1. Each iteration of the power rankings will feature my nine favorite characters. If Degrassi lasts until season ten, I'll expand the rankings to ten characters, obviously.
2. Younger generation characters only. This means no Snake, sorry.
3. The only exception to rule number two is if Joey Jeremiah makes an appearance.
4. No credit is given for anything pre-season nine. Classic moments, like the Spinner Slap, are not taken into account in these rankings.
5. These are my rankings only; they are not a collaborative effort. Hopefully Don will be inspired to post his own.
With that out of the way, on to the list! The first batch of the official Degrassi Season 9 Power Rankings (the DS9PR!) covers episodes 1 through 5: Just Can't Get Enough Parts 1 and 2, Shoot to Thrill, Close to Me, and You Be Illin'. Let's do this.
9. Johnny George DiMarco
Did you know that his middle name was George? That's what clinched his spot on the list. The inaugural DS9PR turned into a ten character fight for nine spots. The breakdown of that battle was like this: four obvious musts, two characters earning spots based solely on potential, and four other s0-s0 characters. The last of the so-so characters to crack the top nine, he probably won't be here next week. In fact, without Alli, I'm just not sure what they do now with Johnny, which means, of course, that in five weeks or so, he'll probably resurface as part of some stupid love triangle featuring Anya or Holly J... or a home on winter vacation Emma.
8. Clare Edwards
Calm down, Clare making the list surprised me, too. Truth is, I kind of like Clare. She's often left playing the rational Terri/Hazel to Alli's Paige. In fact, the Clare-Alli friendship is one of the only remaining real friendships on the show. Think about that for a minute... There's Danny and Sav, Johnny and Bruce, Connor and KC, and possibly Peter and Riley. That's it. Those are the only legit friendships on the show and they are all either dubious (Danny/Sav, Connor/KC), still new (Peter/Riley), or are 50% Bruce the Moose. Clare and Alli have the most rock solid friendship on the show, yet you know Degrassi will not be able to resist tearing them apart after throwing Jenna into the fray. Clare and Alli are like a modern day Emma/Manny waiting to happen, which is a shame, because a big part of me is hoping that Clare will become the new Liberty instead.
7. Holly J. Sinclair
Holly J is the new Paige, and she fills that "love to hate her" role quite well. Just when it seems she might actually be normal and likable, she freaks out and decides that she'd rather have no friends. My original Paige theory was that every time you find yourself starting to like her, she'd say/do something ridiculous as if to say, "I don't need your affection!" It was clockwork, really. Fast forward to 2009. Season nine finds Holly J vulnerable, maybe even a bit - dare I say it? - sympathetic. She's even letting Blue help her out with the dance and people are actually starting to respect her, maybe even like her. How long did that last? One and a half episodes? I couldn't be happier; we needed a new Paige.
6. Riley Stavros
With the three "so-so"s out of the way, it's on to the two pure potential picks. Sure, Riley's only really had one B storyline so far, but you just know that SOMETHING is going to happen here. In truth, Riley brings a lot to the table. He's the school's star athlete, he's got the fake relationship going with Fiona, and there is the impending coming out storyline. Plus, he's friends with one of the show's established characters (Peter) at a time when friendships are at a premium at Degrassi, so you just know that he's not going away. He hasn't done much yet, but season nine could become the Season of Riley, if only the show would let it happen.
5. Fiona Coyne
You know how President Obama recently won the Nobel Peace Prize without having really done anything yet? Well, if that can happen, it's certainly not outrageous to have Fiona fifth in the rankings. By season's end, Fiona could be the closest thing possible to a female 'lead' on a show with about 45,297 characters. Ever since Emma and Manny graduated in season 7 (and, yes, you can argue that the show should have called it quits then) Degrassi has been looking for a new leading lady. That spot appeared primed first for Darcy and then Mia, but both have since left the show, courtesy of the CW. Who else is there? Jane? It's already been established that this is her last season at Degrassi, and I have a feeling that this impending Spinner breakup is the last major storyline she has left in her. Anya? Remember her? Holly J? Possible, and intriguing, but she's going to have to stop pushing everyone - and I do mean EVERYONE - away. Clare? Ha. Alli is the biggest competition, but they've been hitting us fast and furious with Alli episodes lately, so I can't help but feel like we're about to get an Alli break soon. I used to hate new characters, but I've come around to the realization that the show needs them to survive. Make it happen, Fiona.
4. Peter Stone
I was shocked by this one, too, but really, he's done too much so far to drop any lower. Peter has kind of sneaked up on me; I turned my head for a second and - like whoa! - Peter is the show's main character. Really. We're only five episodes into the new season, and Peter's already broken up with his supermodel girlfriend, taken meth thinking it was "just coke," been briefly addicted to said meth, single handedly brought Ms. Hot and Saucy back to the show (which also gloriously rid us of "The Shep"), been dumped from his band and his friends, and bought a van that looks like it belongs in the ravine. Whew. Admit it; Peter is the show's main character, at least for now. He's probably not done yet, either. He's dated (or video taped) almost all of the show's A-List girls, so how can a Fiona relationship NOT be in his future? Plus, the show is definitely keeping him around just in case 90210 or The Vampire Diaries tanks and they get to bring back Darcy or Mia. Putting Spinner aside for a moment, Peter is (if I'm not mistaken, and, let's be honest, I probably am) the longest tenured major character (depending on how you count Danny) and the one with the most ties to the originals that we all know and love. He's basically carrying this show until the newbies like Riley, Fiona, and Dave Turner (he's not on the list, but I had to mention him just once, he's the new JT!) are ready to take over, at which point Peter will probably stick around in some Spinner-esque elder statesman capacity.
