Degrassi Takes Manhattan RECAP

I don’t know if this set of episodes/movie had an alternative title or not for what for all intents and purposes would have been episodes 20-23 however it’s interesting to note that while it’s packaged with the season nine DVD (wrapping up the seniors plots by showing the graduation of Danny, Peter, Jane…) it also served as the launch of the first of three summer ‘Novella’s’ that Degrassi had (mainly setting up Fiona’s arch for the first few episodes of season ten) The movie also brings up the ship that shant be named in the Degrassi fandom though like I said looking back at ‘Holiday Road’ maybe it wasn’t so WTF that came out of nowhere after all. And speaking of the ship that shant be named this movie (so far) is the last appearance of any of the season one student cast sans a season eleven webisode appearance of Paige.

The film opens on a deserted and messy hallway, it’s the last day of school and the seniors are returning books and getting ready to blow the school forever. Spinner closes down the Dot for an hour and Jane, and Danny are pulling Sav out of his final class wile Peter is setting up equipment outside on a stage. The final bell rings and the band is playing an impromptu show.

Declan and Holly J meanwhile are in the lab counting down until New York and generally making out.

Clare comments asking how Alli could fit all her skimpy school cloths in her locker (which aren’t all that bad like I’ve noted in the past….though definitely not what her parental would approve of) she mentions someone is coming and Clare gets all blushy saying goodbye to Declan. Holly teases him asking if she’s going to stalk him to the city and he just laughs it off.

WHATEVER IT TAKES (well a title card comes up)

9x19 Keep On Loving You recap

Much like last season, this one has an ending episode but then the finale/movie. And like last season this episode will be tagged as the finale and have the character rank you’ve come to love.

Declan gives Holly J a bracelet and they start to talk. They’ve been together three months and she’s been on the pill. She loves him and she thinks it’s the right time for them to make love.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x18 In Your Eyes recap

Peter is roleplaying with Riley in his anger management group. Peter asks Riley if he’s talked to the councilor about his other little issue….namely the fact that he’s gay. Not that there is anything wrong with it just that it would help if he came out to someone else aside from just his friend. Anya comes into the room after the meeting is dismissed wanting to interview the school’s most eligible bachelor for the video yearbook….Riley.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x17 Innocent When You Dream---RECAP

The episode opens as Clare is having a vivid Twilight/Vampire inspired dream about her and Declan. She wakes up from it and picks up the book she fell asleep reading which is a YA vampire series

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x15/16 Why Can’t This Be Love--RECAP

AKA Promises Prom-Misses

As you can see this is another episode packaged with an alternative name at least stateside and also makes me once more question the wonderful world of Degrassi timeline….Okay so the graduating class of season 5 didn’t even have a prom episode and it just had graduation which seemed to be an afterthought to the relationship dramas at that. The class of season 7 had Prom then Graduation in the same episode, same as the class of season 12. Meanwhile the class of season 11a had Graduation first then Prom in the following episode….I’d like to assume it was due to the problems that had stemmed from Vegas Night that school year but who knows….. Anyway this season we’re now onto the Prom Episode (though they refer to it as the formal) HOWEVER there are three more regular episodes this season with graduation being no more than a five minute after thought in ‘Takes Manhattan’

Rant aside the episode opens with Sav opening his locker to a wave of confetti telling Anya that he’d be honored to go to the formal with him. She comments about how her parents want pictures of them both dressed up and would love his moms beautiful garden as a backdrop for photos. Sav doesn’t say anything and when she leaves he explains to Danny his conundrum. He told his parents he and Anya were done for good and so she can’t come over for formal photos. Danny comments saying when Anya finds this tidbit out it’s going to get messy.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x14 Start Me Up RECAP

Peter is running down the halls like crazy…..is he high again? No, he just got his acceptance to TU and he heads to tell the others. Danny was accepted to TU as well among others while Jane still is waiting to hear. Sav asks Peter if his dad is going to pay for it all and he shakes his head. The economy took its toll on his dad and while they will help he’s going to need to get a job. Jane asks if he’s ever done anything before and Peter comments how well he did have the band….

