Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Season: 2
Episode: 3
The-N Airdate: 10/14/02
CTV Airdate: 10/6/02
PLOT A SUMMARY: Spike tells Emma that she’s dating Emma’s teacher, Mr. Simpson. On the outside Emma’s ok with it, but she’s actually unhappy with the situation because she feels like Simpson is taking away her mom. She starts being rude to Simpson, calling the junior dance lame and gets upset when she catches her mom and Simpson making out. But that’s not the only reason she’s upset…Both her and Manny think Craig likes Emma. When Spike ditches girl’s night to go on a date with Simpson, Emma and Manny get Craig to sneak them into the senior dance. Once in, they’re surprised when Craig asks Manny to dance instead of Emma. Emma storms home and that’s when she sees her mom making out with Simpson and gets upset. She doesn’t know if she can accept her mom and Simpson are dating, but Spike assures her that she will always come first.
Dear Emma, I feel your pain. It sucks when the person you like, likes your friend. It sucks when your parent starts dating someone new, because you just know that person will become more important than you. Plots that make you think are fun…but plots like this are also enjoyable because there’s not necessarily any thought required. The message is so straightforward, and the feelings are clear-cut. What kid hasn’t said “Oh yeah I think it’s fine” when their parent starts dating, but not really mean it? But as a teen girl when you feel like you’re losing your mom and you’ve just lost the guy you like of course it feels like the end of the world. Manny plays it cool, and poor Craig is unaware that these girls think the world of him. If people can’t help how they feel, then who do you blame when love doesn’t go your way?
The Spike/Simpson romance brings a sense of closure if you’re someone who has watched Degrassi High. In one of the final episodes of the series Spike had a massive crush on Snake, and asks him to the dance. He says yes, but it turns out he really wants to go with Michelle (the girl he likes)…however he turned Michelle down because he already said yes to Spike. Spike gracefully steps back and makes up an excuse as to why she can’t go to the dance, so that Snake could go with Michelle.
Spike and Michelle weren’t friends; they didn’t hang in the same social circles. But Spike never harbored any anger toward Michelle or Snake, though you could see the disappointment and dejection in her eyes. That same look could be seen in the eyes of Spike’s daughter some 10 plus years later, as she watched her best friend walk away with the guy that was supposed to like her. If there’s any lesson to be learned here it’s that times change, but being rejected will always feel the same.
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PLOT B SUMMARY: A breakdance competition will be held at the senior dance, with the grand prize being awesome seats at a Leafs’ hockey game. Jimmy and Spinner plan to win, but upon seeing Spinner’s “moves,” Jimmy decides it’s best if they enter the contest separately. That makes Spinner mad and he plans to one up Jimmy’s Michael Jackson routine. Both guys sabotage each other’s routine: Jimmy replaces Spinner’s dance mix cd with slow music, and Spinner steals Jimmy’s breakdancing pants. In the end neither win, allowing for Marco to walk away with the tickets.
Degrassi excels at creating friendships that are different from each other. Spinner and Jimmy’s storyline delivers an excellent change of pace to the more serious tone that can be found within Emma and Manny’s. I think we can all agree that Shane Kippel isn’t the best at acting…all the better for a character who isn’t too bright to begin with, giving us a gem with his polar bear analogy.
The humor extends itself with the same concept that makes me enjoy a show like It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia: you’ve got friends who place their own interests first, yet even with their willingness and determination to screw each other over they all fail miserably in the end. Watching this episode after having watched every episode since, Marco and the writers also bring unintentional humor to this plot without Mr. Del Rossi saying a word. It’s just funny watching a guy who ultimately turns out to be gay walking away with ladies on each side, holding the big prize…tickets to a sport he knows nothing about.
Kary's Degrassi Blog 
Fascinating…
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I think like several other actors who’ve been on this show for a long time, Shane Kippel eventually got better. I liked him a lot in the Hollywood movie.
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A little, tiny part of me misses Marco circa Season 2 — what I believe Stacey Farber once dubbed “Marco Del Sporty.” Though I guess it’s a nice touch that as Marco opened up about his sexual identity, he eventually left behind his former styling and personality quirks that he probably subconsciously adopted to be more heteronormative.
