We’re a week away from the return of Degrassi and the final 10 episodes of Season 12. Instead of an episode review, I figured I’d post this episode. I’ve posted it before, but it’s worth watching again (or watching for the first time if you’ve never watched Degrassi High) given all the talk surrounding this upcoming block of episodes.
To date, the Degrassi High episode “Showtime” is the only episode in the Degrassi’s 30+ years of existence that has tackled the topic of suicide head on. There have been instances where characters have attempted to hurt themselves (ex: JT overdosing on pills in season 5), but the fact that he attempted suicide was lightly brushed over.
Showtime is an hour-long episode that manages to show a wide range of reactions, from people being devasted to others being angry and calling Claude selfish for killing himself. The second half of the episode narrows the focus of the story, showing how the suicide has traumatized both Caitlin and Snake in different ways.
If there is indeed a suicide in 12C, I sincerely hope the show incorporated Snake’s past experience into the storyline.
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SHOWTIME Part 1
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SHOWTIME Part 2
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Kary's Degrassi Blog 
I have a feeling were going to see the different reactions with Maya, Dallas and Eli and how it may reflect with their significant others. In honesty, I still have a feeing it’s not Cam.
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I know this was done in the early 90s and the episode was more about reacting to a suicide and not about the underlying causes and ways to prevent it, but I actually hated the way this was handled. It sends a mixed message. As they are first reacting and the adults are encouraging kids to talk if they feel suicidal, they are also saying that you don’t ever really know what someone is going through and you can’t really do anything to prevent suicide. I also felt Claude was super stereotyped into the antisocial, dark and brooding loner and came off as melodramatic especially since we didn’t get this story from his perspective. It was also annoying that they repeated the whole “Claude did this to ruin our good time, so let’s not let him win by moving on.” He was villified more than he was sympathized with and I feel like it just reinforced the negative attitudes expressed throughout the episode and stigmatized those with depression and suicidal thoughts. I also though Raditch’s little “when you commit suicide your life is over, so don’t do it” comment totally oblivious. Like that’s the whole point! As someone who has had suicidal thoughts before and went to therpy,I found that frustrating and totally not helpful.
Fortunately, if Cam does commit suicide, I think there will be more sympathy towards him as there has been more proper build up and investment in developing the character first so it doesn’t seem like some melodramatic impulsive reaction to the Zig and Maya junk that seems to be woven into the premiere. I hope the suicide isn’t successful not just because I like Cam as a character, but I think it would be more valuable to have him go to therapy and get some insights into what goes through a person’s mind when they are suicidal so at least viewers have a better understanding of what leads someone to commit suicide, instead of “we’ll never know.” I also think it gives more hope if we can see Cam grow and comeback from being that low and end up in a happier place.Either way he wouldn’t be suffering anymore, but in if he lives, that gives more validity to the “it gets better” advice that will be given.
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