EvaBlue

I agree with what is being said in that I really feel like we are suppose to buy that Clare and Jake have some type of deep relationship going on and I... just don't. We had one episode that ACTUALLY dealt just with their relationship and they got together so fast in it I got whiplash. We didn't see Jake really struggle with his commitment phobia. We didn't see them go from casual to "this doesn't feel very casual". We were just suppose to believe that during their heated makeout sessions they developed an emotional bond (rolls eyes), got passed Jake's phobia of relationships, and started to really like each other.

It was just poor development on the writer's parts. I understand they wanted a triangle to throw the Eclare dynamic into, but this one is too forced. Those awkward and NOT believable ILYs sealed the deal on that. I would have preferred them *somehow* throwing KC back into Clare's life. Maybe KC and Clare could have become friends as KC struggled with cheating on Jenna and all of that. Then, they dated? IDK. It doesn't really *fit* where KC is right now... But, my point is it would have been more believable because at least KC and Clare have actual history. I don't care about Jake and Clare's frog throwing story. No one said they were friends or hung out when they were younger - just that they knew each other and he threw a frog at her.

I'm not even... upset with the Cake relationship? I'm *annoyed*. I feel like it is wasting my time and impeding Jake's possible development as a character.

Kwinks

Exactly. WHERE WAS ANY OF THIS???

THIS!

Yeah, I agree. I like Jake well enough, but...I feel like he'd be more interesting to me outside of a relationship for right now. At least until we really get to know him.

I'm annoyed at the Degrassi writers like you don't even know. I mean, I thought that after last season, they couldn't get any worse with the whole "we hooked up in two seconds and then dated for five seconds and then broke up" thing. But it is getting worse!

Cake hooked up with barely any development, and now they're ~in love~.
Bandhurner had history and a good setup, but they were together for two seconds and then ended.
Drew and Bianca were together for a little longer, but at least they made sense. Now Drew and Katie are together and supposedly have this awesome connection or whatever, but by the looks of it, Drew gets back with Bianca in the prom episode, so Krew lasts for like, two seconds, too. Drarisol would have made more sense, because they at least had that date in season 10.
Ms. Oh/Sav came out of nowhere.
Eli and Imogen's potential relationship just confuses me, because their dynamic changes every episode they're in together.

What's the deal, Cole and Ramona? What happened to the days when Degrassi could write believable, shippable pairings that lasted longer than a few episodes and made sense? I mean, hell! Even the couples I didn't like/ship from the old TNG cast had more substance and were more likable than the ones they throw together now.

EClare_x3

I really have no ****ing idea. I've been trying to figure it out myself. With Jake, I'm skeptical because he didn't actually say it and we really don't know that much about him. I'm not going to worry about him right now. But Clare? What the hell. Are we supposed to really believe Clare loves him? I want to know what the point of that scene was. The Clare we know wouldn't be throwing ily's around with someone she's been "bonding" with because of their makeout sessions. The writers are playing this all on Clare's hormones but why would Clare's hormones change the person she used to be? I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm really confused on what the writers want us to believe and take from this because they've done a really poor job on developing Cake, it's true. I want answers.

This. If they can address the fact that EClare was unhealthy near the end, they sure as hell can admit Eli/Imogen would have been the unhealthiest couple on this show and that Cake's foundation is based on the fact that they enjoy making out with each other. What kind of message are they putting out there? I've been waiting for them to fix this and show otherwise but it's been dragged on for too long and Cake's ily's in the last episode just put this over the top.

Right. These are the same writers who created EClare. In a room full of writers, why can't any of them see that this is just ridiculous now? At this point, even if EClare did get back together and it was beautiful, I can't forgive last night's episode. I'm still in shock over it tbh.

Ship nothing. Not on this show. The funny thing is, this show has become so relationship-focused these days but you can't take any of the couples seriously, no matter how intense, cute, dysfunctional they are because you KNOW they're not going to last.

Kwinks

It's just getting silly now! I mean, really though. Are they for real?

There are easy ways to solve all this:

1) Start making the relationships last at least one season, and this will ultimately help them to...
2) stop putting all the focus of storylines on relationships.

