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If you’re reading this, congratulations…you’ve just survived the horribly long hiatus we’ve been on since Septbember 1st (Nowhere To Run doesn’t really count). We’ve got new Degrassi episodes for the next 13 weeks until mid May, then we can expect Season 12 to begin a couple of months after that in July.
I’m looking forward to the fresh start for Fiona’s character, and the fact I may have to scream “SHUT UP MARISOL” several times during this episode. I’m also looking forward to the demise of Cake, so that both Clare and Jake can become useful characters.
Thanks to everyone who got to watch the episode already at one of the Degrassi Parties for keeping mum about the episode, I didn’t see anyone openly blabbing about what happened in Part 1.
Tonight is also the premiere of Part 1 of the Degrassi mini, “The Power Play.” Here’s the trailer again:
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Kary's Degrassi Blog 
Don’t want to spoil anything but I was excited for Fiona’s fresh start, until I saw the episode.
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Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good. The more I hear about this episode, the less excited I get. :/
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Ditto, but I wouldn’t judge her fresh start too much yet.
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Knowing the Degrassi audience, I was quite surprised that I’ve only seen one mention of spoilers of what happened during the episode (from people who’ve seen it already).
Just out of curiosity, I know this is a long time from now, but do you think you’ll do Degrassi Extra for the first 20 episodes of Season 12? And why exactly don’t you do it for the non-telenovela blocks? Wouldn’t it be easier to do it because there’s only 1 episode a week?
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Possibly, I’m not sure yet. The problem is I want to start uploading the videos to youtube, but freakin Viacom is crazy when it comes to copyright. So it defeats the purpose of doing all this work only the have them block the videos for using clips in them, so I’ve gotta find a way to get permission from them or something so I don’t have to worry about that hassle.
I don’t do it for non-telenovela blocks because of time. I have more time during the weekdays to do them. But if the episodes are on Fridays I don’t have time to work on them because I usually have things to do early Saturday mornings. :-/
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I’ve heard that if you reverse the images of the footage so they’re flip flopped it makes the companies less likely to claim copyright infringement. It’s worked for some people but I think it all depends on how tight of a leash certain companies want on their stuff.
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SO WILL IT BE COMING ON EVERY MONDAY INSTEAD OF FRIDAY NOW OR IS IT JUST STARTING OFF ON THIS MONDAY AND CONTINUING ON THE FOLLOWING FRIDAYS?
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Only this Monday. Regular schedule starting on Friday.
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Someone on Tumblr spoiled the episode already :p
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Can you PLEASE write the review for the episode tonight? I’m really anxious
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Wow, great job making Marisol, Katie, and Drew even more unsympathetic, I was really starting to like Drew. And Owen is even more unsympathetic and I don’t buy the popularity of a homophobe.
I also think its too soon for a cake plot.
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After watching that mess, I wish they would have wiped the slate clean and started fresh. The Niners were the only ones who didn’t offend me. Don’t even get me started on the seniors.
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Fiona: Wow…she took a turn for the worse. I never really liked her character a whole lot, but she really frustrated me during this episode.
Niners: I was worried that they wouldn’t be able to carry a story line well, similar to how Clare, Alli, Connor, and KC couldn’t right away, but they did very well I think. These niners were very engaging I thought.
Cake: Eh, same ol’ same ol’. Until they break up they will be the boring and annoying couple that never make any kind of impact on me.
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I was disappointed with Fiona this episode and the rest of the seniors kinda pissed me off. Still can’t stand Clare but I was actually very interested in the niners.
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Scotty B, what didn’t you like about the episode? Would like to hear your thoughts.
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I was really confused why Katie/Marisol/Fiona were hating on Imogen as if she stole their lunch money. I can’t deal with a whole bunch of mean girls like that for no reason.
Hopefully Imogen and Bianca still have some sort of “friendship” too, since I don’t want her anywhere near KMF anymore.
Plus anything with Jake and Clare is just beyond awful. I mean, Clare made Jake take a pre-sex quiz. Who does that?!
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I understand Fiona. She knows what Imogen is going through and wants to help her but she wants to be popular at the same time. I get it, Fiona is stuck. The nice thing to do would be to not be mean to Imogen but do you guys think Fiona is thinking about the nice thing to do or the thing that will make her high school life “easier”? I’m not really that surprised about her.
Cake – it seems like they are closer to breaking up. Good. Finally.
Niners – 3 scenes. Wowwwww. They should have gotten the B-Plot, not Cake -.- I think I’m going to like Zig and Maya. Not so sure about Tristan and Tori yet.
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My thoughts:
Seniors: Eh. I like the Drew/Jake/Owen interaction. Fiona’s shallowness is a tad annoying, but I thought she was engaging while with Katie and Marisol despite them acting snobby. Imogen isn’t one of my favorite characters, so I wasn’t overly interested in her interaction with Fiona.
