Show cover for Degrassi Junior High

The Best Episodes of Degrassi Junior High

Every episode of Degrassi Junior High ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Degrassi Junior High!

Degrassi Junior High is a Canadian CBC Television teen drama series that was produced from 1987-1989 as part of the Degrassi series. The show followed the lives of a group of students attending the titular fictional school. Many episodes tackled difficult topics such as drug use, child abuse, teenage pregnancy, homosexuality, homophobia, racism, and divorce, and the series was acclaimed for its sensitive and realistic portrayal of the challenges of teenage life. The cast comprised mainly non-professional actors, which added to the show's sense of realism. The series featured many of the same actors who had starred on The Kids of Degrassi Street a few years earlier, including Stacie Mistysyn, Neil Hope, Anais Granofsky, Sarah Charlesworth and others. However, their character names and family situations had been changed, so Degrassi Junior High cannot, therefore, be considered a direct spinoff. The legal counsel for all the episodes was Stephen Stohn who later became the executive producer of Degrassi: The Next Generation. The series was filmed at the unused Vincent Massey Public School in Etobicoke, Ontario.

Genre:Drama

Top Episode Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Degrassi Junior High" is "Taking Off (1)", rated 8.4/10 from 82 user votes. It was directed by Kit Hood and written by Yan Moore. "Taking Off (1)" aired on 2/6/1989 and is rated 0.0 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Taking Off (2)".

  • Taking Off (1)
    8.4/10 82 votes

    #1 - Taking Off (1)

    Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 2/6/1989

    Tired of living with his grandparents, Wheels decides to track down his birth father. Joey and Snake attend a concert, where Luke and Shane take acid. Wheels tells Joey and Snake that he is running away to find his father, and swears them to secrecy.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Taking Off (2)
    8.4/10 82 votes

    #2 - Taking Off (2)

    Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 2/6/1989

    Wheels locates his father at a hotel and surprises him with his arrival. Wheels's grandmother asks Joey where her grandson is. Joey relunctanly tells her and she goes to the hotel to take him home. Wheels tells her he wants to stay with his father. When Wheels's father tells him that he can't stay, he returns home with his grandmother. The police inform Luke that they found Shane. He had jumped from a bridge and is now in a coma.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Twenty Bucks
    8.3/10 81 votes

    #3 - Twenty Bucks

    Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 1/30/1989

    Snake asks Melanie to go to rock concert with him. When she can't find the money she needs to buy a concert ticket, she steals the money from her mother's purse, with the intent to pay her back. When a babysitting job falls through, Melanie confesses that she stole the money. Her mother grounds her, and wont allow her to go to the concert. BLT bets Joey that he can't find a date for Friday night. After numerous attempts, he finally asks Caitlin, who agrees. She later finds out that Joey asked her out on a bet and is furious with him. Joey convinces Caitlin that the money he won wasn't the reason he asked her by ripping up the twenty dollar bill.

    Director: John Bertram

    Writer: Kathryn Ellis

  • Trust Me
    8.2/10 84 votes

    #4 - Trust Me

    Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 3/14/1988

    Snake's parents go out-of-town for the weekend, leaving him home alone. Joey and Wheels convince him to let them sleep over. When they oversleep, an underage Joey drives Wheels to an appointment in Snake's parents car. All goes well until they see another vehicle bump into the car while it is parked. They spend all their money getting the taillight fixed, only later to discover that Snake's father had broken it himself the week prior.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Can't Live With 'Em (1)
    8.2/10 80 votes

    #5 - Can't Live With 'Em (1)

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 11/7/1988

    At the start of the new school year, Wheels's parents forbid him to hang around Joey, as they feel he is a bad influence. Spike returns to school, having had a baby girl during the summer. She ignores Shane, who says he wants to see the baby. Lucy meets an older guy, Paul, who she begins dating. Yick finds out that Arthur's mother won over a million dollars in a lottery over the summer. While out at Joey's place, Wheels is startled to come home and find out that both his parents were killed by a drunk driver.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Can't Live With 'Em (2)
    8.2/10 81 votes

    #6 - Can't Live With 'Em (2)

    Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 11/7/1988

    At the start of the new school year, Wheels's parents forbid him to hang around Joey, as they feel he is a bad influence. Spike returns to school, having had a baby girl during the summer. She ignores Shane, who says he wants to see the baby. Lucy meets an older guy, Paul, who she begins dating. Yick finds out that Arthur's mother won over a million dollars in a lottery over the summer. While out at Joey's place, Wheels is startled to come home and find out that both his parents were killed by a drunk driver.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Bye-Bye Junior High
    8.2/10 85 votes

    #7 - Bye-Bye Junior High

    Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 3/6/1989

    At the end of the school year, Joey asks Caitlin to the graduation dance. Ms. Avery informs Spike that her grades were poor and encourages her to make them up in correspondence courses. Faulty wiring causes the fire alarm to go off at the dance as the students stand outside and watch their school burn down.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Revolution!
    8.1/10 94 votes

    #8 - Revolution!

