Degrassi Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Degrassi Wiki

99 Problems (1) is the fifth episode of Season 10 of Degrassi. It aired on July 26, 2010.

Summary

New student Drew is Riley's rival for the quarterback position. With Zane complicating Riley's plans to stay closeted, will Drew connect the dots and take advantage? Alli tries out for the Power Squad to stave off a boring year. And K.C.'s escalating jock status gives Jenna a taste of what it's like to be the jealous girlfriend.

Main Plot

Riley and Zane are working out together to get in shape, for both the football and soccer seasons. Riley tells Zane that during football season they have to keep their distance, which Zane doesn't like. Riley is in the hall signing up for football, when he meets Drew, who asks if he could borrow a pen. Zane comes over and signs up, saying, "The team needs a kicker and I gotta show that gay guys can play sports". Drew is surprised about Zane's openness about his sexuality. In the next scene, Drew and Riley are in Algebra. Riley learns Drew wants to be QB1, and Riley doesn't like the idea since he was trying out for the position himself. Riley and Drew are on the workout bikes, trying to do better than the other. Coach Armstrong tells Riley that he has a good shot for QB1 this year.

Riley, confident about getting the position, teases Drew by telling him that there is always next year. One of the football players starts to make fun of Zane, but he stands up for himself. Drew says to Riley, "It won't be good when we play against other teams and they find out our kicker kisses dudes." Riley and Zane start talking about their love life in the gym, and Drew overhears their conversation about the "Two Rileys Theory". With all the information he needed to blackmail Riley, Drew walks away with a grin on his face. All of the football players are in the gym while Coach Armstrong is talking about tomorrow's tryouts. Drew suggests they have a BBQ in the parking lot, and everyones likes the idea. When they are all ready to leave, Drew looks at Riley and says, "Oh, and guys, don't forget to bring a date".

At the BBQ, Riley walks up to Drew and introduces him to his "date" Marisol. When he mistakes her name as Maryland, she walks away. Riley asks him why he doesn't have a date, and Drew tells him he doesn't know any of the girls at Degrassi. Drew makes a gay joke to Riley, which angers Riley. Riley and Zane start talking, and they get into a fight. Zane breaks up with Riley, not even wanting to be friends. Drew comes over to speak to Zane, and when Riley answers for him, Zane becomes angry and walks away. Drew tells him to stop denying being gay, and Riley gets even angrier with him about Drew's "jokes". Drew admits he wasn't joking and threatens Riley, telling him to step aside for QB 1, or else he'd tell the entire team Riley was gay. Wanting revenge,

Riley starts up a conversation with Owen, another football player, and asks him what he thinks about the new guy (Drew). Owen thinks he's a cocky bastard, and Riley suggests they teach the new kid, "a few lessons."

Sub Plot

Alli and Clare are talking, when they see Jenna walk by with a bunch of her friends. Alli wishes she could have a lot of friends and decides to try out for the Power Squad, to become more "popular". At lunch, Alli tries to sit with the Power Squad, but Chantay tells her to butt out. Tryouts have been going on for weeks, and Alli hasn't tried out yet, so Alli begs Chantay to help her. Chantay tells her she could come to practice after school and to bring her a latte and gum.

Arriving in Darcy's old cheerleading outfit, Alli comes to the tryouts and gives Chantay the items she had requested. Chantay tells her to work on the routine. Alli tries, but can't keep up with the other girls well enough. When practice ends, Chantay stays and tries to help Alli out with the cheers. Alli checks out the Power Squad list, only to see that she hadn't made the team. She angrily goes to find Chantay, to ask why she hadn't made it. Chantay tells her she wasn't good enough, and Alli leaves, feeling embarrassed and angry. Alli and Clare are at The Dot, and Alli rants to Clare about how embarrassed she is about not making the squad. Clare tells her she should make her own club and see if anyone wants to join. Alli decides she'll make a dance club and will definitely try to destroy the Power Squad.

Third Plot

Jenna sees K.C. talking to Coach Armstrong, telling him he should try out for the football team. K.C. thinks about it, and decides to join. K.C. comes home with another A+ on a test, so his foster dad tells him his curfew has gone up an hour from all of his hard work. Jenna walks over to K.C. at school, noticing a lot of girls are flirting with him. She leads him over by the stairs and starts making out with him, but every time they kiss, his phone starts to ring. Jenna becomes jealous, and once K.C. is done checking his phone, she refuses to let him kiss her again.


  • This episode marks the end of Riley and Zane's first relationship.
  • This marks the first time in Season 10 that both Canadian and American broadcasters have premiered Degrassi at the same date and at the same time.
  • This episode is named after the song "99 Problems" by Jay Z.
  • This is the first appearance of Marisol Lewis and Owen Milligan.
  • The title of this episode was spoken by Manny Santos in Bust a Move (1).

  • Owen: "Is... uh... princess bothering you?"
    Zane: "Name-calling? Really?"
    Owen: "Nice pants."
    Zane: "Like them?"
    Owen: "Oh, they're fabulous! You borrow them from your sister?"
    Zane: "What? You don't do yoga?"
    Owen: "As if."
    Zane: "It helps build upper-arm strength. Maybe you should give it a try. Oh! We could go shopping first."
  • Clare: "Try again, this time with more words."
  • Clare: "What do you do when life gives you lemon?"
    Alli: You throw them at Chantay."

  • "Building A Boat" by Matt Mays & El Torpedo
  • "Lights Go Red" by Chicks With Hits
  • "Authentic" by Young Rival - Heard when Alli looks at the Power Squad list.
  • "Domino" by Spiral Beach - Heard during the football's team party before the game.
  • "Roland" by The Bicycles
  • "Same Old Road" by The 1,2,3,4's


  • v - e - d Season Ten Episodes

    Degrassi: The Boiling Point Episodes

    What a Girl Wants (1) ā€¢ What a Girl Wants (2) ā€¢ Breakaway (1) ā€¢ Breakaway (2) ā€¢ 99 Problems (1) ā€¢ 99 Problems (2) ā€¢ Better Off Alone (1) ā€¢ Better Off Alone (2) ā€¢ I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (1) ā€¢ I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself (2) ā€¢ Try Honesty (1) ā€¢ Try Honesty (2) ā€¢ You Don't Know My Name (1) ā€¢ You Don't Know My Name (2) ā€¢ My Body Is A Cage (1) ā€¢ My Body Is A Cage (2) ā€¢ Tears Dry On Their Own (1) ā€¢ Tears Dry On Their Own (2) ā€¢ Still Fighting It (1) ā€¢ Still Fighting It (2) ā€¢ Purple Pills (1) ā€¢ Purple Pills (2) ā€¢ All Falls Down (1) ā€¢ All Falls Down (2)

    Degrassi: The Breaking Point Episodes

    Don't Let Me Get Me ā€¢ Love Lockdown (1) ā€¢ Love Lockdown (2) ā€¢ Umbrella (1) ā€¢ Umbrella (2) ā€¢ Halo (1) ā€¢ Halo (2)

    Degrassi: In Too Deep Episodes

    When Love Takes Over ā€¢ The Way We Get By (1) ā€¢ The Way We Get By (2) ā€¢ Jesus, Etc. (1) ā€¢ Jesus, Etc. (2) ā€¢ Hide and Seek (1) ā€¢ Hide and Seek (2) ā€¢ Chasing Pavements (1) ā€¢ Chasing Pavements (2) ā€¢ Drop the World (1) ā€¢ Drop the World (2)

    Advertisement