What a Girl Wants (Part 1 & 2) Review

In an episode unlike any other we had seen before, Part 1 was a pretty good set up for the drama that was soon to come in Part 2. Declan and Fiona, who is seemingly better mentally after therapy, are attending Vanderbuilt Prep in Manhattan while Holly J goes back to Degrassi to attend her senior year.

In the main plot, we are introduced to Fiona’s boyfriend “Double B” Bobby Breckenridge who seems to be the perfect boyfriend when in reality he is a total douchebag. While Bobby and Fiona are talking about the designs Fiona is creating, Bobby refuses Fiona’s denial of his sexual advances. After throwing her on the couch and getting slapped, an irritated Bobby slaps Fiona. I have to say Degrassi did an awesome job with the premiere and had me wanting more, which is the ultimate goal. Added to Bobby’s physical abuse is his metal abuse on Fiona when he gets caught making out with ex-girlfriend, Tinsley. Fiona decides to withdraw from her friends and family instead of letting them know what happened. Everyone thinks she is just adding drama where there isn’t any because of her past history.

The culmination of the episode is one of the best dramatic endings I have ever seen from the series. Combined with Fiona getting pushed down the stairs along with Annie Clark’s portrayal of Fiona’s emotional state makes for one of the most intense scenes I have seen in quite some time. This is how the episode ends leaving with all Degrassi Nation wanting more! This was a great way to start off the new season. Such a good way to get a fan base involved with storyline. I actually felt like i knew Fiona and wanted to stop that sick bastard.

Holly J’s senior season isn’t starting off so great. She is away from her boyfriend, but gets by with the thought of going to Yale with Declan and living a better life. This is until she finds out her family is dealing with even more financial issues and no longer can attend Yale, but instead a local college. This puts damper on things.

Holly J also finds out Sav is running for president. The evil Holly J comes out and I couldn’t be more happy. She convinces Sav that Anya told her that Sav was the baby daddy to Sanya’s child. I love how Holly J says this on a moments notice then decides to let Anya in on the secret to get Sav back. Holly J, thinking that a Sav being a father would eliminate him from being her competition but actually backfires. It backfires because Anya and Sav (for different reasons) become close. As quickly as Sav was going to quit, Anya tells him not to because it would give him practice being a new father. Anya gets her way, being with Sav and double crosses Holly J, making her year worse.

Charlotte Arnold plays her part so well. Her acting has gotten better throughout her run in the halls of Degrassi. She still has that bitchy attitude and I love it! Usually in the earlier seasons you would see Anya lose the war between the two, but it’s good to see that change. It’s good to see Anya standing up to Anya, but it’s deplorable how she got her way. This is the worst thing you can do to a guy.

In another subplot, we have Dave, who clearly is in love with Melinda Shankar’s character (and who wouldn’t be), Alli Bandhari. Alli finds that she is #42 on Dave’s “Hottest girls of Degrassi” list in which he thought he deliberately rigged to have her at #1 in which he thought was his way of winning her. Instead Alli creates a “Degrassi Losers” list which Dave is #1. This is to get back at him for his list. Alli hates Dave until he explains the situation and actually gets a kiss from the whole ordeal.

For being short, this was as sweet as it possibly could be. Although the kiss was only friendly, I really like Dave and I hope they will eventually get together, even though we all know it will be some time before that happens. It took a while for J.T. to see Liberty as a girlfriend so maybe this is what might take place.