Cake: They’re still boring, and the worst part is that the Jake/Alli thing is taking away the Clare/Alli dynamic. I completely understand Degrassi causing strain in a friendship, but to do it in such a contrived way, as they’re doing with Alli by having her randomly break it off with Dave and ruin a great couple is just stupid. At least when Emma and Manny stopped being friends it was believeable-Like over Manny cheating with Craig where you could see that Emma had a decent reason to be upset with Manny.
Maya/Tori/Zig: I’m liking they’re first plot on the show-I’m excited to see Zig reveal the reason Tori doesn’t like him next week. Maya and Zig are reminding me of early Semma, anfd considering Semma is one of my favorite couples that’s a good thing.
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does anyone have the teen nick link to the new episode? I can’t find it anywhere and I’m desperately searching! please please please help me!! a million thanks!
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I want to punch Marisol and knock her, Katie’s and Fiona’s heads together.. I regret nothing
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The Pre-Sex quiz was definetley a sign that cake is way too glamorous to be a couple on this show. Or maybe a sign that the show needs to de-glamorize it’s couples. Remember how genuine Sellie or Crash were?
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I was pleased with tonight’s episode. Good setup for Part Two. I want to see MORE of the Freshmen (Maya and Zig dont count) We only got about two lines from Tristan and Tori, and they are the ones that interest me! However, I am happy that the writers arent shoving the new niners down our throats like they did in Season 8
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The pre-sex quiz is almost as absurd as the thing they did in “Don’t Panic” with the Lie Detector App on the iPad.
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Plot A – I felt seriously bad for Imogen. I get where Fiona is coming from, but I don’t support her actions. That prank? It was kind of lame.
Plot B – I think a real conversation without a magazine in hand would’ve gone over a whole lot better. Jake was hilarious and answered like most teen boys. Unlike some boys, Jake wasn’t putting the pressure on or seemed fazed that there was no sex prior to that. A divorce does make it hard to think of “soul mates,” so his answers were understandable.
Plot C – I think the niners have promise but PLEASE don’t let Maya jump into a relationship as quickly as Katie did. I think Zig/Maya is cute and like Klare.
As unpopular as it may be, I still like Cake above Eclare. I just never could like them romantically.
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I think they’re already better than Klare. Maya and Zig have so much charisma, I love it!
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can someone explain why maya doesn’t know zig/Tristan/tori already? I know Katie said something to her in the car and im assuming she lived with someone else or something. can someone explain?
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They went to different middle schools. Katie said that she knew Maya wanted to go to an arts school but that she’d have a great time at Degrassi.
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alright, I get it now lol thanks!
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Ugh, Fiona. So disappointed in my favorite Degrassi female right now. This was my fear when I found out there would be a Fiona-Marisol-Katie friendship on the horizon. After everything she’s been through, I can’t believe Fiona would want to associate with such judgmental people. I don’t mind her befriending Katie, but MARISOL. UGH. SHUT UP MARISOL. What a horribly unlikable person. And Owen? Fiona wouldn’t let that homophobe anywhere near her last party, but now? Ugh, makes no sense. I’m not even a fan of Imogen, but how they all treated her was so cruel. Ugh, the ugly reality of high school.
Oh Cake. Their demise is so imminent and undeniable that every scene they have together amuses me. I laughed so hard during that whole magazine questionnaire sequence. “What do you want our first sexual experience to be like?” “Sex..y?” Hahahah. It couldn’t be anymore obvious how unready Clare still is for sex.
On a good note, I love the niners. They’re already so much more charming and likable than Clare’s class when they first came into Degrassi. I don’t know why, but I adore Maya so much. Zig’s definitely the new Eli, I’m sure the girls are swooning over him already.
Oh, and I loved the random insertion of several of the regulars, just like what happened in LoveGame. I kinda laughed at Dave being slightly condescending to Maya and Zig, considering his past niner status, hahah. And Connor/Clare interaction! That was nice, knowing that they’re still aware of each other’s existence.
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Owen is a walking continuity issue at this point. There is absolutely no reason he should be friends with Drew. Almost EVERYTHING he did in season 10 had a direct negative effect on Drew. He also pretty much committed 3 hate crimes. Yeah kids who commit hate crimes are really popular. I know Degrassi is allergic to continuity, but out of all the continuity goofs, this one makes it hard for me to get into the story, I’m too confused as to why Owen is there. Why not KC or Julian? They haven’t committed hate crimes.