If they allow the relationships to last longer, they can give them more proper development by having the relationships shown in the background of more major plotlines, and as a part of certain plots, as opposed to the relationship being what the whole plot is about. This way the focus of the episodes can be on more important things, and they don't have to cram a whole relationship into two or three episodes, make all those episodes about the relationship drama, and then break them up and move on to the next one. The relationships will get gradual, genuine development by making appearances in plots that aren't about them. Everyone's happy! The relationships will have more substance, and the show can go back to paying attention to things that don't have to do with soley romance.

But why would the writers do something that actually makes sense?

Nekoshoujo

I agree with some much on this page right now I don't even know where to start quoting which is kinda sad since I feel like I'm the resident Cake fan in our little Eclare shipping group here. I mean I'm the first to admit there's something weird going on here. I mean does the cast ship Cake just because Eclare was unhealthy at the end of their relationship? Stefan was all like jumping ship and I see nothing to jump ship over. Love does not equal lust. You need to have more than three conversations to truly fall in love with someone. It just feels like a slap in the face because the writers really did go out of their way to build a relationship where we could see two people falling in love with Eclare last season. Even if they were together only three months their friendship before was enough to show that yes this can happen. I dunno where I'm going with this- aw! I feel like Eclare was a lot of showing: showing us two people falling in love and Cake is just telling.

I can picture the writers: oh by the way these two love each other now. Even though we've done nothing to show how. I rhymed so it must be true~~~~

Anyway I've been saying the same thing about relationships for a long time. Look at all the classic Degrassi couples- they were together for at least a season often longer sometimes even despite on an again/off again status. When those couples said I love you, I believed it! Also not focusing on relationships would give them more room to cover more issues. And covering more issues and using relationships as supporting elements in storylines would make those relationships stronger. When storylines are all about relationships there's only one way to go: Get together. Fight. Make Up. Fight. Break up. B O R I N G ! And exactly what many Degrassi couples are like now.

Kwinks

This is what I'm confused about, too. What is it exactly that the cast and everyone else deems so great about Cake that they would jump ship? I guess I just don't see it. Is it because they're a fluffy, more lighthearted pairing? EClare could've had some more fluffiness, too, if the writers weren't so bent on making them all about drama during the last leg of their relationship. Ignore me. I'm bitter.

Exactly. And it is such a slap in the face, too. I almost feel like the writers are doing this just to piss people off.

"I rhymed so it must be true~"

Right. And nothing feels organic. It comes across to me as all forced. It's completely formulaic and predictable. Cake just exchanged ILYs and it's already suggested in the promos for next week that they'll be breaking up. The sad part is I'm not even surprised.

The current canon ships all sink before they even float, so there's no point in jumping on-board any of them if you know they're all only going to plunge into the sea Titanic style.

Nekoshoujo

^ yup I totally agree. See it is confusing. I wish the writers would have an interview were they just clear all this up.
1. Was sending Eclare into over the top drama territory a ratings stunt?
2. Do they want us to like Eclare or hate Eclare? Are the mixed messages on purpose?
3. So Cake is better than Eclare because... Jake is better for Clare at the moment?
4. Seriously wtf is Imogeli? It's clearly the most unhealthy relationships we've seen in awhile, so.... yeah wtf?
5. Do you enjoy pissing Eclare fans off?
6. Do you realize all the couples you create lack anything remotely close to depth?



There better be some hospital hand holding to look forward to...

Kwinks

It totally was. They knew Eclare was popular, and they couldn't wait to exploit its popularity. It's a shame, because it had so much potential in the Boiling Point. They were popular because there was something about them that was genuine. They had a special little something, and in their effort to keep it popular, the show lost sight of that special little something. I'll admit, the relationship between Eli and Clare has always been a tad messed up (even in the beginning of season 10, you could kind of see it: the darkness lurking on the edges of their relationship). But it was just enough to keep it interesting, and not enough to overwhelm the viewers. The relationship was just the right mix of sweet and angsty. Perhaps the show felt like it had to bring that darkness to a climax, or...? I don't even know.

Oh my god! So much this! I want to ask them this myself. It's like they try to scare us away from the pairing with all the drama, but then it's like they want to draw us back in and give the viewers false hope by giving us scenes like the "hero" moment. It's confusing as hell.

