Family Politics (D:TNG episode)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Degrassi: The Next Generation episode | |
|---|---|
| “Family Politics” | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 3 |
| Production no. | – |
| Original airdate | November 4th, 2001 |
| Guest star(s) | Nigel Hamer (Jeff Isaacs) Maria Ricossa |
| Writer(s) | Yan Moore |
| Director | Anthony Browne |
| Titular Song | None |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Mother and Child Reunion, Part 2" | "Eye of the Beholder" |
"Family Politics", is the third episode of the first season in the TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Contents |
[edit] Plot synopsis
[edit] Summary
In an attempt to annoy Ashley, Toby convinces JT to run for school president. Meanwhile, Manny and Emma face bullying on their first day of school.
[edit] Expanded overview
The episode starts off in Ashley Kerwin's room while she's talking with Terri McGregor on the phone. From their conversation and the campaign poster Ashley's working on, it's revealed that Ashley is running unopposed for school President at the Degrassi Community School. It's also discovered that Toby and Ashley are step-siblings, as Toby and his father moved in with Ashley and her mother. Their relationship is all but loving.
At school, they each issue their grieviances to their friends, with Ashely confiding in Terri and Toby confiding in J.T. Ashley and Terri soon meet up with the loud and less-than conservative Paige Michalchuk.
On their first day of Junior High School and as soon as they step into the school, Emma and Manny are subject to teasing and bullying by the antagonistic Grade Eights, specifically Spinner and Jimmy. When the two boys leave, the girls eventually make it to their Media Immersion Home Room, taught by Mr. Simpson.
For the Grade Eights, we're introduced to Ms. Kwan as their home room teacher, and we also learn about her and Spinner's loathing relationship (with her giving him 14 detentions in the last year). Ms. Kwan shows her appreciation of students participating in extra-curricular activities as she praises Paige's idea to initiate a "cheer squad" and Ashley's running for school president.
After their first class, Toby, Manny, Emma, and J.T. see a poster for Ashley's campaign as Toby informs them of how much he hates his new step-sister. He then convinces J.T. to run a joke campaign for president by telling him that "he could practice his stand-up material on a large, perceptive audience".
While putting up her posters, Ashley is abrutly confronted by Liberty Van Zandt, who has planned a united front with Ashley as Liberty's running for school secretary. She illustrates her plans to tackle the school's lack of a newspaper, to which Ashley responds that they should wait until after the election to discuss such issues.
Ashley and Toby eventually come to heads again when Ashley realizes that she's running against J.T. Their competition grows fierce as J.T. surprisingly gets more and more support which prompts Ashley to result to desperate measures. Getting Jimmy and Spinner to kidnap J.T., Ashley ends up bribing J.T. for a total of $80 for him to quit the race.
In between, Emma and Manny are yet confronted by Spinner, who attacks Manny with a spitball. Pretending to cry, this drives Spinner off as Terri and Emma inform him how cruel his actions are. After he leaves, Manny instantly stops crying as the two girls walk on.
The school assembly for the candidate's speeches is just about to start and Toby learns about J.T. accepting Ashley's bribe. Pulling her out of the assembly, Toby confronts his step-sister and threatens to go on stage and reveal her actions. They both gain insight into each other's thoughts and feelings and after Ashley wins without Toby interfering, they both reconcile and have a less antagonistic relationship during a slight period of bonding.
[edit] Acting
[edit] Main cast
(As ordered in credits, alphabetically)
- Sarah Barrable-Tishauer as Liberty Van Zandt
- Stefan Brogren as Mr. Simpson
- Lauren Collins as Paige Michalchuk
- Ryan Cooley as J.T. Yorke
- Jake Goldsbie as Toby Isaacs
- Aubrey Graham as Jimmy Brooks
- Shane Kippel as Spinner Mason
- Miriam McDonald as Emma Nelson
- Melissa McIntyre as Ashley Kerwin
- Christina Schmidt as Terri McGregor
- Cassie Steele as Manny Santos
- Dan Woods as Mr. Raditch
[edit] with
- Nigel Hamer as Jeff Isaacs
- Maria Ricossa as Kate Kerwin
[edit] Trivia
- This is the first episode in which Nigel Hamer's character gets a name (Jeff Isaacs. Credited as "Toby's Father" previously)
- In Ashley Kerwin's campaign she promises night time dances for the school. This is fulfilled in the next episode, "Eye of the Beholder"
