School's Out (also referred to on home video as Degrassi High: School's Out) is a Canadian dramatelevision film based on the Degrassi teen drama franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. It was directed by Hood and written by Yan Moore, based on a story by Moore, Schuyler and Hood. It aired on CBC Television on January 5, 1992,[2] and served as a finale to the series Degrassi High and its predecessor Degrassi Junior High, which are collectively known as the Degrassi Classic era of the franchise.
The movie, centered on the Degrassi students during their first summer post-graduation, primarily focuses on the relationship between Joey Jeremiah (Pat Mastroianni) and Caitlin Ryan (Stacie Mistysyn); after Caitlin politely rejects Joey's marriage proposal, he begins becoming romantically involved with Tessa Campanelli (Kirsten Bourne), while also still being involved with Caitlin; he has sex with both, with Tessa being first, and brags about it with his friends. Later, Joey's friend Archie "Snake" Simpson (Stefan Brogren), frustrated of his inability to get a girlfriend, ultimately reveals this fact at a party while Caitlin is in the same room, causing her to break the relationship off. Joey and Snake's friend, Derek "Wheels" Wheeler (Neil Hope) starts drinking heavily, resulting in a car crash which kills a two year old boy and blinds class valedictorian Lucy Fernandez (Anais Granofsky).
The movie was noted for its inclusion of coarse language and more sexually-oriented content as opposed to the television series, including two instances of the word "fuck" during the movie's climax, and a scene depicting how a condom is applied, despite the CBC's refusal to run condom commercials. The film received a positive critical reception after its initial broadcast. In Canada, it drew in 2.3 million viewers, double that of what the preceding series usually received. In 1993, it was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best TV Movie. Despite being intended as a finale, the franchise was rebooted in 2001 with Degrassi: The Next Generation, whose premiere episode primarily centered around the ten-year reunion of the original class.
It is graduation time for the seniors at Degrassi High, and everyone is making plans for the summer and their future. Most are preparing for university or far-off travel. One who is not is Joey Jeremiah, who is preparing for another year in high school. His longtime girlfriend Caitlin Ryan has taken a number of extra classes and completed high school in three years and has graduated with Joey's former peers.
Eager to hold on to her before she leaves for university to study journalism, Joey proposes to Caitlin at a graduation party hosted by Lucy Fernandez. Caitlin demurs, explaining that she is not ready for that kind of commitment. Joey storms out, only to run into classmate Tessa Campanelli fresh from an argument with her boyfriend Todd, and agrees to give her a ride home.
Arriving at the Campanelli house, Tessa pulls Joey toward her for a kiss. The next day, on a break from the photo shop where she works, Tessa visits Joey next door at the drug store where he works and asks him on a date. Joey, though initially hesitant, accepts Tessa's offer, has a great time, and, as he tells Wheels the next day, gets to "third base." Tessa confides in her co-worker, Spike, the details of the relationship. Spike reminds her that Joey and Caitlin have a pattern of breaking up and reuniting. Tessa rejects Spike's argument, noting that Caitlin will be leaving for university in a matter of weeks anyway. With Caitlin working most evenings and weekends waiting tables at a cafe and Joey working days, they spend little time together and Joey starts seeing Tessa more frequently and they soon go all the way. As the summer goes on, Joey sees both Tessa and Caitlin with neither realizing he is dating them both.
By the middle of August, Tessa discovers she is pregnant and decides to have an abortion. When she realises that Joey is still with Caitlin with no intention of breaking up with her, she dumps him. Joey and Caitlin finally have sex on his nineteenth birthday, approximately a week before Caitlin, Lucy, and Snake are all scheduled to depart for university. It is Caitlin's first time, though she is unaware that it is not Joey's. Unbeknownst to Joey, Caitlin has decided to attend a local university in order to remain close to him.
The next day, at an end of the summer lake house party, hosted by Lucy's boyfriend Bronco, Caitlin accepts Joey's earlier marriage proposal. Joey, who had been teasing Snake all summer about his inability to get a girlfriend, brags once more about his abilities with women. Snake (citing that he's been living through the "summer from hell") finally lashes out at Joey for all the teasing and blurts out about him sleeping with Tessa. Caitlin overhears and confronts Joey about it. She storms out after breaking off their engagement and telling Joey of her would-be plans to study locally in order to be with him. Immediately after unintentionally breaking up Joey and Caitlin, Snake realises that former classmate Allison Hunter is drowning and rushes into the lake to rescue her. Everyone congratulates him for saving her life, but he breaks down in a flood of emotion and anxiety.
