Degrassi TNG seasons 11 and 12

Photo courtesy of Degrassi Kid

These past two seasons were really long, with around 40 episodes. Most were two-parters and both carried a lot of changes, including some of the characters' personalities. Drew's mom became a lot nicer and I like her now. Bianca also changed a lot and Drew's mom had some impact on that change. (See my post about seasons nine and ten as to why I didn't like them before.)

Here are my latest favorite characters:

1. Fiona: She's come a long way from the spoiled rich girl who was clinging to her brother. I really like the person she has become.

2. Eli: If I were in high school, he'd be the guy I'd have a crush on. He's also grown and changed from where he started a few seasons ago. 

3. Imogen: I like her quirkiness, but she also has a lot of depth. I enjoy watching her, as she lights up the screen with her smile.

4. Adam: He's just a genuinely good person and has had to put up with so much. He handles everything so maturely, for the most part.

5. Katie: For a while, she came off as a bit needy and annoying, but I like how she took control of her life and became a good support system for her sister and best friend. 

The worst characters:

1. Asher: He's such a jerk and I hope there is closure soon so that we can see him get punished for how he treated his interns.

2. Becky's dad: I wanted to smack him when he gave Adam that pamphlet about camp and was telling him how to think and feel. I'm glad Becky defied him. 

3. Becky's brother (I think his name is Luke): He's just so skeevy to me.

4. Vince: For telling his gang to beat up Drew, for blackmailing Bianca, and for shooting Adam. 

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Check out my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

Check out my thoughts on seasons nine and ten.

Season eleven:

KC is really annoying me with trying to get away from the baby all the time and now flirting with Marisol. He even bought her an mp3 player when he has a kid to take care of. And that small package of diapers does not last a week. A box from Costco lasts a week! I'm so fed up with his BS. He barely spends any time with the baby and now he's against giving him up for adoption? I'm glad he got in trouble with Jenna for cheating on her. I also wasn't sad about them giving the baby up for adoption, given it's an open adoption and they really weren't ready to be parents. The baby is so cute though! I also got annoyed at KC at trying to infiltrate himself back into the baby's life. I'm glad he's finding other things to do with his time now.

So Drew gets beat up by these gang members and now we don't know what happens for another six episodes. I'm worried for him but I'm glad he's learning Krav Maga. I hope it will come in handy. I'm also glad that Katie is reining him in a bit and teaching him tae kwon do. I hope Bianca can get out of the arrangement she has with Vince. Yikes! The shooting situation was scary, but thankfully Adam is okay. I hope this ends the whole situation with Vince and his gang. I'm a bit annoyed with Drew for suddenly going back to Bianca when things get complicated with Katie. I'm glad Bianca is trying to take more control of her life, but still. I'm also glad that Drew's mom became nice. 

The issue between Adam and Dave was intense and I'm glad Adam finally helped Dave understand what he was going through. I got teary eyed when they had their dialogue on the radio show. I'm frustrated for Adam because he still sounds like a girl and no one seems to trust his judgment that he knows he's a boy. I hope the FTM group can help him. I had a feeling that Tori would try to set Adam up with Tristan, but I'm glad they reached an understanding and that Adam feels more confident. 

I don't know if I trust Imogen yet. I think she could be really bad for Eli's mental health. It's also weird that she calls everyone by their last name. I don't like how Eli is acting and I am glad his dad found out that he's not really taking his meds. He reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago and I can't say it's a good thing. I kind of feel bad for Imogen now that Eli rejected her, but I'm glad she's moving on. I worry that he has an emotional hold on Clare though. And I was right, given the season finale. I wonder what will come of that. 

I am so mad at Riley for breaking up with Zane instead of confronting his parents. I'm sure it will all come to a head later on. I'm glad his mom finally accepts that he's gay. 

I think it's kind of lame that Charlie somehow needs to be able to drink and so she and Fiona are no longer going to work out. 

I am not pleased with Anya's new druggie rebellious side and I hope she gets her act together soon. It took another six episodes to see what is going on with her and it's not looking good. I'm glad she finally got her act together and is joining the army. 

I'm glad Connor got caught in the girls' locker room. I hope he's able to find a healthier outlet for his hormones.

Dave and Alli are cute together. I like them as a couple. It was funny when Alli's mom called him a "friendboy." I'm annoyed with Alli for gambling and ruining things with Dave though. The whole situation with Dave and Jacinta is really annoying too, especially now that Jacinta got into the accident that was her own doing. 

I'm so glad Fiona made it work so that Holly could get a kidney from her birth mother. I feel bad for people who need kidneys and don't have extremely wealthy best friends. Her birth mother looks like Miranda from Sex and the City. How is a dress from 1993 considered vintage in 2011? 

How is it not a conflict of interest for Wesley's uncle to be his teacher? I still am not a Wesley fan. I don't get how Hannah is still into him. 

I like Katie a lot and am glad she is class president. Marisol was being a handful, but I'm glad they patched things up. However, I was not happy with Katie for stealing her mom's codeine. I feel bad for her that she can't play soccer, but she was also making the problem much worse for herself. 

Sav and Ms. Oh?!? I guess once he graduates, things aren't off limits anymore. It just seems like they have other road blocks to contend with. Sav looked good with facial hair. He reminded me of Justin Baldoni a bit. 

The situation with Clare and Jake becoming stepsiblings is kind of stupid since it's not like they are blood-related. They should be able to date if they want and not have to hide their relationship. Not that it matters anyway. The whole situation with her living at the marijuana house was weird. I'm glad that's done with. 

I wish they had split the second half of the season into a new season instead of keeping it as season eleven. Especially since they took all the graduates out of the opening credits and put in new students. (Why can't they keep some graduates in so we can see what college and adult life is like for them, like we did with Paige, Marco, Emma, Manny, etc?) It was nice to see Holly at the end of the season. She looks so healthy again.

