and not overly dramatized.

(5) Paradise City/Degrassi Goes Hollywood: This is almost a guilty pleasure for me because the premise is kind of ridiculous, but I always have a lot of fun watching it. I just love seeing Manny's dreams come true. I wish there had been actual setup for her relationship with Mick during season 8 rather than it being introduced kind of randomly. But I like the way she was able to pull herself out of that toxic relationship and put her ambitions first. Janny <3 Jay doing everything possible to help Manny make her dreams come true <3 Best non-Zaya endgame by far. I have mixed feelings about Ellie's story line because of the involvement of Craig, but I love that the show revisited the issue of Ellie's dad. More could have come out of that, but I mostly bought that Ellie would self destruct and run to avoid the reality of her dad's condition. Stacey Farber did some of her best acting here. I just wish the resolution hadn't felt so easy? I realize there was only limited time with Stacey due to Ellie departing at the end of the previous season, but it's really like Ellie is strongly implied to be attempting suicide and then a few minutes later she's making out with Craig in an airport. But if I overlook all of my issues with that, I enjoy her story line for what it is.

Least favorites:

(1) Didn't We Almost Have It All: Liberty's story line didn't work for me. I don't have a lot of complex thoughts about it. I think it's another episode that has multiple ideas all awkwardly mixed together. Liberty wants to join a sorority. Liberty faces racism because she's viewed as the potential token black girl. Liberty goes streaking. Liberty ends up with alcohol poisoning. It's a lot for a half hour story line. The message seems to be that Liberty should accept herself as is and be happy with that. Which is fine? It just feels a little late. As always, Liberty deserved better.

(2) Touch of Grey: Degrassi is occasionally accused of being a run of the mill, after school special type of show where the tiniest "bad" thing you do results in maximum consequences. Normally, Degrassi subverts this or at least goes into more depth. But this is a case where the show deserves all the criticism. The writers practically bent over backwards to justify a girl nearly dying because of weed. A diabetic coma that somehow happened because a girl who was already a habitual weed smoker randomly got so high that she forgot to take her insulin? None of that made any sense. Then to pile on even more and make sure none of the main characters get off scot free, Kelly is kicked out of the dorms. I'm only now getting around to mentioning that this was actually an Emma plot, but I don't think it fucking matters. She sort of has an identity crisis where she basically pulls a Marco and no longer wants to be the predictable girl with a boyfriend. Emma doesn't have to face the consequences of something she indirectly caused (no matter how ridiculous it is), making the entire ordeal pretty pointless.

It surprises me that I barely have any least favorite episodes from season 8. This doesn't make it a favorite. It isn't. But for some reason, I don't mind most of the episodes. Many of them are just "fine".

Season 9:

Favorites:

(1) Beat It: There's not a lot to say about this one. I'm a fan of Riley's character, and he takes a big step by the end of the episode when he comes out to Peter. Even though Argiris's acting is pretty terrible, I'm glad a character like Riley existed and that the show covered internalized homophobia with an intensely masculine gay guy. Anya's LARPing subplot is great. Independent, confident Anya was always the best Anya. This is around when Sav and Anya as characters, particularly Anya, start to evolve past Sanya the couple.

(2) Heart Like Mine: To be honest, there aren't that many standout episodes for me from this season, but I think KC's arc was one of the strongest and most emotional. It's unclear exactly what Coach Carson's motivations were and if he was the type of predator who was going to prey on KC himself or not, but I think the mystery of it all and the creep factor mostly worked. Considering KC's lack of male role models and strong adult figures, it's pretty realistic that he could be lured in by someone like his coach. I only wish we'd gotten more of the aftermath. Because in the long run, it somewhat felt like only the Klare/Kenna triangle lingered. I also enjoy the Fiona/Declan story line. I can't stand Declan now, but the only aspect of him I still find interesting is when he's interacting with Fiona. The movie at the end of the season goes into more detail and makes it clear how unhealthy their bond is. But in this episode, Declan wanting Fiona to be happy and kind of compromising to keep her in his orbit is sweet.

(3) In Your Eyes: I tend to like Riley story lines, so this is one of my favorite episodes. Not a lot of action happens other than Riley gradually taking steps out of the closet and becoming more comfortable living as a gay kid. Riley and Zane are adorable. Riley's friendship with Anya is solidified when he comes out to her. This story line just makes me happy. As someone who used to be a big Klare fan, this episode is complicated because KC is all over the place and not all what Clare needs. But I like that Clare ultimately put herself first and was strong enough to turn KC away. I wish so much that older Clare could have been half as strong with Eli.

