The Cover-Up is the fourth episode of Season 1 of Degrassi Junior High. It aired on February 8, 1987.
Summary[]
Joey inadvertently helps his friend Rick when he discovers that Rick's dad beats him.
Plot[]
Rick is at home reading a magazine and his dad asks where he got it from. Rick tells him he bought it and his dad thinks he's lying. Rick talks back to him and gets beaten.
Joey goofs off on his skateboard and falls, cutting his forehead. Caitlin and Susie swoon over Rick. Photo day is coming up and Stephanie is changing in the washroom. Voula reminds her that her mom will see the pictures. Caitlin and Susie are sitting in class, when Rick walks in. "He always looks so tragic," Caitlin says. She and Susie set out on a mission to make Rick smile.
Joey gets home from school to find his mom cleaned his room. "...this is an invasion of my privacy," Joey says. He then sees that his mom is using fabric from his favorite jean jacket to fix his pants. Angry, Joey says "You know what this is...child abuse!" The next day Joey is telling Tim about the jacket when Rick overhears them. Rick tells Joey he has a jacket he can sell, and they'll got to his house to get it after school. Rick walks into school and Caitlin and Susie tell him a joke. He doesn't laugh and he just walks off.
In class Stephanie asks for Voula's advice on what clothes to wear for picture day, but Voula refuses to help. After school Joey goes with Rick to his house. Rick offers Joey a soda while he gets the jacket. Joey tries it on as Rick's dad comes in. Rick's dad looks for a soda and sees that Rick gave one to Joey. He gets miffed and proceeds to strike Rick right in front of Joey, who hurries out of the house.
It's photo day and Stephanie decides to wear her sexy clothes. Rick gets his picture made and he refuses to smile. Rick asks Joey for the $15 he owes for the jacket, but Joey only has $10. He promises to get the rest after school. Joey tries to talk to Rick about what happened, but Rick doesn't want to talk about it.
Caitlin and Susie try to make Rick smile again by wearing pig snouts and oinking, but it doesn't work. Joey gets sent to the office for talking in Mr. Raditch's class. Before leaving, he asks Doris for advice on what to do if he knew someone who was getting beat up by their dad. When Doris asks if that someone attends Degrassi Junior High, Joey thinks he's said too much and runs out, while Doris calls Children's Aid.
Joey and Rick go to Joey's house after school. A man named Mr. Marino from Children's Aid is at the house questioning Joey's parents, about what Joey said to the secretary. He questions the cut on Joey's forehead, which Joey admits was from a skateboarding mishap. Joey insists his parents have never abused him. The counselor asks if Joey was referring to someone else, while Rick tries to slip out, tipping the counselor off as to what's going on. Joey and his parents watch from the window, as the counselor follows Rick outside, and tells him that he can help him if Rick lets him. The next day, Joey gives Rick the rest of the money. Rick tells Joey he's going to live with his brother Frank. The two become friends, and Rick finally smiles, which surprises Caitlin and Susie.
- The characters featured in the final freeze frame for this episode were Rick and Joey.
- This episode featured the first parental abuse storyline in the franchise.
- This is the first time that Joey Jeremiah rescued someone who was being abused by his father. He did so again 15 years later when he rescued his stepson Craig Manning from his father Albert Manning in the Degrassi: The Next Generation episode When Doves Cry (2).
- This episode marks the first appearance of Joey's mother Mrs. Jeremiah and the only appearance of his father Mr. Jeremiah.
- This episode marks the only appearance of Mr. Munro.
(Ordered alphabetically)
- Sara Ballingall as Melanie Brodie
- Sid Bruyn as Mr. Munro
- Sarah Charlesworth as Susie Rivera
- Amanda Cook as L.D. Delacorte
- Irene Courakos as Alexa Pappadopolos
- Angela Deiseach as Erica Farrell
- Maureen Deiseach as Heather Farrell
- Craig Driscoll as Rick Munro
- Anais Granofsky as Lucy Fernandez
- Rebecca Haines as Kathleen Mead
- Gretchen Helbig as Mrs. Jeremiah
- Neil Hope as Derek Wheeler
- Kei Kei Hung as Wai Lee
- John Ioannou as Alex Yankou
- Niki Kemeny as Voula Grivogiannis
- Deborah Lobban as Doris Bell
- Arlene Lott as Nancy Kramer
- Pat Mastroianni as Joey Jeremiah
- Stacie Mistysyn as Caitlin Ryan
- Amanda Stepto as Christine Nelson
- Nicole Stoffman as Stephanie Kaye
- Keith White as Tim O'Connor
- 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! |