Season 1, Episode 8, “Secrets & Lies”

May 31, 2015 by Degrassi TNG Guy 4 Comments

Pre-credit opener: We see Ashley pulling up with her dad coming from brunch. She mentions that he’ll be coming the next day to speak to her class. For what? I have no idea. Ashley being all proud of him says, “I can’t wait to show you off.” Her dad is on the brink of telling her something but he chicken’s out. Anyways, Ashley walks in her house and her mom and Toby’s dad are having a stupid bullshit fight. Her mom asks her what they talked about, but Ashley’s just gushing about the fact that her dad met Prince Charles. Well woopy fucking doo. You can tell that her mom was expecting for her dad to tell her something because of all the questions she’s asking her, making Ashley suspicious. What could it be? Yeah, like we all don’t know already.

Back at Degrassi Terri is telling Ashley all about a heart locket that her dad gave to her after her mother’s untimely demise. Mrs Kwan walks in telling everyone to do shut up and to study for the Lord of the Flies. I’m surprised they’re still bringing it up. Terri and Ashley then start talking about the fact how weird her mom was acting after she came back with her dad. Ashley of course can’t stop talking about her dad like he’s the best thing ever.

In the Media Immersion class Toby is telling Snake all about some nerd computer shit. Emma being all nosy asks Sean if he’s finished his Hiaku yet. She bores Sean to death with hers and you can tell by the zit filled expression on his face. JT all of a sudden throws a paper airplane and it does a Top Gun style fly by near Snake’s head. Of course he get’s all pissed off and demands to know who it was. Liberty for some reason takes the blame and Snake doesn’t do jack shit to her for some reason. We then hear this R&B type music when they show her smiling at him. Way to be stereotypical there Degrassi!

In the hall way Manny and Toby are wondering what the fuck is up with Liberty. But Emma is the only smart one to figure out that Liberty has a huge crush on JT. To prove her point Liberty comes along and gives JT his paper airplane back. She mentions to him that the news paper needed a 7th grader as the student pick of the week and of course she picked him. She kisses his ass by saying that everyone knows that he’ll be famous one of these days. As soon as she leaves Manny and Emma start to make fun of him.

In Mrs Kwan’s class Sean is giving his Haiku and it’s brilliant because his was about what a stupid waste of time it was. And I totally agree. I always hated writing that shit. She gives him mad props for it being a successful Haiku and calls up Liberty to go next. She starts to give hers and it’s obvious that she’s talking about her massive crush on JT, saying how she lays awake at night thinking about him. The groovalious song comes back on when she smiles at him again.

In the Media Immersion lab Ashley’s dad is bragging about being wounded in Kosovo. You can tell that all the girls are all in love with him. Especially the look Paige is giving him. Afterwards Paige can’t help telling Ashley that she’s all in love with her dad, saying that he’s hot in an old man way. Man Paige and Terri are being nosy as fuck. Afterwards, after playing an intense game of field hockey, they both want to know why her parents got a divorce. They ask her if there was another woman, but Ashley tells them that he doesn’t date.

In the hallway JT is calling out to Toby from inside a locker because he’s avoiding Liberty. She comes along, tells him that he’s late for the interview and then takes his picture like a creep. JT makes up a bullshit excuse and he comes up with the worst one possible. Dance lessons. She doesn’t believe him because anyone could look past that ruse and she hauls his ass away for the interview.

Ashley pulls up to her house with her dad once again and he’s trying to work up the nerve to tell her something again, but they’re interrupted by her mom. They seem to be on really friendly terms, even giving each other a smooch. You can tell that Ashley is getting her hopes up that they’re going to get back together. In the kitchen her mom is telling her all about how fucking charming her dad is. Ashley mentions how they’ve both been acting like there’s a big secret. Her mom not saying anything about it makes it worse and Ashley assumes that they’re getting back together. But she couldn’t be more wrong. Because that’s right her dad is gay. Ashley is so shocked that the wall behind her flies back away from her in a supernatural way.

Back at the Degrassi it seems like Toby has told JT all about Ashley’s dad and JT can’t fathom the thought of two dudes doing the nasty. He goes on to say how sexy women are and how nasty guys are. Toby just say, “Some people are just gay I guess.”

