WHAT IF? - SEASON 4 EPISODE 7 - 39
Foreword: Degrassi is often thought of as the first TV series to speak honestly to teens about their problems and while that is true to a great extend, there were movies before Degrassi, that influenced what it would become.
A major one among those was the work of a young Englishman, who got the idea to make make a movie/musical about a group of students attending the School of Performance Arts in New York City. It was a story that was rough, gritty and pulled no punches in showing what it was like to be a teenager in the tough and crime ridden NYC in the late 70´s. Everyone told him that it was a crazy idea, the school wanted nothing to do with it at first and for most people, that´s where the story would have ended.
He chose to keep fighting and the resulting movie, called "Fame", became a cultural phenomenon around the world, in the years after it came out in 1980. Every Young Adult movie and series that´s come out in those past 42 years, in some way owes something to that crazy Englishman´s stubbornness, all that time ago. If he had given up, like they all said he should have, who knows if we would even have a Degrassi to talk about and enjoy?
This storyline is dedicated to that man, who called himself Allan Parker, until he passed away two years ago.
By the way, the music in it was damn awesome too!
1. Int. Living Room. Evening.
Holly J and Sav are trying their best to do some very complicated dance moves in the middle of Holly J´s parents living room. It´s not going all that well though and when he tries to lift her, it goes wrong and he falls, with her landing on top of him. Both of them laugh.
Holly J:
Are you okay?
Sav:
We need to call it a night, for my health´s sake!
She stands up and gives him a hand in standing up. He moans a little and tries to stretch his back.
Holly J:
Are you lucky enough to be injured so badly, that you can´t do the play?
Sav:
I´m afraid, that would require me having to fake pains for weeks on end.
Holly J:
Not worth it?
Sav:
It´s still under consideration! Who was the psycho, that decided we should do "Fame" as the next school play? And while we´re at it, why did I have to be the only dark skinned guy in it, so I had to be cast as Leroy?
Holly J:
Why couldn´t I be cast as Doris? Who, I might add, doesn´t have a single dancing scene?
Sav:
Hillary is still a great part.
Holly J:
Every girl who´s played her before me, also clearly had more rhythm than I have. The very idea, that in 39 days, we´ll be on stage dancing to perfection, is almost as ridiculous as those who still believe, that Tiger Woods can stay faithful to his wife!
They smile at each other.
Sav:
Do you have anything to drink? This dancing stuff is hard work!
Holly J:
Let´s see what we have in the fridge.
He follows her into the kitchen, checking out her butt on the way there.
2. Int. Kitchen. Evening.
Holly J has the fridge door open and it´s remarkably empty for a family as wealthy as her´s supposedly is.
Holly J:
There´s the choice between orange juice and ...
She checks the date on a carton of apple juice and shakes her head.
Holly J:
Orange juice.
Sav:
It´s lucky for you, that I love orange juice!
She pours each of them a glass and hands one to him. They toast, before having a sip.
Sav:
Ahh, that hits the spot!
Holly J:
If you´re that unhappy about playing Leroy, just tell them! They can´t make you, if you don´t want to.
Sav:
Who should I be playing?
Holly J:
Duh! Bruno, obviously!
Sav:
Yeah, but Craig has already got the part. Plus, Bruno and Hillary don´t have any scenes together.
She takes another sip and smiles to herself at what he said.
OPENING CREDITS
3. Int. Manny and JT´s Room. Morning.
We´re seeing something we very, very rarely see: JT working like there´s no tomorrow on a school project! He´s writing so fast, that the eye can barely keep up and has clearly been hit by the inspiration bug. Manny comes in the door.
Manny:
It´s time to go, or we´ll be late for school.
JT:
Just give me one more minute.
She smiles to herself at him actually being this into something school related for once and sits down next to him.
Manny:
Even though it´s school related, I doubt if you being inspired is a valid reason for truancy!
JT:
Yeah, you´re right.
He puts his work away and they kiss.
Manny:
You´re sure you´re not pushing yourself too hard? Directing this will be hard enough, even without you playing one of the biggest roles.
JT:
Ralph is the character, I was born to play. He´s exactly how I would have been, if I´d been poor in 1970´s New York!
Manny:
I´m just saying, that considering how it went the last time you tried directing a play, it´s a miracle that they gave you another chance!
JT:
Manny, can´t you see that this isn´t just a play? It could be the last big thing, all of us do together. I wouldn´t have taken this on, if I wasn´t sure that I could do it.
She smiles at him.
Manny:
If you believe you can do it, then I believe in you.
He looks glad to have her undivided support.
4. Int. Auditorium. Day.
The cast is rehearsing and are at the scene, where Doris (played by Anya) comes out of her shell at the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" screening that she goes to and gets high for the first time. She gets up from her chair on the stage and joins several other of the main cast members in doing the "Time Warp".