Wheels, who had been drinking heavily, leaves the party with Lucy to get more chips but ends up crashing into another car. The crash kills a two-year-old boy in the other car, and seriously injures Lucy and the driver of the other car. The next day, Joey visits Wheels in jail, where Wheels tells him he has been charged with one count of criminal negligence causing death, two counts of criminal negligence causing injury, and drunk driving. He asserts that it was not his fault that the child was not wearing a seatbelt or that Lucy wanted to get more chips. Caitlin visits Lucy at the hospital where she is immobilized and unsure if she will ever see or walk again. Later, Joey stops to see Snake as he prepares to leave for university and asks why he will not accept Wheels' phone calls. Snake is disgusted by Wheels, particularly in light of Wheels having lost his own parents to a drunk driver. He apologizes to Joey for saying what he said at Bronco's place. Joey accepts his apology, saying that Caitlin would have found out sooner or later.
Two months later, most of the gang get together for the wedding of Alexa Pappadopoulos and Simon Dexter. Absent are Wheels, Erica, and Lucy. Wheels, still incarcerated, is planning to plead guilty for his crimes. Erica is teaching abroad in the Dominican Republic and has met a new boyfriend in the process. Meanwhile, Lucy has since regained vision in one of her eyes, but is still not well enough to attend the wedding. Snake is accompanied by his girlfriend Pam whom he met at university and is implied to have finally lost his virginity to her, and he appears considerably more self-assured; he still has yet to get into contact with Wheels. Joey and Snake have an awkward reunion, but make unspecific plans to hang out before he goes back to university. Joey also apologizes for hurting Caitlin, who forgives him, and as Simon and Alexa have their first dance as husband and wife, former fiancés Joey and Caitlin share a dance as friends.
During development of School's Out, six of Degrassi's actors filmed Degrassi Talks, a six-part non-fiction miniseries in which the actors interviewed teenagers and young adults across Canada about issues explored in the show.[3] Principal photography for School's Out began on July 21, 1991.[4]Yan Moore explained the use of the word "fuck" in the film: "There was a tension growing, especially between Joey and Snake. Snake had this tremendous frustration and the word had never been used in a script before. So, when Snake finally lost it with Joey, the word was included. Since Caitlin overheard the conversation, it just seemed right for her to use that totally un-Caitlin-like word."[3]
Music
The film featured eight songs from the debut album of Toronto-based rock groupHarem Scarem.[4] After the movie aired, Toronto radio station Q-107 received multiple requests to play Harem Scarem's music.[4]
School's Out aired on CBC Television at 8:00p.m. on January 5, 1992.[5] The film drew 2.3 million viewers on the network, doubling the average audience that Degrassi High received.[6] In Australia, the film premiered on ABC TV at 8:30.p.m on May 17, 1993, preceded by an introduction from Afternoon Show host Michael Tunn.[7]
Home media
School's Out was released on VHS by ABC Video and Roadshow Entertainment in Australia in 1993,[8] and WGBH Boston Home Video in the United States on March 7, 2000.[9] It was later released as part of the Degrassi High: The Complete Collection DVD box set by WGBH on October 9, 2007,[10] and on the Degrassi High Collection set by Force Entertainment in Australia on March 12, 2008.[11]
Critical reception
School's Out received critical praise from the Canadian press on its original broadcast. Writing for the Vancouver Sun, Hester Riches felt that like the preceding series, the movie took risks, but "paid off in typical Degrassi style".[12] Writing for The Canadian Press, Bill Anderson stated that despite the main love triangle plot, "deft subplotting" resulted in a "memorable" end to the film's story, and that the movie put "a brilliant cap" on the "honest, compelling" tradition that the Degrassi shows had created.[13] Riches, along with columnist Janice Kennedy, both noted the inclusion of a scene of Lucy Fernandez showing Caitlin Ryan how to apply a condom to a man's genitals, despite CBC's refusal to run advertisements about condoms.[2][12] Writing for Fashion magazine in the wake of the movie's 25th anniversary, Lesa Hannah called it "a truly iconic piece of Canadiana".[14] Australian film critic Adrian Martin, a fan of the TV series,[7] gave the film a mixed to negative review, feeling that the movie was "a little disappointing" and a departure from the "daggy everydayness" typical of the shows, and pointed out a "punishing sense of morality" exemplified by the catastrophic events experienced by several of its characters.[15] Writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, Alison Stewart praised the film and called it "much more real television" than its American counterpart Beverly Hills, 90210.[16]
