Mother and Child Reunion, Part 1 (D:TNG episode)
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| Degrassi: The Next Generation episode | |
|---|---|
| “Mother and Child Reunion” | |
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| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
| Production no. | – |
| Original airdate | October 14th, 2001 |
| Guest star(s) | Anais Granofsky (Lucy) Pat Mastroianni (Joey) Stacie Mistysyn (Caitlin) Amanda Stepto (Ms. Nelson) Don McKellar (Keith) Nigel Hamer (Toby's Father) Alex Steele (Angela) |
| Writer(s) | Aaron Martin Yan Moore |
| Director | Charles Martin Smith |
| Titular Song | "Mother and Child Reunion" by Paul Simon |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "None" | "Mother and Child Reunion, Part 2" |
"Mother and Child Reunion", the first episode of a two part series opener, and the first episode in the TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
Christine "Spike" Nelson is all grown up, and her daughter Emma, born during Degrassi Junior High, is now 12 and attending Degrassi herself. It's time for the 10-year reunion of the original Degrassi crew, and familiar faces Archie (Snake) Simpson, Joey Jeremiah, Caitlin Ryan, and even principal Raditch are in attendance. Meanwhile, Emma has met a boy named Jordan online who is as passionate about saving the environment as she is, and she is excited at the prospect of meeting him in person and plans to meet him.
[edit] Expanded overview
The series premier starts in Emma Nelson's room where she and her best friend Manny are reading a 'thank you' email from Emma's internet pen pal, Jordan. It's revealed that Caitlin Ryan is famous, on the cover of a magazine, and Christine (Spike) Nelson is now a grownup; now sporting straight, black hair which long replaced her spiky blonde style. Ms. Nelson reminds Emma and Manny that they need to leave as they are late, and J.T. has been waiting for them. They're rushed out to Ms. Nelson's 10 Year Degrassi Reunion before Emma gets to read a new e-mail message sent to her.
Now in front of their new school, Emma, Manny, and J.T. are tasked to drop off a series of boxes by Emma's mom just days before the school opens. With J.T. overburdened with boxes, Emma and Manny hardly realize that he is straining as they are too busy talking about Jordan and his humanitarian efforts. It's discovered that Jordan has received over 6,000 names for his petition, initially suggested by Emma, to "keep the polar wildlife refuge untouched". J.T. eventually, falls from the weight and upon opening one of the boxes on impact, Emma, Manny, and J.T. sight a picture of Joey's old band with his flambouyant haircut.
The bald, modern day Joey is now seen as a car salesman trying to sell a Volkswagen Beetle to his oldtime friend, Lucy Fernandez. She's skeptical of the car's performance and practicality, due to its size, and states that she needs to move to New Mexico in a more adequate vehicle. Joey eventually convinces Lucy to try it out during the trip to the Degrassi Community School for their school reunion. Angela, Joey's daughter, comes out reminding Lucy that Joey was unconfirmed for the reunion and that it has been a year since Joey's wife. Lucy believes that Julia would be upset if she thought that Joey was cutting himself off from people while Joey responds by quickly changing the subject.
Back at the empty school, Emma, Manny, and J.T. eventually find an older, more mature Snake (now a teacher at Degrassi) to give the boxes to. Mr. Simpson reaquaints himself with Emma, and takes Joey's fedora from J.T. (which was placed on his head by Ms. Nelson for him to carry). Relived that their destination was reached and duty fulfilled, the three wander the school and soon discover the new computer lab. Much to the ridicule of J.T., Emma wished to check Jordan's new e-mail and is about to enter the lab when they see Mr. Raditch, now the principal of Degrassi, giving a tour to Toby Isaacs and his father. Excited to see his friend from camp, J.T. introduces Toby to Emma and Manny while Mr. Raditch carried on his tour with Toby's father. Emma and Manny enter the computer lab while Toby and J.T. stand guard.