In the cafeteria Asley is all upset, drinking her chocolate milk all surly. Ashley is just about to tell Terri about her dad but they’re interrupted buy Paige of course, cause that’s her M O. Terri wants to desperately know what the news is and tells Paige to fuck off cause they were talking. But Paige doesn’t care. She goes on to talk about her dad and tells Ashley that maybe he’s gay and proud. Which is the case. Ashley over reacts and throws her chocolate milk in Paige’s smug face. I stood up and I applauded because I hate Paige. Ashley tells her to mind her own fucking business and then leaves. Paige starts to cry and tells Terri that she didn’t mean anything by it because her older brother’s gay. Terri meanwhile looks like she wants to laugh her ass off. I know I would be.

Outside, Liberty is staring at JT like a big weirdo stalker. She’s all into him even though he’s laughing with a full nasty looking gob of food in his mouth. I was going to spare you the screen shot, but fuck you. You’ll suffer through it like I had to. But she’s also completely delusional because she thinks that in time they’ll become the next Jimmy and Ashley. Manny not sounding convinced at all just says, “Yeah.” She wants to ask him out but she’s all insecure. JT can’t take it anymore and comes up with an idiot plan instead of just telling her that he’s not interested. He comes up with brilliant idea of telling Liberty that he’s gay. Fucking moron.

In the hallway Ashley’s dad tells her that he’s signed her out for the rest of the day because they need to talk. We cut to JT and Liberty and he tells her the same thing. He goes on to pretend to come out to her. Liberty being shocked as hell at this news. She lies and says that she didn’t have a crush on him. You know even back then I don’t think it would occur to any guy to tell a girl that he didn’t like that he was gay. That whole story line is ridiculous Degrassi writers.

Lord, we go back outside and Ashley and her dad are having a heart to heart talk. Her dad tells her that she was too young to be told about his gayness and this pisses her off. I remember when my mom told me that my uncle was gay, she said the same goddamn thing. That I was too young and she thought I couldn’t handle it. Which yup, you guessed it, pissed me off too. Especially since she just assumed that. Anyways back to the story, he tells her the old cliche thing of him having to find himself. He goes on to tell her that he still loves her mom, but isn’t in love with her. Ashley seems to be coming around this news finally.

Oh jeez. In the Media Immersion class JT over does it and acts like he’s gay to the tenth power. He does the stereotypical gay voice and mannerisms. Liberty seems to be looking at him with hatred in her eyes. Toby tells him that he should tone that shit down and then he puts his arm around Toby, implying that he’s his boyfriend. They both look like Degrassi’s version of a gay Bert and Ernie. Liberty can’t stand it anymore and storms out of the room, bum rushing Snake. He see’s him holding Toby still and Snake makes a “Seriously guys?” face. JT all embarrassed just turns around.

Back to Ashley and her dad. She goes right into it and asks him if he’s been with other guys and he tells her the obvious which is yes. He goes on to say that he’s only been with one man, his partner Christopher. She recognizes the name and fucking loses it because he went with them to the zoo and had him over for dinner at their house. Acting all selfish she tells him, “How could you do this to me?” Pissing her dad off he says that that’s exactly why they wanted to wait until she was older because they knew she couldn’t handle it. With that she just storms off all upset with her head down.

At JT’s locker Liberty is waiting for him and she tells him that she should have known that he was gay because of his dance lessons and boy bands compilation CD he owns. I gotta say, that does make him sound suspect. She tries to convince him to come out in the newspaper, she reasons that it would help other kids with his same issue. That’s when JT admits to her that he’s not really gay and that he only told her that because she couldn’t take the fucking hint. She says, “Am I really that horrible?” Yes you are Liberty! She goes on to say, “If you didn’t like me, you should have just said so.” Then walks off all sad. Man there’s been a lot of sad walking away in this episode. Reminds me of Arrested Development.

At Ashley’s locker Terri tries to talk to her, but then Ashley takes it out on her by going on a rant about him being gay and then leaving her for his boyfriend. Ashley then completely overreacting tells Terri that her dad is now cut out of her life. Terri tries to talk some sense into her and Ashley says, “You have no idea what I’m going through.” Man what an asshole. Terri get’s pissed off at that and reminds Ashley that her own mom is dead and she’s never coming back and at least she has her father around still. She goes on to tell her to get that stick out of her ass and to not make the wrong choice. And holy shit, the episode just ends on that note. I was totally waiting for a resolution scene. But nope, that’s Degrassi for you.

Well there you have it, the gay episode. But what the hell am I talking about? As you all know there’s plenty more future episodes that deal with homosexuality. But I would say this episode was just ok. JT’s plotline was stupid and pointless. Ashley acting like a big baby was annoying as hell. I’m glad that Terri tore her a new asshole at the end. But then again, now that I’m thinking of it, she does have a right to be pissed because her dad did leave her for someone else. Goddamn it Degrassi, I hate it when you make me think.