See, I get this. Because Jake is obviously better for her, right now. But the thing is, doesn't that go without saying? Wouldn't most people be better than Eli for Clare right now? Considering he's currently not in the best of places? (He's certainly in a better place than before, but he still has a ways to go before he's really fit to be with her again). What is it about Jake specifically that makes him so good for Clare? I mean, I can guess. They have some things in common (parents divorced, both religious, etc.), so is that the basis for him being better for her? Maybe that he can identify with her situation more?

I have a feeling Imogeli will be intriguing purely for the fact that it will be so messed up, but although I may end up morbidly fascinated by them, I probably won't ship them. I mean, Cristine and Munro definitely have good chemistry. They'll be entertaining, and maybe a few good, kinky smut fics could be born from their screwed up romance, but I have a feeling that's all they'll really be good for.

Pretty please? *puppy eyes*

EClare_x3

I laughed out loud.

This is the main reason why I've been holding out faith in EClare for so long. Sure, the writers have done nothing but show us they only throw couples together and break them up in a matter of time. But because of EClare, they gave us this hope. They created a relationship right. And it's because of this I have been saying since before the start of Now Or Never that there is simply no way they can let Cake slide right on by EClare when they have shown us that Cake is based on nothing but lust at the moment, and told us this for a fact too. Plus, they keep throwing us signs here and there that Clare is not over Eli. I've been such an EClare solider this whole time and have really been okay with it, but last night's episode threw me off. I've learned to handle a lot of things the writers throw at us but I will never be okay with what happened last night. So I guess at the moment, I'm just really confused? It's hard to keep up with their inconsistencies and Now Or Never has been pretty unpredictable. It's just sad to think about the possibility of EClare never getting back together after Eli has became healthier while they still love each other, but it's even sadder to think that Cake could rival this couple.

necklace

One of the writers has been tweeting about this recently suggesting that Cake is genuinely in love with each other. I have no idea what the writers are thinking, this is the only Clare relationship that didn't get any development and I'm supposed to believe that Jake is "the one"? I would like to see how they got to that point. And to be honest, I can't stop laughing over the fact that they nearly broke up over a movie and needed someone from outside to fix things for them. Are you serious writers? Really? Eclare didn't break up over their religious differences and suddenly you decide that Clare is a type of person who would have problem with her boyfriend not having the same taste in movies? I'm pretty sure that she wouldn't have forced her boyfriend to do anything he really didn't want to and made a compromise with him instead, do something they both like or propose that this time they go watch it together and next time they'll do something Jake enjoys (chopping wood in a forest or eating chicken). The way she freaked out on Jake wasn't in character at all. And then TrueClare's riddicuous tweet "when you love someone, it makes the battle worthwhile…." I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when I read that. A battle? Wasn't it the most epic struggle you guys have ever seen a couple go through on this show? But of course writers, it's not like they have real issues like, let's say their parents dating, to worry and fight about. I can completely see why that excuse of a fight would be the best way to give them development.

Oh and don't even get me started on how they treated Jake who I thought would finally get an ocassion to be something more than just "the perfect boyfriend and a great guy". I like his character but he reminds me of Jimmy, only Jimmy did get some plots on his own. I have a feeling that Jake might end up like Blue or if he gets lucky enough to get any plot from his pov, Declan. Declan always had potential to be a good character on his own and we all know how talented Landon was but his whole existance depended on Holly J and Fiona. Jake also had some potential but with each passing episode it becomes clear that his character was created for Clare. Katie, despite her involvement with Drew, had her own plot and Imogen aready recieved some minor character development.

THIS. And I hate that the couple that is getting the most development out of them all is in fact Imogeli, the most unhealthy. I mean, We've seen so many interactions between the two and we see their relationship growing. Imogen had a crush, they became friends, she pursued him, he rejected her, he used her, he apologized and now they're friends again. The one couple I really don't want to see at this moment is getting the best treatment out of them all and it's actually pissing me off. I mean, I guess I would be completely fine with it if they became friends and friends only (since I think they make a good team in the whole "partners in crime" sense) but somehow I think that spin kiss they shared in one of the episodes was a clue. I wouldn't be surprised if we learned that once the show comes back that Eli and Imogen hung out whole summer and fell in love (A.k.a Crellie). Eli should be alone right now and Imogen should start working on Bianca or Adam (listen to cristine writers).