While Imogen can be a bit quirky, I feel bad for her in regards to how socially awkward she is. I hope someone will like her for herself. It's too bad things got intense with Eli so quickly, but I'm glad they can be friends now. I like Fiona and Imogen together. I hope things work out for Fiona to stay at Degrassi given her parents' situation.

I still can't look at Tori and NOT think she's Angela. That's what happens when the same actress is cast into a different role. Anything to avoid bringing Joey back, I guess. (Side note: The actress is sisters with the actress who plays Manny.) I'm not so keen on Zig yet, but he has his moments. 

It's nice to see an openly gay kid at school for once, after Marco and Riley were so secretive about it for a while. Tristan reminds me of Damian from Mean Girls. Sometimes he's a bit too over the top though.

Season twelve:

I noticed that Wesley is no longer on. Finally!

I have to admit it was funny when the "chicken cutlet" fell out at Maya's audition.

Drew should have 'fessed up to Bianca before the drunk sex with Katie came back to bite him. I'm glad things are good with him and Bianca again. The concussion situation was scary. Katie's new look is interesting, but it works for her.

Becky is a bit too enthusiastic for my liking, but she's an interesting foil for Eli. Too bad she's homophobic. I love how Eli gave Tristan the part in the musical and Tristan's reaction to the news.

I'm glad they don't need uniforms anymore, but now I'm not going to remember who is in which year.

I'm glad that Alli is not pregnant. Like we need another pregnancy storyline. Sad that things didn't work out between her and Dave.

I feel bad for Zig with being poor, but I'm glad Tori isn't judging him over it. 

I hope Fiona and Imogen find a good balance with each other. 

Asher is such a jerk. I hope he gets in trouble for what he did to Clare. I wouldn't mind if Eli got revenge on him in some way. Although I am impressed that Eli handled things in a mature way. I hope Asher doesn't get away with what he did. I wonder if there will be closure now that the other girl admitted it happened to her.

I feel bad for Campbell, but I also don't get what his deal is. If he doesn't want to play hockey anymore, he should just quit. 

Interesting with Drew living with Fiona now. I wonder if that will work out long term. It seems a bit impulsive that he asked Bianca to marry him, even if she's on board. I can see why Bianca is in a rush to get married now.

I feel bad for Imogen with what she's going through with her dad. 

I'm surprised about KC leaving mid-season, but I'm glad he's doing what is best for him and his mom.

It's nice that Jenna is able to figure some things out for herself. However, I did not like that she outed Adam to Becky like that. It's not her place to do so. If Adam wanted to tell Becky, he should be able to when he's ready, not when someone else tells her for him. I'm so pissed off about that! I love love love how Adam put Becky in her place! I was surprised they ended up dating and annoyed for the reasons that it fell through.

I felt bad for Dallas for a few minutes regarding Katie's "rejection" of him, but then I changed my mind after the garden destruction. He's being such a bully to everyone. At least he's trying to be nice to people again. I appreciate that he treats Adam like a guy. 

I'm glad Adam's mom is open to him starting a conversation about testosterone. I'm also glad Becky stood up to her dad about their relationship. I'm also glad Adam had a chance to talk with Chaz Bono. 

I was annoyed with Marisol for accusing Mo of doing drugs when she didn't ask him questions about what was really going on. 

Zig was stupid to kiss Maya. Clearly that didn't work so well for him. I'm glad Maya still wants to be with Cam, but it sucks that Tori had to find out about the kiss the way she did. 

I am not pleased with Tristan or Alli for not taking care of themselves. They're lucky things didn't turn out worse. I'm glad Alli is starting to realize that she shouldn't fast track. 

I hate that Cam felt like suicide was the only option for all his problems. I also hate what Zig said to him before it happened. Zig should feel guilty for that and I'm glad that's starting to hit him. I'm glad Maya and Tori are best friends again. I'm glad Zig is trying to make things right with everyone. I was annoyed with how Maya was acting out, but I'm glad she got to the root of her problems and is finding her way back to what matters in her life.

I'm kind of glad that Eli is taking some time off from Clare. She can be really pushy and bossy sometimes. I don't like that he did drugs to escape his problems, but the shower and streaking scene was so funny. I forgot about Snake finding someone who killed themselves a long time ago. Was that Claude? 

I'm glad things got resolved for Drew and Bianca in regards to their relationship together and with Drew's mom. I love when Drew sang to Bianca to win her back. I'm also glad Drew won the election. It's nice that he picked Clare as his V.P., but I think this is a step in the right direction for him. 

I didn't like what Katie did out of desperation in Vegas, but I'm glad she was able to talk through her regrets and try to make things up to Jake. 

I actually like Jenna with Connor. It was cute and creative how he made the spaceship for her. I think he needs to get over his hang-up about Jenna having time with her friends. 

Scary about what happened to Fiona. I didn't like that she went to an unsafe neighborhood to illegally purchase a gun. I'm glad she's okay. I love Fiona and Imogen together. They are such a sweet couple. 

I like that Dallas has a kid. I think it softens him a lot. 

I'm sad that Fiona and Imogen broke up, but at least it was amicable. 

I actually will miss the graduates next season. I really hope they bring some back to see their life after high school. I'd love for Eli and Fiona to stick around for sure.

The Dirty Dancing flashmob at graduation was cute!

Jake reminds me of Jake from Schitt's Creek. I know they're different actors, but that's how I imagine Jake to be when he's older.

I'm worried about Clare now. I hope she will be okay. 

Onto the last two seasons. I may have to start watching the new class after this. I just can't get enough!

Degrassi TNG seasons 9 and 10

 

Photo from Teen Nick 

Since there's a whole new batch of characters, I thought I'd weigh in again on some favorites, as well as people I don't like.

New favorites:

*Holly J: She started off the same way Paige did, as the mean girl. However, she's changed so much and has become so likable. I find myself rooting for her all the time.

