Parents' Night is the twelfth episode of Season 1 of Degrassi Junior High. It aired on April 5, 1987.
Summary[]
Wheels is surprised by a visit from his birth father, and has to deal with his feelings about being adopted. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Spike, who is pregnant, asks Wheels how it feels to be adopted.
Plot[]
Wheels is celebrating his birthday when he receives a phone call. He answers, but the caller says nothing and simply hangs up. When Wheels is walking to school one day, a mysterious man is watching him.
Spike is upset because Shane doesn't talk to her anymore and she's also undecided about what to do with the baby.
Parents' night is coming up. Joey, Snake and Wheels are in a band and plan on performing. Before they start, Spike comes in to talk to Wheels. She asks Wheels if he thinks about his real parents. Wheels says his real parents were "too young to keep me", and he wasn't mad at them for giving him up.
Joey, Snake and Wheels are leaving school when the mysterious man talks to Wheels. He says his name is Mike and tells Wheels that he's his birth father. He gives Wheels a baby's birth necklace bearing the surname NELSON, and leaves his phone number for Wheels to call him so they can talk.
Wheels finally calls Mike, and they decide to meet at a restaurant. Mike shows Wheels a tattered black-and-white head-and-shoulders photo of Wheels' birth mother holding baby Wheels, and tells Wheels they had him when they were 16. He has lost touch with Wheels' birth mother, and doesn't know where she is now. Wheels also finds out Mike is in a band, and Mike offers to let him watch his band practice. Wheels feels bad for lying to his parents to go see his birth father practice. Wheels and Joey go to the practice, where Mike is revealed as the band's drummer. However, Wheels gets mad when Mike introduces him to the other band members as "Derek, my kid" — saying "I belong to my mom and dad, not him!" Wheels tells Mike he wishes he hadn't come back, because he "messed everything up", gives back the birth necklace and storms out. The boys leave, with Wheels saying to Joey he's not going back.
Spike and Shane are arguing and decide not to see each other. Spike still doesn't know what to do, but all she wants is to do the right thing.
Wheels goes back to see Mike again. Mike apologizes for interfering in Wheels' life. Wheels tells Mike he doesn't want to see him for a while, but he'll call him some time.
- This episode marks Wheels' introduction to his father, Mike Nelson.
- This episode marks the beginning of the group friendship of Joey, Wheels and Snake.
- The character featured in the final freeze frame for this episode was Wheels.
(Ordered alphabetically)
- Stefan Brogren as Archie Simpson
- Angela Deiseach as Heather Farrell
- Maureen Deiseach as Erica Farrell
- Michelle Goodeve as Ms. Avery
- Neil Hope as Derek Wheeler
- Dave James as Mike Nelson
- Pat Mastroianni as Joey Jeremiah
- Stacie Mistysyn as Caitlin Ryan
- Bill Parrot as Shane McKay
- Amanda Stepto as Christine Nelson
- Dan Woods as Daniel Raditch
| v - e - d |
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| Kiss Me, Steph • The Big Dance • The Experiment • The Cover-Up • The Great Race • Rumor Has It • Best Laid Plans • Nothing to Fear • What a Night! • Smokescreen • It's Late • Parents' Night • Revolution! |