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 4/5/1987

    After Wheels rejects a date with Stephanie, she starts flirting with Joey to make him jealous. After she appoints Joey as sports rep on the student council, the grade sevens retaliate because Yick was interested in the position first. They start an impeachment of Stephanie as school president. After Joey finds out she was using him to make Wheels jealous, he resigns from the position. Stephanie vows that next semester she will change and will do a good job as president.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • The Cover-Up
    8.0/10 102 votes

    #9 - The Cover-Up

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 2/8/1987

    Joey and Rick work together on a school assignment. While working at Rick's house, Joey discoveries that Rick's bruises aren't the results of school yard fights, but an abusive father. Joey confides in his mother, who contacts the school to let them know. Although angry at first, Rick is relieved when he gets to go live with his brother.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore, John Oughton

  • Censored
    8.0/10 80 votes

    #10 - Censored

    Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 3/7/1988

    Caitlin overhears that the PTA want to throw Spike out of school because of her pregnancy. She then decides to write an article about it for the school paper. When Mr. Raditch refuses the article to be published, Caitlin decides to release an underground newspaper. The whole school receives a copy and applaud her efforts. The only other dissaprover, besides Mr. Raditch is Spike. She confronts Caitlin about not discussing this with her before publishing the article.

    Director: Mike Douglas

    Writer: Kathryn Ellis

  • He's Back
    8.0/10 84 votes

    #11 - He's Back

    Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 3/21/1988

    The substitute teacher from ""A Helping Hand"" (season 2, episode 2) is back, only this time is teaching Susie's class. Lucy warns Susie to be careful around him, but Susie doesn't know what she means by this. After the teacher touches Susie; her, Lucy, L.D. and Wheels report him to the principal.

    Director: Clarke Mackey

    Writer: Yan Moore, Susin Nielsen

  • Pass Tense
    8.0/10 77 votes

    #12 - Pass Tense

    Season 2 Episode 13 - Aired 3/28/1988

    It's the end of the school year and Joey wants the band he formed with Snake and Wheels to perform at the graduation dance. It is then announced that the eighth grade class will return to Degrassi in the fall, as the school is adding an ninth grade. Mr. Raditch informs Joey that he has to repeat the eighth grade due to poor marks. Joey doesn't want to perform at the graduation dance after this, but Wheels and Snake convince him to. Also at the dance, Spike goes into labour.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • It's Late!
    7.9/10 98 votes

    #13 - It's Late!

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 3/29/1987

    Shane and Spike have sex for the first time, at Lucy's party. Spike is later worried when her period is late and fears she might be pregnant. Her mother discoveries a home pregnany test and takes her daughter to the doctor to find out for sure. It is then discovered that she is indeed pregnant. Meanwhile, Yick likes Melanie, but is afraid to ask her out. Arthur tries to give him advice, but everytime Yick follows Arthur's plans they backfire. Yick finally gets courage and asks Melanie to go on a date skating and she accepts.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Bottled Up
    7.9/10 83 votes

    #14 - Bottled Up

    Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 2/15/1987

    When Kathleen and her classmates prepare for their part on a tv quiz show, she invites them to her house to practice. She is embarassed when her mom appears drunk in front of her friends. Her mother later misses the taping of the quiz show, because she has been drinking. Kathleen later decides to speak to a counselor about her problems at home.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Susin Nielsen

  • Loves Me, Loves Me Not
    7.9/10 81 votes

    #15 - Loves Me, Loves Me Not

    Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 11/28/1988

    Caitlin has a big crush on Joey and agrees to work with him on a school project. The more time they spend together, the more Caitlin thinks he returns her affection. Caitlin mistakenly thinks Joey has invited her to the dance with him. When she arrives, she is crushed to find out that he is there with Liz.

    Director: John Bertram

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • He Ain't Heavy
    7.9/10 85 votes

    #16 - He Ain't Heavy

    Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 12/5/1988

    Snake is excited when his older brother comes to visit for a couple of days. He is later shocked when his brother announces that he is gay. Snake doesn't know how to deal with his brother's revelation. As he tries to come to terms with this news, Snake's brother announces that their parents have kicked him out of the house after he tells them his news.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Food for Thought
    7.9/10 76 votes

    #17 - Food for Thought

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 1/23/1989

    While working on a science fair project together, Melanie is shocked to read in Kathleen's diary about her diet. It appears that Kathleen is anorexic, which causes her to faint during the science fair. Kathleen is furious with Melanie when she tells Ms. Avery. Ms. Avery insists that Kathleen talk to the school nutrionist.

