Degrassi Junior High Season 1, Episode 4: The Cover Up
- Original Airdate: February 8, 1987
Written by: Yan Moore
Directed by: Kit Hood
Summary
At home, Rick is reading a motorcycle magazine when his father enters and asks where he got it. After his dad accuses him of getting it from someone named Frank, then accuses him of stealing it, Rick insists he got the money for it by taking back some bottles. His father is no happier about that, shouting at him for wasting money, and then hits him. Cue extremely cheery opening credits.At school, Rick appears with a bruise on his arm, and Joey falls over and gets a black eye while showing off on his skateboard. Caitlin Ryan and her friend, Susie Rivera, comment on Rick's Troubled, but Cute nature, Caitlin speculating that Rick is probably on probation for beating someone up, since he always has lots of bruises. Later, Caitlin comments that Rick always looks so tragic, and she and Susie have the idea to make him smile.
In class, Joey explains his plan to where his jean jacket for photo day. Unfortunately, when he gets home he discovers his mother has used his favourite jean jacket for patches while sowing - he already has a new one, but he believes it isn't broken in enough. He tells his parents this is child abuse. The next day at school, Rick offers to sell him a new used jacket. Joey insists on seeing it first, so Rick invites him back to his place after school. Caitlin and Susie try to tell Rick a joke, and get no reaction.
At Rick's place, Rick offers Joey a coke, and talks about his brother Frank who lives away, and takes him driving on his motorcycle sometimes. After Joey gets the jacket, Rick's dad comes home, and Rick tells Joey to go without paying, before his dad starts to beat him for giving Joey the coke. After being beaten, Rick cries and says he wishes he could get out of this place, while his dad tries to apologise through the door.
At photo day, Rick refuses to smile, and Joey asks his friend Tim what he would do if he knew someone was getting beat up by his dad. Rick confronts Joey about the money he owes, but Joey only has ten of the fifteen dollars Rick is demanding. Rick allows Joey to wear the jacket for his photos, and Joey tries to get Rick to talk about what he saw last night, but Rick brushes him off. Susie and Caitlin attempt to amuse Rick by wearing pigs noses and oinking at him, which also doesn't work. In class, Tim asks Joey if the guy getting beat up by his dad is Rick, leading to Joey getting sent to the office for talking in class. While there, he tries to broach the subject of someone getting beaten up by their dad to Doris in a similar way, leading her to get very concerned, and him to rush out in a panic.
After school, Rick insists that Joey owes him five dollars, so they go to Joey's place to get the money. When they arrive, Rick's bike breaks. Also, Doris has called a social worker on Joey's parents, believing he's being abused at home. Joey clears matters up, and the social worker quickly gathers that it's Rick who's being abused, not Joey. Rick tries to make an escape, but is foiled by his broken bike. The social worker offers to help with the bike, telling Rick he can help with his other problems too. At school the next day, Joey gives Rick the five dollars, and Rick tells him he's going to be living with his brother for a bit, and invites Joey to visit him sometime. He teases Joey by stealing his hat, and Caitlin and Susie are astonished to see him smiling.
In the B-Plot, Stephanie attempts to apologise to Voula for thanking Joey instead of her during the election, but Voula doesn't want to hear it. While Stephanie is getting changed into her school clothes, Voula asks if she's planning to dress like that for photo day, pointing out that her mom will inevitably see the photos. Later, Stephanie tries to get Voula's advice on the question, but Voula is unresponsive. When it comes time for the photos to be taken, Stephanie appears in a pink tube top and green miniskirt, telling Voula she needed to be the real her, but when she gets her photo taken she appears less than certain.
Tropes specific to this episode
- Abuse Mistake: Joey gets a black eye from his own shenanigans, and later, when he starts asking about Rick's abusive father, this is the result.
- Abusive Parents: Rick's father, the subject of the Very Special Episode.
- Everyone Has Standards: Joey is a bully who has fun at other people's expense, but even he is horrified by Rick’s abusive father.
- I Have This Friend: Joey tries to discuss the subject of Rick's abuse in this fashion, with predictable results.
- Wham Episode: not to the same extent as "It's Late", but this was probably the first episode to prove Degrassi wasn't afraid to tackle hard-hitting subjects.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Stephanie's subplot. We never discover how her mother reacted to her photo day pictures after all.
- When He Smiles: Caitlin and Susie's reaction to Rick smiling at the end.
