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Tonight was the debut of the 2011 Degrassi Nation Awards (you can watch them here). Last year’s results were insanely predictable, and just plain insane at times (I’m still annoyed that Eli’s hoarding won Best Storyline and “Umbrella” won Best Episode). But how would things fare this year? Below are the results as well as who I voted for:
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Rookie Of The Year
Who won: Cristine Prosperi (Imogen)
Who I voted for: Cristine Prosperi (Imogen)
This one was a no brainer. Imogen is the only one of the 3 new characters to make a decent splash on the show, and Cristine plays her so well. Both Chloe Rose and Justin Kelly’s characters were in such restricted roles, so they didn’t get a chance to show us very much.
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Best Supporting Guest Actor/Actress
Who won: Ramona Milano (Mrs. Torres)
Who I voted for: Jacob Neayam (Mo)
I would’ve never guessed that Ramona would win this category. She is one of the more memorable adult characters, but I thought Jacob did an absolutely phenomenal job in every single appearance he made in 2011. People tend to want every single person on the show to be a major character and have a major plot and be developed in detail, but that’s just not possible. The personality Jacob brought to Mo shows secondary characters are indeed just as capable of bringing A-level entertainment to the show as the power players are.
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Best Crying Moment
Who won: KC & Jenna give up Tyson
Who I voted for: KC & Jenna give up Tyson
There’s not much to say because this one is no contest, and we all know why this is the best crying moment…unless of course you have no soul.
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Song Of The Year
Who won: “Steal Your Heart,” by Augustana
Who I voted for: “Steal Your Heart,” by Augustana
Another no brainer. Acutally this category is almost unnecessary, because the songs used for the extended summer promos will always win this category.
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Storyline Of The Year
Who won: Tyson is put up for adoption
Who I voted for: Tyson is put up for adoption
Every season has a storyline that defines it…this storyline is it for Season 11. I know there’s still a lot of episodes left in S11, but it’s going to be a difficult task to pull off another storyline this season with such superior quality as this one.
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Couple Of The Year
Who won: EClare
Who I voted for: Bhandurner
In 2010, there was a plethora of reasons for EClare to be Couple Of The Year. In 2011? Not so much. By the time In Too Deep began, I was already burned out on EClare (despite that, I thought their storyline was great in Jesus Etc). Though the essence of EClare was the motivation for both Eli and Clare’s separate actions in Season 11, they still weren’t a couple. And most of the Season 10 episodes this year involved them at their wit’s end with each other. And though they had a *moment* in Lose Yourself in Season 11, that’s really the only major standout moment of them together in this current season…because they weren’t a couple. They barely interacted with each other in Season 11.
I almost thought about voting for Drianca, but at the time I submitted my vote no couple in my head made as much sense as Bhandurner. I don’t ship couples very often. But it was refreshing to see a couple like Bhandurner: they were cute together, they had a history, they had chemistry, and most importantly they balanced each other out. With my two favorite couples ever (Sellie and Parcy), the female characters balanced out the male characters and their wild personalities. With Bhandurner it was slightly different: both Alli and Dave have the tendency to be annoying/unlikable as individuals, but worked very well together as a couple…even though their ship sank all of 2 minutes after it set sail.
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Actress Of The Year
Who won: Charlotte Arnold
Who I voted for: Annie Clark
Charlotte Arnold is the best actress on this show and has been for years, but I disagree with her winning Actress Of The Year in 2011. We’re keeping in mind that this award is for an actress’ entire body of work in 2011, which includes the Season 10 episodes in In Too Deep. Charlotte and Annie were always the frontrunners for this award, but for me it basically comes down to two storylines: Fiona’s storyline in Chasing Pavements and Charlotte’s kidney storyline in Season 11. Though Charlotte always does well, I believe Annie delivered a far superior performance in an episode that I consider the best of the year.
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Episode Of The Year
Who won: Extraordinary Machine
Who I voted for: Chasing Pavements
It’s not that I hate Extraordinary Machine. There’s no denying the power of Eli’s monologue or the tears brought by Tyson’s adoption. But to be very blunt, to me Chasing Pavements is the best episode of Degrassi out of all the Season 8, 9, 10 and 11 episodes combined.