The cast members are:
Anya as Doris Finsecker - Shy Jewish girl, whose mother is a famous actress, but is herself somewhat of a wallflower and is finding it hard to come out of her shell.
JT as Ralph Garci/Raul Garcia - A boy from a poor family, who bullshits his way into getting into the school using a fake name. A talented actor and comedian, who´s quick with a comeback, but uses humor to hide how messed up he really is inside over how bad his life has been so far.
Sean as Montgomery MacNeil - Shy and kind hearted guy, who is close friends with Doris and Ralph, as well as dealing with being a closeted homosexual.
Holly J as Hillary Van Doren - a ballet dancer from a wealthy family, who suffers an unfortunate teenage pregnancy as a result of her relationship with Leroy.
Manny as Coco Hernandez - a likable and highly driven multi talent, who´s willing to do whatever it takes to achieve her goal, to become famous.
Craig as Bruno Martelli - an extremely talented, but overly perfectionistic and often socially awkward musician.
Emma as Lisa Monroe - a sweet and lovable girl, who has a lot of trouble keeping up with the others, since she´s not as talented, as they are.
Sav as Leroy Johnson - Street smart kid, who´s quick witted and and a very talented dancer. Has a huge ego though, plus a ton of insecurities stemming from his upbringing and him being illiterate, when he starts at the school.
All in all, you have to say that it´s looking pretty damn great so far and Anya is totally shining through in her role as the usually shy wallflower Doris. JT is watching them from the other side of the stage and is grinning widely at what he sees. The song ends and he applauds them.
JT:
Guys, we will pull this off if we continue like this! Anya, you are a star! Let´s give her an extra round of applause.
They do and Anya blushes at all of the praise, that´s being heaped on her.
Anya:
Thanks, you guys!
JT:
That´s it for today! Great work, everyone!
The cast start to break up for the day and Anya comes over to JT.
Anya:
Do you really think I was that good?
JT:
I can´t imagine having anyone else playing Doris now.
She almost gleams with pride. Manny comes over and puts an arm around her shoulder.
Manny:
So, Super Star! Wanna come to the Dot with us?
Anya:
Me? But you´re seniors!
JT and Manny can´t help laughing.
Manny:
When you get to know us better, you´ll find out that we´re not too hung up on a few years age difference.
JT:
Mentally, you´re probably older than me anyway!
Manny nods in agreement. Anya looks glad, that they invited her.
5. Int. The Dot. Evening.
Anya is enjoying herself with JT, Sean, Emma, Craig and Manny, feeling like she´s older than she is by association.
Sean:
I still think you´ve miscast me. I can´t play a gay guy. Not that there´s anything wrong with it!
Emma:
No, but you have the shy part down. Anya, you should have seen Sean, when I first met him. He was so shy, that he didn´t say anything in class for the first month.
Anya smiles at getting to hear these stories.
Anya:
How old were you?
Sean:
Only 12. But I knew already then, that she was the girl for me.
Manny:
Then why did you live with Ellie for half a year?
Sean:
In one word: Pity.
Craig:
You can´t tell me that her pretty face and that hot little body didn´t turn you on!
Everyone looks at Sean, who reluctantly has to give in.
Sean:
There is a slight chance, that I had a physical attraction to her!
JT:
You and half the other guys back then.
Winston comes in with his buddy Dave to pick up some take out. Anya sees them and tries to slump in her seat, so they won´t see her. She´s not so lucky though, since Jane points her out to them. They start coming towards them and Anya sits up in her seat again.
Anya:
Hi, Wesley. What are you doing here?
Wesley:
Picking up some junk food for our movie night. This is my buddy Dave.
Dave:
Hi.
Manny:
Care to introduce us?
Anya:
This is my friend Wesley.
Dave:
You told me, that she was your girlfriend!
Wesley:
I thought, she was! Anya, am I your boyfriend or not?
Anya blushes again, this time with shame. The others at the table find it amusing.
Anya:
Okay, Wesley. We can say, that you´re officially my boyfriend now.
Dave looks annoyed at being proved wrong, while Wesley gets to feel like a big man for once.
Craig:
What movie are you guys watching?
Wesley:
The SpongeBob movie. He still hasn´t seen it, believe it or not!
Emma:
Get with the program, Dave! Who hasn´t seen that one?
The older kids chuckle. Wesley and Dave don´t get why.
Wesley:
What´s so funny?
Anya:
I think your take out order is ready!
They look up at Jane, who´s holding a bag for them.
Wesley:
Nice! I´ll call you tomorrow, Anya. Okay?
Anya:
Yeah, sure.
Wesley:
Cool! Have a nice evening, everyone.
Wesley and Dave leave them, to Anya´s relief.
6. Int. Anya´s Room. Evening.
Anya is hanging out with Sav, who´s also trying to get some studying done.