You know, the thing is, I don't think they will break up at all. I'm pretty sure that Clare is either overeacting to something Jake said or they make up later on in the episode, well maybe not "make up" necessarily but put the fight behind them, as Jake is there to support Clare while Adam is in the hospital. Too bad we'll be getting that sort of development after they already said "I love you"

EClare_x3

Oh my gosh hahaha, THIS IS SO TRUE. WHY DO THE WRITERS DO THIS?!?!?!? ATHSALGSKATHATHALATSLVAKHTAP. I'm sorry, I'm so frustrated at this point.

Nekoshoujo

Yes exactly which is a shame because ultimately it led to some pretty bad scenes for the two of them. I can understand some of the direction though. I mean despite the break up these two continue to have great moments together. It's just those moments make it all the more obvious when they get majorly off track. I suppose a lot of time with Eclare they have to do certain things in order to lead the characters where they want them to go but I often question the actual final product. I dunno if that makes sense. Basically what I'm trying to say is that I've loved watching Eclare's journey break up or not but there have been bumps in the road that have me wanting to send the writers a cake with "WHY?!" written on it.


On the one hand it's kind of nice because Eclare continues to mirror real relationships: loving someone when you can't be with them, doing things you shouldn't because you want to be with someone, wanting the other person to be happy, etc. But again it's the overall message I don't understand.

Yup! And I think we can easily say the same for Eli as well. Clare is bad for him but mostly because any realtionship would be bad for him right now. That's why I hope they really don't just give us Imogeli next week- that's certainly not going to aid his recovery. But what it comes down to is what you're saying. We know that Jake's good for Clare because we've gotten hints. But we haven't really seen it. Honestly there was that moment in the car when Jake tells Clare he wouldn't believe Eli over her and I thought "wow. This is a surprisingly solid relationship." I mean in that moment I realized I could get behind Cake. But that realization came with the assumption we would be seeing more of that. And we haven't. At all. Since then all we've seen is cutesy makeouts, two sentence exchanges with no depth behind them, Jake wanting Eli out of her life, and fighting. Oh yeah these two have convinced me of their love. I get it I do, because I feel like they probably do love each other- but not like true love. Not the same level of love Eclare proved to have at this point. And that's the kind of love they seem to be promoting so it doesn't make much sense to me.

Yeah basically. I dunno I just feel like keeping Imogen in this dynamic isn't doing her character any favors.

Honestly Eclare is the first canon "New Cast" ship I've gotten attached to because it's the first ship -save for maybe Sanya- that had any depth and development. Even Kenna didn't have much connection till this season with the Tyson storyline. Yet Eclare was different. And really they still are, that's why unlike all the couples who break up and never talk to each other again Eclare still has all these unresolved feelings. It's pretty real to me.

This is the issue! What's the meaning? How are we supposed to take these ILY's because I don't really understand. Kasia was talking about the writers tweets and it reminded me of this exchange between Matt Huether (Degrassi Writer) and the girls of Degrassi Experience about the I Love You's. I don't even know how I feel about it. Really mixed emotions-

DegrassiDaily (in reference to Matt saying he liked a certain scene): forgot to ask you earlier what was the Eli scene you were talking about last night?
Matt Huether: I love Eli saying that Jake loves Clare. And Jake never actually saying it.
DG Experience: Taylor and I said THE SAME THING. He never said anything! Just flashed a goofy grin. *anger*
Matt Huether: Yeah, but Eli's a guy who'd be able to say "I love you" out loud. Jake's not. Doesn't mean he doesn't love her, necessarily.
DG Experience: Do you have to crush our hope? =] Either way, we didn't enjoy that he never said it, AND THEN they macked with pathetic Eli...right outside the tent. Made us sad for him. Felt sort of...wrong?
Matt Huether: They were caught up in the moment. Even Clare's hormonal sometimes. And Eli achieved his goal, as bittersweet as that may be.
DG Experience: Yes, we understand, she's changed a bit. Hormones are understandable. Still felt bad for him. Mission accomplished, I suppose.
Matt Huether: Yeah, Eli's going through some things. At least he's on the upswing, though.
Matt Huether (going back to their earlier tweet about losing hope): Oh, not trying to crush hope. Just saying that in life, you'll meet more Jake's than Eli's. But they're not all bad guys.

