Degrassi series finale: "School's Out!" (Pat Mastroianni, Stacy Mistysyn) 1/2
In light of seeing the debut episode of Degrassi: the Next Generation Sunday night, I checked out the finale for the previous series, which coincidentally aired the night before.
Character names such as Spike, Wheels and Snake sound more like Archie comic book rejects than TV personalities, but for millions of Canadians in the 80s, these were definitely the young Archies of our day (it's ironic that the actual Degrassi Street is in the town of Riverdale outside of Toronto). They had relationship troubles, they fought with their parents, and their weekly social problems were universal and varied in degrees of severity.
The shows were Degrassi Junior High, then Degrassi High, and they became staples of Canadian television in their heyday. Now in syndication, they're watched in over 40 countries, and have snagged more than 30 international and national awards including two International Emmys. The shows are terribly dated and often poorly acted, but the subject matter strikes a chord because the topics are plainly and openly addressed without really suggesting a stance, only how things are.
The Degrassi saga concluded on a controversial note, at least among diehard fans. School's Out! was a two-hour made-for-TV movie that tried to wrap up five seasons worth of story arcs, but in the process the producers threw some unexpected curveballs in for good measure. Snake (Stefan Brogan) finally snaps and irreconcilably moves away with few regrets, after having been the butt of one too many cruel remarks. Wheels (Neil Hope) drives drunk, kills a two-year old kid, and almost does the same to good friend Lucy (Anais Granofsky). Joey (Pat Mastroianni) becomes a two-timer and cheats on Caitlin (Stacy Mistysyn), the woman he pursued throughout the series. When I saw these characters (and others) do complete 360's in School's Out! a decade ago, I didn't appreciate the arbitrary approach the writers took, but now I can see a logic behind it. They knew the series would not extend to the university years, and while we lose some of our innocence in junior high and high school, it can be argued that it is in our post-high school lives that major life crises and dilemmas come crashing down. That's why, for all its unevenness, it's still a worthy denouement for the series.
The primary focus is on Joey and Caitlin's relationship, and third wheel Tessa (Kirsten Bourne) as the temptress to Joey's mojo. There are a few subplots with Snake as a lifeguard and the planning of the long-overdue wedding of Simon and Alexa, which also provides the setting for the end of the movie. The problem with the movie, though, is that it essentially passes over all of the other characters who made the show so fun for many years. Arthur and Yick, Liz, Maya, Michelle and BLT, and even Dwayne the bully are absent or barely more than extras. If this is supposed to be a Degrassi send-off, at least give us a glimpse of all the people who made it happen.
After I watched the premiere episode of the new series, I was surprised how much of the original show I still remembered. It's a testament to the reach and scope it had on impressionable adolescents such as myself when it was on. Degrassi isn't a perfect concept, but its goals are noble and the memories it invokes are indeed priceless.
