Thursday, August 18, 2011

Degrassi: Extraordinary Machine (Part 2)

Tonight concluded the two part episode named after a Fiona Apple song. It's also the end of week 5 of Degrassi: Now or Never! We saw conclusions in two storylines and possibly one for the Eli/Clare/Jake for now...


It's the day of the play Love Roulette written by Eli Gouldsworthy and directed by Fiona Coyne! Imogen catches up with Eli about their make out session the day before. She is upset to hear him still plotting to break up Jake and Clare. Eli plans to plant his pills in Jake's bag and then tip off Principal Simpson. Imogen worries about him and ask him to get back on his pills and focus on the play, and her. Eli apologizes to her, but he is not giving up on Clare. Imogen then offers to do the dirty work for Eli. Though Eli is shocked during the locker search when Jake's bag is clear and Clare is the one hauled into the Principal's office after the pills are found in her bag. Eli breaks Imogen's heart when he lashes out at her for framing Clare. He rushes into Principal Simpson's office and tells him that Clare was holding his pills for him. Principal Simpson excuses Clare and asks to speak with Eli's parents. Eli convinces him to wait until after the play tonight. Later, Eli tries to explain things to Clare but she angrily reminds him that they are never getting back together. At the play, Imogen is a no-show and Eli is refusing to go on. Fiona talks Eli into going and takes Imogen's place as "Clara". The audience (including Imogen) watch the play written about the events that happened at the "A Night in Vegas" dance last semester. Eli begins getting frustrated with himself and Fiona on stage and interrupts his own play to angrily talk to the audience. He states that you cannot write a happy ending, and that people's mind tend to play tricks on them. He owns up to the way he has been behaving lately. He concludes by taking the script and setting it on fire. Fiona calls lights, and Ms. Dawes begins the round of applause followed by a standing ovation. Backstage people are praising Eli for his work, but he does not respond. He sits alone on the stage when his father Bullfrog comes to check on him. He knows that he wasn't acting on stage and that he hasn't been taking his medications. He is afraid to yell at Eli because he's afraid of what he will do. Eli assures his father that he now wants to get better for himself, and not for Clare. The next day, Jake talks to Clare after reading her positive review of the play. Clare does not believe Eli will ever finish the ending. Eli walks out of Principal Simpson's office with his father who is taking him home for a few days off of school. Clare steps out into the hallway and watches as Eli smiles on his way out the door, leaving Clare behind him.

Anya rushes home to tell her mother about plans to join the Canadian Forces. Her mother is not happy with the idea and tells her to reconsider but Anya has made up her mind. She later gets a phone call from the recruiter who says that she thought Anya was perfect, however she failed her drug test and cannot enlist. Later, Anya and her mother go to the play to watch Riley's acting debut. Anya's mother confronts her about finding her necklace with cocaine inside. Anya apologizes and explains how lost she has felt lately. She feels bad that she has now messed up her chances to join the army as well. The next day the two are in the car going over new plans for the future. Anya informs her that she is working on a second chance to enlist and her mother now offers her support because she can see how much Anya wants it. She makes plans to drive Anya to her recruitment office.


Dave informs KC that he is not cool with him sabotaging the adoption for Baby Ty. KC explains that he was trying to delay it in hopes of figuring something out. KC later apologizes to Jenna and explains that he worked things out for the adoption to go ahead. Later the two share an emotional farewell to Baby Ty and hold each other as he taken out the door. Jenna later packs up her things, thanks the Guthries, and leaves to move in with Alli. KC's mother comforts him after he has lost the people he loves.

This episode was a nice surprise, and possibly one of Degrassi's most memorable. Munro Chambers delivered another powerful scene for the show. Jessica Tyler and Sam Earle had their best acting in this episode. We saw emotional conclusions to Jenna and KC's story, a promising future for Anya, and an awakening for Eli. This episode gets an A and hopefully the rest of Now or Never keeps up the great work.

Next Week: Two part episodes "Don't Panic" and "Drop It Like It's Hot"


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