Anya:
You can´t imagine how embarrassed I was! Why did he have to say the SpongeBob movie? To the cool kids, it´s the same as them saying, that they were having a Tele Tubbies marathon! They´ll never invite me to do anything again now!
Sav:
Can you call them cool? I mean, Sean and Craig should be done with high school and JT is still a junior, when he should have been a senior. Both of the girls have given birth. I like them too, but it doesn´t exactly qualify them to be called winners, does it?
Anya:
I guess not, but I felt cool, when I was with them! Until my stupid, childish boyfriend had to ruin it!
She sulks and he looks up from his work.
Sav:
You´ve never cared about popularity before.
Anya:
Perhaps that´s because I haven´t tried, what it´s like to be popular.
Sav:
It won´t be something for you.
He tries to go back to his work, but she gets defiant and snatches it away from him.
Anya:
What´s that supposed to mean?
Sav:
That you´re the opposite of what a popular girl is like.
Anya:
That´s what? A dumb bimbo, who jumps into bed with the school´s starting quarterback, first chance she gets?
Sav:
If you want to put it bluntly.
Anya gets a crazy idea.
Anya:
You´re right.
Sav:
Thanks?
Anya:
Which is why, I need to redefine what a popular girl is! Why do so many girls and boys have warped views of each other?
Sav:
Their environment, TV, books, the internet ...
Anya:
It´s because they have bad roll models! I could be the perfect roll model!
Sav:
Do you know what I think? I think that praise is starting to get to your head!
Anya:
You just watch me! This is gonna be my turning point, like going to see Rocky Horror is for Doris.
Sav decides not to argue further over it, but has an "I´ll believe it, when I see it" look on his face.
7. Int. Angie´s Room. Evening.
JT is listening to Angie playing guitar and is very impressed with how good she is. Joey quietly knocks on the door and comes in. They both love to see her looking so proud, at how they´re looking at her.
Angie:
Are we being too loud?
Joey:
Compared to how Craig sounded at your age, no! It´s great to have another real musician in the family.
JT:
You played music?
Joey:
I´m what you can call a "Three Chord Wonder"! Can I talk to you for a minute or two, JT?
JT:
Sure. What about?
Joey:
I´d rather discuss it alone.
JT:
Alright.
He follows Joey out of the room, while Angie concentrates on her playing.
8. Int. Manny and JT´s Room. Evening.
Joey and JT come in. Joey shuts the door after them.
Joey:
I got a call from your grandmother.
JT:
Is everything okay? She did look a little pale, the last time I visited.
Joey:
She´s fine, it´s nothing like that. The school called her about your grades. She´s worried about you.
JT:
She should be used to it! Don´t worry, I´ll talk to her.
Joey:
I´d also like it, if you talked to me. I was an academic screw up, when I was your age, in case you didn´t know.
JT:
Yeah, but you still graduated, right?
Joey:
By the skin of my teeth!
JT:
The thing is, I´m not going to finish high school. I´m dropping out, when the school year ends at the latest. This time permanently.
Joey tries to take in what JT is telling him.
Joey:
Have you thought it through? It´s going to have consequences for your future.
JT:
I´ve known since my first week of school, that it wasn´t for me. Having to memorize stuff, I know I´ll never have use for in the real world and trying to get some teacher to think that I´m smarter than I am. That´s a world, I don´t belong in. I never have and I never will.
They look each other in the eyes and Joey clearly understands, where JT is coming from.
Joey:
Kind of strange, that we both ended up with one, who does.
JT:
Let´s be honest, Joey. Guys like us need girls like Caitlyn and Manny in our lives. It wouldn´t be the same without them. As far as Angie goes however ...
Joey:
She´s precisely like us!
JT:
So much, that it´s frightening sometimes!
They nod in agreement.
Joey:
Have you told Manny?
JT:
I figured that I´d wait until after we´re done with the play. This is going to be it, Joey. My grand finale.
Joey:
Knowing you, it´s going to be one, they´ll never forget!
JT smiles to himself, looking confident.
9. Int. Hallway. Day.
JT comes walking down the hallways of Degrassi, when Sav approaches him.
Sav:
JT, can we talk?
JT stops to talk to him.
JT:
What´s on your mind?
Sav:
I really don´t think, I should be playing Leroy! There´s no way, I can become that good of a dancer, that fast!
JT:
Not to sound racist, but Leroy has to be played by a dark skinned actor. A vital part of his story will go lost, if it isn´t.
Sav really doesn´t look like he wants to. They´re interrupted though, when Chantay drags a reluctant Danny over to them, as they try hard not to laugh.
JT:
Did she leave your leash at home, Danny?
Danny:
Very funny!
Chantay:
Danny has something, he wants to talk to you about.
Danny:
No, I don´t!
Chantay:
Yes, you do! He secretly wishes, that he was playing Leroy in your play. He´s got the dance moves for it and everything.