*Peter: He also changed a lot from how he started out. I like how he turned the space above The Dot into a club. 

*Jane: I liked her as soon as she started on the show. She's just so genuine. She has such a great singing voice too. 

*Zane: Not only is he adorable, but he's also a good balance for Riley and I love how he is supporting him in coming out.

*Sav: He used to annoy me, but he's grown a spine recently and I also like how kind and good-natured he is. 

People I don't like:

*Drew and Adam's mom: She's just so frustrating in every possible way. She's not only hard on her kids, but she abuses her power on the school board.

*Bobby's defense lawyer: She is what I imagine Amy Coney Barrett is going to be like soon enough. 

*Owen: Even though he tried to redeem himself at the end of season ten, he still thinks women want to be with him just because he's a football player. I also can't forgive his homophobic behavior.

*Wesley: See why in my thoughts on season ten. 

*Bianca: Although she is starting to become more likable, she is going to have to show some vulnerability before I can completely change my mind on this matter. 

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Check out my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

Season nine:

I wanted to smack Peter for getting addicted to meth so quickly. I'm glad he realized he was in trouble and asked his mom to come back home. I'm also so glad that Mrs. H is principal again. 

Alli was acting so stupid with sexting Johnny. What did she think would come of it? I'm glad Mrs. H gave her a good talking-to.

Where did Derek disappear to? It's the middle of the school year and no one even mentioned that he wasn't around. I didn't like him, but still...

I don't trust Jenna. And my lack of trust was validated.

I like Fiona a lot already. I was hoping she'd be a better singer though. Too funny! 

Not so fond of the new theme song voice. It doesn't work as well with a male singer.

They took Liberty out of the credits. I wonder if she'll still make any appearances.

Jane is being a coward in regards to breaking up with Spinner. If she does it, then maybe he can get with Holly instead. It seems like things resolved themselves and now Holly is with Declan. I like that Holly and Jane are friends though.

What is with Manny's lip piercing? And is she done with college now that she's in a movie?

The new basketball coach was sooooo creepy. I'm glad the cops apprehended him at the game. I hope he gets arrested.

I love that Ed from Barenaked Ladies plays the music teacher. 

I was annoyed with Riley for wanting to get conversion therapy, but I'm glad he's starting to come around to accepting himself as gay.

I feel like all these changes with Emma happened out of the blue. I'm glad she's trying to figure out what she wants for herself. Kelly was being a tool so I'm glad that's done with. 

It's nice to see Marco back as a student teacher. He got even cuter! I hope he can help Riley in some way.

I'm actually glad Sav and Anya broke up. Their relationship was dysfunctional. He was lying to her a lot and then he got mad when she lied to him one time. Sav annoys me in general as he doesn't seem to have a spine most of the time.

I love that there was a Rocky Horror poster in the drama room.

Zane is really cute. I'm glad he's getting Riley to come out a bit more. I actually got emotional when Riley kissed him.

I love that Clare told K.C. off. I feel bad that he used her to try to pass the exam. I totally can't stand Jenna.

Jane is such a great singer. She has great stage personality too. It sucks what happened between Jane and Spinner, but I guess the Declan situation was eventually going to come back and haunt her. I am kind of digging Spinner and Emma together now. I love that they got married. I'm glad Jane didn't actually stop the wedding from happening.

Funny about the meta Drake mention.

I've lost my admiration for Fiona. She was being such a brat. Does she have a Flowers in the Attic thing going in regards to Declan? I actually was glad when Holly locked her in the room. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of that war though. It was so gross that Fiona kissed Declan. I'm glad he finally stood up to her. 

I love Liberty's new hairstyle. It works really well for her. I'm not as much of a fan of Spike's hairstyle though. 

Season ten:

I love what they did with The Dot. It's weird that Spinner isn't there and that he's not in the credits anymore. I feel like all of the cast from the first six or so seasons is gone now. Except for Snake, of course.

I love that Snake is principal. That was long overdue.

I love Clare's new hairstyle. It frames her face nicely. 

I'm surprised they're keeping Declan and Fiona around now that they're in New York, but whatever it takes... I am glad Fiona has become nice again. Her boyfriend is such a jerk. It's good that they moved her back to Degrassi.  I feel bad that she's under so much stress over it. I'm glad Fiona won the deposition, even if she didn't win Holly's heart. I'm glad Declan decided not to go back to Degrassi after all. I didn't like how Declan was being so pushy over getting back together. 

I didn't recognize KC in the credits and thought he was off the show. Oops! He changed so much! Connor grew up a lot too. And Anya's teeth look great post-braces.

The whole situation with Holly and Sav for the election was all kinds of messed up. Even though I like Holly, I'm annoyed that she put Anya in that situation. She can't really blame anyone for it backfiring on her. I'm annoyed that Anya and Sav are back together though. I don't think it will last since it's already going south again. And now he and Holly are together, which is surprising. I like their chemistry, but if it didn't work for Sav to be with Anya, why would this work either? Their little plan is going to backfire. Too bad Holly lost interest in Sav anyway. He's become more of a catch these days. 

I like Eli. He is definitely ballsy and it cracks me up that he drives a hearse. I think he and Clare could be really cute together. Of course, there is the drama between him and Fitz, which is kind of getting old. I was worried about another JT situation happening. Even though Eli gets in over his head, I still am rooting for him. There's something so unique about his look too. I love that the actress who plays Jocelyn on Schitt's Creek plays Eli's mom. Of course, he has to go and get all intense now. Grrr...

OMG there are 44 episodes this season. Wow. I guess it's 22 hour-long episodes if you combine each two-parter.

I'm so annoyed with Riley for trying to hide that he is gay. It's worth coming out in order to be with Zane. I'm so glad he finally did. He and Zane are so cute together! It's sad how Riley's mom is acting and I hope she'll come around. 

