Tears are Not Enough, Part 1
It’s too heavy for me to talk about two days in a row
honestly dealing with a lot
The Episode
Season 2, Episode 21 - Tears are Not Enough, Part 1
Original Airdate - February 16th, 2003
Content warning - child abuse, parental death
Season two of Degrassi is a little circle. We started with Craig and his father, Albert. We shall end there as well. It’s heavy and complicated and, well, the content warning kind of gives it away, huh? Let’s do it.
It’s exam time. Craig is a little stressed. He’s not the best student, and he wants to do well. In particular, he’s nervous about his science test, it’s his worst subject. In his defense, the test seems to be mostly based on memorizing facts and chemicals which most people would do badly at.
He’s headed home with Ashley and Sean when Albert pulls up. Albert says hi to Craig’s friend. Ashley is warm. Sean, who was around for the abuse, spits. Love that. Albert invites Craig to dinner which really throws him off. He hasn’t seen his dad in months, though he seems very calm.
Joey’s house is not calm. Angie is cranky, Craig is trying to study, and chores have fallen by the wayside. The chaos is getting to be too much, and Joey asks Craig to help clean up. Craig says he has a study session that afternoon, but agrees to come home early.
At school, Craig is in a weird mood. He won’t even join Spinner in objectifying Ms. Hatzilakos. Ashley asks him if he’s shaken up about his dad, and Craig gives her a little of the context. Ashley says that maybe he’s changed, and that’s what Craig wants to hear.
Craig goes to the hospital to meet his dad for dinner. The study session was a lie. The nurses are happy to see him, but let slip that Albert told them Craig was in boarding school. They paint Albert as a devoted father.
At dinner, Albert does seem different. He says he’s in anger management and offers to help Craig with anything he may need. He’s claims he’s genuinely trying to make things better. Craig gets home late, and Joey is pissed. Turns out Angie was cranky because she got the chicken pox, and Joey really needs the help around the house. Craig is annoyed. He really needs to study for exams.
The next day (I think it must be the weekend?), Craig goes to his dad’s house to get help studying for the science exam. The tutoring is helpful, but when Craig forgets to use a coaster, he has a traumatic flash of his father hitting him. It’s all in his head. Albert’s response is measured. Maybe he has changed.
Time for the exam, and Craig is locked in. He flies through the questions and feels great. He’s so on cloud nine that he works up the courage to ask Ashley to the dance. She says yes. Albert shows up again. Craig is a little taken aback. Albert wants to take Craig to a celebratory dinner. Craig is supposed to babysit Angie, but Albert is willing to meet late. He messes up Ashley’s name.
Joey is even later than expected because he’s closing in on a big sale. Craig, for some reason, doesn’t call his dad and leaves him waiting at the restaurant for a while. By the time he shows up, the air is tense, but Albert tries to roll with it. He gives Craig a gift. Tickets for a trip to Europe that summer.
Craig is psyched until he understands what this really is. Albert wants them to get used to being together so Craig can move home for the next school year. Craig doesn’t want that. No matter what it looks like to his father, Joey’s is the first place he’s felt stable. He rejects both the trip and the offer to move home, and Albert storms off.
Craig follows and it all goes wrong. Albert starts laying into him for being selfish and ungrateful while keeping his back turned. He says that Joey is a terrible influence who is going to ruin Craig’s life by letting him get distracted from his grades by babysitting and a stupid goth girl. That’s too much for Craig, who shoves his father. Albert wheels around and backhands Craig, breaking skin and sending him to the ground.
Albert gives a very classic abuser response. There’s a moment of regret that quickly morphs into Albert blaming Craig for making him do this. He gets in his car and zooms off. Craig barely tries to hide the wound from Joey and quickly comes clean. Joey is ready to go to the police, but Craig says no. They’ll go to child services the next day and report Albert officially. Craig says he hates his father.
They don’t get the chance. The next day, as the Jeremiahs get ready, the cops show up. Joey has to tell Craig that Albert was in a car accident and died. To be continued!
Really quick but nice B story. JT is struggling with exams, so he asks Liberty for tutoring. She agrees, but only if he’ll be her date for the dance. He tells Toby he’s upset, he was going to ask Paige, and considers accepting Liberty’s help and then bailing on her. But Liberty is very excited.
