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Season 5 First Impressions Part 1
by cerebral assassin
As many of the people who use the forums know I write a mini-review on each episode after it airs. I have decided to clean them up an publish them on a new column for the website. So here are my Degrassi Season 5 First Impressions for episodes 501-506.
501: Venus Part 1
I loved this episode; we knew Ashley was leaving, so her staying in England wasn't such a shock. I was surprised how much a bitch they made her, but on the flip side it'll help Craig get together with Ellie faster, make Ellie not feel as guilty. I had a feeling Craig and Ellie would be together last season in Secret when they were talking about going to group therapy. They just have so much on screen chemistry, its crazy. I really like the pairing.
As far as Manny goes, her change makes sense, she was in a movie last year for Christ sakes that would swell anyone’s ego, and she is more glamorous now that she has the money.
I also love how Spinner is trying to fit in with everyone and they all pretty much ignore him.
My only compliant is that the episode, while a decent episode of Degrassi, wasn't strong enough on it's own to merit a Season Premiere. They needed to make it a whole hour and put parts 1 and 2 together to give it that BIG season Premiere feel. That’s a big reason I wished I would have waited and watched it on The N, but with the group and all that's almost impossible without seeing a spoiler. Other than that I was pleased with the episode itself.
502: Venus Part 2
I must say Ellie and Craig's relationship is coming; I can taste it. I’m happy for Ellie it seems like she may be really happy with Craig.
I felt really sorry for Manny in this episode, Peter is quite a DICK. Manny now living with the Simpson/Nelson's? I didn't see that one coming. Manny's dad was being almost as big of a dick as Peter, I can't believe he would do that to his daughter. All in all a much better episode than last weeks, I stand by what I said before, Venus would have been much more effective as an hour episode.
503: Death of a Disco Dancer
I think this episode was ok, not really my favorite. My biggest complaint was that Paige being high was wayyyy too exaggerated. I mean even if it was her first time she only smoked half a joint. Her look was done really well; she did look high, but how she acted was way too over the top. I don’t know if it was Lauren Collin’s fault or the writer’s, probably more a combination of the both. I would say the Degrassi High episode The All-Nighter is a much more realistic representation of getting high than this episode was.
The Jimmy subplot on the other hand was done well, I really liked it. A good story of how Jimmy deals with his disability and the way people act towards him. Derrick was such an ass, glad to see he came around in the end.
My favorite part of the episode was Peter in detention; I loved Snake's "mocking" of him, and some nice continuity from Venus there.
504: Foolin’
A Round of applause, great episode, best episode yet this season. I love the things the writers stuck in there. Like JT crashing when he finds out Liberty is pregnant; and Toby crashing (the RC Truck) as well when he gets the same news. And of course the writers wink at the fans when Hatzialkos says "Well Accidents Will Happen" after the wreck, and JT finding out Liberty is Pregnant of course. The Fight Club reference in the Spinner subplot was priceless also. This all around was just a well written episode.
I love the Spinner's redemption storyline they got going on, and while Jimmy acted kinda harsh towards Spinner it was justified and realistic considering what Spinner did last season. It made Jimmy more three dimensional as he all along was the person you are supposed to feel sorry for originally, but now Spinner is playing that role more, so Jimmy seems kinda mean in the scene, yet it's still justifiable when you think about it in the big picture. Makes you see things from both sides. I really think Spinner and Darcy are a good couple.
This episode set up two ongoing plot threads for through out Season 5 and was done really well.
505: Weddings, Parties, Anything
OK, OK, OK, I know, I was a huge fan of the Ellie and Craig relationship up to this point, call me a hypocrite if you will. But this episode reminded me how much I liked the Craig and Manny relationship back in season 3, and that kiss at the end blew the ice rink out of the water. In truth I would have been happy with either outcome of this episode because I like both couples, but enough about the couples what about that episode.
So much drama, so much comedy, so much Degrassi. This was a really fun episode, and it epitomized what Degrassi is... FUN.