I don't know if I like Drew or not. He's being a jerk to Riley in order to get his way, but then he's also really cute flirting with Alli. Then again, he cheated on her. I kind of like him with Bianca, but I also think she's a bad influence on him. Time will tell, I guess.

I don't think KC is being fair to his mom. I feel bad for her because she is trying so hard to make things right. I'm glad Jenna stood up for her. I'm starting to respect Jenna more....except for the diet pill "incident." I also think KC is being a dick to Jenna about the pregnancy. I love that she announced it on TV and that KC's mom found out that way. It's nice that his mom is being supportive. I'm glad KC finally came around and is back together with Jenna. I'm also glad Jenna didn't steal Sav from Holly. That would have been really stupid. Jenna and KC's baby is so cute!

I love that they have a story arc featuring a trans character. My heart already hurts for how people are treating Adam, including his mother. I love that Clare and Eli are so accepting. I'm glad his mother is starting to come around, but I think it will be a slow process.

The whole "friendship" between the older woman and Connor was so gross and inappropriate. I'm glad he's done with her. I had a feeling she'd try to hit on him. 

I don't like the "new" Degrassi and I hope Snake will see the error of his ways soon. I totally can't stand Drew and Adam's mom. She's such a Karen! 

It sucks that Alli is going to a different school now, but I get why she had to make that decision for herself. I think Sav and Alli act out a lot because their parents are too strict. I get why they have some cultural expectations, but making all the rules only encourages Alli and Sav to sneak around and lie. I feel bad that Alli got tricked into holding a cigarette in front of her mom. I hope she gets Malika in trouble. I'm glad she ended up going back to Degrassi, even though it took her running away for her parents to finally loosen up a bit.

I think Clare should be relieved about her parents getting divorced since they fight all the time anyway. Also, why did they never bring Darcy back to the show? I thought the Africa thing was only six months?

I find Wesley to be really annoying, almost on par with Screech from Saved by the Bell. I get that he has feelings and all, but I just end up feeling sorry or embarrassed for him most of the time. Good for him on getting a girlfriend though.

I noticed that Peter and Leah were removed from the opening credits. I'm glad Zane was added as a regular though. 

Sadie is cute and I am glad Dave was able to get over the height issue, as they could be a good couple. 

It was fun to see Grace from Manifest on one of the episodes.

Holly was being stupid with neglecting her health to suit her type A personality. I'm glad the doctor lectured her about it.

So much happening in just one season. I feel like 44 episodes went by way too fast!

Stay tuned for my thoughts on seasons eleven and twelve....

Book Review: Between the Lines and Off the Page

Over the past couple of months, I read two fabulous novels. I have always been a fan of Jodi Picoult (ever since a friend recommended The Pact in 2004), but I had held off on reading her young adult novels that were written with her daughter Samantha van Leer. My older son devoured both novels and told me I just had to read them, so I decided to give Between the Lines a chance. I was blown away by the sheer creativity and imaginativeness of this novel. 

While I normally share the synopsis from Amazon, I'm not going to do it this time, as to not spoil anything. Basically, Between the Lines is about a fairy tale where the characters are real people living inside a book and the story they are telling isn't the one that they are actually living. One day, a lonely teenage girl named Delilah picks up the book and finds that the main character, Oliver, is trying to communicate with her. The story takes off from there, connecting these two people in their quest for Oliver's freedom from the pages and his daily minutiae. Off the Page picks up where Between leaves off and there are many more adventures and complications for Oliver, Delilah, and everyone else in their lives. 

These novels are perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and Enchanted. I loved them both so much. I had no idea what would happen in each book and was kept guessing the entire time. There were so many interesting surprises along the way. I could definitely relate to Delilah with being unpopular and obsessed with books. (Although, I read horror and V.C. Andrews novels in high school and would not want any of those coming to life!) Even now, I'm obsessed with something I'm probably too old for. Oliver sounded like he was really cute and the pictures said as much. I love how the book characters led these other lives when the story wasn't being read. Like the pirate who practiced orthodontia on the side. Or the queen who liked to cook and bake extravagant feasts. And the villain who was an artist. 

There were funny moments, as well as a few sad parts. I hope there will be a third novel, as I feel more could still happen with this story. Even though I'm an adult, I was easily drawn in (no pun intended) and my husband enjoyed them too (but not to the same level that my son and I did). 

I noticed an inconsistency at one point in Between, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. I sometimes need to take off my editor glasses when I read! 

I definitely recommend both novels to anyone who wants an escape, some humor, creativity, and adventure.

Movie casting suggestions:

Delilah: Jordyn Negri
Oliver: Alex Cowgill
Seraphima: Angourie Rice
Rapscullio: Sacha Baron Cohen
Jules: Maya Hawke

Queen Maureen: Saffron Burrows

Allie: Belle Shouse

Delilah's mom: Zoe McLellan

Disclosure of Material Connection:
Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Degrassi TNG seasons 7 and 8

Courtesy of Next Episode

I am over halfway through the series and still completely hooked. A lot of new people have joined the show, but some characters have completely fallen off the radar. I wanted to list a few of those before sharing my thoughts on seasons seven and eight.

1. Teri: I know she got injured and all, but I thought she was getting better. Instead, she was just written off completely. 

2. Joey: Where did he go?!? I thought Caitlin bought his house for him so he could stay there longer. Instead, he just disappeared. I also saw on IMDb that the girl who plays his daughter comes back to Degrassi later as a different character. 

3. Alex: After things ended with Paige, that was the end of the road for her, apparently.

4. Kendra: Does Spinner no longer have a sister? No one even mentions her anymore.

5. Toby: I had a feeling his time on the show was coming to an end, but at least he has a guest appearance in season eight.

6. Sean: He joined the army, but will we ever find out what happened when he went to Afghanistan? I hope he's okay, at least.

7. Griffin: I liked him and was hoping he'd stick around, but I guess when everyone left the house, he left the show?

8. Hazel: She basically disappeared after graduation.

One of the characters from the past couple of seasons is not in the season nine credits and there hasn't been mention of them yet in the season. I won't say who yet....