On the one hand this could just be another pro-Cake really you guys should be loving them like we do exchange, but at the same it makes me wonder why the writers like Cake so much. Maybe it's not so much the relationship as something else... I don't even know.

Pretty typical Degrassi relationship set up.

Honestly I'm going to be disappointed if their relationship gets focus over Clare's concern for Adam. That's why I'm less worried about this episode for Cake. Granted the writers really just want to give Clare relationship drama -even over something as important as her parent's divorce and Cake's family issues- but that would be way too much. Really I will be so disappointed in the writers and Clare if her relationship with Jake overshadows her feelings about one of her best friends getting shot. Regardless of it meaning much for the Eclare relationship it makes way more sense for those two to lean on each other during this time.

Oh my god! This is soooo accurrate though!
It's almost funny because Clare took so long to get with KC and Eli- both relationships had this natural progression from friends to lovers and then with Cake it's like oh hey! yeah let's makeout!
I thought this too during Should Have Said No when Liam's talking about Clare liking Jake. I mean I do like Cake but what the hell was that? Everytime I'm watching that scene I just don't know if I want to laugh or throw a brick at the screen. Like what is that Clare's watching Jake from afar her heart burning for him. Um excuse me, isn't Clare in love with someone else? Isn't Jake pretty much a rebound? No she watches Jake with eyes that say "I wanna get with that" and it's Eli who she watches painfully from afar.

Even look at the scene in the sweat lodge. Here she is telling Jake she loves him but the most telling look is the one on her face when Eli tells them he's Bipolar. Seriously look at her face:

With Jake she's like "oh yay that make me happy" but her reaction to hearing Eli's news is like 100 emotions rolled into one. She have a real moment of realization here. That says a lot more than her cheesy ILY.

Okay but it wasn't about the movie at all. I think it was pretty clear Clare was using it as an excuse. Look at the timing of this fight. EM ends with Jake cheerfully exclaiming Eli is out of her life for good and Clare watching Eli from afar. Everyone talked about what this meant for Eli but I think it's easy to forget what this means for Clare. It was clear that her interactions with Eli on the play gave her some clarity- just look at their moment after Clare calls the script "beautiful." Suddenly it's over for her. She no longer has a reason to keep Eli in her life. And while her words to Jake convinced him she was over it, her face betrayed her true feelings- that Clare wasn't happy about Eli being out of her life at all. I actually love the little Cake exchange at the end of EM just because it was so well done. Here Clare is trying to convince herself she's good and she just looks so disappointed. Now we go into the next episode with them and suddenly they're not getting along. Yes it does have to do with Clare worrying about their parents finding out and Jake not wanting to deal with that. And she has legit concern here: she couldn't stay with Eli when things got messy, why should Jake stay with her? And I also feel that was the real pain of their scene in the sweat lodge: Clare realizing this. And despite the ILYs and the makeout sesh. There was Clare facing the boy she left and him telling her: Here's the issue, I found out what's going on, things are getting better for me. What a complicated thing for her to deal with! I have to give Aislinn some cred for that moment. Her expression perfectly coveyed this confusion to me.

ugh this! I thought this plot would be from his POV, but no *sigh* I cannot wait for whatever plot this Drew/Jake thing is because I need Jake to exsist outside of Cake- really, really need it.


THIS! I could not agree more. Omg they sound like Crellie 2.0. Please no I didn't like Crellie either... wait. Omg! This makes sense though. I mean look at the parelles between Eli and Craig- not just the Bipolar aspect but... ugh here read this is if you want a comparison: Misfits and co., Double Standards: Notes on Degrassi’s Gender Politics
So that would make Eclare kinda a Crash 2.0 which honestly I do see some similarities. In Umbrella the moment where they're sitting on Eli's bed is a bit similar to Craig and Ashley laying the hospital bed, y'know. And I can totally see Imogen's relationship with Eli being very Crellie-ish. Damn I don't want it to be this way...
If you want to go so far as to draw comparsions between Cake and Jimmy/Ashley it actually kinda works too...