Her excessive tutoring helps and JT nails his Geography exam. He goes up to Paige to ask her out, but Liberty joins them. His conscience gets the better of him and he instead asks Paige to help Liberty pick out an outfit. Paige agrees, and slightly hints that she may have entertained his invitation, but we all know she’s already going with Spinner.
And something else
We have another day of dead dad abuser stuff, so I thought we’d do something fun today. We’re close to my season two power rankings, but let’s do a ranking of a different kind. In honor of the coming dance, a ranking of Degrassi’s season 2 romances, flirtmances, and crushes based on how much they annoy or delight me and how much I think they’d actually work as a couple.
I’ve remembered 19 of these. I’m probably forgetting some but whatever, 19 is plenty.
Jimmy and Ellie - Remember in that one episode where he tried to get her number? Of course she didn’t give it to him. I can think of few couples that would work worse than these two. Jimmy is so image obsessed, Ellie is so free spirited. Total yuck. I’m surprised he even wanted to go for her.
Spinner and Ellie - Remember in that same episode when Spinner did get her number? Also would have been TERRIBLE. But I do think they could at least have more fun together on a single date before realizing they have nothing in common.
Emma and Craig - Look. I get it a little bit. Craig is cute and loves his sister and there’s the kind of family connection. But I don’t think these two would actually get along as a couple, at all. Emma is way too dominant and Craig would fold instantly while whining about it. I’m not even convinced they have much in common besides their parents. She needs someone who supports her causes but will push back on her a little bit. She has that elsewhere.
Spinner and Paige - May get a little controversial with these next few, sorry! I don’t like Spinner and Paige. I don’t get Spinner and Paige. I don’t buy Spinner and Paige. Paige is so smart. I don’t think she can date a dummy! I also don’t think Spinner is good looking or charming enough for her. Spinner is nicer than his exterior suggests, I will admit that, but I think Paige needs someone who looks better on her arm. The length of their relationship is staggering to me.
Manny and Craig - I reserve the right to change this opinion as these two and their dynamic evolves, but at present, I think they are so ill suited. This is very clearly a situation where they both think the other is hot, but don’t really understand the other’s personality. Craig things Manny is a little sweetie, but Manny can be a little uptight! You just don’t notice next to type A Emma. Manny sees Craig as so mature and masculine and Craig is not those things. These two feel doomed to make out too much, constantly realizing that they don’t actually fit as a couple and then forgetting it when hormones start raging.
Jimmy and Ashley - I will keep this brief as I’ve spent whole essays on this, but these two simply don’t go together anymore. I think they have a lot of history, and history isn’t nothing when it comes to romance. But I don’t think they actually have more than that. Until Jimmy can get over his desire to be the king of the school, he will not have anything to offer Ashley who has let that desire go.
Marco and Hazel - Hazel pretty quickly gives up on Marco because he’s going for Ellie, but I do think there’s something here. Marco is gay, which is hard to overcome, but I think these two could have a short and sweet relationship before they realize there isn’t any heat. Then they’d both be too nice to end things for like three months. It’s not destiny, but it could have been something.
Terri and Spinner - This is far less spotlighted this season than it was last season, but Terri clearly has some remaining affection for Spinner and she would otherwise be completely absent from this list. I think they could work, and this is Spinner’s best match to me. Terri is patient enough to put up with his stupid, but bold enough to call him out. They would struggle with superficial concerns about what they look like to others as a couple, but I think they could get through that. I’m into it, and it will never be. Terri will make far worse choices.
JT and Paige - I am way more into this pairing than Paige and Spinner. JT is smart, specifically he’s witty, and Paige needs someone who can volley with her. They would have the same problems that at first glance, JT is not appropriate arm candy. But JT is genuinely charming which would take them far. They’d break up because Paige decided she could do better or JT did something very stupid, but I think they’d have a good run. Unfortunately, Paige has gone the other way. Which does pave the way for JT to focus on something better.
Jimmy and Hazel - We’re moving into couples that I kind of think work. This pairing isn’t full steam ahead yet, but will get there. I think they’re sort of aligned in teenage priorities, and that makes them compatible. They both want the appearance and aesthetic of a relationship more than a real relationship, and neither of them engages much with their own depth, so they can get away with that. It’s a vibe! But the second one of them matures enough to become a full human, I think they’d split. Their actual split is much stupider.