Least favorites:

(1) Close to Me: The inferior Close to Me. I don't think Jane's affair with Declan was as out of character and as unbelievable as others do, but it was pretty clear it happened to break up Spinner and Jane presumably so he could marry Emma. Weird choice, but whatever. But the story line just isn't that interesting. I end up feeling bad for Spinner more than anything. KC's subplot is pretty good, but it's mainly just set up for his future story line.

(2) Wanna Be Startin' Somethin': The main plot always bugs me. I get that Holly J didn't really have close female friends, but it felt forced the way her loyalty quickly went from Spinner to Jane. I don't at all understand how she was so okay with keeping the Jane/Declan affair a secret. Basically, I don't have fun watching it. And in the subplot, it's just Dave and Bruce throwing piss at each other. I...

(3) Waiting for a Girl Like You: Declan harasses Holly J into dating him all the while he has a girlfriend. It's supposed to be very lighthearted and cute, but I hate Holly J and Declan together and can't find anything redeeming about their relationship after Love Lockdown.

(4) Somebody: This might as well be Waiting for a Girl Like You (2). Declan and Holly J are still the focus of the plot. For whatever reason, we're supposed to be very invested in Canadian Chuck and Blair exactly three minutes after they start dating. The whole plot point where the two aren't supposed to date because their moms are both against it was ridiculous. It's inventing drama that shouldn't be there to make us root for a couple that doesn’t have a lot of substance as it is.

(5) Why Can't This Be Love: Truthfully, I probably have mostly mixed feelings about this episode more than anything. Because compared to a lot of season 9 episodes, this one stands out as one of the better ones. But because of the subject matter and the fact that I'm going to inevitably end up talking about all of Degrassi's inadvertent rape story lines, I don't want to overlook this episode. Anya commits rape by deception when she lies about being on birth control, robbing Sav of the ability to give fully informed consent. It's very clear based on how horrified and uncomfortable Sav appears later in this episode that this knowledge changes everything for him. It destroys the trust he'd previously had in Anya. The first time I watched this episode when I was around 16, I was stuck on the idea that Sav of all people would keep coming back to the fact Anya "lied" to him considering the many lies he's told both her and his parents up to this point. But when you're a teenage boy growing up in a time where no one is talking about what consent looks like beyond very black and white situations, it's understandable that he wouldn't be able to put into words what was done to him and how he feels about that. The one thing I'll give Degrassi is that Anya faces immediate consequences once she confesses to Sav what she did. We the audience are meant to realize that Anya crossed a line and that Sav is in the right for ending the relationship even if Anya is still a sympathetic character. This is questionable honestly, but out of the Paige/Griffin, Sav/Anya, Holly J/Declan and Katie/Drew scenarios this one is sadly.. I hesitate to say the best but at least there's more emphasis on what the rapist did wrong and there's not a clear "actually the victim is the real asshole" or outright lying to the audience and saying what they saw on screen wasn't rape.

(6) Keep on Loving You: This is a filler episode. On most shows, I like filler episodes. But on a show like Degrassi that has a large cast, filler episodes featuring characters who already get a lot of attention are annoying. I didn't even plan for nearly all of my least favorite episodes of this season to involve Declan, Holly J, or Dolly J the couple, but somehow it worked out that way. Declan's moving away and doesn't initially say "I love you" to Holly J. There's no good reason for this to be an A plot, but Dolly J was the main couple that season. It's all mostly there to set up Degrassi Takes Manhattan. The subplot isn't any better. Danny and Chantay were both underwritten, ignored characters due to the fact this show rarely prioritized their black characters. Both of these characters had been around since season 4, but all they could think to have them do in this episode was have some drama over Chantay drinking from Danny's water bottle, thus catching his cold, because he was jealous she had to kiss Peter in a play. This isn't even a good plot by sitcom standards.

Season 10:

Favorites:

(1) What a Girl Wants: This is a strong start to the "new" Degrassi. Fiona's abuse story line maybe could have used another episode or two, but ultimately it was less about that relationship and more Fiona's character and how her past is used against her when she tries to confide in people about Bobby. It's sadly true to life that survivors of any kind of abuse or assault are disbelieved because there's no such thing as a perfect victim. Fiona instantly becomes one of the most complex, interesting characters on the show starting with this episode. The election story line was a lot of fun. The Sav/Anya angle was a lot, but I liked Holly J's involvement and how Sav was able to kind of turn the tables on her.