Danny:
She´s lying, JT! I have two left feet, you know that!
JT and Sav both find it funny and JT can´t miss an opportunity like this to mess with his pal.
JT:
Show me.
Danny looks terrified at the thought, but Chantay isn´t gonna let him off this time and stares him down.
Chantay:
You heard the boy! Dance!
Danny:
Here? Everyone will stare!
Chantay looks him sexily in the eyes and it makes it hard to say no to her.
Chantay:
Do it for me, Pookie.
JT and Sav mouth the word "Pookie?" at each other and try hard not to laugh. Danny takes a few steps back and what follows, has both JT and Sav with their mouths wide open in amazement! Danny is an absolute natural, when it comes to dancing and he looks like something right out of a music video. Other students gather around to check him out too and especially the girls seem to like, what they´re seeing! When he finishes, the onlookers applaud him so much, that it makes him shy. Chantay looks proud of him and kisses him on the cheek, as the crowd begin disperse.
Boy (to Danny):
Those were some sick moves!
Girl (to Danny):
You should be on MTV, in stead of most of that other crap, they have on these days!
Danny:
Thanks.
Chantay:
Can he have the part?
JT and Sav make eye contact.
JT:
Congratulations, Sav. You´re off the hook. I could use a music director, though.
Sav:
Look no further.
They shake on it. Danny smiles from ear to ear.
10. Int. Classroom. Day.
Sav sits down next to Anya and Holly J, looking pleased. They become curious.
Anya:
Did a pretty girl smile at you or something?
Sav and Holly J make eye contact and he smiles it off.
Sav:
There´s enough pretty girls right here for me.
Holly J smiles at his remark. Anya rolls her eyes at it.
Anya:
Says the guy, who fantasizes about every girl here!
Sav:
I don´t do that anymore!
Holly J:
Is there a girl, that you´ve been having fantasies about?
She looks him in the eyes and he smiles shyly.
Sav:
There could be.
Anya:
As long as it isn´t Darcy.
Sav:
I promise you, that it isn´t. It´s still early days, so I have to find out where I stand first.
The way he looks Holly J in the eyes lets her know, that the ball is in her court, as far as he´s concerned. They force themselves to break the stare, so that Anya won´t notice it.
Anya:
What are you smiling over then?
Sav:
I have sad news. I´ve been dropped from the play.
Holly J:
Why?
Sav:
A new and ten million times better candidate has come forth. Danny Van Zandt is your new Leroy.
Anya:
What about you?
Sav:
You´re looking at the play´s new music director.
The girls look happy for him, but Holly J can´t hide that she´s also a tiny bit disappointed.
11. Int. Hallway. Day.
JT is talking to Toby, when he sees Hatzilakos coming down the hallway with a new kid at school, a 14 year old dark haired boy in a cool looking Joy Division T-Shirt. who loves to dress in black, by the looks of it. JT tries hiding behind Toby, but with their height difference, it´s a pretty stupid plan!
Hatzilakos:
JT! Just the man, I was looking for!
JT:
Whatever you´re gonna say, it wasn´t me! I´ve been an angel lately!
The boy with Hatzilakos can´t help laughing.
Boy:
He´s exactly like you said, he would be.
Toby:
Who are you?
Hatzilakos:
JT, I´d like you to meet Eli Goldsworthy, your new assistant director. He just transferred here.
JT doesn´t look too into the idea.
JT:
Why exactly is he my new AD?
Eli:
I wrote my first three act play, when I was nine.
Toby:
Was it any good?
Eli:
Good enough to be our class play that year.
JT and Toby look impressed.
JT:
A child prodigy, huh? Welcome aboard, Eli.
Hatzilakos:
I have a feeling, that this will be a marriage made in heaven!
JT and Eli shake hands. Toby isn´t looking as sure, as Hatzilakos is, that it´ll work.
12. Int. Cafeteria. Day.
Sav is eating lunch with Anya and Holly J, but Anya has become like a 5th wheel already, even if she doesn´t notice it.
Anya:
This could seriously use some ketchup! I´ll be back in a sec.
She leaves them to get some ketchup, giving them some alone time.
Holly J:
I´m bummed, that I won´t get any more private rehearsal sessions with you.
Sav:
You still need someone to read lines with, don´t you?
Holly J:
You won´t have time for it!
Sav:
I´ll make time for it.
They smile flirtingly at each other.
Holly J:
We could try going on a ...
They´re interrupted by Anya coming back and sitting down.
Anya:
Got the last package! Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket on the way home, if this is my lucky day.
Sav:
I feel like I´ve won the lottery every day
Anya continues eating, blissfully unaware of the flirting going on right next to her. We let the camera pan down to under the table, where we see that Sav and Holly J are rubbing their legs against each other.
CLOSING CREDITS