On This Day in 2003, Billy Talent released their first album under their new name Billy Talent, as they had to change out their name Pezz due to another band in the US already called Pezz. This album is very special to me as it's my first Billy Talent album (outside of their Hits album) I purchased. This album really showcases Ben's vocal range and how much he can truly scream, hense why I really love this album. Can't go wrong with the old school stuff right?
Whatever It Takes: A Degrassi Season 10 Retrospective (Try Honesty, Pt. 2)
When we left off, Declan surprised Holly J by showing up at the Dot, Eli made some ominous threats towards Fitz, and Dave sucked at singing.
Declan reveals his scheme: he's skipped out on the New York road trip to come visit Holly J instead. All seems well until Holly J remembers the voicemail she left last episode. She begs Declan not to listen to it, but he does (and laughs about it) anyway. Holly J chooses to forget the bit of her speech about not wanting to mold her future around Declan anymore and retracts dumping him. On the taxi ride home, Holly J confides in Declan about her money troubles and he offers a solution: just giving her money.
The Three Tenners listen to the (awful) recording of their one song, but Dave seems stoked about the results. He's even booked a professional recording session with resident music teacher Sav, much to Wesley and Connor's horror. Conveniently, the day's science class is all about enhancing human abilities with technology. Wesley seems to have an idea!
Fiona admits to Holly J that she knew about Declan's plot all along, but Holly J is too happy about Declan's proposal to care. But she's surprised when Fiona doesn't seem too convinced by the sugar daddy arrangement, even though she suggested basically the same idea last episode.
Eli and Adam deliver Fitz's fake ID, seemingly putting an end to the feud. Subplot over! Haha, nope. Eli still intends to follow up on his get-Fitz-arrested scheme and brags to an unimpressed Clare later that his mission is "just getting started." You'd think befriending a bully would be more beneficial than pissing one off, but welcome to Eli's twisted mind.
At the recording session, Sav is taken aback by just how terrible Dave is at singing. He works some magic with the track and presents the Tenners with a song that's actually listenable, which pisses off Dave because that meant changing his voice entirely via autotune.
At home, Holly J discovers Declan has sent her a fancy diamond necklace. She tells her suspicious mother that wanting to go to Yale isn't just about being with Declan--it's what she wants for herself, too. What she doesn't want is to take the restaurant job she was offered, feeling above it and blaming her parents for the family's financial situation. Her mom reminds her that nothing comes for free, implying that Declan's attempts to spoil her are just attempts at control.
Later, Holly J shows off her new necklace to Fiona and Chantay. Remember Chantay? Yeah, she's still a character. She "jokingly" calls Holly J a gold digger, much to her and Fiona's offense. Fiona says Chantay wishes she had someone to buy her nice things and turns down Holly J's offer to get lunch because she has to meet her "decorator." Chantay is stunned by this cartoonish display of snobbery, leaving behind an oblivious Holly J and Fiona.
At lunch, all has seemingly been forgiven offscreen as Chantay and some NPCs eat lunch with Holly J. Declan shows up in what must be an unseasonably warm suit and reveals that he's booked flights and hotel rooms for him and Holly J to attend the fancy trip after all. Holly J protests that her SATs and move are scheduled for the same weekend, even though she was prepared to go on the trip anyway just yesterday. Declan keeps pushing, offering to pay for the family's movers. Holly J keeps fighting and Declan drops this line: "How much will I have to spend before you do what I ask?" Uh oh.
Eli stalks Fitz outside of a store and sets his trap in motion: he calls 911 to come break up a fight and then proceeds to cause the fight. The two boys abuse some trash cans in their scuffle before being broken up by the cops. Fitz brags that his fake ID will keep him safe somehow, presumably not worried that the cops a few feet away will hear him say this.
In the hallway, Sav comforts a butthurt Dave. He says Dave is lucky--he has friends who wanted to cheer him up while Sav's friends have all graduated from the show. Dave seems to take his words to heart, perhaps realizing that pushing away the only two people who want to hang out with him isn't such a great idea.
The cops recognize the felon listed on Fitz's fake ID and arrest him, letting Eli go. Eli watches as they load a bewildered Fitz into the car, smiling in a fucked up way that only early season 10 Eli could pull off. This boy is not well and that's the most interesting thing about him.
In a college prep session, Fiona wonders aloud why people like her and Holly J even bother with all the pitfalls of higher education. She says they're already "taken care of," which seems to unsettle Holly J. She sighs at her financial aid application, presumably beginning to doubt whether "sugar baby" is a tenable life plan.
Eli seems proud of his battle scar from Fitz, especially so when it means Clare touches him on the mouth. Clare is appalled at how he has handled basically everything over the past few days, but Eli is glad to have gotten the upper hand on Fitz for the time being. "I'm in his head," Eli murmurs as he watches a released Fitz storm down the hallway. "Right where I want to be." This is kind of gay.