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I think Drew and Owen made up to become friends in, “Should’ve Said No Part 2.” That’s the episode where Drew joins Owen and Julian in Ultimate Fighting. Owen was supportive of him cage fighting in Mr. Brightside so I’m assuming that they’re friends now. And I’m glad, because I enjoy the guy/guy friendships on Degrassi… I loved it back in the days of the Squash (Craig, Spinner, Jimmy, Marco) in Season 3, could appreciate the “Studz” (Peter, Sav, Spinner and Danny) in Seasons 8 and 9, and also enjoyed seeing KC/Dave/Drew’s friendship in Season 11. I think KC/Dave/Drew is a very underrated friendship (recall that the whole gang storyline started because the three of them were going to a concert together) and I look foward to seeing more of it in upcoming episodes.
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The stupidest part of this whole episode is that they haven’t updated the opening at all, except for the Niners and Mo. That’s just lazy and inexcusable.
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well you’ve got to know its still season 11. they don’t usually change the entire opening until a new season, although there still wouldn’t be a point. it’s just showing the characters its not like most of us care if they’re in a different or the same stance for 3 seconds.
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Does anyone have a link as to where we can watch this? Besides TeenNick that is…
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@kary if you find the ratings for the episodes, do you mind posting them in the comments of the episode reviews? it would be really interesting to see them :)
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The show just isn’t the same without Queen Chantay,
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What is everyone talking about saying that homophobes arnt popular…..alot of the popular jock type at my school are homophones and the prissy cheerleader preppy types are not so friendly to the idea of lesbians?
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I think people just don’t understand how Fiona invited Owen to her party when she’s a lesbian and based on what she thought of him in Now or Never (in Week 1 when it was Anya’s birthday) was he was “gross”.
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I was thinking the same thing…I was actually expecting Marisol to be grossed out by Fiona after Fi told her she’s a lesbian
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Me too, I was surprised when Marisol was cool with it and didn’t get freaked out or act a bit more strange or anything like that.
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Me too… but then she mentioned how Fiona is one less girl she has to compete with for boys, and I was like LOL OF COURSE.
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Fantastic episode! The niners are really cool!
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Okay… THE NINERS ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!! :D
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i’m pretty sure the “secret weapon” in degrassi: power play is paige.. sounded like it.
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OK, I can understand the absence of Wesley – he’s off making an atomic weapon to impress fellow absentee Hannah. But where THE HELL were Mo and Mr. Tuxedo Pants?!
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It could be a problem with continuity when it comes to Owen but didn’t anyone notice how weird he was prior to being involved with Anya? He seemed depressed or otherwise stressed out–his hair was all unwashed and he didn’t ever seem to be hanging out with friends. He’s friends now with Drew and them when clearly he wasn’t part of their group before. Maybe he changed or went through something that was causing his butt-facery. Then again teenagers are constantly changes as their brains develop among other things.
But many people mention the homophobia(more accurately heterosexism) here, but think again what he nearly did to Ally in the boiler room–quite misogynistic behavior right? But then he treated Anya like an equal, the way any girl would want o be treated–i.e telling her she was wrong/being stupid and telling her off instead of condescendingly placating her. Seems a major change in demeanor to me.
The ‘niners’ scare me. There is too much female underhandedness, pettiness, and jealousy on this show. Where is the female camaraderie?! It’s so important to have female camaraderie and it does, believe it or not, exist in real life. The whole friendship destroyed over a boy? Really? What is Cake/Ally now, the thousandth case of it on Degrassi. NMP. (New. Material. Please.)
Honestly I think the Fiona and Imogen thing is the best drama/conflict on this show in a long time. The struggling between being nice and ‘popular’ is something we ALL can relate too. Now girls who aren’t insecure, moronic, superficial, mean, or desperate can relate to this show too! Yay! I now Imogen can be annoying but take it from somebody who knows, loneliness can make anyone, but especially kids, do some weird/desperate stuff. Explains Fiona too, obviously, (and Owen maybe?).
Last bit. Clare is supposed to be very smart and down to Earth. Why do they have her reading a stupid magazine to asses her relationship. I don’t understand t.v world where no matter how intelligent and logical the female is she still follows the advice of and subjects herself to the dumbest shit imaginable. ‘Tis why Degrassi is one of the only three television shows I watch.
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I don’t think he genuinely cared bout Anya. Owen preys on people who are vulnerable. Consider when he nearly forced himself upon Ali all the “sweet” things he was saying to her. He said those things knowing she was vulnerable. Anya was also vulnerable whenever Owen made moves on her, she felt lonely, judged, like a failure, and that nobody understood her. Owen said everything Anya wanted to hear, however the moment Anya did something he didn’t approve of, he was gone. Granted he came back, but not because he couldn’t stand to be without her, but because she stopped doing coke and was vulnerable again.
