Degrassi High (1987–1991): Season 1, Episode 10 - Smokescreen - full transcript

Sign here.

Come on, sign
the petition.

Help stop
pollution.

How come no one
wants to help?

This was
a stupid idea.

Well, look
what the cat

Dragged in.

Um... Where do I sign?

Here.

Susie:
Thanks,
rick.

I didn't know



You were interested
in the environment.

Yeah, well.

Um... Catch you later.

Yeah.

He likes you,
caitlin.

And he is cute.

He's also as dumb as a post,
and the school criminal.

He just needs a little help.

♪ wake up in the morning,
feeling shy and lonely ♪

♪ gee, I got to go to school ♪

♪ I don't think I can make it,
don't think I can take it ♪

♪ I'm wondering
what I'm going to do ♪

♪ but when I look
around, I see ♪

♪ that someone is
smiling right at me ♪



♪ wait! ♪

♪ that someone's talking to me ♪

♪ hey, I've got a new friend. ♪

♪ everybody can succeed ♪

♪ all you need is to believe ♪

♪ be honest with yourself ♪

♪ forget your fears and doubts ♪

♪ come on, give us a try ♪

♪ at degrassi junior high. ♪

In just a few generations, black
people have come from slavery

To the top of many professions.

Like my uncle, carl riveria.

He's an astronaut.

He gave me this nasa emblem
that he wore in space.

Thank you,
susie

For an excellent
presentation.

Next week we'll hear
all about yick's family.

Ms. Avery:
Okay, off you go.

On your way out

Collect your geography
assignments which I've marked.

That was
really good.

Great presentation,
susie.

Oh, rick?

You didn't hand in

Your
assignment.

I didn't do it.

Why not?

Remember, rick, repeating
grade seven doesn't mean

You have to repeat
your mistakes.

You have to start
working much harder

Or you could end up
here again next year.

Hey, yick.

Aren't we playing
basketball?

I have to research my project.

Research?

Isn't it supposed to be
about your family?

Who wants to hear about
being poor

And living with
a million relatives?

Tell them what happened
before you got here.

Who cares about refugees?

I need something interesting
like susie's badge.

Otherwise I'll be boring.

Mr. Lawrence ( over p.A. ):
Today's cafeteria special

Is tuna surprise.

And our school dietician,
ms. Nielson

Says it's excellent.

Cigarettes will
kill you, man.

Yeah, yeah.

What are you--

My social
worker?

They'll ruin your lungs
and your heart.

If you're giving advice,
tell me how

To get caitlin
to like me.

She's a browner.

Yeah, so?

You could sit beside her.

No way--
she sits in the front.

You could join
this committee she's on.

The environmental
action committee?

More like inaction committee

But you'd have something
to talk about.

Yeah, thanks, man.

Don't light up
in the club room.

Okay, the degrassi junior high

Environmental
action committee

Is now in session.

We have a lot to do today,
so let's get started.

Why are you here, rick?

I want to join.

What do
you know

About the environment?

I live in it.

He signed the petition.

That proves he's interested
in the environment.

Besides, we need
all the help

We can get,
right?

I agree
with caitlin.

Okay, okay, rick can join.

Let's get on
with the meeting.

Trish?

Agenda for today's meeting.

Number one: A new name.

Yeah, let's get
something better.

I like our name.

It's too long.

We need something
catchy.

How about pollution busters?

People,
please.

This is a serious committee.

I still
like

The old name

And not because I thought of it.

Bye.

See you
later.

Bye, rick.

Susie:
We should have talked
about the petition more.

Has anybody signed it?

Kathleen:
What's the big idea

Letting rick join
the committee?

He's got

An awfully
bad reputation.

I heard his father disowned him.

Where do you get
these amazing stories?

Well, he flunked.

And remember all those bruises
he used to have?

He got those from fights.

It's not his fault

He's poor and
disadvantaged.

What?

He gets bad marks
and everyone says he's dumb.

People don't give him

A chance.

We should give him a chance.

That sounds like
a stupid idea.

Well, I'm going to give him

A chance.

That's it.

It's been in my family
for thousands of years.

It's very valuable.

Your parents let you
bring it to school?

They don't know.