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

Check out my thoughts on seasons five and six.

Season Seven:

Not sure if I like Manny as a blonde and/or with those bangs. I'm glad she went back to her natural color eventually.

I'm glad Marco is finally pulling the plug on his relationship with Dylan. Creepy about the guy trying to pimp Marco. I'm glad he didn't go for it.

Surprised that Alex isn't in the opening credits but some new people are. I'm guessing they're going to become regulars. And if Toby was moved off the credits and is still around, then I have hope for Alex to show up often. Although I'm worried if she and Paige are done for good. Weirdly, I was more on Paige's side for the whole reason for their breakup. Paige found a job she liked and was trying to be good at it and Alex sabotaged it because of her own principles. I get why Alex was upset over Paige's job, but it wasn't her place to get Paige fired. It looks like Paige got her job back anyway, even if it's totally Devil Wears Prada.

Spinner has cancer now?!? Given I've seen that he's going to be around in future seasons, I'm not too worried. I still feel bad for him though. I'm glad things are good between him and Jane.

Why did Holly go to Lakehurst if Heather (her older sister) went to Degrassi? Also, Holly is evil. Worse than Paige ever was when she used to be mean. I felt bad for Anya at first, but after she made that rude comment to Mia, she's on her own. I'm glad she finally sees Holly for what she really is though and that she is standing up to her and cutting off their friendship. 

That was not cool what Darcy did to Snake. I can't believe he doesn't hate her for it. I hope the damage can be undone. I would have slapped her if I were Emma. Regardless of what she's been through, she needs to get professional help for it already! I hope the boot camp will help Darcy in the long run. 

I'm worried about Snake, thanks to what Darcy did. I feel so bad for him! I'm glad Emma is supporting him and that Spike has come around. 

Emma was pretty daring with exposing herself to make a point. So awkward that Snake had to see that. 

I like Manny with Jay and am disappointed that he keeps screwing up so royally. If the Degrassi Goes Hollywood movie is any indication, maybe there's a chance for them later down the road...

It was nice seeing Caitlin again. I didn't like what Ellie did to her, regardless of what happened with Jesse. Caitlin looks great with her new hair color and style. I hope Ellie doesn't become an alcoholic and I'm glad she dumped Jesse.

I like that all the episode titles are names of songs. 

I didn't like what Derek did to Danny at the store. I'm glad Danny isn't letting him off the hook so easily, even after he made the video. The store manager was what we call "Karen" these days. What a racist b-tch! 

I really like Mia and I am rooting for her. Isabella is so cute too. I hope Lucas really has grown up and can take responsibility as a dad. It's stressful enough to be a mom as an adult, so I can't even imagine what it's like for a teenager. I hope Emma can connect her with Spike. 

I am glad Jimmy blackmailed his father. I know that sounds weird to say, but I saw that coming and it's nice that Jimmy got to choose something he wanted for himself. I like him and Trina together. I also love what he did for Spinner during the science exam. I'm glad he didn't get caught doing it either. 

Too crazy about Marco and Ellie hooking up. I'm glad it hasn't ruined their friendship. It will be interesting to see where things go from here.

I'm actually impressed by Liberty doing something outside the norm. I am glad her friends forgave her for it. It was cool that she was able to get Natasha Bedingfield to sing at the prom. I wonder if she and Damian will stay on the series, now that they're going to the same college.

I wonder if Peter will actually try to get emancipation from his parents.

I got teary eyed when they put the graduation cap by JT's picture at the very end of the season.

Season Eight:

They went back to the original theme song, but changed it up a bit. So many new people in the cast, as well as people from before who weren't in the opener until now.

I thought Liberty got into Banting. I was surprised to see her at Smithdale. I'm actually annoyed that Emma switched the room assignments for everyone. It's not the worst thing to room with someone new. Maybe she missed out on meeting her new best friend this way. The whole racist sorority thing made me so uncomfortable. Those girls are such idiots and I'm glad Liberty didn't join. 

I hate that Mia felt she had to sleep with Tom Blake to get the job. I wish they had told her she had it already. Can I say again how adorable Isabella is?!? She's even talking more now! I don't blame Leah for being mad at her, but it wasn't her place to tell Danny what Mia did. I feel bad for her when Holly used it against her with the media.

I feel bad for Clare (Darcy's sister) with the open mic situation. However, the vibrator situation was priceless. I'm glad that led to an honest conversation with her mom. I also love that she is at the center of a quasi love triangle and she's suddenly hot because of her new clothes.

The new principal is so annoying. Sexist too. I hope he gets fired soon. I love what Clare did to him at the assembly. I'm surprised they let him work there again, even with sensitivity training.

Where did Snake's godson (Connor) come from? Is he the child of some original series characters? Interesting that he has Asperger's. I'm glad that's something they are addressing on the show.

Jane changed a lot between last season and now. I admire her strength with the football team. I also feel bad for her about what happened with her dad when she was a kid. She shows an incredible depth of emotion.

How did Derek become even more of a jerk than he was last season? Wow. Just wow. I'm glad he redeemed himself with Danny in regards to Leah though.

I don't totally feel bad for Holly with the money situation. It sucks, but I don't think she's learned anything from it yet. I'm glad Spinner tried to give her some perspective. I kind of felt bad for her after the cyberbullying incident, even though she was being mean to Alli to begin with. I'm glad she's starting to mellow out a bit more.

I know Drake has moved on to his music career by now, but it was nice to see Jimmy again. I was hoping he'd be able to walk again. It's sweet that he's proposing to Trina.

I like the chemistry between Emma and Kelly. They are cute together. I am so annoyed at her for being so stupid with the pot and getting him kicked out of the dorm building. 