The same can be said about his friends as well. Fitz has fears and frustrations due to his troubled home life and Bianca has guilt of her past and is lonely due to her reputation. Drew was living in fear due to his situation with Vince, since around this time Bianca and Fitz weren’t around and the only thing Owen seems to have in common with Julian was fighting, I assume he took advantage of Drew. He seemed to care about Drew when he was getting tossed around in the cage match, but consider this, who was one of the people responsible for Drew being there in the first place if Drew got seriously hurt? Owen has enough on his record the last thing he needs is a lawsuit from Mama Torres.
I think the writers are genuinely trying to make Owen a Jay like character, but the problem is we don’t spend anytime with Owen, we aren’t getting into his head so I have to assume his motivations come from a nasty place since thats all I really have to go on. Its Johnny DiMarco all over again, trying to shove lots of depth in progression in way too little screen-time. Jays progression worked because it was well paced and we actually got insight to his motivations and what kind of person he was. Johnny and Owen are just jerks for no real reason and we just have to assume they are complete jerks. Actions speak louder than words.
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I know everyone thinks it’s ridiculous that Clare had Jake take that quiz on sex, and while I don’t disagree, it’s also pretty believable. How many of us have flipped through magazines with dumb quizzes like that and taken them just for fun? Clare is confused about her entire world and who else does she have to talk to about sex? I can’t see Christian Clare going to talk to her mom about sex, she doesn’t have Aly or Jenna.. so she’s basically alone on this one. Too bad she can’t talk to big sister Darcy about this one.
What bothers me more is how she says she’s never felt like she does now with anyone else before. I’m not shipping anyone, but Eclare connected on a much deeper level than they ever showed us with Cake. Cake was so sudden, random, and now a little to Marsha & Greg for me, not to mention it turned Clare into a whiny brat. Maybe if the writers had take the time to build up their relationship like they did with Eclare, then it could be more believable. It doesn’t even pass on a “oh they’re just hormonal teenagers” level.
But let’s be real Clare, there’s no way she feels as strongly for Jake as she did for Eli.
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At first I thought the “secret weapon” was Bianca. xD. But then I listened and looked more closely, (mostly because I saw comment that said it was Paige), and now I’m pretty it’s Paige to unless their foolin’ us
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Why didn’t it reply to the comment?
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I hope the niners get there spotlight and not just keep being the third plot and be picked on! /:
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Clare should have taken advice from Teen Sizzle Magazine.
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Clare is a B*tch, there I said it.
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There were so many things that I hated about this episode. I thought Fiona was above that kind of thing but at the same time it’s relatable because she wants to fit in with the popular crowd and in high school, who doesn’t.
The Niners weren’t given enough screen time so I can’t say much other than the fact that it’s nice to know that already there’s some sort of background between the new characters.
Last but not least, Clare needs to cool it. I don’t know whether she wants to have sex because others expect her to or what. Cake needs to break up already.
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I’ve got a lot to say about this episode. In regards to the Fiona story-line, when did some of the characters become so, for lack of a better word, mean? I can understand behavior like this from characters like Marisol and Owen, but I felt like Drew and Katie had been set up to be empathizing characters. I wouldn’t have expected them to take part in dersive laughter at and mocking of a person who had been nothing but nice to them and desperately wanted to be their friend. I’m not saying I expected them to reach out to Imogen, but I was taken aback to see them join in so comfortably. Especially Drew, who has watched his own step-brother suffer persecution in high school for being different. Katie I, admittedly, am not as sure about since I’ve seen less of her, and she’s best friends with Marisol, after all. I suppose this did, however, show the cruelty that can be brought out in high students when influenced by their peers. Especially seeing Katie be so kind and compasionate when alone with Maya in one scene and then acting like a first class snob to Imogen in the more public and social atmosphere of Fiona’s party. I did enjoy the freshman scenes. I wouldn’t mind if Maya and Zig got into a relationship quickly. As I recall from my freshman year of high school, freshmen hook up fast because they’re overeager little things. Oh, and Cake still annoys me. Clare telling Jake she’s never felt closer to anyone just rang false to me. I’m not clinging onto Eclare, but her and Eli seemed to share an emotional closeness far greater to whatever her and Jake have. We saw them handle a dead girlfriend, a divorce, the bullying storyline, Eli’s mental illnes and hoarding. Lastly, this episode needed more Bianca.
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I cannot STAND Shanice Banton’s (Marisol) acting. I mean, so far Marisol is a pretty one dimensional character, shallow and selfish, but I feel like the actress who played this character could go so many ways with it and SB is just so bland and uninteresting. It drives me crazy!!!!
as for the rest of the episode, I actually liked it….I love Katie’s little sister, she’s so cute. Tori and Zig have no chemistry whatsoever, but it’llb e interesting to see how that pans out. And, I actually liked Katie in this episode, Marisol was just being a bitch, but Katie actually had reasoning as to why she wanted Fiona to keep quiet.
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