What dynasty is it?

Uh, ming... Or manchu.

I don't know.

Both, maybe.

Let's find out.

Dad knows
an antique dealer

Who could
appraise it.

Maybe later.

Anyway, the class will
be impressed, right?

Definitely.

Mr. Lawrence:
And anyone who had
the tuna surprise at lunch

Please see nurse silver
before going home.

Rick?

I'm making an
announcement tomorrow

About the petition.

You want to help?

It's a great opportunity
to get involved.

Don't worry.

I'll do the writing.

Yeah, sure.

Great.

We can work
at my house.

We'll pass the factory
on the way there.

Today we can
play basketball.

Sure, as soon as I
change the sign.

I'll take these books back
to the resource center.

Be right back.

Sure.

Oh, no.

The papers say

There's all sorts of toxins
coming from that factory.

Oh, toxins are poisons.

When I lived with my dad,
we were near a factory.

In the summer,
my room got really hot

But the air smelled so bad
I couldn't open the window.

You should have gotten
an air purifier.

You think my dad could
afford an air purifier?

Oh, sorry.

It's yick yu coming
up the center court.

One-arm pass.

He's going for a shot.

He makes it.

He's looking for a pass.

What a pass!

Is there no stopping this man?

No.

He goes through the door...

Oh, no.

Nice place.

Your parents must be rich.

Not really.

I don't think so.

I mean, they're
just teachers.

Your parents are teachers?

Actually, my mom's
a vice-principal.

What do your parents do?

Me and my dad don't
get along so good.

I live with
my brother frank.

He's a bartender.

What about
your mom?

She left.

Sorry.

It's okay.

It was a long
time ago.

Okay, how's this
for a beginning?

"people everywhere need to
be concerned with pollution."

Sounds sort of like a teacher.

The problem with
announcements is

They're all the same.

If you want to get
people's attention

You got to be different.

I got an idea.

Hi, doris.

We've got
an announcement

For the environmental
action committee.

Be my guest.

♪ hey, listen up, people,
don't fall asleep ♪

♪ let me tell you 'bout
the degrassi clean sweep ♪

♪ stopping the stink
is our intent ♪

♪ help clean up
the environment ♪

♪ sign our petition
and you will see ♪

♪ improvements at the factory ♪

♪ it's up to us ♪

♪ that's what I think ♪

♪ to make some noise ♪

♪ and stop the stink! ♪

Susie, it worked.

They listened.

Look.

Yeah, look
how much...

Hey, arthur.

Oh, hi, yick.

See you later.

Hey, wait up.

Where's my vase?

It doesn't need
to be appraised.

Arthur!

Arthur?

Arthur?

Where's my vase?

It's being
appraised.

I don't want
it appraised.

I want it
for my speech.

It's okay.

The antique dealer says
he's almost finished.

He's says it's
really interesting.

Oh, yeah?

He's never seen one
quite like it.

I need it by Friday.

Don't worry.

Just think how great

Your speech
will be

With an official
appraiser's certificate.

If only I had
a vase to go with it.

The environmental
action committee

Is now
in session.

Agenda for today's meeting:
Number one, our name.

We always discuss that.

What about the petition?

What about the petition?

We've got
200 signatures.

Let's take it
to the factory.

Nobody will pay attention
to a petition from kids.

How would you know, brainbox?

It's okay.

Let's
not argue.

Susie, rick and I
will deliver it.

It's called action--

Doing something.

Well, I say it's a stupid idea.

What do you
think of rick?

I mean, really?

I think he's nice.

Too bad people don't
give him a break.

He's acting okay, right?

He was rude

To kathleen,
but who could blame him.

Stop treating him
like he's your experiment.

I'm not.

You are so.

Why don't you admit
you like him?

There's nothing wrong with that.

I told
you--

He's not my type.

We have nothing in common.

I'm just
helping him.

Uh-huh.

Susie!

Maybe we should just
mail the petition.

Come on.

Come on.

Hello.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

You have a petition for us?

Um, yes.

We're from
degrassi junior high

And we'd like your factories

To stop
polluting.

We test our emissions regularly.

I assure you

Our standards are completely
within ministry guidelines.

The newspaper said
your tests were fake and...

