Degrassi: The Next Generation

Season 1 Episode 1

Mother and Child Reunion, Part One

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EPISODE REVIEWS
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Episode Summary

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The old gang from Degrassi High reunites for their ten year reunion and finds that while their time apart has seen some big changes, some things - and feelings - will always stay the same. Spike's 12 year-old daughter Emma, is considering meeting her online pen-pal in person, but her friends worry that "Jordan" may not be what - or who - he claims to be.

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SUBMIT REVIEW
  • <30:!!!!!!!

    10
    why cant we watch the episode
  • Emma has an internet friend.

    10
    "Mother and Child Reunion" Part 1 - is a great series premiere episode for Degrassi. Teen issues are being dealt with at a younger age and it's reflected in the series premiere. I love the introduction Emma, Manny, Toby, and JT. Emma's the main chaarcter of the show and she gets the first big storyline. It's really intense how she has this online friend that she's falling in love with and she decides she's going to go meet him. The subplot with the 10 year Degrassi Reunion was good. I just wish it showed more of the old cast members. Anyways, I give this episode a 10/10.moreless
  • Pilot (part 1)

    10
    In this episode, the old Degrassi high gang reunites for the first time in 10 years, and find that some things are similar as t 10 years ago. Meanwhile, Emma (daughter of Spike) has begun an online relationship with a man known to her as "Jordan." She plans to meet him at a nearby hotel. Her friends are worried for her though as they don't believe "Jordan" is who he appears to be. I didn't really love the reunion plot, as I never saw the original Degrassi series', but it was still interesting enough. I loved Emma's plot, as it was really interesting and original I thought. A great first part to a great pilot for an excellent series. 10/10 A+moreless
  • Emma

    10
    Emma has been chatting with someone on the internet, but her friends fear that the man -named Jordan- may not be who he says he is.



    Former students at Degrassi have a reunion where things do not go exactly as they would have liked.



    Overall, nice, it didn't introduce some characters (Spinner for instance), but it was a nice pilot, and it did something most pilots don't- have two parts. Overall I really enjoyed this, and I think it was a nice start to the series, despite not introducing all the main characters. Overall grade for this episode is an A+moreless
  • We get to see some old friends, and begin with a 21st-century lesson.

    6.5
    This episode was pretty good. It introduced us to not one but six characters. (Okay, Terri and Toby aren't really "characters" per se as much as extras, but whatever.) We see what happened to a few of the old Degrassi characters: Caitlin's a journalist, and she's met a guy who would give Claude a run for his money in the "lousy boyfriend" department. Joey has a used-car dealership; no surprise there, since car ads would be perfect for his antics. Simon and Alexa are still together. Yick makes an appearance as well. The strangest addition is Snake, who never struck me as a geek in the original Degrassi. At the same time, Emma has her own boyfriend: A fifteen-year-old (who looks about eleven) from the Yukon. I mean, 15 and 12 is weird normally, but this kid lied about his age, by about twenty years.moreless
Danah-Jean Brown

Danah-Jean Brown

Trish

Guest Star

Darrin Brown

Darrin Brown

Dwayne

Guest Star

Michael Carry

Michael Carry

Simon Dexter

Guest Star

Stacie Mistysyn

Stacie Mistysyn

Caitlin Ryan

Recurring Role

Pat Mastroianni

Pat Mastroianni

Joseph "Joey" Jeremiah

Recurring Role

Amanda Stepto

Amanda Stepto

Christine "Spike" Nelson

Recurring Role

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (2)

    • Emma was born at the end of the year dance in 1988 (this would be around June). So in June of 2001 she would have turned 13. Based on Snake saying "enjoy the last few days", it can be assumed that this is August sometime, which means Emma should be 13 however she is only 12.

    • In the beginning of this episode, Emma leaves her computer on, and her inbox opened. Later that same day, when Spike goes on, she obviously never sees the message box or e-mails.

  • QUOTES (20)

    • Snake: Cutting out the rest of the world isn't going to bring her back. You know that, right?
      Joey: Will you save the Psych 101 crap for your students?

    • Joey: (on TV) Hey! We got white ones. We got red ones, we got big ones and we got small ones. I'm gonna give you a bumper to bumper warranty. That's right. At Jeremiah Motors, if you find a lower price anywhere else, I'll give you the shirt off my back! (takes off his shirt)
      Lucy: Joey! That's awful!
      Joey: I needed a commercial, I made a commercial.

    • Emma: Girls are so much more mature than boys. That's why I like Jordan. I've never had a boyfriend so smart, so thoughtful.
      Manny: Em, you've never had a boyfriend.

    • Spike: So, expecting an e-mail from your boyfriend?
      Emma: Did you...? You hacked my e-mail? Haven't you ever heard of privacy?
      Spike: Relax, I couldn't hack my way out of a paper bag.

    • Emma: Caitlin Ryan. Ryan's Planet! Birth Date - March 2, 1972. You're a Pisces right?
      Spike: And you're a stalker.

