Mayberry

After Jane proves that she is tough enough to make the football team, Derek tries to make her quit. (MSN TV)

JustMe2000

Just a reminder, not everyone has seen or read spoilers about what happens in this episode. So for those of you have seen it, try to avoid details until after it airs on Friday. Right, Mama Speppy?

Oh and with that said. I enjoyed this episode for the most part. It was better than I thought it would be.

lalatina15

Vince, did you get hit in the head hon?

JustMe2000

I take it, you weren't a fan?

lalatina15

No, it's not that - I enjoyed the episode very much. I just mean... I'm not use to seeing you all... what's the word I'm looking for... considerate.

JustMe2000

It's always nice to do something nice every once in a while.

lalatina15

I can't help myself. You deserve it.

I'm very much looking forward to tomorrow's discussion on this episode.

- just stand still -

i'm so upset! i need to go watch Parcy vids!

Mayberry

Hmmm, so this was a cute little episode. It helps that Jane's actually an addition I like, and that Paula's a good actress. Still, I thought it would be a little more intense, and the ending was kind of hokey. But I liked it. I guess I'm still waiting for an episode to wow me like SITD or DOG. I want something to shake me senseless, but it seems like most of these plots aren't going to get a huge amount of follow-up, so that contributes to certain scenes not sticking in my mind.

Spinner was adorable in this ep. This is the probably the most attractive I've found him. He was so supportive, protective, and sweet with Jane. I loved that he set up a date for them, and then Jane was wincing when he touched her. Awww. I kind of wanted Spin to go find Derek and get into a good screaming match. But that was DOG1 Spin. This is FTP Spinner. His little interactions with Clare/Alli were cute. I also liked how Clare saw Jane as admirable, but Alli's "you're our hero" felt a little forced. But I'm going to assume that Aislinn is more experienced than Melinda. They're both incredibly cute, though. Aislinn just shows her emotions better....like killing Peter with her eyes.

Derek was such a jerk. I'm kind of confused about how he and Bruce became friends. Bruce hangs with Johnny, who I don't think would hang out with Derek. They need to do a better job explaining how these cliques formed. Like when did Holly J and Anya patch things up? Was Ladies Night just useless?

Peter/Mia were tolerable....it basically played out how I expected it, too. The two lonely bad kids find a connection. I guess we'll see if it has more depth. I don't think Parcy had a terrible ending. Peter did go back and get the note, and Darcy told him she loved him. It's better than Palex. ALTHOUGH, Darcy got some cute little last scenes with Jane, and then bounced. I'll chalk it up to them having limited time with Shenae.

I guess the theme was sexism? Well, I feel like they accomplished that. There were some interesting moments, with the shirts and where Jane chose to change and all that jazz. I think what pulled this plot down for me is that I still don't buy the Shep. I know this is TV land, but I can't see how he rearranged all this stuff (football team, the budget, etc.) without an outcry from the faculty. Sure, you get those annoyed looks from Snake (and they're welcomed by me), but I don't think he'd be the only one in real life. Well, he doesn't seem to be a permanent cast member so....yeah.

I will give this ep a solid B. Light years better than Uptown Girl.

kaleidocat

I showed self control and didn't watch the episode ahead of time. Goooo me!

It was a good episode! I hope this storyline with the football team and the Shep's sexism and preferential treatment of students continues on because I feel like they are doing something really interesting with this. I was let down by the ending too...I don't want a conclusion to this yet. I'm not really too bothered by some of the holes with the Shep shuffling the budget around to fund football. Actually I didn't question it until Nikki mentioned it. I usually just go with the flow with Degrassi. Hey, they don't have Joey around to fund all the sports teams, what else are they gonna do?

Ha I saw Marc Donato on White Oleander today on LMN and that really made me excited for his involvement in this episode. He didn't disappoint. I like how all that played out. He's always been one of the bottom feeders and becoming a senior just isn't enough to give him the popularity that Danny has, toss in all his insecurities about being a "guy" and I get it. I'm not saying it's right. It was a pretty disturbing moment when they jumped Jane. But I like that. I hope we see more of this dark side that Derek has.

The Spinner/Jane was really enjoyable. But what I really loved was Spinner explaining all the football terms to Clare and Alli. Too cute. And helpful. I liked that Clare and Alli looked up to Jane and that was what kept her from quitting. Their views on football aren't going to be like someone that say, Anya would have (girls on the side lines cheering for the players).

Who else was completely stunned that TPTB remembered Bardell??!!

- just stand still -

that's true and i did love that alot! but i'm still sad!

overall, i did like the ep!

bailamicorazon

Ok, I caved and watched the episode ahead of time. :X
I enjoyed it a lot more than the two parter/opener. I really like Jane a lot.
LOVED it when Spinner was explaining the positions to Alli and Clare.
Over all, a cute enjoyable episode. Plotholes galore, but I was forgiving.
So far the season is exceeding my expectations, so I'm pleased.

Also... brutal farewell to Darcy (and Parcy o_O)
I didn't like how abrupt her going to Africa was. But... eh... not too bothered.
Looking forward to the next episode.

london grammar

I miss the old kids so much.

LidelKewte

I really liked this episode. I love Jane, so it was great to get a main plot involving her, and I thought it was a great story to tell. I loved the Spin/Jane moments, and seeing him all protective of her. I also loved the few times that Alli and Claire appeared. It was so cute when Spinner was telling them about football and when they said Jane is their hero. Man, I don't know what's going on with Derek, but he is becoming a total ass. I am also confused as to why he is hanging out with Bruce now. It really came out of nowhere. I wish Spinner would have hurt them both for jumping Jane. I liked that Danny stood up for her. He is certainly growing up. I also liked seeing Mia stand up for her too. Hopefully we will get more scenes with those two considering they were once friends. I would like to find out more about their history.

As for the subplot...I didn't think it was that bad. It does suck the way Darcy left, but still I don't think it was that bad. I just hate that they had to rush into Mia/Peter. I didn't get into them. For some reason, I still only like him with Darcy.

lalatina15

Good luck with that.

The football scenes weren't really intense, but, then again, I'm not a football fan, so, who knows. Whatever. I felt as though the scenes of Jane getting jumped were pretty up there, reminding me of seasons two and three. And, yeah, hokey ending, but this of course, is Degrassi.

I loved the Spinner and Jane scenes at The Dot. I like seeing protective/concerned Spinner... I find him all sorts of adorable. It's something about the way his voice was about to crack, it made me feel it. I'm pretty sure we'll see him get back at those goes somehow, later on probably. They messed with his girlfriend - he's not gonna let it go so easily.

I'm going to guess that they "hung out all summer" like many of the kids do when they form sudden or unexplained friendships from one season to the next. With Holly J and Anya, well, they don't seem to be as they were last season... Anya looks to be closer to Chantay this season anyway.

I just figured that after Lakehurt's closing, he was still on the school board, helping making decisions for the local schools (Degrassi... errm, Bardell, Lakehurst at a time, Borden way back from the JHS days). So, if some votes were down to him to go either way... they might have resulted in the loss of funding for girls' sports.

Derek has a lot of issues with behind left behind and not being "good enough" I think, possibly stemming from the fact that he's adopted. He knows a bit about his birth parents from the package he was given (as he mentioned back in season 5) but there may still have been that sense of abandonment. And then, as you mentioned, Danny turning all popular, star football player on him... and then being out-shined by Jane during her tryout? Yeah, what he did was definitely not right (geeze, I winced during the scene) but the whole a-hole persona is something that I can see where it may have stemmed from.

I KNOW! I was surprised and excited too.

They both have D names dammit, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! All better.