Amanda Stepto, who played Spike, was critical of the film, calling it "too adult" and "not a very good send off".[17] In a 2019 podcast interview, when asked about the film, Stepto responded; "Fuckin' hate that!". She noted how she had requested to be included in the film's party scene but ultimately did not, and questioned why character Tessa Campanelli, who played a minor role in the series, was given a lead role.[18] The movie was nominated for a Gemini Award for Best TV Movie in 1993, the same year that Degrassi Talks was nominated for Best Youth Program Or Series.[19][20]
Related Research Articles
Degrassi Junior High is a Canadian television series created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. The second series in the Degrassi franchise and the first to be set in a universe that has spanned multiple decades, it aired on the CBC from 18 January 1987 to 27 February 1989, and on PBS in the United States starting from September 1987. A non-union show, it was primarily produced by Playing With Time with involvement from WGBH. Although not generally acknowledged by the mainstream, it has been frequently referred to as a pioneer of the teen drama genre that prefigured later and better-known series such as Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dawson's Creek.
Degrassi is a Canadian teen drama television franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. Spanning five main series from 1979 to 2017, it follows the lives of youths in Toronto. With the exception of the first series, the franchise takes place in the same fictional timeline, with the titular junior high and/or high school as the central setting. Outside of television, the franchise comprises companion novels, graphic novels, documentaries, soundtracks, and non-fiction works.
Degrassi High is a Canadian television series created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. The third entry in the Degrassi teen drama franchise and the direct continuation of Degrassi Junior High, it aired on the CBC for two seasons from November 6, 1989 to February 28, 1991 and on PBS in the United States starting from January 13, 1990. Like its predecessor, it was a non-union show produced by Playing With Time with involvement from WGBH.
Degrassi Talks is a Canadian non-fiction documentary television miniseries and part of the Degrassi franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. Running six episodes from February 29 to March 30, 1992, it featured actors from Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High taking the role of journalists and conducting interviews with other teenagers and young adults across Canada on various topics addressed by the series such as abuse, substance addiction, homophobia, and teenage pregnancy. It combined candid and man-on-the-street interviews as well as relevant archive footage from the television series and on-screen statistics. Each episode was hosted by an actor whose character had some relation to the focused subject.
Stacie Moana Mistysyn is an American and Canadian actress who is best known for her role as Caitlin Ryan throughout multiple incarnations of the Degrassi teen drama franchise, from Degrassi Junior High through Degrassi: The Next Generation. She previously played Lisa Canard in The Kids of Degrassi Street from 1982 to 1986.
Amanda Felicitas Stepto is a Canadian former actress who is best known for her role as Christine "Spike" Nelson in the Degrassi television franchise. With no previous acting experience, Stepto rose to prominence playing the character in the critically and commercially successful CBC series Degrassi Junior High (1987–89) and its follow-up Degrassi High (1989–91).
Joseph "Joey" Jeremiah is a fictional character from the Degrassi teen drama franchise. He is portrayed by Pat Mastroianni. He debuted in the first episode of Degrassi Junior High and appeared throughout Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, and the first five seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation. As one of the main focus characters of the original two series, his role primarily concerns his friendship with Archie "Snake" Simpson and Derek "Wheels" Wheeler, his on-and-off romantic relationship with Caitlin Ryan, and in The Next Generation, his relationship with his stepson Craig Manning.
Caitlin Ryan is a fictional character from the Degrassi teen drama franchise. Portrayed by Stacie Mistysyn, Caitlin is a main character on both Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, which chronicle her maturation from a seventh grader to a high school graduate. Mistysyn returned to play an adult Caitlin on Degrassi: The Next Generation, in which Caitlin was a recurring character. Mistysyn won a Gemini Award for her portrayal of the character in 1989.
Derek Wheeler is a fictional character from the Degrassi teen drama franchise. He was portrayed by Neil Hope. He appears throughout Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, with two cameo appearances in Degrassi: The Next Generation. His role throughout the former two series primarily concerns his friendship with Joey Jeremiah and Archie "Snake" Simpson, and later the death of his adoptive parents in a traffic collision with a drunk driver. Throughout the series, he plays with Joey and Snake in a band called The Zit Remedy, who are always seen performing one song.