I do like Imogen as his sidekick but the idea of them continuing this relationship makes me puke. Imogen doesn't have that much time left on the show. I'd rather see her in a mutually beneficial relationship that develops both characters well: Adam seems like a good choice to me.

Ironically Crash was my first serious Degrassi ship. Eclare was my first for the new cast... I see what you're doing writers!

Kwinks

That's the thing, though. It's not a good rival for Eclare at all. The show, and the writers, and the cast, want us to believe it actually has a chance of being better than Eclare, but it doesn't. And I'm not even saying this as an Eclare shipper. Even if I didn't care about either pairing, if you asked me which one I take more seriously, I would still say Eclare. Because what is Cake? Making out, exchanging premature ILYs, making out, some skin, and more making out. That's it. Eclare had development, had an emotional/intellectual connection. If Cake at least had even a little of that, I would have to take them more seriously and face the facts that they could be a good competitor. But the show is making it too easy for me not to! All I can do is laugh at it! I can't even hate the couple, because I'm not bitter about Cake, or that it has the chance to outshine our pairing (because it doesn't), but rather, I'm bitter about the fact that this is the couple they choose as a rival for my otp. It's practically insulting, both because they think we're stupid enough to buy it, and because Cake isn't even a worthy opponent.

Exactly! I would've believed Klare if they exchanged ILYs more than I would Cake, at this point.

This. I mean, really. I know sometimes teenage couples fight over stupid ****, but really? It just makes Cake look like even more of a shallow pairing. You know those couples in high school who just make out all the time and act cutesy with each other in front of everyone and yet their relationship has little to no depth? And they always fight over petty little things? That's Cake. Eclare wasn't just like every other adolescent couple. Cake is. And that's great! I know not every high school relationship has to be about love, and that falling in love is not necessarily always the goal, and perhaps that could have been Cake's charm. But don't try to convince me, then, that they're in love with each other. Just don't.

So true! Clare's not one of those naggy girlfriends who only cares about her boyfriend doing what she wants. And Clare's excuse didn't make any sense. She told him that the real reason she was upset wasn't about the movie, but because if they fought over stupid crap like that, how would they handle the bigger issues, like their parents finding out they're dating? But the thing is, it wouldn't have mattered if she didn't make such a big deal out of it in the first place!

THIS.

Oh, he's such a generic nice guy character right now, it's not even funny. I would love to see more of Jake, but I want to see him doing his own thing. I mean, Imogen's faux quirkiness made her seem a bit like an annoying caricature of someone who's supposed to be "different." But they're doing more with her and giving her more development with other characters. What about Jake?

I might be able to at least grudgingly respect Imogeli as a couple,
because at least there's a little development there. Who knows? As long as the manipulation between them is over, I might even be able to like them.

Yeah, this is kind of the vibe I'm getting, too.

Nekoshoujo

Actually now that I think about it's kinda sad that this whole love square crap has been from Eli's POV. I mean I know Degrassi likes to think of itself as The Eli Show 70% of the time but really? I almost feel like Imogen's only getting development so she can be a better love interest for him. Clare's POV on this situation has never actually been addressed. The only episodes from her POV were just about her lusting after Jake. And since Jake is just Eli's rival they don't want to develop him because it mean possibly making Eli look bad.

I love, love, love Eli. But sometimes I think the writers' special treatment of him is just annoying.

Lady Azura

^ But last season, most of their storylines were from Clare's POV. They really need to figure out a way to balance it out.

Moving on, though.

Cake is a joke. I can't take it seriously, and I don't buy for a second that they love each other. I'm only angry that the writers seem to be trying to play it off like Cake is "true love" when all their relationship consists of is making out. Oh, yeah... true love, right there. I mean, really, it should be a matter of "show, don't tell". Jake is a perfect match for Clare? PROVE IT, WRITERS. Prove to me that he is because honestly, right now, he hasn't done anything except provide fanservice.