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x13 Holliday Road—RECAP

Emma and Kelly arrive at Degrassi as part of a bike-a-thon to recycle old bikes. She and Kelly stay there and she wishes the others on the team luck with the next school. Holly J greets her along with Declan and Chantey. They ask if she’s ready to address her Alma matter on the PA and she nods as Kelly plans to speak with Simpson. Kelly promises not to talk about some forbidden subject……are they engaged? Did they elope? Is Emma with child only a few years more than her mother was when she had her? Well we’ll soon find out.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x11/12 Heart Like Mine--Recap

Remember how I commented that after the movie we wouldn’t see the trio of Ellie, Paige, and Marco again sans a season 11 webisode with Paige and a season 9 episode with Marco…. Well we’re at the latter.

The basketball team is playing and KC makes a game winning shot leading them to make finals. Cheerleader Jenna jumps into KC’s arms and he twirls her around in a hug. His GIRLFRIEND Clare says she wants a hug and twirl too or at least a kiss and KC just realizes he has two girls wanting him.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x10 Somebody RECAP

This episode like I said before was initially aired as a one hour episode at least stateside and so there is major plot continuity of the Dolly J (Declan + Holly J) Variety.

The episode opens up as Declan is giving an emotional breakup speech to Trisha outside of Degrassi. She calls him a player and soon after she walks off he goes to Holly J and she asks how the other girl took it. Declan says like he expected and after declaring being official Declan comments how he’d never of guessed he’d be in love with Holly J a week ago to which she teasingly asks ‘what’. He laughs saying he just wanted a reaction. The bell rings and Declan asks for a goodbye kiss. She teases school Holly J starts when the bell rings however she kisses him anyway before being beckoned with school related duties

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x09 Waiting For a Girl Like You--recap

While initially packaged in the states an hour long special event called Love Games (not to be confused with the later episode titled Love Game) and marketed as a Valentine’s Day special much like season eights Lost In Love I’ll be recapping these as two solo episodes….though you’ll be surprised that there is enough plot continuity that’s going to make you way why didn’t they make this a 2 part

Holly J is passing out adds for a matchmaker service with all proceeds going into financing the school play which is apparently a full on production and not just a workshop like it made you seem it was going to be. Declan comments to Holly J how he booked the music atrium after school on Friday  and she politely informs him she’s changed his time to lunch since she gets final say with bookings being the president and all. Declan teases asking if this is a dictator ship and Holly J says if you come after school you’ll be double booked with the steel drum band. Holly J walks away and Declan smarmily comments that she’s a girl worth fighting for. Sav casually approaches asking if Declan has health insurance.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x07/08 Beat It—RECAP

I hope this recap lives up to your expectations (and mine) because when I first did it I accidentally deleted my clipboard in the process of copying this from word to this site and so I have to re-re watch this one. On the plus side the episode isn’t a weak one but on the minus side it is a two parter so it’s twice the length. Since I’ve already seen it within the past 24 hours I can tell you ahead of time that this is an ABC two parter instead of an AB/AC one with plots centering around Riley, The Niners, and Anya…..

The episode opens at the pool (cause you know that here at Degrassi they got a hidden one LOL but seriously the outside facade shots for this pool are not the norm) Riley along with Chantey, Blue, and a few random characters (including one Mark ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald but I think he’s played by a different actor) are taking lifeguard classes with some college student named Sam. Sam is telling Riley how he’s an athlete too and being a lifeguard last summer really helped him with his speed in the sports field.  Sam then practices mouth to mouth on a dummy and Riley gets really into it and he ends up getting a boner. Jumping into the water to hide it he tells them that he’s fine though everyone laughs at him.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x06 Wanna Be Starting Something—Recap

Holly J is gushing to Leia about some sale at the mall. Leia tells her she can’t cause Sav and Anya had a fight. Holly J rolls her eyes saying he’s going to apologize any moment and like clockwork Sav shows up singing the ‘Anya’ song. Holly J asks if they can still go to the mall cause she’s been saving up her paychecks for weeks but the two couples are now going to go for Ice Cream. Holly J can be a third when but it’s two for one cones so….