I'm gonna start with the subplot, so many funny lines in this episode, Craig's "Do you want me to draw you a diagram?" line was classic, I laughed out loud. So she's 23, he's 34 they are both adults. I mean once you reach a certain age, that big of an age gap doesn't matter. I'm a huge Caitlin and Joey fan but while Caitlin's away let Joey have his fun I say. Great story on the subplot, I liked Joey overhearing Dianne's friends talk about him, the whole feeling inadequate to a younger woman is a strong storyline and was pulled off great by the writer's here.
Now onto the big one, the main plot of this episode was a non stop rollercoaster, I really was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was going to happen. I do feel realllllly sorry for Ellie, she was really hurt that Craig didn't feel that way about her and Manny was really mean to her, but I can see where Craig was coming from. I mean she has seen him at his weakest and darkest times, he doesn't feel interest in her romantically it's a deeper friendship he has with her, I think Ellie and Craig's friendship will be OK and the band will come out of this just fine, it may take a while but it'll all work out. Craig handled the situation much better than the last love triangle he was in, maybe he really did learn something. Like I said before many funny lines in this episode but the line of the episode has to go to Marco, when Craig asked him the question everyone was thinking; "what do I do?" his line "Oh, whoa, I, um, ah, I'm, I'm actually too busy enjoying not being you." I found myself laughing out loud at this, I don't know if it was the line itself or his delivery but either way it was a great moment to drop that line in the tense scene.
Another thing I like about this episode is, it is the first time TNG has actually tackled rejection. I mean we all felt sorry for Ellie because most everyone at one time or another has felt rejection, people know what it's like to put their heart on the line risk it all and tell someone you like them, and be told the age old line "Let's just be friends." The episode captured that feeling very well, and Stacey's face reflected it beautifully when he rejected her. In fact there was great acting all around in this episode, Jake was great as usual, Adamo had some great parts as well, and Aubrey's head shake was classic.
All in all I'd have to say it tops last weeks as my favorite episode of the season so far, although, I have a feeling I will be saying that a lot this season. I may not be able to pick a favorite episode once the season ends.
506: I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Another round of applause for the Degrassi writers, they have me so stoked this season. A lot more drama this week, great contrast to last weeks light hearted Weddings, Parties, Anything.
Jimmy, Jimmy, and more Jimmy in this episode; man, can Aubrey act or what? I'd say that was his best acting job since--- well EVER. Single best part of the episode, the eerie flashback of Time Stands Still, it was actually kind of hard to watch, it gave me goose bumps. I love the Jimmy struggling to deal with the fact that he won't walk again storyline. It's great follow up from last year and Aubrey is pulling it off superbly.
Well, well, well, it looks like Ellie just can't stay out of love triangles this year. In all honesty though it makes sense, Jimmy is the rebound crush, Ellie was really hurt by Craig, she became friends with Jimmy in their time together in the band and now he's there, happens all the time in real life, where a group of teenage friends bounce around from one couple to another, I've seen it time and time again. Unlike last episode though, this love triangle will continue down the road in future episodes. I actually like how they are showing Jimmy and Hazel drift apart. I mean getting shot is huge, so of course there are going to be some changes in your life. I loved it when Jimmy finally stood up to his Dad, and the words that he used at the end in his conversation with Hazel were a perfect explanation for it all, "I've changed" great way to rap up the episode.
Now onto the subplot, it’s the continuing saga of JT or Liberty Junior. I really like this plot thread but I didn't care for this particular part of it although it was a necessary part. Danny getting involved was more of a plot convenience for JT and Liberty to finally have a reason to tell someone. While I can see Danny's reaction to figuring out Liberty is pregnant as being pretty realistic, the blackmail subplot was really lame. And the fact that he wanted the doll back towards the end didn't even make sense I mean if he thought he could do it better than JT in the first place than why even blackmail him into doing the project for him. The writers tried to save face at the end by saying Danny was forcing JT to practice being a dad, but really the whole plot just seemed awkward, they could have written a much better story of Danny finding out Liberty is pregnant, but all in all I guess it got the job done. Plus I'm really glad JT and Liberty are back on speaking terms.
The above article was published by dTNGHO, please credit if cited or used
author contact info: lordlitwicki@msn.com
