Rarely on television shows do we come across two fully developed couples that compliment each other nearly twenty years apart, but lucky for us, the pairings of Craig Manning and Ashley Kerwin, and their older counterparts, Joey Jeremiah and Caitlin Ryan, are that rare. Whether overcoming the obstacles that come about by way of giving into temptation or sharing in mutual appreciation for one another, Crash and Jaitlin represent what a true power couple is: confronting everything together no matter the consequences; understanding and appreciating each other’s differences; wishing each other well despite the distance. Below, you will find these qualities displayed through comparisons of the two sets of star-crossed lovers. As goes without saying, we love them both, ship them both, and hope for more with both couples.

Keeping Up With The Cute Girl

Joey Jeremiah, though drawn to hot girl with a reputation Liz, started noticing Caitlin when he was held back a year. Quiet, smart, sweet Caitlin was the total contrast to loud, smart-aleck, loveably clueless Joey. They worked together on a class assignment, and though Caitlin was up for dating him, Joey saw her only as a friend. However, later, his mood shifted, and he became interested in her. He’d ask his friends if they thought Caitlin was cute, made small talk with her, and eventually asked her to the year-end dance.

Craig Manning, Joey’s stepson, came onto the show with an initial interest in Manny Santos, cute, bubbly seventh grader. Later on that year, though, he started noticing Ashley, leaning on lockers to talk with her, telling Joey about her now and again, signing her petition as an envious Manny watched. They also worked on a class assignment, with Craig showing Ashley that a boy should love a girl for who she is. Performing a riveting scene from Taming of the Shrew, the two bonded enough to go from study buddies to Craig asking Ashley to the year-end dance. Ashley played a key role in helping Craig deal with his deceased, abusive father. Despite the dark drama that accompanied only CrAsh, the leap from not being interested to study partners to dating is noticeable. Casual, aww-worthy interaction and hints of romance were present in the two couples, resulting in steady, cute build-up.

Gentlemanly Ways and Mutual Understanding

Likeable Joey wasn’t always considerate. Truth be told, he’d sooner yell at Melanie for showing her bra strap than open a door for a lady. But things change, and perhaps one of the most iconic images of Degrassi Junior High is when Joey goes into the school, solely to retrieve Caitlin’s jacket as the school burns down. Joey also opened doors for her, purchased her flowers, and made every effort to be a decent boyfriend. He’d always try to understand her interests, even if he didn’t always get them. Caitlin, in turn, appreciated Joey’s light-heartedness, and believed he could do anything he set his mind to, including dealing with a learning disability. This continued into the new series, with an adult Joey pushing Caitlin to pursue her dreams, which would eventually be their undoing.

Craig, too, wasn’t a perfect gentleman. He’d make snarky comments regarding Ashley’s lyrics, or snap at her occasionally. However, it was always short-lived. Like Joey retrieving Caitlin’s coat, we won’t soon forget Craig decorating the hotel room for Ashley or him serenading her in SISOSIG or RRHS. When it all came down to it, like his stepfather, Craig learned how to be more considerate because of his first love. Craig encouraged Ashley’s music, and eventually her decision to go to England, though it took him awhile. Ashley, mirroring Caitlin, loved Craig’s playfulness, loosened up around him, and stood by him in the initial stages of his bipolarity. The successors to Jaitlin, they too were driven apart by the female half leaving to pursue a job. Both men were very supportive of their girlfriends, through words and actions, complete with some of the show’s most romantic moments.

The Dreaded Triangles

In Degrassi history, there are two incredibly memorable triangles, triangles that are still talked about years after airing. Those two triangles are: Caitlin/Joey/Tessa, and Ashley/Craig/Manny.
Tessa Campanelli always had a thing for older guy Joey, pursued him, and they slept together because of Joey’s hormones. Joey knew it was a mistake due to his strong relationship with Caitlin, and Tessa definitely regretted it, especially after she learned she was pregnant, getting an abortion. Needless to say, the affair caused a rift between Jaitlin, resulting in more than a decade of angst. Caitlin felt as if she could never trust Joey again. That didn’t stop sparks from flying when they came to Toronto for Degrassi’s high school reunion, even if Caitlin was engaged to a smarmy film director. That engagement ended abruptly, and we were treated to a beautifully developed friendship. But we knew Jaitlin wouldn’t stay friends for long. In Holiday, Jaitlin has a stolen kiss, reigniting past feelings, and the two share a beautiful reunion at an airport during Christmas. Luckily for us, Crash didn’t have to wait that long.

