Degrassi Recap: Watch Out Now/Ready Or Not (1413/1414)

Watch Out Now and Ready Or Not are separate episodes, but were aired as a “one-hour” episode on the networks.  Winston’s plot is the only one that takes place in both episodes.  Both Becky/Jonah/Drew and Zoë’s plots take place in Watch Out Now, while Zig and Eclare are in Ready Or Not.

Drew’s Salty Over Jonah

The new Principal, Ms. Pill, has introduced a new school conduct policy: no kissing, hugging, touching, or anything that could be considered PDA.  This works in Drew’s favor because him (and everyone) can see that Becky and Jonah are attracted to each other.  Drew uses his power as Student Council President to shoot down Becky and Jonah’s idea for a lunchtime variety show.  Imogen and Jack suggest Becky flirt with Drew to get him to change his mind; she does, and it works.

However, when Drew thinks Becky is into him again she’s forced to tell him the she only flirted with him to get him to approve the variety show idea.  Drew’s upset, especially when Jonah walks up.  Ms. Pill demands to know why they’re making a scene, and Drew lies and says he caught Becky and Jonah making out.  The two are given detention and their variety show is canceled, and while furious at Drew, Becky reveals to Jonah she likes him.  She kisses him in front of Drew, and the new pair walk off arm in arm.

GRADE: B-
QUICK REVIEW:  Oh Drew.  His character makes all these strides and then bam, he starts behaving like a dumbass again.  Disregarding Drew’s over-the-top nonsense in this episode, I liked the angle they took with Becky’s character.  “Why is it that whenever I follow the rules things just get worse?” she says,  a little throwback to her getting screwed over when her brother sexually assaulted Zoë.  Becky’s a rule follower who’s realizing that following rules doesn’t always mean things are going to go your way simply because you did things the way you’re supposed to.  Meanwhile, Drew got to bend the rules to work in his favor and stomp all over Becky and Jonah…or so he thought.  I care for neither Becky/Drew nor Becky/Jonah, but the latter’s kiss at the end serves not only as a blatant violation of the rules, but nice dose of karmic justice for Mr. Torres.

 

Bully vs. Bully

The cheerleaders are stuck in detention for the rest of the school year because of their involvement with Degrassi Nudes.  Zoë is also facing possible charges for being the ringleader, and it doesn’t help the other cheerleaders want nothing to do with her.  On top of that, Damon spends his time in detention picking on the cheerleaders by harassing them with a peashooter.

Zoë feels it’s her fault Damon is picking on the other cheerleaders, so she decides to fight back by smearing his chair with pudding, which he sits in.  Later, Zoë tries to confront Damon outside, and when he gets in her face Zig and Tiny step in.  The three get in a fight and Damon stabs Tiny before running off.

GRADE: B
QUICK REVIEW: “The only reason they stuck around so long is because they’re worried about going to jail.  When Power Cheer is over, they’ll probably never speak to you again.”  Frankie said that to Zoë in Firestarter, and it looks like she was right.  The squad is pissed at Zoë now that they’ve been punished, but detention is nowhere in the realm of what Zoë’s punishment could end up being (jail time).  This plot was an effective introduction to the trouble that Zoë faces for Degrassi Nudes, as well as showcasing the fact that while Damon is a bully, Zoë is equally capable of dishing out embarrassment (as if you didn’t already know based on her history of cutthroat behavior toward those who cross her). But hands down the best part was how her plot seamlessly transitioned into the gang storyline at the end.  Bravo, CJW.

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Winston Chu: Comedic Genuis?

Winston is bummed that no one thinks he’s funny.  While Frankie thinks he should put on his play, Captain Who, at school, Winston’s intent on making everyone laugh during the lunchtime variety show.  People are laughing at his jokes, but Frankie doesn’t find it funny when some of Winston’s jokes are about her.  Winston still feels like a loser, but Lola tells him she thinks he’s hilarious.  In a spur of the moment move Winston kisses Lola, and the two instantly regret it.  Winston says they can never tell Frankie…Winston apologizes to Frankie and tells her that he plans to put on the play after all.