Outside in the streets of Toronto inside a limo, we see an older Caitlin who is talking on her cell phone with her fiancee, Keith. She's dropped off at the school and after she and Mr. Simpson refamiliarize themselves, Joey and Lucy make it to the school and a moment lingers while Joey and Caitlin stare at each other seeing how much they've changed.
Back in the computer lab, Emma realizes that Jordan says he will be coming to Toronto and wants to mee Emma the next day.
While Joey, Lucy, Snake, and Caitlin reacquaint themselves again, Emma, Manny, J.T., and Toby are in the play ground, contemplating Emma's dilemma in either meeting Jordan or not. J.T. teases Jordan saying that he may be a creep living in Scarborough, and working at a video store while Toby warns Emma about the dangers of meeting someone unknown from the internet. Emma responds by citing that Jordan is not an unknown person, and that she has known him longer than she has known Toby. Manny explains that Jordan is arriving as part of a class trip and though J.T. remarks that it's the summer, Emma defends Jordan saying that it was booked in Spring but he only got to go at the last minute and that J.T. was "making it into something it's not".
Emma comes home to find her mother with Caitlin and after revealing that she's quite a fan of Caitlin Ryan's work, they quickly become friends. Later, Emma and Manny recheck all the e-mails and find that there were no mentions of a "video store" or "missing teeth" when Manny speculates that J.T. was simply just worried about Emma, which Emma quickly rebutts saying that "J.T. is just immature". She praises that she's never met a guy so smart (Jordan) and mature for his age.
At a bar, Joey, Lucy, and Snake finally meet Caitlin's fiancee, Keith. Keith's a busy big time movie producer who critiques one of Joey's car ads which just aired, saying that Joey should avoid the "shifty car salesman vibe". The ad, which featured Joey ripping his shirt off for advertisment purposes, makes Caitlin remark that he was a total "ham" during high school and despite everything he's been through, he's still the "same old Joey". Joey remarks with "Actually I have changed. And so have you" and promptly gets up and seats himself alone at the bar. Snake confronts him regarding Joey's life decisions and after a discussion, Joey's left to reconsider his choice to "cut himself off from the world" and perhaps go to the reunion.
Spike, Lucy, and Caitlin arrive back at Spike's house and after a talk with Caitlin, Emma decides to meet Jordan despite the warning of her friends. And while the three women reminisce downstairs, Emma decides to e-mail Jordan back saying that she wants him to come to Toronto and meet him.
[edit] Acting
[edit] Main cast
(As ordered in credits, alphabetically)
- Stefan Brogren as Mr. Simpson (Snake)
- Anais Granofsky as Lucy Fernandez
- Pat Mastroianni as Joey Jeremiah
- Stacie Mistysyn as Caitlin
- Amanda Stepto as Ms. Nelson (Spike)
- Dan Woods as Mr. Raditch
- Ryan Cooley as J.T. Yorke
- Jake Goldsbie as Toby Isaacs
- Miriam McDonald as Emma Nelson
- Cassie Steele as Manny Santos
[edit] with special guest star
- Don McKellar as Keith
[edit] with
- Nigel Hamer as Toby's father
- Alex Steele as Angela Jeremiah
[edit] Trivia
- Joey's fedora goes around and is taken possession by various people in the episode
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- Manny finds it at Emma's house and wears it.
- Ms. Nelson then takes it back to bring it to the reunion.
- Ms. Nelson then places it on J.T.'s head for him to carry
- Mr. Simpson takes the hat from J.T. and wears it for himself (remarking "I see that fedora's are making a comeback)
- Mr. Simpson shows it to Caitlin, and she puts it on
- It's placed down on the table at the bar
- Finally, Ms. Nelson's wearing it when she comes back home and leaves it there
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[edit] See also
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[Season One]
Degrassi: The Next Generation Season One |
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| Mother and Child Reunion, Part 1 - Mother and Child Reunion, Part 2 - Family Politics - Eye of the Beholder - Parents' Day The Mating Game - Basketball Diaries - Secrets and Lies - Coming of Age - Rumors and Reputations - Friday Night - Wannabe Cabaret - Under Pressure - Jagged Little Pill |
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