3. Alli Bhandari
Alli has quickly turned into the gem of the new class of 'niners.' Connor is never getting his own storyline again and, let's face it, is probably very lucky that he ever got one in the first place. KC intrigues me, but he's still such an awkward actor and the whole 'we need a bad boy' thing seems a bit forced. Alli seems to have a knack for making poor choices, which means she's one of the most fun characters to watch. You just had to know that Degrassi would not be able to resist a sexting episode. Thanks to Alli, that episode became a reality. I was a bit surprised to see her starring in that HPV PSA, but upon further review, of course she was the logical choice. There's bound to be some Clare-Jenna-Alli drama going down at some point this season, and even though she rejected Johnny, I have absolute faith that Alli's poor decision making skills will resurface again sooner rather than later. I can hardly wait.
2. Sav Bhandari
It's a Bhandari Bonanza atop the power rankings!! Am I the only one who thought that the Studz were making a big mistake in recruiting Jane to front the band, even after it was clear that the Sav-fronted version of "Like Whoa" blew Peter's away.? Moving on, Sav's the funniest character this season, and it's not even close. I have a sneaking suspicion that there is absolutely no way Sav can carry a storyline but you know what? That's OK. As long as he keeps the Sav-isms coming, he'll have a secure spot in these rankings. Yes, that spot will be high. In the past, Spinner and JT both made a living with wonderfully out of place one-liners. Someone had to continue this tradition so, here we are. He'll never play as central a role to the show as Gavin and James Tiberius before him, but he'll make our trip through season nine just as enjoyable. So, grab your mirror, check the back of your hair, and enjoy. There will be tacos.
The RDTotP!
Before we get to the top spot, it's time for what I was going to call the "Random Degrassi Tidbit of the Week." Of course, then I realized that I have no idea if I'll be posting weekly, so... here it is, folks, your Random Degrassi Tidbit of the Post! The RDTotP! Today's tidbit: Someone, somewhere, has a blog called Degrassi Transcripts. It's what it sounds like, although they've only gotten through the first two episodes of season nine so far. Enjoy.
1. Declan Coyne
Introducing new characters is not like eating an Reese's; there is, in fact, a wrong way to do it. Remember back in season five when we were inundated with Peter episodes? How about season two, a season that opened with a two part episode centered around a brand new character named Craig Manning? It turns out that's the way to do it. You don't try to ease in new characters on Degrassi,* unless you want to end up with Blue. If you want it to work out, you just need to go for it and dive right in. That's exactly how it's been with Declan in season nine, and I have no doubt that it's the right way to introduce him.
*There are exceptions to this rule. Marco wasn't a regular in his first season. Darcy, as you'll recall, randomly showed up during the Rick storyline in season four before really taking off as a major character in season five. Even so, I think those are exceptions. There's no wading in when it comes to new characters on Degrassi anymore. Just ask Blue. Or Leia. Or Anya.
We haven't seen a character this cocksure since Peter's introduction, which makes tons of sense. Declan fills the role Peter used to play before he started his maturation (more on this in a second). Both Declan and season five Peter aggressively pursue certain girls as soon as they hit Degrassi, both have more than a touch of arrogance, both have an air of superiority about themselves. We just haven't seen Declan start street racing yet.
True, Declan is just about as despicable a character as you'll find on season nine of Degrassi. This doesn't bother me for two reasons. First, despicable characters on Degrassi have a tendency to mature. Peter, the budding porn producer, confronted Emma and her eating disorder. Spinner, the onetime bully, turned into the peacemaker. Rick, Terri's abuser, ended up shooting Jimmy in the spine. (Wait, that's not the example I'm looking for.) Jay, the all-around bad influence, ultimately keeps Spinner from burning down the school. (There it is.) The point is, that's the way it goes on Degrassi. I'm excited to see who Declan, the wanna-be womanizer, grows into.
Second, Declan has been so crucial this season because of the way he's making other worn-out characters relevant again. I love Jane, but her star turn was last season, and her tendency to make responsible decisions means that there's not a whole lot more that can be done with her. By throwing Declan at her, we've got a reason to pay attention to Jane during what I assume will be her final season. Carry this one step further, and Spinner's relevant again! Throw in Peter's introduction to meth at his party and it's easy to count Declan as the most disruptive force in season nine.
He's not as funny as Sav, nor does he have the same upside and intrigue as Riley. He'll never be Spinner. Still, no one has come close to shaking up the early season of Degrassi as much as Declan has.
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