Winston plans to play the male lead in the play, and as they audition for the female lead Lola is perfect!  But Winston tells Frankie that he doesn’t “like” Lola at all.  Frankie’s idea:  have the three of them hang out so they can get to know each other.  Winston’s so afraid of it slipping out during the play that he and Lola kissed that he decides Frankie should play the female lead instead.

GRADE: C+
QUICK REVIEW:  I really enjoyed the concept in the beginning.  Winston feels like everyone else is known for being *something* (Miles is cool, Zig is badass), but he doesn’t really have a “role” himself  He wants to be “the funny one,” but someone should’ve reminded him it’s not a good idea to make your girlfriend the target of your jokes.  Winston feeling like a loser is a very simple, but relatable plot point that suddenly become complicated when he kisses Lola.  I’ve always thought Frankie and Winston were an adorable couple, but there’s nothing really appealing about the idea of sitting through an “Oopsie! Winston cheated on his girlfriend!” scandal, especially in a block where there’s bigger relationship fish to fry (Drecky, Eclare, Jackogen, and another ship on the horizon in a few episodes).   I will give you this…Winston’s play is quite amusing.

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Damn Eclare, That Was Quick

Clare says she and Eli are just friends (who are getting along well since they’re going to be parents), but Alli’s not buying it; she says they’ll get back together eventually.  While at birthing class Eli tells Clare he loves her.

Clare’s afraid the two will fall back into old habits if they get together, and is determined to set boundaries between each other.  However, all that goes out the window when the two end getting hot and heavy.  Afterward, Clare questions whether they can be happy again, but Eli tells her he’s happy right now and wants them to spend the rest of their lives together.

GRADE: B
Does it even matter what I write here?  Eclare fans loved it; Eclare haters hated it. Degrassi’s most-polarizing ship took over the fandom once again when they may or may not have gotten busy on Clare’s couch.  Over the years Degrassi has shown us there’s two versions of Eclare:  the one where they’re fine and actually communicate like normal human beings, and the one where they’re thrown into an extreme situation for what seems like no other reason than to see how far the show can stretch the whole “through thick and thin” thing.  The former appeared in this episode, though I admittedly prefer their twinkly lights reconciliation in season 12 over this one.  Eli seems ready to commit wholeheartedly to both the baby and Clare.  But amidst the afterglow of whatever it is Eclare did on that couch, Clare’s face screams uncertainty while Eli states things about being happy in the moment and wanting to be together forever.  While she was vocal about it the entire episode, I find Clare subtly questioning things in that moment really interesting.  It’s as if the fate of Eclare might not hinge on Eli doing something stupid (again), but more her reflecting and deciding for herself based on what’s best for Clare Edwards.

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The Gang Storyline Is Now In Full Swing

Tiny winds up in the hospital after being stabbed by Damon.  Zig is upset and wants to retaliate against Damon, but he ends up just taking out his anger on Miles instead.  After apologizing to Miles, Zig ends up joining Winston’s play to take his mind off things.  However, he learns there might be a gang retaliation because of what happened to Tiny.

Zig puts his differences aside and decides to warn Damon that an ambush is set to happen that night.  Zig’s happy when he finds out the retaliation didn’t happen, but he, Maya and Maya’s mom come home to see the Matlin’s living room trashed.  Zig spots a bandana from the rival gang Damon is in, but hides it before anyone can see it; he knows the Matlins are now in danger.

GRADE: A+
QUICK REVIEW:  After a season and a half of buildup the gang storyline is in full effect, and it’s gotten off to a great start.  There’s so much awesome stuff happening here that it’s hard to contain my excitement for it.  Clearly Zig is going to get dragged back into the gang life because it’s officially put Maya in harm’s way, but in this episode we see him experiencing extreme guilt.  He feels bad because Maya’s been a wonderful support system and helped him get out of the gang lifestyle, while Tiny has no one like that in his life.  When people say they want a backstory it doesn’t always need to be an entire plot or episode, and this episode shows that.  Zig explained the story behind why he and Damon are no longer friends with just two lines, and that’s all we really needed to know.  From Tiny getting stabbed to Degrassi bringing back “Punk Gibby” (Damon) and making him a menacing antagonist with no chill, this plot had me on the edge of my seat.  I can’t wait to see what happens next.

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