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x05 You Be Illin RECAP

The trinity of Alli, Clare, and Jenna are breaking into the school to get Johnny’s phone back to delete the photos so Alli can move on. Clare suggests Alli perpetuate the trope of getting an ‘Important Haircut’ to get over it but Alli wants to get the pics and erase him from her memory. Jenna has tools to break in however the locker is open and Clare finds it’s more normal then she thought…. Alli pokes and prods and finds photos of her and Johnny and they look so happy and she pauses wondering if perhaps he still cares for her.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x04 Close To Me—RECAP

Drama class… it’s not a bird class. Anya suggests Pippin while Declan suggests something sexy like Chicago. Jane comments on his choice and he asks what does she want Mama Mia? She calls him condescending. He asks if she has a passion for drama. She says onstage yes off stage not so much….well…it sucks for him

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x03 Shoot To Thrill RECAP

So when this season initially aired while episodes aired in order state-side, in Canada episodes 3/5 and 4/6 aired in an hour-long block and once we get through these next four episodes you’ll see it’s because each of these pairs have major plot continuity together and it’s almost as if they could have been written as two hour long episodes. Anyway this episode opens as it’s clubs fair sign up at the school. Johnny is sitting on the steps and Alli goes up to him and sits on his lap playing with his hat. Bruce shows up and it’s off she goes. She has to meet Clare anyway to sign up for an activity and she wants Johnny to go. He promises he’ll meet her there. As the girls make it to the film club booth it’s full (I’d say Clare wanting to join this club is foreshadowing her relationship with an aspiring director but I believe it’s simply coincidental) Miss H is back as Principal and she’s running a tight ship so the girls choose photo club instead. Sav and Anya scored film clubs last spots and engage in PDA whole KC arrives and he and Clare kiss as well. Alli is jealous cause Johnny is all no public touchy. Johnny just has other interests….. Like watching Bruce harass Connor….Clare just doesn’t know him like Alli does….

WHATEVER IT TAKES

9x01/2 Just Can’t Get Enough RECAP

The season opens just weeks after the events of last season/the movie special as Studz hot off their theatrical debut in Mewsical High are rocking it at Degrassi. As they are singing in the gym cut to a limo pulling up in front of the school as two well-dressed students exit from it. They are Declan and Fiona Coyne, their father is some sort of diplomat and it’s unclear whether they are American, Canadian, or duel citizens as while they call New York their ultimate home they are world travelers. Chantey introduces herself to the twins’ camera in hand ready to vlog. They ask who the important people are…. Holly J the president, Studz Degrassi’s own movie stars and the lead singers girlfriend famed model Mia just home from Paris. I assume the shoot that was canceled/delayed in the movie happened and she flew from LA to Paris then back home which was why she had millions of dollars of cloths with her on the bus….see it all comes together. Holly J tells the band they are on the set list for the Winter Beach Bash while Peter comments they ARE the set list and informs Mia he’s so close to landing a spot in the music master class.

WHATEVER IT TAKES this season it’s a new vocal track of the theme song as well as some new scenes as Derek and Mia are now gone and the four new characters this season are added. The changes are as follows: The Leia/Derek scene is now Declan/Fiona, between the Anya/Chantey and KC/Clare/Connor/Alli scene is now Leia/Holly J, then after the grade nine quad are new grade niners Jenna and Dave…. Finally with Holly J in a new scene the one of her and Mia is obviously gone….

SEASON 9 CHARACTERS