Recap / Degrassi Junior High Season 1 Ep 02 The Big Dance

Degrassi Junior High Season 1, Episode 2: The Big Dance

Original Airdate: Jan 25, 1987
Written by: Avrum Jacobsen
Directed by: Kit Hood

Summary:

Voula wants to attend the big junior high dance, but her father refuses, because he thinks she's too young. Luckily, Lucy convinces their teachers to make it a benefit supporting the school's foster child, so Voula tells her father she's attending a meeting. Her father allows this, so long as she's home by 9:30. This also requires Stephanie to make a speech, as school president. Stephanie asks Wheels to the dance, but when she and the twins Erica and Heather arrive at Lucy's place to get ready, they discover Lucy's parents liquor cabinet, and proceed to get drunk. When they get to the dance Stephanie is too drunk to make her speech, and Voula agrees to do it for her, getting caught by her father, who arrives at 9:30 on the dot. He is angry, but Voula tells him she had to lie, because of his irrational expectations. Meanwhile, Stephanie deals with her hangover, and tells Lucy her plans to thank Voula for making the speech, and to apologise to Wheels for ruining their date.

Tropes specific to this episode

• Characterization Marches On: In this episode, the twins haven't undergone their Divergent Character Evolution yet, so they're equally for getting blasted on Lucy's parents' alcohol. In later episodes, Heather would be the one trying to hold the others back.
• Culture Clash: the first of many Degrassi episodes dealing with conservative immigrant parents and their children chafing under their restrictions.
• Exact Words: Voula isn't lying per se when she says she's attending a meeting to do with the foster child. Not that her dad appreciates the nuance.
• Intoxication Ensues: Stephanie and the twins when they find Lucy's parents liquor cabinet. Stephanie is the most affected.