(2) Better Off Alone: KC's story line with his mom is very underrated. Really, KC in general is pretty underrated and misunderstood. He's a huge mess and has tons of issues relating back to his childhood that he never fully works through. The most interesting thing to me about KC in this episode is how much he wants to stay in the group home. We didn't see much of it, but it can be inferred that KC's time in the group home was the first time he'd found actual stability and a reliable home. So seeing him resist losing that and refusing to give his mom a chance is very sad. It helps that KC's mom, Lisa, is very well written and somehow still lovable and sympathetic even though KC is the character we've known longer and the one whose side we're on. I like that ultimately, it was KC's decision to move back in with his mom. I mostly liked Clare's story line dealing with her parents' marital problems. While I hate that this is the episode the cements Eclare and Eli's place in Clare's life, at this point they're just a normal potential couple starting out. Much like the KC plot, you have a teenager dealing with parental problems way out of their hands. Clare doesn't want to see her parents split up, but she can't stand the waiting and the not knowing for sure. Also, Bhandurner was cute here, even though things didn't end well for them.

(3) I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself: This is just a fun episode. A lot of lighthearted moments happen in it. The stakes are overall pretty low. But I also love that Sav undergoes a lot of character growth and finally starts being able to stand up to his parents. The Sav/Adam/Eli/Bianca group was great and deserved more screen time. Fiona's subplot was also really solid. I don't think there's a single bad Fiona plot in season 10. It keeps her issues lingering while also showing her beginning to grow and find healthier ways to cope.

(4) My Body Is a Cage: This is such a lazy explanation, but it's another episode that speaks for itself. The official reveal that Adam is trans was very well done. I hate that Adam had to be outed and that a hate crime was committed against him, but I guess the writers felt the character needed to be pushed to a certain breaking point. I do think that more could have been done with the aftermath. There was a lot going on with Adam. He obviously had gender dysphoria and a history of self harm. As a cis person, there isn't a lot I know about this. I just feel like maybe Adam needed some sort of counseling after that, but the show wrote it like all of his problems were solved at the end. But really, the fact Degrassi had a trans character at all in 2010 is legendary. I hate that I ended up critiquing this episode so much because truthfully, it's probably top 10 for me. The things that work about this episode are outstanding. I love the way Clare, Drew and Eli all step up and give Adam the support he needs and deserves. Anya's story line with her mom's cancer is kind of an afterthought in comparison, but I think it was also pretty heart wrenching. More should have been done with this arc rather than using it as a jumping off point so Anya could date the 20 something cancer doctor.

(5) Still Fighting It: Ugh, my brain is mush again. This is another strong Riley episode. This is when he officially confronts his internalized homophobia and makes great strides when it comes to accepting himself and getting closer to coming out. Riley and Zane in some ways are at their best here. Degrassi was guilty of giving them what felt like the same plot over and over again, but the chemistry between the actors really sold their relationship. There's a subplot where Wesley and Drew help each other out, which is fun. Wesley's crush on Anya is introduced in this episode, which was very sweet. If they'd gotten together, it would be Anya's healthiest relationship by a mile.

(6) Purple Pills: This was a great Fiona episode. Probably one of my sometimes overlooked favorites. It's just more of her dealing with the aftermath of Bobby's abuse and continuing to self medicate with alcohol. As I said before, seasons 10-14 had more of an opportunity to delve a little deeper into these story lines. It made them feel much more fleshed out and organic. Fiona's drinking probably lasted for several months in universe. Though Fiona still has a long way to go, I like that this episode kind of gives her a win. She's able to get in the state of mind where she's finally prepared to fight back. Riley officially comes out. It's understated, but that works. It didn't need to be a big moment like it was for Marco with his dad or Zoe to the school. Ziley is adorable. Mid season 10 is probably them at their best. I even like Adam's story line. I've never been that invested in his friendship with Eli, but I like that Adam makes the choice to hang out with the absolute wrong group just because he's being petty and bitter. Adam could sometimes be a little too perfect, if that makes sense. Nearly all of Adam's story lines revolved around him being trans and the struggles that came specifically from that, so it was always nice when the show allowed him to be a flawed character in the same way the others are. It made his much more serious, equally important story lines all the more significant.