Nice that there's another gay storyline, but it makes me miss Marco. I also love that Jordan Garvaris was on an episode! I wonder where they will go with this, since they left it hanging.

I like that Alli has softened up Johnny a bit. 

Interesting to see Noah Reid play a bad guy on this show. I like how Holly handled things at The Dot and I'm glad Spinner is okay. I'm also glad that Spinner acknowledged what Holly said and empowered her. It's nice that he's loyal to Jane.

I like seeing how the Hollywood movie fits into the season, even though we never got to see how things developed with Manny and her asshole theater professor in the first place. It looks like it came out of nowhere. Now that I know what happened between her and Jay, I can understand the tension between them. Also, when and how did Paige get a job as an assistant to a diva actress? Did her fashion career just derail?

Meta moment: Hayley mentions Shenae Grimes in part one of Paradise City (Degrassi Goes Hollywood). Shenae played Darcy on this series.

I like that there's promise for things between Manny and Jay and Ellie and Craig. I hope Paige can repair her friendship with Marco. 

I'm currently watching season nine, so there will be more of these posts to come...

Degrassi TNG seasons 5 and 6

Photo courtesy of Next Episode

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

My favorites list hasn't changed much, except one of the characters is no longer on the show. I want to add Alex to the list though. She's such a great character and adds a lot to the series. She's come a long way from being a bully in some earlier seasons. 

Thoughts on season five:

Manny is once again a train wreck. I didn't think it was cool of Peter to blackmail her. It's sexual harassment and even though Mrs. H is his mom, he should have been expelled the same way Spinner was for bullying. Also, Manny's father could stand to be less oppressive. And I don't like that Craig and Manny are back together again.

The whole storyline with Liberty being pregnant is a bit far-fetched. I feel bad for J.T.. He's trying really hard to help her and she keeps pushing him away. Her brother is so annoying. How are her parents not noticing anything strange? I was not happy at all about what J.T. did with the drug selling and using. That was so out of character for him, especially when he was trying hard to be responsible. 

It's nice that Joey is able to move on, but I feel like there wasn't much closure between him and Caitlin and that the door still remains somewhat open if she were to return to Toronto. 

When are Craig and Ellie going to hook up? It seems like something could be developing between Ellie and Jimmy though? 

I like how Darcy is accepting toward Spinner and trying to help him turn his life around. I also like that she explains how people who are religious can have other interests outside of their religion that may not always fit with the concept of that religion.

I felt bad for Jimmy with how his dad was pressuring him. I also love that he's coaching the basketball team and his artwork is amazing.

I'm glad Marco finally came out to his dad, even though it wasn't a positive experience and he was somewhat guilt-tripped into doing so. I'm glad he stood up for himself though. His dad is so closed-minded. 

I thought the two-parter involving Alex and Paige was really well done. I like their dynamic too. 

I was not happy with Snake kissing Mrs. H. I hope he figures things out for himself before he completely blows up his marriage. I'm glad he finally redeemed himself and it was funny how he did so.

When did Liberty's family move? I swear they had a smaller house before. And it seems like they went back to a smaller space later on.

I'm glad Spinner realized that Linus is bad news. I was getting worried when Spinner sounded like he was in a cult. I'm also glad that Darcy didn't agree with Linus either.

Manny should have alerted Spike to Emma's eating disorder a lot earlier than she actually did. In any case, I was annoyed with Emma for doing that to herself in the first place and I hope she's sticking with therapy.

I'm glad Jimmy finally forgave Spinner. That was huge! I don't expect Darcy to forgive him for cheating, but who knows? 

Thoughts on season six:

I like the new opening credits. Has a 90210 feel. 

Emma looks fabulous. And she knows it...

I'm glad Sean is back but not glad to see him already mess up his life. Now that he's 18, I feel less guilty over saying he's attractive.

Ellie's roommate was so annoying. I'm glad it works out for her to live with Marco and Dylan now. 

So annoying that Craig is a coke addict now. I'm glad Ellie is mad at him for it and that Manny broke up with him. 

Where is Joey?!?

What is the story with the verbally abusive teacher? 

There are times when I still like J.T. and other times when he acts like an idiot. However, I never saw him getting killed as a possibility. So awful. I find it strange that he was in the main credits but the actor who plays Toby is listed after the credits, even though Toby is on more than J.T. now and had a pretty big role this season.

Darcy was reckless in posting photos online. She even ended up with a creepy stalker. 

I like Mia and feel bad for her in some ways. Darcy was so judgmental of her.

I had a feeling Marco's gambling would be disastrous. I still love him though. I love that his dad acknowledged his relationship with Dylan in some way.

Paige blew up her life, but I'm glad she's trying to put things back together. I also love Alex's role in Paige's life. I hope Paige can get things under control so that she doesn't have panic attacks anymore.

I'm kind of glad Peter is going to boarding school. Even though he's trying to be a better person, it doesn't excuse how he set up Sean this year. 

It was TMI for Emma to tell Snake about the fact that she's going to have sex. That presentation was so awkward.

I felt bad for Alex having to be in the position she was. At first, I felt bad for her mom, but then she did something stupid again. I'm glad Alex left and that things are good between her and Paige.

I'm glad Emma isn't pregnant. I don't think she's emotionally ready to deal with that yet.

I feel like the season ended abruptly. Usually it ends at the end of the school year. This time, it was in the winter.

Stay tuned for thoughts on seasons seven and eight...

Degrassi TNG seasons 3 and 4

Courtesy of CinemaBlend

As I continue to watch Degrassi: The Next Generation, I'm going to share my thoughts after every couple of seasons. Currently, my top five favorite characters are:

1. Ellie: She has a lot going on in her life, but weathers it well. I like that she stands up for what she needs more often now.

2. Marco: He's been through a lot with coming out, but is even more amazing for it. He also puts up with a lot from his friends and stands up for himself more.

3. J.T.: I still like his playfulness and geekiness. I think he won me over when he stood up for Paige toward the end of season two and just kept going with that. 

