Kiss Me, Steph is the first episode of Season 1 of Degrassi Junior High. It aired on January 18, 1987.
Summary[]
Voula is aghast when her best friend, Stephanie, begins campaigning for president on kiss and wild promises. Meanwhile, Stephanie's younger brother, Arthur, joins forces with Yick to avoid Joey's bullying.
Plot[]
Stephanie is walking to school and her brother Arthur tries to talk to her. "I don't know you!" she says. Stephanie tells Arthur that he can't talk to her or tell anyone they're related when they're at school.
It's the beginning of a new school year and everyone is excited to see each other. Stephanie goes into the bathroom and sees her best friend Voula. Stephanie gives Voula a bracelet. She also takes off her clothes, revealing the "sexy" clothes she had on underneath. "This is 8th grade, right? We're supposed to be more mature, so I'm gonna start dressing more mature," she says. Stephanie also decides to run for school president (competing against Snake who's also running for the position).
Arthur walks into the school as a lost seventh grader. He walks up to a teacher to ask where Ms. Avery's class is. Joey offers to show him where his is. He shows Arthur to a room, but it's the really the janitor's closet. A boy named Yick lets him out and they search for their homeroom together.
Voula decides to be Stephanie's campaign assistant. She helps make posters and writes Steph's speech. While practicing her speech in the library, Joey keeps whistling at Stephanie because of her outfit. Stephanie gives her speech on the front steps and everyone loves it. Afterward Joey goes up to her and kisses her arm. Wheels says that he'll vote for her if she'll let him kiss her. All of the other boys go up to get kisses as well.
In the halls the boys are waiting outside the bathroom for Stephanie. They chant "We want a kiss! All the way with Stephanie Kaye!" Voula doesn't agree with Stephanie, but goes along with it, anyway. Stephanie gives another speech. She thanks Joey for helping her with the campaign, not Voula. Upset and hurt, Voula runs off.
Stephanie wins the election. It's not as fun as she thought it was when she has to go to meetings and deliver a speech in front of the PTA. Stephanie walks by Joey putting Arthur in a locker. She tells him to stop, but doesn't reveal she and Arthur are related. She finally finds Voula and asks her to write her speech. Voula is still mad at her and throws down the bracelet Stephanie gave her. Stephanie promises to be the best president the school has ever had.
Outside of school, Arthur thanks Stephanie from saving him from Joey. Arthur tells her that he could help write her PTA speech. "I need you!" Stephanie says as she smiles.
- The character featured in the final freeze frame for this episode was Stephanie.
- This is one of three episodes that has a character's name in the title, excluding The Kids of Degrassi Street episodes. The other two are Jessie's Girl and Jane Says (1) & Jane Says (2), both TNG episodes.
- The Election Results: President - Stephanie Kaye, Vice President - Susie Rivera, Treasurer - Alex Yankou.
- After this episode, Voula and Stephanie are no longer best friends, until Best Laid Plans.
- Manny Santos and Alli Bhandari would also change from parent-approved clothes into something more revealing as Stephanie does in this episode; Stephanie is the only one out of the three not to eventually get approval.
- Despite Erica and Heather Farrell being in the Class of 1992 (8th grade), their respective actresses appear in Ms. Avery's homeroom, which is Grade 7, and in roll call one of them answers to 'Stacy Farrell', so they're presumably extras at this point.
(Ordered alphabetically)
- Sara Ballingall as Melanie Brodie
- Stefan Brogren as Archie Simpson
- 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
- Michelle Goodeve as Karen Avery
- Neil Hope as Derek Wheeler
- 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
- Billie Mintz as Hank
- Stacie Mistysyn as Caitlin Ryan
- Bill Parrot as Shane McKay
- Siluck Saysanasy as Yick Yu
- Amanda Stepto as Christine Nelson
- Nicole Stoffman as Stephanie Kaye
- Tyson Talbot as Jason Cox
- Duncan Waugh as Arthur Kobalewscuy
- Keith White as Tim O'Connor
- Dan Woods as Daniel Raditch
Steph: "Guys? What about girls?"
Voula: "You're on your own, Ms. President...you and your new image..."
Voula: "What was wrong with the old image?!"
Steph: "Voula! Grade 8?"
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! |