Manny Santos fell for Craig right from the get-go, doggedly went after him despite his relationship with Ashley, and the two slept together on a night where Craig was very much confused. He decided to keep the affair with Manny going, with Ashley unaware of the fling. Ashley soon realizes what’s going on, and understandably dumps Craig. The affair with Manny, like Joey/Tessa, results in an unplanned pregnancy, with Manny getting an abortion. Coming to figure out how much he hurt Ashley, Craig wants and earns her forgiveness months later by singing an apologetic song to her in front of the whole school. The song also earns them free demo time. On the first day of the following school year, Craig hopes Ashley will be up to talking, and after some awkwardness, they start to rebuild their friendship. Unsurprisingly, the friendship starts to blossom into something else, with Craig ultimately giving up the demo time to be with Ashley in a sun-lit, adorable reunion outside a studio. Careful, beautifully written, and believable, the affairs and the reunions were incredibly similar, yet original in their own ways. That said, the two relationships that were developed post-affair were Crash and Jaitlin, leaving Tessa and Manny out of the equation. We don’t wonder why.

First Times and Other Subtle Moments

Both Caitlin and Ashley wanted to lose their virginity to the right men at the right time. Craig and Joey lost theirs due to hormones with girls they weren’t in love with. It’s easy to see why the first times of Crash and Jaitlin were different than Jessa/Cranny, with heightened emotion, meaningful dialogue, and memorable scenes. Joey and Craig were tender and attentive to the girls, and Caitlin and Ashley were emotional, with no regrets.

The physical tenderness is also on display in other ways: the way the boys let the girls’ heads rest on their shoulders, laying on a couch together, playing drums on Joey’s head or running fingers through Craig’s curls.....the list is endless. We’re all the more appreciative for these subtle signs of attraction. They’ve never been in-your-face or forced; no, they’re natural and sweet.

Powerful Proposals

Marriage has been a subject the two couples have confronted, within one season. In the midst of a manic episode, Craig proposes marriage to Ashley, who declines. The next day, Ashley does accept, although she doesn’t want to immediately get married. Craig spills to the beans at Mr. Kerwin’s wedding, causing Ashley to get upset. The proposal was botched, but at the end of the day, Crash was more in love than ever.

At the graduation party of the old series, Joey proposes to Caitlin, who rejects him, even though she loves him. It's a decision very similar to Crash in Voices Carry. This isn't the only Jaitlin proposal. In DTNG, a drunken Caitlin proposed to Joey after kissing Kevin Smith, later regretting her decision. It’s not that she doesn’t love Joey; she’s just not ready. After coming to the conclusion that they fight too much, the proposal’s off. The episode still ends on Jaitlin, suggesting love hasn’t been lost. Though the marriage proposals went south, they’re still the only two to get that privilege, and the writers never took away from their relationship with the close of the episodes.

Their Good-byes

One of the more stressful qualities the two girls share is their need to run. Caitlin and Ashley have each struggled with staying put and making it work with one guy, despite how much they love Joey and Craig. This quality resulted in the girls, noticeably, leaving at the same time to pursue job opportunities in L.A. and London, leaving heartbroken Joey and Craig back in Toronto.

Terribly bittersweet, each girl told them they loved them before leaving, asking for space. The guys had no choice but to move on, though their next relationships paled in comparison with the writers failing to develop season 5's Joey/Diane or Craig/Manny in the same way. We know where their hearts really lie, with the women who left them behind.

We Refuse to Say It’s The End

Never mind the recent choices made by the writers. Whenever we hear news of Pat, Stacie, Melissa, or Jake E., we wait anxiously to see if these two fine couples will return to interact once more. The chemistry suggests they aren’t done; the relationships have yet to be matched; their storylines have stuck with us. We believe both their endings were left open, for more scenes of angst, light-heartedness, friendship, or romance.

Though we love the original elements of the couples, we're glad the writers make a nod to Jaitlin with our Angsty Artists, showing that not only can one story be told twice, but it can be told twice well. What was it that Joey said? “Ah, young love”, he says of Crash, and then for himself and Caitlin, “not so young love”. You tell ‘em, Jeremiah!