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I strongly disagree when you said “I think we can all agree that Shane Kippel isn’t the best at acting…” I think he was one of the strongest actor on the show, and I enjoyed his acting every time. But, I respect your opinion Kary. :)
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He improved greatly in Season 3 and beyond (I probably should’ve clarified when I said Shane wasn’t the strongest actor that I was talking at THAT particular moment, aka the earlier seasons, not his entire tenure on the show)….but Seasons 1 and 2? Dude read his lines like he was reading them off a cue card lol
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To even push Kary’s point even more, barely anyone had good acting back then. Only maybe Paige was the best with her rape plot in those days and Sean some plots.
Season 3 is when the acting generally got better for everyone and then Season 4 really pushed it.
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LOL. That’s hilarious…yet true. He really did improve over the seasons, fortunately.
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This episode will never not be entertaining. “Polar bears are white, I’m white, and you’re racist!” Shane Kippel wasn’t a very noteworthy actor back in the day, but you can’t not applaud his acting in Death or Glory. He definitely became one of Degrassi’s strongest actors.
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Kary, There was a song that played where Craig asked Manny to dance with him instead of asking Emma. Emma storms out while the song is playing. What was the name of that song and who was the artist who performed it? Thanks.
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Christopher Ward – Once In A Long Time
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Season 2 was actually the first season I started watching when they were doing one of those Marathons about 4 years back. Still is my favorite season. It’s likely bias, but, whatever. It’s my opinion.
In season 2, the clear star of the show was Jake Epstein. Good plots with solid acting for a teenager. Craig became a pretty big bi-polar tool after this season, but Season 2 Craig might be the best character in Degrassi’s history in terms of a single season performance.
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The best of the season for him was when he thought he saw his dad in the crowd. Even I was starting to hate his dad at that point, but Craig was so proud and excited that it made me cry. Lol sometimes Craig acts like such a little kid, but it works since he’s just a freshman still growing up. And I always loved his interactions with Angela!
Despite all of this, Shane will always be my favorite guy charcter in his generation on the show. We really need to name these sets of actors, when you think about it.
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Also, Kary, could you refresh me on your season rankings. Just curious to see where yours fall into mine. Thanks!
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1) Season 3
2) Season 2
3) Season 1
4) Season 4
5) Season 10
6) Season 5
7) Season 6
8) Season 9
9) Season 7
10) Season 8
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Have no issues with that list. Seasons 2 and 3 are definitely my favorite. Feel like season 3 was carried by Sean though I’m not complaining. Him, craig and Spinner are the three best male characters in the show’s history.
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That’s more or less on par with my ranking, except I thought Seasons 3-5 were the pinnacle of this show.
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THEY’RE GOING TO BE SHOWING CLIPS AND BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE OF UPCOMING EPISODES NEXT WEEK LEADING UP TO THE TEENICK NOWHERE TO RUN PREMIERE. JUST SHOWED THE COMMERCIAL.
LOOKS LIKE CLARE WAS ABOUT TO DO THE SEX WITH SOMEONE (MORE THAN LIKELY JAKE)
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I didn’t watch this episode when it aired lol but I still remember the entire episode o_o is that bad…
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Well I mean when it aired earlier lol
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I really wish they’d give Snake something more to do now. They don’t *always* have to focus on the kids. Snake is the only connection left to the original TNG era (and DJH/DH), so it’s a character everyone who watches should have found a connection to at some point over the years. I’d like to see what Spike is up to and perhaps some family drama with Connor and Jack (How old would that kid be now?) They should really mention why Connor ended up staying with them in the first place. What’s wrong with his real parents? (I mentioned this several times in the past, but they missed a great opportunity not tying him to Michelle and BLT.)
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AGREE WITH EVERY WORD YOU SAID 100%!
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Yeah, I wonder how he and Spike are doing now?
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Spike is busy being the WORST actor in the show’s history. Honestly the lack of emotion displayed by Amanda Stepto was excruciating.
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Spike is probably still trying to find out what happened to her vibrator.
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haha emmas being 60’s spike for halloween! check out our now or never promo spoof please! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LDEx3acMzI
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Best line of the episode:
I get it. Polar bears are white. I’m white. And you’re a racist.
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