Marco and Ellie - I considered putting this both higher and lower on the list. Fact of the matter is these two really work. They’re such good friends. Ellie can take the wheel and Marco can provide the emotional support. They both like weird movies, they communicate well. The problem is The Gay. We all know that. In another world where he was sexually attracted to her, they’d maybe be number one. When I consider what a bad position Ellie is accepting for herself and the stress it causes her, I want to move them lower. Compromise says they live here.
Toby and Kendra - Kendra is quite literally made for Toby. This is a character invented to give Toby a love interest, to test all of his specific character flaws, and to make us root for them at the end. And I do root for them! Unfortunately, Kendra isn’t much of a character on her own. Outside of her brief appearance in Liberty’s hockey story, Kendra doesn’t have much to her. The show will eventually get bored of her, and she quietly disappears without a trace. It’s hard for me to see that as anything but inevitable.
Craig and Marco - I don’t know if this is actually a textual crush but it’s one that clearly exists in my head and honestly, I think it works. Craig is definitely bisexual, or will go through a phase. Marco would be a great, sweet companion through that. Craig is ultimately too volatile for them to last, Marco needs someone more interested in building a life together I think, but I think they could make a good go of it!
Mr. Simpson and Christine - Adults are on this list too, baby! And hey, this is one of the better couples! Unsurprising because it’s the longest lasting one. I think Christine needs someone who will keep her grounded without clipping her wings. An earth sign to her fire sign. Archie needs someone who makes him more interesting. They both win! He’s a dad who stepped up!
Joey and Caitlyn - I want to be a hater, but I can’t. These two have mad chemistry. What I said about Jimmy, Ashley, and history goes quadruple for them. But I think they’re also a better fit. They’re both charming, hot, and really care about other people. Caitlyn longs to travel and Joey longs to stay still. It can never be. But I do want it to at this point in time. It’s so much easier to root for the adults as couples. Shocker.
Sean and Marco - So in one episode, Marco can’t stop looking at shirtless Sean and oh my god, would they make a good couple. Yes, I just said Marco needs stability, but Sean’s chaos is a little more circumstantial than Craigs (not to be offensive about bipolar disorder, but you get me). I think Marco could provide Sean with the grounding he needs to find some steadiness. And I think escaping heteronormativity would give Sean the permission to judge himself less for being different. Picture them cuddling in your mind. It works!!
JT and Liberty - Look. I will fight on the hill that this is one of the greatest’s couple’s of the whole series. JT is, above all things, annoying. Liberty is, somehow, not annoyed with him. JT needs someone who will tell him he’s wrong. Liberty thinks she is always right. Liberty needs someone who helps her lighten up. JT brings out her funny side. The fact that it takes so long for this slow burn to ignite actually speaks to their compatibility. If they got together right away, they’d make too many mistakes. They need to grow as people and deepen as friends first. And they do! I love it! They are only number three because of where we are in the show. It’s not time for them yet.
Ashley and Craig - By process of elimination, you know what number one will be. It always comes down to these two ladies and my inability to put them at one and two. Ashley has reached a really good point for herself where she is doing her own thing and doesn’t care about other people’s opinions. Craig at his most actualized does the same, and Ashley drags him in that direction. Ashley needs someone a little looser and less high strung. Craig reminds her to have fun. Their artistic connection is planted in their assignment for Miss Kwan, but is also a huge part of their vibe to me. I think there is something about this couple that just works. They end up at number two mostly because the other couple has more screen time.
Emma and Sean - Sorry to be obvious, but here we are. I’m honestly surprised how much I like their dynamic. They both provide each other the same thing - liberation from their own head. When Emma gets too caught up in her causes, Sean provides rationality. When Sean gets too caught up in his negative narrative, Emma provides a reminder that he’s not a piece of shit. They seem to really enjoy each other. Part of what puts them at number one for me over Ashley and Craig is that I think both Craig met Ashley at the wrong time. I see them as a couple that could have worked as adults. Emma and Sean are the perfect couple for each other as teenagers. They’re going to go really different directions in life. They want different things. But for now, they’re really good at helping each other figure out who they are. I like that very much.
Next episode - dead dad