Caitlin Ryan (Degrassi)
Caitlin Ryan is a fictional character from the Degrassi series portrayed by Stacie Mistysyn. Her first appearance in the series was as a grade 7 student on Degrassi Junior High up to Degrassi High. Whereas she was a star character in both of those series, she is a recurring character on Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Caitlin, the youth
Caitlin was born on March 2, 1972 to a teacher (her father) and a vice principal (mother). This likely had an influence on her becoming a strong academic student. It is mentioned in the series that she has a brother named Patrick, but he is never seen on the show. She also suffers from epilepsy and has suffered from seizures when she hasn't taken her medication.
With her intelligence comes a strong-willed girl who is very opinionated, passionate, and outspoken towards many social issues such as the environment, animal rights, and feminism.
In grade seven, Caitlin was a contributing writer to Degrassi Junior High's newspaper. She was promoted to newspaper editor in grade eight. Whether it be through the school newspaper, after school clubs, or other pro-active avenues, Caitlin always had an inclination to be a crusader against any issues to a fault. One of those issues included writing a controversial article for the school newspaper about Spike getting suspended by Degrassi for being pregnant. Not only did the columm draw the ire of the school faculty, but also of Spike for what she felt was bringing more needless attention to her hardship and Caitlin's exploitation of the hardship as her cause of the week. Another controversial issue included animal testing. Initially, she wrote an article condemning it and urged for a boycott of products that were tested on animals. Unfortunately, she later realized that in forming her opinion on it, she failed to do enough research on the topic and to look at both sides of the issue, particularly after realizing that her epilepsy medication was animal tested.
Caitlin once struggled with her sexual identity, unsure about whether or not she was a lesbian because of the feelings and dreams she had towards Ms. Avery, one of her teachers she respected. Ms. Avery helped Caitlin sort through her feelings and realize that just because she had feelings towards Ms. Avery didn't necessarily mean she was a homosexual.
Caitlin had a small circle of friends, but in Degrassi Junior High her best friend was Susie Rivera. In Degrassi High, her best friend was the paraplegic Maya Goldberg.
In grade seven, Caitlin developed an infatuation to Rick Munro. When he left the series after the first season, she gradually began a relationship with Joey Jeremiah. That relationship was short lived after entering high school when she met Claude Tanner. His intellectual manner combined with his mutual interest in social activism was in stark contrast to Joey's immature attitude and general disinterest in art and social issues. Her relationship with Claude ended, however, when Claude abandoned Caitlin at a nuclear plant where they were spray painting graffiti. When a security guard spotted them, Caitlin's jacket was caught in the chain link fence, and Claude offered no assistance in freeing her and fled. To add further damage, and ultimately sealing any chance of getting back together, Claude selfishly refused to attend Caitlin's court hearing. Caitlin was sentenced to many hours of community service for her crime.
In addition to her legal trouble, Caitlin also had to deal with her father's infidelity which left her family emotionally crippled.
Caitlin's latest role as activist included soliciting signatures for a "letter of protest" (which was really Caitlin's euphemism for a petition) against the "firing" of Ms. Avery as Degrassi High's librarian. When it turned out that Ms. Avery wasn't fired (she decided to quit because she didn't want to be re-assigned as a roving teacher), Caitlin's embarassment led her to confront the teacher she respected over misleading her and her decision to quit the teaching profession. Despite being initially angered over Ms. Avery's attitude, Caitlin ultimately attended her farewell party. At the party, Caitlin learned that Ms. Avery took her opinion to heart and accepted the re-assignment after all.
When Claude committed suicide the following year, Caitlin and Joey eventually reconciled and got back together by year's end. The relationship carried on into the following year where Joey asked to be engaged to her. She initially declined, citing the uncertainty of her future. As the summer progressed, she lost her virginity to Joey and eventually accepted Joey's engagement proposal. Their engagement, however, only lasted about ten minutes when she later found out Joey cheated on her with Tessa Campanelli.
Caitlin continued with her life after high school without Joey by enrolling into Carleton University to study journalism.
For seasons 1 & 2, Caitlin sported a very short hairdo, occasionally with a headband. For seasons 3 & 4, it grew to shoulder length with a blonde highlite streak on her right.
Caitlin, the adult
Her crusader inclinations as a youth, combined with her journalism degree, beget a career as a television journalist of national recognition on Degrassi: The Next Generation. She hosts an environmental television program called Ryan's Planet. As a grown-up, she has also developed a propensity to be klutzy at times. In the series premiere of Degrassi: The Next Generation, it was revealed that Caitlin has been engaged to a Hollywood producer named Keith. However, at the school reunion, it is revealed that Keith feels that Caitlin was "pushing this marriage thing". Keith goes on to say that marrying a high-profile journalist like her would mean having her career "take a back seat" to his because he's "about to hit it big". Caitlin learns about Keith's doubts about going through with marriage to her and promptly breaks up with him. Caitlin later confides with Joey that her rushing into marriage was a product of her relationship insecurities.
Later, in Season 3, Caitlin moves back to Toronto after her U.S. television program had ended. She gets a job working at a local television station CQJH on the show Local Heroes as a journalist. She found Joey in a relationship with a woman named Sidney, and jealously quickly emerged. Sidney grew distrustful of Joey due to his close friendship with Caitlin and later questioned whom he loved. Joey and Sidney broke up and Caitlin and Joey ended up kissing at the airport that same night. Later that year Caitlin was informed that there was interest in a piece she had done on HIV/AIDS a year previously. After some emotional talks with Joey (and references to "promises [he] didn't keep" (their engagement)), she decides to leave for a trip around the world for nine months to do her piece.
The next season, Caitlin returns during troubled times for the Jeremiah family. Joey's car dealership is doing badly and his house has been put on the market by his ex, Sidney. Caitlin makes a deal with Sidney, giving closure to their hostility, and buys the house for Joey. This causes a feud between Joey and Caitlin, but is quickly put to rest when they learn that there has been a school shooting at Degrassi. Later that year, Caitlin meets with Kevin Smith to interview him about his new movie Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh? Kevin chooses Degrassi as the set for the movie and things heat up between him and Caitlin on set. Later, Caitlin's boss and her get into a fight over Caitlin's skills as a journalist and ends up taking her off the Kevin Smith story. Caitlin, feeling a lack of freedom, quits her job on Local Heroes and ends up at a bar with Kevin Smith where she, while drunk, makes out with him. She heads back to Joey's house, still drunk, and proposes to Joey. Joey accepts, and the wedding plans are on. Caitlin then, surprisingly, gets an offer to revive her show Ryan's Planet, courtesy of Kevin Smith. Caitlin reveals to Kevin she is engaged to Joey, and an argument emerges. Facing a tough decision, she takes it out on Joey and they decide not to get married after agreeing that all they do is fight. Caitlin takes Kevin up on his offer and leaves with him to Los Angeles during a tearful goodbye.
Caitlin appeared in only one episode in season five. In it, Emma arranged for Caitlin's visit from Los Angeles to see her mother, Spike, and console her after her husband, Snake, made out with the school principal.
Trivia
- Writer Yan Moore created this character specifically for Stacie Mistysyn after she failed to land the role of another character. [1]
- Initially named Amanda, show publicist Kathryn Ellis decided to rename her Caitlin after someone in her family. [2]
- Caitlin Ryan was the favourite Degrassi character of American screenwriter & film director Kevin Smith who is an avid fan of the series. Caitlin Bree, a character in his 1994 movie Clerks, was named after her.
- Caitlin is left-handed.