(7) All Falls Down: This episode had to grow on me because I feel like at first, it was kind of overhyped for an episode where no one died or suffered much long term effects. That's one problem with some of the later seasons' promotion. They'd hype up these big events where lives were on the line, but very little like that happened other than the random one two punch of losing Cam and Adam so closely together. But anyways, I think all of the plots go together really well. Everything plays a role in Snake's eventual breaking point at the end of the episode. I haven't said anything about the Eli/Fitz feud, but it was one of the better ongoing arcs in season 10. I don't like Eli and can't say I like Fitz either these days, but the brain vs brawn aspect worked. At least back then, Eli was allowed to be more morally grey or outright villainous without the show pressuring us to think he was somehow the moral center. The Drew/Alli/Bianca triangle is classic Degrassi messiness. The guy's a fuckboy, and neither girl has a lot of self respect. It happens all the time. Even though this is probably the worst version of Drianca, their chemistry is still electric. I'm not shocked it was later decided to pair them up permanently. Sav and Holly J are great and deserved better.

(8) Don't Let Me Get Me: This is a big game changer episode for Alli. Obviously, this is when her parents finally find out about her "secret life" and it causes a massive fallout. But more than that, it's a significant Alli episode in the sense that she's forced to mature from this point forward. I don't know what the popular opinion is on this because it usually doesn't warrant discussion, but the moment where Alli spreads Bianca's nudes around the school is far and away the worst thing she ever did. It's beyond cold and uncalled for. I definitely don't think what happened after that was karma or that Alli deserved her parents' harsh judgment, but it's the moment where Alli's problems became a little bigger and she was really forced to deal with consequences for the first time. Seeing her so vulnerable was a big change from her usual confident demeanor. Jenna's story line isn't quite on that level, but thankfully the Next Teen Star thing is cut short in favor of Jenna being forced to face reality about her pregnancy and future. I guess in a way, this is the episode where both Alli and Jenna grow up.

(9) Hide and Seek: I mostly like this episode for Alli's story line. It was a satisfying ending after multiple episodes of Alli being in a no-win situation with her parents. It would have been easy for Degrassi to make the Bhandaris shallow characters without interiority, but I like that they had actual vulnerability and complex feelings. From their perspective, they meant well and were only trying to be good parents. When Alli finally comes home, I'm as happy for her and content with the conclusion of the arc as I am for the entire Bhandari family. I know it's bare minimum, but I like that Johnny left on a good note. He's still far from a favorite character, but there was at least a semblance of the kind of character he could have been had the show prioritized his growth and guilt over JT instead of just Jalli and being bully #1. Holly J's plot is pretty good. It works as a lesson for people who rely on self medicating rather than going to a doctor. My main issue is that in the long run, Holly J's kidney story line gets convoluted and soapy.

(10) Chasing Pavements: I LOVE Fiona's plot. It touches on every aspect of her season 10 arc, tying everything into a nice bow. In two episodes, she: wins her trial against Bobby, retains her sobriety, and comes out as a lesbian. It should feel rushed and a little bit clunky, but it really isn't. In my opinion, it's all very well written. The Anya/Owen sexual harassment story line is underrated. I have mixed feelings about Anya as a character now due to her past actions with Sav, but season 10 Anya is a lot more independent and outspoken when it comes to guys. I hate, hate, hate that Degrassi chose to pair Anya with Owen in season 11 because it kind of ruins Anya's strong moment of calling out Owen. The whole point of the story line is that Anya DOESN'T want to date Owen and isn't attracted to him due to his gross personality and sexist, hateful past actions. It taints the ending when you remember she sleeps with him a couple of weeks later. Daniel Kelly being conventionally attractive wasn't worth all that.

(11) Drop the World: As much as I can't stand Eli, his A plots were usually good. Plus, again, season 10 Eli wasn't supposed to be the unquestioned good guy. Even though Eli has sympathetic reasons explaining his downward spiral, he's still Clare's controlling, manipulative boyfriend who literally attempts suicide to get her by his side. It's a mess, but it's an entertaining mess. I rarely praise Munro Chambers' acting because I only ever talk about his character for negative reasons, but he's honestly great and one of the strongest actors ever to appear on the show. The subplots are fun. Who can forget "You told me to play basketball"? Awkward Anya revealing Fiona's crush on Holly J and being the comic relief was great. I just realized I forgot all about the Savvy J breakup. Ugh. So unnecessary, and for off screen Declan.