In a taxi, Holly J reveals to Declan that she won't attend the trip and doesn't like taking his money. Declan claims money exists to solve problems, which Holly J interprets as him calling her a problem. She sort-of dumps Declan, saying they need a "break" (which, in my understanding, is pretty indistinguishable from an actual break-up). After symbolically returning the necklace, Holly J asks the cabbie to take her home and not to the airport as Declan had planned. That guy is gonna have a juicy story to tell after this.
Dave surprises Connor and Wesley at The Dot by playing their autotuned song, which earns the approval of Anya and some other female NPCs. With that, the Three Tenners have achieved their ultimate goal: interact positively with a hot girl.
To cap things off, we see Holly J ended up taking the restaurant job after all. Someone's even requested her service: Fiona. Fiona's proud of Holly J for sticking by her morals and affirms that the two are friends regardless of whether not Holly J is dating her brother.
What's interesting to me about the end here is that it draws a contrast between the Coyne twins and how they approach their relationships with Holly J. We've seen how Declan attempts to dismiss all of Holly J's problems with money and bribe her into living out a fantasy with him; I don't think he's consciously trying to control her, but being raised rich and privileged has warped his view on how difficult it is to address issues of financial struggle and what it's like having to work hard to earn opportunities. In his view, he can wipe all of Holly J's problems aside with some money and then the two can go back to living a life of romance and excess. He doesn't factor in things like pride, family responsibility, and independence, which all contribute to Holly J's decision to reject him and his money by the end of the episode.
But it's not like Fiona hasn't tried to "buy" Holly J either. We had a whole episode about her trying to arrange lavish activities as excuses for the two to spend time together. But in the end, Fiona acknowledges she was treating their friendship as more of a transaction than a natural bond between two people who enjoy each other's company. It's not the spa day or dessert tastings that led to them laughing together--it was chasing a pig around a ruined apartment. It's one thing to like and accept someone when things are pretty and perfect, but real connection comes through choosing to stick around when things get messy.
In the end of this episode, we see that message return. Declan scoffs at the idea of Holly J having a "lowly" restaurant job and seems uninterested in her problems aside from just offering to throw money at them. He wasn't willing to sit with her through tough times and emotions--he just wants to get back to the fun and glamorous stuff as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Fiona goes out of her way to support Holly J by making sure she's the first customer she has. Fiona's bond with Holly J is also no longer dependent on having a shared connection through Declan; she acknowledges Holly J's agency and worth outside of her relationship with her brother. And that's really what Holly J's been looking for this whole episode--confirmation that she can do just fine without Declan there to prop her up.
The B plot is another interesting one. We get our first real sense that something isn't quite right with Eli. Up until now, he's seemed pretty perfect--clever, stylish, and ultimately kind. But the beginning of his feud with Fitz showcases his obsessive and vindictive side. He has multiple opportunities to let the animosity die, which would've brought the peace he claimed to aim for. Instead, he chooses to keep escalating the conflict and seemingly takes pride in causing hurt to those he feels has wronged him. He very much views himself as a hero. Eli isn't entirely in the wrong here, either--Fitz is absolutely a jerk who deserved a bit of comeuppance. But Eli appears to be more invested in his own ego and sense of "winning" than in actually putting an end to the violence and bullying. After he gives Fitz the fake ID, Fitz seems perfectly content to leave Eli and his friends alone. By pulling the arrest stunt, Eli himself guarantees that'll no longer be the case. He's living out a fantasy--the bullied becomes the bully. Clare and Adam barely factor into his decisions other than as fuel for his revenge plots. It's not their safety that truly matters to him--its his own view of himself as their "protector."
Both Holly J's strained relationship with Declan and Eli's strained relationship with sanity will keep being explored this season, but don't expect much of a follow-up on the Dave plot--other than, of course, the previously mentioned story beats later on that completely negate his conflict this episode. Dave sucks at singing, but only when it's convenient for the plot. That's Degrassi for you, folks!
“From the album "Billy Talent"”
From Youtube channel Billy Talent: Billy Talent - Try Honesty - Official Video
What a powerful and cool song
The music video was filmed at the abandoned Whitby Psychiatric Hospital in Ontario, Canada but the building was torn down a few years later the video was filmed
Fuck yeah \m/ ...
Forgive me father why should ya bother
Try honesty, try honesty
Hop in your dump truck, reverse for good luck
Ride over me, ride over me
Take on the whole world, fight with the young girls
Die tragedy, die tragedy
Call me a cheapskate, come on for Pete's sake
Cry agony, cry agony
30 Day Song Challenge: Day #5 - A song that needs to be played LOUD
Whatever It Takes: A Degrassi Season 10 Retrospective (Try Honesty, Pt. 1)
After 20 years, I'm back with more Degrassi.