    Director: Eleanore Lindo

    Writer: Susin Nielsen

  • Pa-arty!
    7.9/10 73 votes

    #18 - Pa-arty!

    Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 2/27/1989

    Lucy has a party while her parents are out-of-town. Joey, Snake and Wheels get Clutch to buy a case of beer for them. They are stopped by the police when they decide to have a drink on their way to Lucy's. Shane comes out of his coma at the hospital. When Lucy's parents call from the airport because their flight is cancelled, everyone cleans up and leaves. Before her parents arrive, Clutch shows up, drunk. Lucy hurries him out before her parents show up and later breaks up with him because of his drinking.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • The Big Dance
    7.8/10 98 votes

    #19 - The Big Dance

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 1/25/1987

    Against her father's orders, Voula attends the school dance, but doesn't tell him she's going. Stephanie asks Wheels to be her date for the date, and he accepts. Before arriving, Stephanie, Heather and Erica go to Lucy's house and start drinking her parent's alcohol. By time they get to the dance, Stephanie is drunk. After a short time, she runs to the washroom, where she is sick. Voula is persuaded by everyone to give a speech for the school, that was supposed to have been given by Stephanie. Voula's father walks into the gym, and takes his daughter home.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Avrum Jacobson

  • The Best Laid Plans
    7.8/10 83 votes

    #20 - The Best Laid Plans

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 3/1/1987

    Stephanie asks Wheels out on another date, and rumours start floating around the school that they will have sex on their date. Wheels unknowingly buys condoms at the drugstore where Stephanie's mother works. All pressure and plans are quickly ended, when Wheels arrives at Stephanie's house for their date, and Stephanie's mom recognizes him from the drugstore.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Fight!
    7.8/10 86 votes

    #21 - Fight!

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 2/8/1987

    Dwayne, the school bully, challenges Joey to an after school fight. After almost chickening out, Joey shows up to fight, but still gets hurt. Desperate to win Simon's affections, Stephanie asks him if he wants to help out with the school dance. She is later crushed when he tells her he is dating Alexa and isn't interested in seeing her.

    Director: Mike Douglas

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Black & White
    7.8/10 78 votes

    #22 - Black & White

    Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 2/20/1989

    BLT invites Michelle to the graduation dance and she accepts. She introduces him to her parents, who then forbid her to go out with him. They tell her she is too young to date, but she wonders if they dont want her to date him because he is black. When she questions her mother about this, her mother says they are just looking out for her. Michelle decides to go to the dance with BLT anyway.

    Director: John Bertram

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • Great Expectations
    7.7/10 82 votes

    #23 - Great Expectations

    Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 1/18/1988

    When a new student, Liz, transfers to the school; Joey takes an immediate liking to her. Rumours begin circulating that Liz is a wild girl, who likes to have sex and Joey wants to know if its true. While working after school on a project at her house, Joey asks Liz if she wants to have sex. Liz then kicks Joey out of the house and he later realizes how sorry he is, because he actually likes her.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore

  • A Big Girl Now
    7.7/10 72 votes

    #24 - A Big Girl Now

    Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 11/14/1988

    Lucy devotes most of her time to boyfriend, Paul, and neglects her friends. When her parents go out-of-town for the weekend, Lucy decides to invite her friends to a sleepover. After she has already invited them, Paul convinces her to have a party instead. He tells her not to invite her friends, as it should be kept to high-school students only. At the party, Paul tries to persuade Lucy to have sex with him. After she refuses, he leaves. At school, Lucy's friends are upset with her for not inviting them to the party. L.D. then informs Lucy that Paul told everyone he had sex with her at the party.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Susin Nielsen

  • What a Night!
    7.6/10 91 votes

    #25 - What a Night!

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 3/15/1987

    Voula befriends Lucy by helping her with her homework. After her marks improve, Lucy shows her appreciation by taking Voula shopping for clothes. At the store, Voula learns that her friend shoplifts. Lucy steals a sweater Voula likes and they are both caught when leaving the store and are taken to the police station, where Lucy is charged. Stephanie meets her favourite soap opera star at a book signing and agrees to go out on a date with him. After he tries to seduce her, Stephanie informs him that she lied about her age and that she is a minor, and he flees.

    Director: Kit Hood

    Writer: Yan Moore