Christine "Spike" Nelson is a fictional character from the Degrassi teen drama franchise. Portrayed by Amanda Stepto, Spike appeared throughout Degrassi Junior High (1987–89), Degrassi High (1989–91), and the first nine seasons of Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–10). Starting as an unnamed extra before being given a name and storyline, Spike's character largely revolves around her teenage pregnancy and motherhood.
"Mother and Child Reunion" is the two-part pilot episode of the Canadian teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation, which premiered on October 14, 2001 on the CTV Television Network. The episode was written by story editor Aaron Martin and series co-creator/creative consultant Yan Moore, and directed by Bruce McDonald. As with the majority of Degrassi: The Next Generation episodes, "Mother and Child Reunion" takes its title from a pop song, "Mother and Child Reunion", written and performed by Paul Simon.
"It's Late" is the 11th episode of the first season of Canadian teen drama television series Degrassi Junior High. It originally aired on the CBC in Canada on April 5, 1987. After a careless night with Shane at a classmate's party, Spike fears she is pregnant. Meanwhile, Arthur gives continuously bad romantic advice to his friend Yick.
Degrassi Classic novels are a series of mass market paperback novelizations of the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. Released by James Lorimer & Co. from 1988 to 1992, the novels sometimes adapted plots from the series, but also elaborated on plots not addressed completely on the series. The books would often center on a particular character on the show, although the novel Exit Stage Left is based on the overall series. A thirteenth book, based on the characters Arthur and Yick and written by Kathryn Ellis, remains unreleased. Lorimer reprinted several of the books at the height of Degrassi: The Next Generation's popularity in 2006.
"Showtime" is a two-part episode of the second season of Canadian teen drama Degrassi High. The tenth and eleventh episodes respectively, it aired on the CBC on 28 January and 4 February 1991. In the leadup to a talent show, Claude Tanner commits suicide.
"A New Start" is the two-part premiere episode of the Canadian teen drama series Degrassi High. It aired on CBC in its hour-long form on 6 November 1989, and on PBS in the United States on 13 January 1990. The episode was written by Yan Moore and directed by Kit Hood. It is the first of three episodes of Degrassi that depict abortion, followed by 2003's "Accidents Will Happen" from Degrassi: The Next Generation and 2017's "#IRegretNothing" from Degrassi: Next Class.
Spike is a novel based on the Canadian television series Degrassi Junior High. It was published by James Lorimer & Company in December 1988 as part of a series of novels focusing on individual characters from the show. The novel centres around Christine "Spike" Nelson, who deals with teenage pregnancy and motherhood and its effects on her social life. The book expands upon the storylines of several key episodes about the character.
"Bye-Bye, Junior High" is the sixteenth episode of the third and final season of Canadian teen drama television series Degrassi Junior High. It originally aired on CBC Television in Canada on February 27, 1989. It was written by Yan Moore and directed by Kit Hood. The episode takes place at the end of the school year as graduation approaches; despite the fallout from the death of his parents at the beginning of the season, Derek "Wheels" Wheeler manages to pass, but Christine "Spike" Nelson, who is raising her daughter Emma, must make up for poor grades over the holidays, something which she does not react well to. At the graduation dance, a fault in the boiler room causes a fire to spread throughout the school, razing it to the ground.
The Zit Remedy, later known as The Zits, are a fictional rock band who appear in the Degrassi television franchise. A three-piece group with no live drummer, they are known in the show for their one-song "Everybody Wants Something", of which they are shown performing on numerous occasions throughout the series. The band consists of Joey Jeremiah on keyboards, Archie "Snake" Simpson on guitar, and Derek "Wheels" Wheeler on bass, with all three sharing lead vocals. For a brief period, Wheels is forced to give up the band for extra tutoring and is replaced by Simon Dexter. The band is also referenced several times in Degrassi: The Next Generation.
↑ Park, Mike; Johnson, Rick (January 10, 2019). Episode 011 "It's Late" W/ Amanda Stepto Interview. iminlovewithagirlnamedspike.libsyn.com (Podcast). I'm In Love With A Girl Named Spike "A Degrassi Podcast". Event occurs at 1:31:22-1:32:33. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
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