4. Paige: She starts off as a mean girl in the first couple of seasons but has changed a lot since then. She still has mean tendencies, but I'm rooting for her more often than not. 

5. Jimmy: He actually took the time to be nice to Rick and ended up getting shot as a result. I also like how he was there for Marco in season three. 

Honorable mention goes to Joey: adults are fair game and he's so cute in his thirties. I'm annoyed that things are starting to go downhill for him and Caitlin. He's so good to Craig too, even when he shouldn't have to be. 

Thoughts on season three:

They finally covered teen pregnancy, but I'm not happy with where they took it. 

I'm glad they focused more on Marco coming out, but it was really intense at times. I also hated how Spinner treated him. However, I'm glad Spinner finally came around and was acting as his wingman later. It was sad that his parents were making themselves unapproachable in terms of coming out, especially after what his father said at the restaurant.

Paige has mellowed out a bit, but Spinner acts like a jerk most of the time. I appreciate that he's devoted to her, but still...

Toby has been really annoying, but it was nice what he did in the detention episode.

I'm glad Teri realized she was in an abusive relationship and got out of it. However, I am so annoyed that she got roped back in and feel so bad for her after what happened at the park. So scary! I hope Rick goes away for good.

I love that they have some focus on the adults from the original series. Nice to see Wheels. I wasn't sure when the actor had died, but found out it was years after he appeared on season three. I love Joey and Caitlin together and am so glad he broke up with Sydney to get back together with her. I hope Snake will be okay. His health situation definitely threw a wrench into the season. It was interesting to see Shane again. I wonder if the actor who plays him really has a brain injury because I think it would be weird to have someone acting that way if they really didn't. Especially in this day and age. I love how Emma was compassionate toward him and how she handled the situation between him and Spike. Also, it was a fun surprise to see Heather, Erica, and Liz. And yes, the Zit Remedy song still plays a lot. :) 

I don't like the new Manny. She got such an attitude after changing her look and then managed to break up a relationship and get herself into trouble. I have a hard time feeling sorry for her.

Sean has become a jerk because of hanging out with the troublemakers. However, it was nice what he did for Liberty. He's also mellowed out a bit since he first took up with them and I like that he and Ellie are dating now.

The detention episode was totally a rip-off of The Breakfast Club, complete with the five stereotypes of students. It was funny when Raditch was working out and the exercise ball kept getting away from him. The skip day was reminiscent of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The longer hair is working for J.T.. I also like seeing how his personality has developed over time. I feel bad for how Manny treated him. I'm glad Manny is starting to come around to possibly liking him, even though it took something drastic to make it happen. I loved J.T.'s commercial. So funny! I wonder how he even got involved in that. 

Craig and Marco need haircuts. There wasn't Covid back in 2003. There's no excuse!

I'm glad Sean confessed about the laptop and found a way to make it up to Snake.

I'm sad that Caitlin and Joey have to spend so much time apart because of her job, but I hope the time will go fast.

I like that Emma has a better relationship with Snake now and even refers to him as her dad. 

Thoughts on season four:

I don't like the new voice for the theme song. It doesn't fit as well.

I was wondering when they'd revisit the rape case. I was horrified at the cross-examination, especially since it was done by a woman. I was impressed by how supportive Spinner was being. I hope Paige can get the help she needs to feel like herself again. It sucks that she had to relive everything and that she had to deal with that jerk again. 

I'm glad Craig and Spinner finally got haircuts. Marco is at least styling his hair now.

Why would Rick come back to Degrassi after what he did?!? He should go into hiding and change his name. Huge eye roll over that. I don't blame anyone for how they treated him. He almost killed Teri! And what is going on with her now? Last we saw her, she was awake and just getting a bandage changed. What Rick ended up doing was horrible and could have been prevented. I'm not sorry that he was a casualty of his own making.

I am annoyed by Manny being so churlish toward J.T.. Also, the device he was using was hilarious. 

I felt bad for Marco with still not being able to tell his dad that he's gay. I hope he eventually will be able to, but I know his dad makes it hard for him. I'm glad he could tell his mom and that she's supportive.

There's an interesting new development with Craig this season and I can't say I saw it coming, even with how his father acted toward him. It got really intense and I'm impressed that Ashley is sticking around. 

J.T. and Liberty, huh? I guess it was bound to happen. I like how they balance each other out. J.T. makes Liberty more fun and Liberty keeps J.T. grounded.

It's cute what Caitlin did with her hair. I like it that length and color. 

I'm glad Ellie stood up to her mother and I hope her mother will be able to stay sober after rehab. It's sad that Sean left though. I hope he'll be back.

It's nice to see Shenae Grimes on the series. I knew she was on it, but wasn't sure when she came in. I liked her on 90210. 

Surprising that Mr. Raditch is leaving mid-season. Interesting that Ms. Hatzilakis (sp?) is taking over for the time being. I like her a lot in general and think she's going to make a great principal.

The situation with Paige and the student teacher was headed for trouble and of course it went there. I don't even like them together all that much. 

Manny and Paige work well as frenemies and I never know whose side I want to take. 

I hope things go further with the blood donation company being homophobic.

I love that Kevin Smith is being featured. So much fun! There's even a meta quality to his appearance. Alanis Morissette's cameo was a nice surprise, as well. Also, I can't believe Caitlin kissed him. I know he's a celebrity and all, but she has Joey! 

I don't know that I feel sorry for Spinner at all. He dug his own grave and now he has regrets. I hope he can turn things around for himself and that this will teach him never to bully anyone again. 

Stay tuned for my thoughts on seasons five and six!