    • Spike: (seeing Caitlin's engagement ring) I can't wait to meet Keith. He's got great taste in jewelry. That's a good sign.
      Caitlin: Well, thank you. Um, actually, I picked it out myself because, he, you know, was so busy with pre-production and all that kind of stuff, he just gave me his card and said, "Go crazy".
      Spike: Can't complain about crazy.

    • Lucy: (sees limo) Oh, look at that. Why don't you sell a car like that, Jeremiah?

    • J.T.: Emma, let's go. Oh, I see. Going to e-mail Jordan from here?
      Emma: Shut up!
      J.T.: (mimicking Emma) Oh, he can read into my soul.
      (Emma punches him)

    • Lucy: Joey, we're all really sorry your wife died, but, it's been a year. I think that Julia would be upset if she thought you were cutting yourself off from people.
      Joey: Can we, uh... Why don't I go in, get the keys and we'll go out for a spin, okay? Angela, you wanna go for a spin? Yeah, we're gonna sell Lucy a car!

    • Joey: This car is retro meets modernism, Lucy. It's got the zing of the past with the technology of the future. It's even got that little bug vase that you put the flower in. It's like, peace man, like a hippie.
      Lucy: Joey, I'd really I'd like a car that's bigger than my laptop.

    • Emma: People in the 80's were weird.

    • J.T.: I'm smug, but strong. Like bull.
      Emma: Speaking of bull…

    • Emma: (looking at pic of "Jordan") He gets cuter every time we see his face.
      Manny: Is that possible?

    • Emma: Manny he wants to meet me, tommorow!

    • J.T.: (referring to Jordan) He's probably 40, and drools.
      Emma: So? You still wet the bed, and I'm friends with you!

    • Emma: (referring to the e-mail Jordan sent her) Read it again, Manny!
      Manny: Again?! Ive read it six times!
      Emma: Just once more. Please?

    • Emma: Sometimes, you just go for it..

    • JT: (surprised at Spike's nickname) Spike?!
      Emma: Hey! (chases him)

    • Snake: Hey, hey! No running! (JT, Manny, and Emma keep running) Okay, keep running. Don't listen to me.

    • Emma: Manny, I can take care of myself, you dont have to worry so much!

  • NOTES (8)

    • This episode marks the first appearances of Aubrey Graham (Jimmy), Cassie Steele (Manny), Christina Schmidt (Terri), Dan Woods (Mr. Raditch), Jake Goldsbie (Toby), Melissa McIntyre (Ashley), Miriam McDonald (Emma), Ryan Cooley (J.T.), Shane Kippel (Spinner), and Stefan Brogren (Mr. Simpson) in the Canadian version, as the US originally aired this as the season finale. This episode also marks the first appearances of Amanda Stepto (Spike) [Canadian version only], Pat Mastroianni (Joey) and Stacie Mistysyn (Caitlin) [both versions] who become main characters in the future. Joey becomes a main character in Season 2, and Caitlin and Spike become main characters in Season 3. (Mr. Raditch, Mr. Simpson (known as Snake), Caitlin, Joey and Spike were all regulars on Degrassi Jr. High, and High, but this is their first appearance on TNG, since it is the first episode.)


    • The theme song is "Whatever It Takes" composed by Jim McGrath and lyrics by Jody Colero and Stephen Stohn. Lisa Dalbello performs the lyrics with a children's choir over an '80s pop music style tune. This is most likely a reference to the fact that the original series were in the 80's.

    • This episode was filmed as both a pilot and a reunion special.

    • Daniel Clark (Sean), Lauren Collins (Paige) and Sarah Barrable-Tishauer (Liberty) do not appear in this episode. In the US version, Aubrey Graham (Jimmy), Christina Schmidt (Terri), Melissa McIntyre (Ashley) and Shane Kippel (Spinner) also do not appear in the episode. This is because the scene with Ashley and Terri is moved to part two and the scenes with Jimmy and Spinner filimg is removed completely.

    • Music:
      "Dream About You" by B2Krazy
      "We Can't Look Back" by Amy Sky

    • There are a number of differences on The-N version. There is an opening credits scene, the scene with Caitlin on the phone in the car is moved later on, there is an added scene with Cailin in Emma's room and the episode would end just as Emma e-mails her online correspondant and agrees to meet him, and the reuninon part is in the second part of the episode. There are also some other small changes.

    • This was shown on The-N as a prequel to the series. It aired the week after "Under Pressure" was shown as the Season Finale.

    • In Canada, this is the Series Premiere.

  • ALLUSIONS (3)

    • Although not mentioned in this episode, it is revealed later on that J.T. stands for James Tiberius. James Tiberius is also the name of Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series who was played by Canadian actor William Shatner. This is possibly where the name comes from.

    • When J.T. walks in the school with a fedora on and Mr. Simpson says "fedora's are making a comeback", he is refering to the fact the Joey (from DJH and DH) always wore a hat, and mostly was a fedora.

    • The title of this two-part episode is the same as a Paul Simon song, off his 1972 self-titled debut album.

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