Bitter Sweet Symphony (2) is the thirty-second episode and part of the spring block of Season 12 of Degrassi. It aired on February 22nd, 2013.
Main Plot[]
Eli finds Clare and manages to win her forgiveness. As they walk past the greenhouse, Eli finds a horrifying sight and quickly pulls Clare away to tell her to call 911. In front of the school as Dallas, Katie, and Maya are talking about Cam and his odd behavior in the past days, a number of emergency personnel drive by. Madame Jean-Aux insists that Maya and Katie go to see Principal Simpson. In his office, Snake reveals that Cam has passed away via suicide.
Everyone in the school reacts differently: Tori and Tristan both collapse into tears upon hearing the news; Katie is supportive of her sister, as is Tori, who wants to help, but Maya coldly rebuffs them and insists on preparing for her music tryout that afternoon. Dallas is inconsolable, feeling terribly about how he treated his teammate. He ends up exploding, tossing a garbage can at a display.
Alli attempts to comfort him only to be rejected due to her prior knowledge of Cam's issues. Dave asks Eli what it was like to find Cam and tries to offer suggestions on how to move past it based on his dad's experiences in dealing with bodies. Eli reveals that he can't just forget what he saw so easily.
The student council tries to figure out ways they can help while reflecting on the suicide in their own ways. After Fiona breaks the news that Spirit Week is cancelled, Marisol insists that they hold a vigil in memory of Cam, Mo attempts to joke to lighten the mood and quickly stops when he realizes that his attempts are not helping; Fiona is sympathetic towards the situation. Connor doesn't understand why the entire school is taking pause while Becky insists that the suicide was a selfish act and earns scorn from the council.
Zig feels incredibly guilty for his comments towards Cam and can't understand why Maya is acting so indifferent. Eli breaks down in the hallway and then retreats to smoke marijuana with Jake, hinting that the death has affected him far more than he's let on. Jake solemnly reveals that if Eli and Clare had not found Cam in the greenhouse, he most likely would have.
Marisol offers Maya the position of speaking at the vigil; Maya begrudgingly accepts. On the roof, Dallas gets drunk and nearly commits suicide out of guilt for what he feels is his role in Cam's death. Fiona manages to convince him not to jump and to seek counseling. At the vigil, Maya snaps. She tells everyone that she will not cry or light a candle and that she blames Cam for his decision and unwillingness to ask for help before storming off.
The next day, Tori approaches Maya again, with Maya apologizing for being nasty to her & admits that she does want to be friends with her again, which Tori accepts. Dallas also apologizes to Alli for his actions the day before and acknowledges Fiona as the friend who convinced him to speak to someone.
The episode finishes with Maya briefly pulling Hoot out of her backpack, smiling at it for a moment and then walking to class.
- The title of this episode is named after the song "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve.
- After this episode, MuchMusic aired a half-hour special, Much Talks: Degrassi, to help viewers process the impact of the episode. The special featured cast members along with a panel of experts.
- This episode marks Degrassi/Degrassi: The Next Generation's first suicide by a main character. And second overall after Showtime (1).
- This episode marks the third, on campus, death of the Degrassi Franchise and second in Degrassi/Degrassi: The Next Generation.
- This was the second time a Degrassi student found the body of one of their peers on campus after they committed suicide. The first was Archie Simpson who discovered Claude Tanner in a bathroom stall with his face blown off from shooting himself, and the second (in this episode) was Eli Goldsworthy who discovered Campbell Saunders in the greenhouse.
- Maya was the last person Cam texted, Alli was the last person Cam talked to in person as a friend, Zig was the last to speak to Cam, Dallas was the last to yell at Cam, and Eli was the first to find Cam's body after his death.
- All of the reactions seen regarding Cam's suicide are natural ways that people deal with death in real life: Numbness (Maya), Sadness (Alli, Tristan, Tori), Comedy (Mo), Sympathy (Marisol, Fiona), Wondering (Jake), Helpfulness (Tori, Katie), Guilt (Zig, Dallas), Curiosity (Dave, Connor), Anger (Becky), Relatable (Simpson), and Denial (Eli).
- Jordan Todosey was at the table read even though Adam wasn't in the episode.
- This was because they were doing readthroughs for Degrassi: Las Vegas at the same time for this episode.
- Tufford Kennedy (Bullfrog Goldsworthy) is credited for this episode despite not actually appearing.
Regular Cast (Ordered Alphabetically)
- Shanice Banton as Marisol Lewis
- Stefan Brogren as Archie Simpson
- Munro Chambers as Eli Goldsworthy
- Annie Clark as Fiona Coyne
- Dylan Everett as Campbell Saunders (past footage)
- Sarah Fisher as Becky Baker
- Jahmil French as Dave Turner
- Ricardo Hoyos as Zig Novak
- Demetrius Joyette as Mike Dallas
- Justin Kelly as Jake Martin
- Jacob Neayem as Mo Mashkour
- Lyle O'Donohoe as Tristan Milligan
- Aislinn Paul as Clare Edwards
- Cristine Prosperi as Imogen Moreno
- Chloe Rose as Katie Matlin
- AJ Saudin as Connor DeLaurier
- Olivia Scriven as Maya Matlin
- Melinda Shankar as Alli Bhandari
- Alex Steele as Tori Santamaria
- Jessica Tyler as Jenna Middleton
Guest Starring
- Allison Hossack as Dr. Tara
Supporting Cast
Absences
(Maya to Katie) "He should have fought."
(Katie to Maya) "He was really sick."
(Maya) "He should have fought harder! Or found someone to help - I would have helped him; but he didn't give me the chance. Cam had so many reasons to stay, but instead he just checked out, well fine... But I'm not lighting any candles. And I won't cry, I won't..."
Fiona: "But you didn't."
Dallas: "It's my fault Cam did it. I know how hard it is to be away from home, and he hated hockey, but I didn't care. I still pushed! I should have been easier on him. No one would miss me."
Dallas: "Yeah, there is."
Eli: "You are welcome, good sir."
Jake: "Thanks. Is my garden going to be haunted now?"
Eli: "Nah. Just me."
Dallas: "Fiona convinced Simpson it'd be a good way to get the school back on track."
Alli: "Are you still planning on winning, Mike?"
Dallas: "All I can do is try."
Katie: "Oh my god.. Oh my god.."
Mr. Simpson: "It appears that he committed suicide in the green house overnight. A student found him about a hour ago."
Marisol: "Ouch."
Becky: "I'm sorry, but suicide is selfish. Didn't he think about his family and his friends?"
Marisol: He was obviously depressed.
Becky: Why didn't he reach out for help?
Mo: Maybe he felt like he couldn't. I mean, he was under a lot of pressure with hockey.
Fiona: School too.
Jenna: Does anyone know if he was getting bullied?
Fiona: I guess we'll never know.
Dallas: "What?! It's going to be okay?!"
Alli: "I don't.. I don't know what to say!"
Dallas: "Say it's our fault! Say we failed him -- you and me!"
Alli: "Me?"
Dallas: "You knew he had problems. He was crying, he was upset! Why didn't you do something? You should have done something! YOU DID NOTHING!"