On a Degrassi "high"

Courtesy of IMDb

Shortly after starting this blog, I wrote about Degrassi High, which was one of my favorite series growing up. In the post, I mentioned Degrassi: The Next Generation. I recently started revisiting this series, after watching Degrassi Goes Hollywood, thanks to finding out that Dan Levy is in that movie. Watching it made me want to learn more about the characters, so I decided to try the series from the very beginning, when it started in 2001. Since then, I've watched two seasons and am starting the third soon. I figure I would share my thoughts on the first two seasons and then continue on with these blog posts as I keep going with the series. I found the episodes (along with the Hollywood movie) on YouTube, but there are a lot of ads and pop-ups. They're worth dealing with though!

As I mentioned in my post from a long time ago, Degrassi: TNG covers a lot of heavy issues that affect preteens and teens. In just two seasons, they've covered bullying (including cancel culture, before it was a thing), homosexuality/homophobia, body shaming, rape, racism, eating disorders, child abuse, theft, drug/alcohol abuse, catfishing, grief, etc. I'm surprised they haven't covered teen pregnancy yet, as that was a big trope in the original series, but there are many more seasons to go...

I love that some of the characters from the original series are back, namely Joey, Caitlin, Lucy, Spike, and Snake. Even Mr. Raditch is still around. Sadly, the guy who played Wheels passed away a long time ago. Joey actually looks really good without hair and I am hoping he and Caitlin will get back together eventually. I was laughing so much when they talked about the Zit Remedy and played their classic hit song.

Courtesy of Dougsploitation

The fun part is knowing that some of the characters in the Hollywood movie are in the series from the beginning. It's interesting seeing them so young and watching them grow up on this show as time goes by. It's interesting to watch as an adult because the characters are close in age to my older two kids and I keep thinking of how they'd be grounded for life if they pulled some of the stunts that the preteens and teens do on this show. I'm glad that they receive consequences though. I felt really bad for this one teacher when some of the students were playing pranks on her and then we find out that her husband is really sick. The characters have lots of layers to them though. One minute, I'll hate someone, and then next I'll be crying for them. (And yes, I've actually cried for some episodes.)

I do feel like the seasons jump around a bit and all of a sudden it's the end of the school year with some things that didn't get resolved. I also really want to see Heather Sinclair. She gets mentioned all the time but never shows her face.

Sex Talk Sue (Johanson) makes a couple of appearances on the show. It's funny because I recognized her right away from when I watched her show with a friend in 2004.

The theme song for Degrassi: TNG is definitely a change from the original series theme song. See which one you like better. The current one is an ear worm and I tend to skip through it now.

Thoughts on some of the characters (major players so far):
Liberty: I feel like Alana from Dear Evan Hansen was modeled off Liberty, not just for looks, but also for personality. I feel like Liberty is a tougher nut to crack, but she's grown on me and I like that she stands her ground. She even reminds me of myself in some ways. Like being the one behind the scenes all the time. The floor hockey episode was totally me, but for speech team.

J.T.: He reminds me so much of my younger son in looks and personality, except he's more of a girl-crazy extrovert. (He's the kid on the way bottom of the picture at the beginning of this post.) He's also good with animals.

Toby: He reminds me of a younger version of a guy I dated for a short time. Not a bad thing at all. And he's Jewish too. I hope they do more with that.

Ashley: I like how Ashley has come into her own a lot. She came off as annoying in season one, but I like her new look and the personality to go along with it. She also has a great singing voice.

Craig: If I were to crush on anyone from the show (like if I were a teenager), it would be him. I feel so bad for what he goes through in the beginning and at the end of season two. I love that he's connected with Joey Jeremiah, as well.

Courtesy of Amino

Jimmy: I didn't realize that the guy who plays Jimmy is Drake. I knew he was on the show, but his name comes up as Aubrey Graham and I had to do some research on that. He looks so young and awkward in the first couple of seasons, but I've seen pics of how he looks over time and the "transformation" into Drake. Jimmy tends to annoy me in general though. There are moments when he can be nice, but he runs hot and cold a lot of the time.

Courtesy of TV Guide

Sean: I like him with Emma, but his attitude can be annoying. He's either pitying himself or fighting with someone. Also, his brother creeps me out.

Emma: She also reminds me of myself in some ways. I love that she's Spike's daughter and it's nice to see the dynamic between the two of them. She's more outspoken than I am, but I like that she stands up for what she believes in, no matter the cost. I didn't like how she sneaked out of the house to meet a guy from the Internet though!

Manny: I originally saw her in the Hollywood movie and was really impressed by her, so it's fun to see her start out as a preteen and see her change between 2001 and 2009. I feel like there were only two episodes so far that were really about Manny....when she goes on a date and when she tries out for the cheerleading squad.

Paige: I referenced her earlier. She's the mean girl, but she does sometimes show her softer side. And I did feel really bad for her because of a certain incident. I like the rapport she has with J.T.. Like she's not supposed to like him since he's younger, but they have these really great moments together. I just can't stand how manipulative and bossy she can be sometimes.

Hazel: Hazel is Paige's best friend and she really showed a new side of herself in the episode about racism. I think she's mellowed out a bit since then.

Terri: There are times I like her and times I don't. I didn't like how she was going along with Paige to manipulate Ashley with her tarot cards. However, I liked when she stood up for herself when she was being body shamed.

Spinner: He's also very layered and I like him sometimes, but not others. I got annoyed at him for playing pranks on his teacher and for bringing bugs into school to prove a point. However, I love that he'll protect his younger sister, even though he has some mean ways of doing so.

Ellie: She gets introduced in season two. I first saw her in the Hollywood movie and thought she was really interesting. She starts off with more of a goth look, but I can see that it tapers off over time. The actress who plays her was on one episode of Schitt's Creek, playing a character who had previously dated someone who became gay. So it's funny that Ellie has that same situation early on in TNG.

Marco: The guy that Ellie likes in season two. I'm glad they introduced the topic of homosexuality through his character. He was also in the Hollywood movie and seems genuinely cool.

Courtesy of Fan Forum

If anyone has watched TNG, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If you haven't yet, it's never too late to get started...