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Actor Of The Year
Who won: Munro Chambers
Who I voted for: Munro Chambers
Fangirls may or may not have a gazillion reasons for voting for Munro as the show’s best actor, but for me there’s only one reason: it’s because he IS the best actor on this show. It’s to the point where it’s not even close, and like the show did with Jake Epstein back in the day they give Munro some pretty meaty material to work with. Even though Luke Bilyk and Sam Earle were pretty dang good with their storylines in Now or Never, it still doesn’t come close to Munro…he’s on a completely different level than the rest of the male actors on the show right now.
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Kary's Degrassi Blog 
Your comments were perfect. Great critiques. I agreed with everything you said. I might differ with you on 1 point: I think Annie Clark is the best actress ever on Degrassi. Charlotte Arnold is probably a close second.
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Kary, Does this mean that your top ten favorite episodes now includes Chasing Pavements? I recall when you did it a while back it was just episodes from Season 1-3 that made your list…. Are there any additions/subtractions to your top 10?
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I agree with most of your choices except saying chasing pavements was as good as the last 4 seasons combined. I don’t even consider it my favorite episode of that season (MBIAC is way better, imo). although it is definitely in my top 3 for season 10.
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I agree with most of your opinions, though I’m going to have to agree with Extraordinary Machine being the best episode instead of Chasing Pavements.
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For some reason, i really liked the song that was playing at the end of Take A Bow, Part 1 when Fiona lost her sobriety and was drinking on the stairs. It matched her heartbrokenness but not in an overdramatic way, and i would have made that song of the year.
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Stephanie Kaye is like QUEEN BEE of Degrassi Junior High!_! She is the best character and my favorite! Second Bubble Bee is Kathleena (However you spell her name.) She reminds me of younger Emma. STEPHANIE KAYE RULES!
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ugh i hate the way you pronounce some things kary lol
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Lol like what?
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No love for my Chantay? A 35 year old graduating senior and still left out in the cold. When will her time finally come?!!!
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I don’t really disagree with your picks here, except that I think Alicia Josipovic deserves some honorable mention as Bianca.
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I agree though she was kinda non existent from episodes 6 through the seasons last two episodes
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Completely agree! I think Alicia Josipovic definitely deserves a nod for her performance last year.
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To anyone who thinks The LA Complex will air on TeenNick, I think this promo will change your mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXCqRbXjzkg&feature=g-u&context=G2909cfeFUAAAAAAAAAA
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An article I read says its’ going to be called Degrassi: All Too Much
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Which Stohn tweeted it wasn’t.
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Yeah, whoever wrote that article didn’t do their research…just looking at youtube account they got the video from says it all
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Hmm, im going to guess Teen Nick is going to call it, Degrassi: Rock Bottom, it just sounds right to me
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You know what sounds good to me? “Degrassi” hahah. I don’t understand what the point of having each half of a season have different names. I mean it’s still the same season, just coming back from a break. & why have the names at all, i just don’t understand. I liked “The Boiling Point” because it was a summer special and it was a new thing, but In too Deep and Now or Never is just unnecessary.
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I think chantay should have won the best supporting actress award because thats what she is ha and also for those who think that annie clark is the best actress ever on Degrassi then it is obvious you didn’t watch some of the earlier seasons because my top 2 are for sure Shenea Grimes and Charlotte Arnolds, but Lauren Collins is a close 3rd with Annie Clark and Paula Brancati following her. But I agree with all of your choices Kary for sure
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I agree with you except for two things: 1) In my opinion MBIAC is the best episode out of the last four seasons, but Chasing Pavements is a very close second. 2) The Bianca/Drew gang storyline was the best out of season 11 to me. Kenna’s storyline was great. It would have been fantastic, but it had a slow start that was a bit too slow for me. The gang storyline however started strong and stayed strong.
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You thought Chasing Pavements was better than My Body is A Cage?
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Yes. Both main plots are A+, but Chasing Pavements secondary plot with Anya is better than Anya’s secondary plot in MBIAC
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My Body is A Cage had a great main plot, but that is it the rest was eh ESPECIALLY the Dave and Wesley part also that was in 2010 not 2011
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