Least favorite:

(1) Love Lockdown: It's almost hard for me to include this because in retrospect, I think Degrassi got a lot about this right. Most definitely unintentionally, but still. The entire episode has a very ominous tone to it from the start. To begin with, Declan talks about winning back Holly J in a very calculated sort of way where if he just does xyz, she'll fall back into his arms. It doesn't help that he looks at Holly J like this the first time they cross paths again:

Throughout the first part of the episode, Declan does all he can to orchestrate a scenario where he can be alone with Holly J. Finally, he gets his chance when Fiona intentionally gets drunk and insists that Holly J stay at her loft to help out. The minute Holly J lowers her guard, Declan initiates sexual contact even as Holly J expressly says "no" and indicates both in body language and the fact that she never consents to anything. Part 2 picks up immediately afterwards. Holly J is uncomfortable and clearly not happy, but manages to keep it together until she's out of Declan's sight. But, this isn't Holly J's story. Holly J was the victim of coercive rape, but this story is more about Declan and how he and his sister place pressure on Holly J to say Declan did nothing wrong. To be fair, I don't think Fiona means to do this. Fiona is clouded by the idea of Dolly J as a closeted lesbian who views them as the ideal, attainable love she wants for herself. Possibly, Fiona wants to keep Holly J "in the family" as a way of being with Holly J without being with Holly J. When Fiona tells Holly J Declan is transferring back to Degrassi and wants to discuss the previous night, Holly J is withdrawn and almost looks distraught at the thought of her rapist transferring to her school. Whatever thoughts she's having about Declan during this episode, they're nothing good, which she implies to Fiona. All Holly J is able to vocalize is that she didn't want things to go that far and that Declan made her feel pressured. When Fiona attempts to prevent Holly J from walking away by touching her, Holly J pushes her hand away. Fiona gently questions Declan about his actions and whether or not he had Holly J's consent, which ends with Declan questioning if Holly J thinks he raped her. Holly J is next shown at work where she still looks very down and nowhere close to okay. I'm sorry, but this shit is not simply intense guilt over cheating on Sav. Holly J, a proactive, always in control person, is doing her best to go about her day as though nothing happened and that her thoughts aren't consumed with her assault. Yet again, Declan tramples all over Holly J's boundaries when he shows up unwanted AT HER PLACE OF WORK DURING HER SHIFT to guilt trip Holly J about how they were supposedly on the same page the previous night. Declan claims he'll only go away if Holly J reassures him that she wanted to have sex. Holly J yet again reiterates that she didn't want to have sex and that Declan insisted. She expresses confusion as to whether or not she "changed her mind". Declan recalls that she kissed him, but the scene clearly shows Declan forcing Holly J's face to turn towards his. He's the one to kiss her with it being ambiguous whether or not Holly J is kissing back.

Anyways, in the last eight minutes or so, the script almost completely flips as though the writers changed their minds much like they seem to think Holly J did. Now, Holly J wants to talk to Declan and is upset at the thought that he's out of her life forever. Even now, it's all being framed like "you think it was rape" and "he thinks that you think it was rape". It seems like the blame is kind of all put on Holly J? It's like Declan didn't actually do anything, but Holly J is causing all this unnecessary confusion when he's just trying to play Romeo or whatever the fuck. Somehow, this ends with Holly J rushing to see Declan before he can leave town. At this point, Holly J doesn't want to classify what happened as rape. Keep in mind that this is all taking place over the course of not even 48 hours. Holly J and Declan both got accepted into Yale and because of this, it somehow erases Declan's disgusting actions and it's still back to "you think I..." and Holly J having to reassure Declan that she doesn't think he raped her. I understand that situations like these can be complicated and that it takes time to process what it means when someone you trust violates you. But at the same time, this is the end of the story. Degrassi wrote a clear cut rape, called attention to it, and then told their impressionable audience it wasn't so. Every future reference to Holly J/Declan is positive. I'm sorry, I know this was ridiculously long. I just hate everything about the message this episode sends.

#Anonymous #rape tw #Long post #Ridiculously long and it's not an exaggeration #Not my gif #I always say that I'm going to keep it short but the next thing I know I start typing and can't stop myself #To be continued because I typed WAY too much and had to copy and paste anon's ask and sent it to myself because I still have #season 11-Next Class left #It's almost funny how this goes from very simple explanations to quickly getting out of control and I think part 2 is worse

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