Dream-Holly J is making out with Dream-Declan on a New York rooftop, perched precariously against a rather short fence. This makes my acrophobia twitch. Real-life Holly J wakes up to skype Declan, complete with full make-up, flawless hair, seven pillows, and two teddy bears. This is the true teen girl experience.
Holly J's mom is driving her daughter to school and pressing her to get a job. But Holly J is more concerned with attending Declan's fancy prep school road trip. I have two solutions here: either sell the comically oversized pearl necklace or get her old job back at the Dot. I think the show forgot she was working there before.
The Three Tenners (Dave, Connor, and Wesley) are cooking up a scheme to get girlfriends. Wesley claims women are like hamsters: they just want to be fed, cuddled and complimented. He's not too off the mark here, but this mostly just reminds me of the mid-2010's trend on Tumblr when girls would say shit like "I'm not high maintenance, just touch my butt and buy me pizza."
Eli tries to park his silly little hearse in a spot occupied by local bully Fitz. I don't know why he didn't just park in the empty spot right next to it. Instead, he honks at Fitz and gets the hearse's skull ornament torn off for his trouble. Adam materializes out of nowhere to watch tiny, Muppet-faced Eli try to face off with Fitz. I say "Muppet-faced" with great affection and the confession that a teenage crush on Munro Chambers was my last attempt at claiming heterosexuality.
Meanwhile, Fiona ignores Holly J's attempts at studying math to buy a decorative birdcage. Holly J gripes about money, and Fiona gives her the obvious answer: just be Declan's trophy wife. Holly J would rather succeed on her own merits and doesn't want to end up in "a van down by the river," which I think is a reference even I'm not old enough to understand.
In the hallway, Fitz shoves a wise-cracking Adam against a locker and is then intercepted by righteous Eli. Clare wants the boys to ignore Fitz, but Eli rejects this idea as ominous music plays.
Wesley has a plan for the Three Tenners: enter the upcoming battle of the bands. He and Connor sign up without Dave's knowledge, but Sav seems unsure they're a real band (because they're not). But Sav also knows this show needs a band subplot at all times, so he agrees to let them participate.
Holly J is interviewing at Little Miss Steaks, the newest set on the show. Its name is a subtle reference to all the Little Mistakes these characters will be making over the years. Holly J seems less than impressed, calling Fiona afterwards and asking to go shopping (much to Fiona's squealing delight). Later, she sees a picture on Facerange: Declan being kissed by the blonde thot from the season premier! Fiona tells her to trust Declan, as he's never cheated--not on Holly J, at least. Uh oh.
At home, Holly J begins to pack her things for the big move. She puts about two small trophies away and then takes a well-earned break to email Declan, whose email address is apparently just "declan," that she's going on the trip. I'm not sure why she couldn't just text him.
Eli tells Clare he's not giving up on getting back at Fitz, but Clare is less than impressed. She tells him he has a reputation of being "obsessed with death," which makes me think of the unironically awesome Shark in the Water promo that hyped up this half of the season. There's a scene where Clare is a tarot reader and shows Eli the death card, and he just smirks while wearing a cute little top hat. If you don't remember what I'm talking about, please watch this immediately and then order me a Life Alert. Oh, and Fitz kicks Eli in the balls.
Holly J turns down her job offer so she can go on the weekend trip. But then she gets a skype call from Declan, who suddenly seems reluctant to have her come. At the last second, Tinsley (blonde thot) pops on screen to cross fencing swords with Declan. Good thing Holly J hasn't booked the flight yet.
Dave learns about Wesley and Connor's big surprise: the band audition. He's not thrilled with the idea, but is willing to give it a shot if it means a possible girlfriend. The only problem? He can't sing for shit. Remember this plot point, because in two seasons he gets the starring role in a school musical and also wins a singing contest for West Drive (the in-universe Degrassi of Degrassi).
Eli meets Adam at the Dot and tells him their feud with Fitz has reached new heights. Adam is temporarily confused by a reference to ball-kicking, which definitely isn't foreshadowing for a major plot later this season. Eli approaches Fitz, who is conveniently also at the Dot, with a proposition: he'll get Fitz a fake I.D. if he leaves Eli and Adam alone. Adam is confused by this apparent olive branch, but Eli assures him he has a plan...
After making a coffee date with a sympathetic Fiona, Holly J calls Declan for The Talk. It goes to voicemail, so Holly J makes a dramatic monologue break-up into the phone.
Eli and Adam bounce away as they look for felons to put on Fitz's fake I.D. Adam is suspiciously good at discerning facial features for reasons that we will definitely never find out.
The next morning, Holly J arrives at the Dot but is met by the wrong twin--it's Declan! While she's here, she should ask for her old job back.
And that's it for part 1. I'll try not to take as long for part 2, but that'll depend on whether my current Sims binge releases its grip on my brain long enough for me to focus on anything else. See you!
