Degrassi: the Boiling Point - A bit of a review

[rakathspseudonym]

So Degrassi hit the halfway point on Season 10. A season of all sorts of firsts and I loved it. As I look back I think about what they did, how I went into the season, and how I came out of it. The cast this season is really strong compared to earlier seasons (...except Leia).

I really doubt anyone cares about spoilers but this is a review, it'll be long as hell so I'll just cuttext to be safe for everyone.

The New Cast

Drew Torres
The first of the new cast we ever meet, and to be honest he was a complete jerkbag when we met him. Nothing about him was redeeming when we met him...

Then we discover that he isn't as bad, then he even seems good... and then he cheats on Alli, but he makes up for it (...okay what I mean is he is the least evil of our bad apples). Except for the last thing, I kinda liked him. As a person I liked him standing up for Adam and Riley, as a character I liked him for being just manipulative enough to use what was obvious as a massive bluff, with a retrospect he'd never use it the way he threatened. And once you meet his mom you realize there's a reason he's got issues. Drew is a nice stepping stone to...

Adam Torres
Adam is an all around uncool guy, but he's an average guy. He loves his comic books, he loves to watch a good fight, can't live without his music. Okay so his birthname is Gracie and he's genetically female is beside the point. We get intro'd to Adam in the best way, he's just one of the guys, a little off but one of the guys. Honestly they didn't need to make his offness so direct (mostly his lines about a low blow), but still. Very well written.

We get to Adam's plot, the big one, and if you don't feel for him you are a communist! Okay that's a bit harsh, but seriously what is wrong if you side with Bianca, Fitz, or Owen. Heck, it is wrong to side with Mrs. Torres, but more on that later. The rest of the half-season Adam doesn't take a big major role, but every time we see him he maintains as one of the guys. Which is really what is needed, it's what is missing for certain other 'issue of the week' characters of the past like Marco, Alex, and Riley. Who we never see outside of 'I'm gay ask me how' plots.

Eli Goldsworthy
Eli Eli Eli. Eli stands up when he should back down, he can't keep his mouth shut. It is both his best and worst quality. Most fell in love with how he pushed Clare in ways she needed to be pushed, and cheered him on when he made Fitz pay, and standing up for Adam is the best quality. However... it is a dangerous game because Fitz will always go further than Eli will. Eli will have to back down eventually, but every time he starts the fight again he gets closer to hurting those he's protecting.

I'll get into Fitz part later, Eli is good for drama, and he's pretty. And his romance with Clare has been one of the best designed for a while. Lots of build without doing the break-up make-up dance others do to keep things 'interesting.'

Wesley Betenkamp
Is adorkable. He's a wonderful bit of nice guy geeky boring everydude. Just, he's not gotten a heavy plot yet, but he's got his geeky charisma working fully on the audience. Good show.

Bianca DeSousa
At first I liked Bianca... because she's very nice on the eyes, but she wasn't overtly evil. Then I stopped liking her because she was obviously evil (as far as high school goes). She's not an effective villain yet. Keyword of course is yet, I expect the second half to take her far. She was always in line for the role of villain since she was compared to Jay at her creation, time will tell if she's a real criminal, or another candy bandit.

Owen
Needs a punch in the mouth. I am not a fan of causing violence but the guy needs a punch in the mouth. This is a sign the writers have cast a perfectly good jerk jock, and all around not nice dude for the school. Good job all around for this.

"Fitz"
Not exactly a new face, but he's done a lot more this time. He's a nicely balanced villain. He wants respect (that he gains from being, you know, evil), and you will give it. The whole feud with Eli is born from Eli not bowing to his every whim, and Fitz being a jackass. The fact that Fitz leaves every opening for Eli to be the bigger man, and Eli never bites, is the only redeeming aspect of Fitz.

He's still evil, he still needs a punch in the mouth, but he isn't hte complete monster Owen is.

Mrs. Torres
At every turn she is the driving force behind bad things happening, even if she doesn't realize that to be the case. I stand by my theory she is Drew's mom. She seems to think Adam's sexual identity is a slight against her, the fact that Drew is not a brainiac is a failing not to be trifled with, and the school should bend its will to her son's getting what she wants for them. Not what they want, or what they need, what she wants for them. She is the worst kind of overprotective mother that should not be on the school board.

I want to, so much see Drew or Adam call her on this bullsh*t. Or, better yet, Snake. Snake should call her on all her bias and self-serving. She is a great antagonist, and I cannot wait to see her fall.

I might do more later if I am really bored... like the returning cast (...except Leia).

Comments

[ormery.livejournal.com]

I am waiting for Mrs. Torres to put up educational decrees all over the school and ban group activities.

[becauseimboring.livejournal.com]

Hehe, yes, although she technically doesn't have the power I can see her giving a super control freak look to Mr. Simpson till he puts them up for her.

(Also every door in the school apparently will have the 'list of new rules' on it. Or at least one door does.)