Newspapers love good stories

But nothing has
ever been proven.

Proof!

This place stinks.

We've really had no complaints.

This is a complaint.

Rick, come on.

Are you the boss here?

The president's in
an important meeting

But if you leave
your petition

I'll be sure
she gets it.

We'll wait.

I don't
think so.

But thanks for coming by.

It's a pleasure
to see young people

Taking an interest
in the community.

You didn't have to be rude.

He was rude.

"good to see young people
taking an interest."

He is showing it
to the president.

You believe that?

Sure-- why not?

He seemed honest.

Right, susie?

And very
friendly.

He doesn't care what we think.

What a jerk!

Even if he doesn't show it

At least
we tried.

Big deal.

Bye, kathleen.

See you tomorrow.

Stupid factory.

The degrassi junior high
environmental action committee

Is in session.

Agenda for today's meeting:
Number one, our name.

No, wait.

There's something
more important--

Whether rick should be
on this committee anymore.

What?

I saw him smoking.

Isn't it
hypocritical

To smoke and be on the
environmental action committee?

Rick?

So I had a smoke.

So what?

I wasn't hurting anyone.

We can't have a polluter
on an anti-pollution committee.

Rick has to go.

What jerks!

You call yourself
an "action" committee?

What action?

All you do is talk.

Who needs this garbage?

Face it,
caitlin.

You made
a mistake.

You can't be perfect
all the time.

I told you

Rick was no good.

On with the meeting.

I still
don't see

What's wrong
with our name.

What a bunch of do-gooders.

Get away from me.

Hey, come on.

You made me look dumb.

I stood up for you.

They said you were stupid
and I said you weren't.

But they were right.

Caitlin.

And after I tried to help you.

Help me?

What am I,
your project or something?

Anyways, I helped you.

I thought up
the announcements.

I went to
the factory.

I made
you go in.

So I'm not rich.

So I don't do good in school.

That doesn't make me
a charity case.

I joined the dumb committee
because I liked you

Not because I
needed your help.

Attention, please.

This is mr. Lawrence speaking.

An important notice
has crossed my desk.

Anyone finding a pair of glasses
in or around the gym

Turn them in
at the principal's office

Or return them directly
to alex yanko.

So where's my vase?

Um...

Come on.

Today's my speech.

I need it.

You wrecked it.

It was
an accident.

I'll pay for it.

Now I have nothing to show.

Tell how you got here.

Who cares about boat people?

It's a great story...

And it really
happened.

I'll pay
for the vase.

We were at sea for a month.

We had little to eat.

Once we saw another ship.

They told us to lie down--
it might be pirates.

They look for people to rob

And sometimes take
the pretty girls.

They didn't see us.

We finally found a port
and our family was safe

Which wasn't true
for everyone.

We were very lucky.

But all we escaped with
was our clothes.

That's why
I have nothing to show.

Thank you.

Thank you, yick.

That was truly excellent.

On that note,
class is dismissed.

Yick, that was amazing.

That was great.

Our committee wasn't
appropriate for him.

I thought of
a great new name:

The degrassi junior high

Anti-pollution
and pro-environmental

Action committee.

What do you think?

I think you're
a real jerk.

That was the best speech.

See you later.

You were right.

They liked it.

Yeah-- here.

What's this for?

I know the vase
was valuable.

I'll give you
my allowance

Till I get a job.

Then I'll give you
my salary every year

Till it's
paid for.

The vase
wasn't valuable.

I bought it cheap.

It's not an heirloom.

I pretended it was

So I'd have something good
for my project.

You broomhead.

Why didn't you tell me?

Why didn't you
tell me you broke it?

What do you want?

I'm sorry.

For the stuff I said.

Especially the stuff
about you being dumb

And needing help.

I know you think
this isn't my business

But smoking's stupid.

Yeah, yeah.

Anyway, thanks for helping
with the petition.

You're welcome.

You were right
about the factory, too.

They did ignore us.

I wish we could
do something.

We could call the paper
and tell them how some kids

Tried to talk
to a big company's president.

Papers like good
stories, right?

I bet the president

Will see us
after that.

Rick, you're brilliant.

Shh.

I have a reputation.