Jessie's Girl is the eighth episode of Season 7 of Degrassi: The Next Generation. It aired on February 8, 2008 in the United States, and on February 25, 2008 in Canada. This is the last appearance of Caitlin Ryan to date.
Summary[]
Ellie seeks out Caitlin's help for an upcoming event. However, Ellie soon finds Caitlin and Jesse hooking up, leading her down a drunken path. Meanwhile, Mia is tired of how Holly J. is treating Anya, but is Anya willing to break away from her?
Main Plot[]
While preparing for a Core assignment, Griffin Pierce-Taylor happens to be hosting an engineering party at their apartment. To get some work done she goes to the Core for some silence. She finds Jesse hooking up in the main office room with Caitlin Ryan at The Core, Ellie realizes that Jesse is cheating on her with Caitlin. She stands up for herself and breaks up with him. Ellie forgives Caitlin since she didn't know that Jesse was Ellie's boyfriend but says that she and Jesse can't be together and still work together. When faced with doing a public Q and A with Caitlin, Paige Michalchuk advises Ellie to choose between her personal and work lives. Prior to the Q and A session, Ellie has a few glasses of wine and causes her to stutter and gush while speaking. Ellie drunkenly asks Caitlin why she hooked up with Jesse and calls her a "slut" while walking off the podium. The next day, Caitlin comes over to Ellie's place to ask about the night before. Ellie confronts Jesse at The Core and tells him that they are over and to call her "Ellie," not "Frosh."
Sub Plot[]
Mia sees how Holly J. treats Anya and wants her to stand up to Holly J. Mia tries to convince Anya to stop taking Holly J.'s abuse, but unfortunately, she still puts up with her bullying as she'd "rather be a popular follower than a happy nobody." In class Anya is asked to read but starts to stutter due to her dyslexia. Holly J. bullies Anya saying they'll be there all day unless someone else reads. When Holly J. decides to reuse her sister's assignment and Anya insists it is cheating she and Holly J. get in an argument. Anya asks Holly J. not to make fun of her in class and says she doesn't tell people that her parents hired Holly J. a private tutor. In class, Holly J. ambushes Anya by saying that Anya's assignment is plagiarized and that she somehow got her hands on her sister's old project. Mia tries to help Anya but in the end Anya says she would rather have friends than be alone on a Friday night.
- This is Caitlin Ryan's last appearance in the Degrassi Franchise but she is mentioned in Degrassi Goes Hollywood.
- This episode is named after the song Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield.
- This is one of the three episodes that has a character's name in the title, excluding The Kids of Degrassi Street episodes. The other two are Kiss Me, Steph and Jane Says (1) and Jane Says (2). Of the relevant episodes, this is the only one where the title character is male and is not a regular character.
- Although Caitlin and Marco met in Moonlight Desires and worked together in Africa for the summer of 2005, she does not appear to recognize him.
- This episode marks the end of Ellie and Jesse's second and final relationship.
- Ellie tells Marco that her mother Caroline Nash has been sober for 17 months.
Regular Cast (Ordered Alphabetically)
- Charlotte Arnold as Holly J. Sinclair
- Lauren Collins as Paige Michalchuk
- Nina Dobrev as Mia Jones
- Marc Donato as Derek Haig
- Stacey Farber as Ellie Nash
- Adamo Ruggiero as Marco Del Rossi
Supporting Cast
- Steve Belford as Jesse Stefanovic
- James Gilbert as PR guy
- Adam Kennedy as PA
- Stacie Mistysyn as Caitlin Ryan
- Doug Morency as Mr. Bince
- Samantha Munro as Anya MacPherson
- Dwain Murphy as Eric
- Sian Richards as Kym
- Nathaniel Stephenson as Griffin Pierce-Taylor
Absences
- Dalmar Abuzeid as Danny Van Zandt
- Sarah Barrable-Tishauer as Liberty Van Zandt
- Paula Brancati as Jane Vaughn
- Stefan Brogren as Archie Simpson
- Melissa DiMarco as Daphne Hatzilakos
- Mazin Elsadig as Damian Hayes
- Aubrey Graham as Jimmy Brooks
- Shenae Grimes as Darcy Edwards
- Jamie Johnston as Peter Stone
- Shane Kippel as Spinner Mason
- Mike Lobel as Jay Hogart
- Miriam McDonald as Emma Nelson
- Cassie Steele as Manny Santos
- Amanda Stepto as Christine Nelson
Marco: "Wow! The famous Caitlin Ryan's in my house!"
Caitlin: "Uh, could I have a sec with Ellie?"
Marco: "Have a bunch of secs... (blushes, stuttering) uh, I didn't mean..., not sex... uh, I'm just gonna go now."
Ellie: "I'm back at The Core, not with you...And from now on, call me 'Ellie.'"
Ellie: "I have green eyes!"
Ellie: "Oh, actually, Caitlin thought it'd be great if I did the interview. Mentor..."
Caitlin: I think with our history together, it'd be fantastic."
Ellie: My boyfriend/boss making out with my mentor. What's to discuss?"