Archie Simpson - Snake, The Youth

Snake, The Youth

Snake's best friends are Joey Jeremiah and Derek "Wheels" Wheeler (portrayed by Pat Mastroianni & Neil Hope), with whom he forms a band called The Zit Remedy (later, simply, the Zits, alternatively spelled Zitz); their only song is "Everybody Wants Something". Responsible and observant of rules, Snake is usually the one to oppose the others' shenanigans. Nevertheless, the first time that Snake's parents leave him home alone for a weekend, Joey and Wheels convince him to let them sleep over ("Trust Me", DJH ep. 211). When the boys oversleep the next morning and realise that Wheels will be late for an appointment, Joey drives him there in Snake's parents' car despite lacking a license to drive. The resulting minor accident leads Snake's parents to discover what had happened and lose confidence in him (Id). Snake receives his driver's license a year later ("Little White Lies", DH ep. 110). It is with these two friends that Snake makes his first (failed) trip to a strip joint ("Little White Lies", DH ep. 108), sneaks into the closed school to try to see favourite rock band, The Savages, filming a music video ("Extracurricular Activities", DH ep. 209), and hires older student Clutch (portrayed by Steve Bedernjak) to buy them beer before being caught by the police ("Pa-arty!", DH ep. 315).

The boys' interest and availability to rehearse their music wanes, but Joey keeps bringing them back ("Sealed With a Kiss", DJH ep. 208; "Pass Tense", DJH ep. 213; "He Ain't Heavy", DJH ep. 306, "The Whole Truth", DJH ep. 307; "A New Start Part 1", DH ep. 101; "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", DH ep. 103). The Zits convince their budding filmmaker classmate Lucy Fernandez (portrayed by Anais Granofsky) to shoot a music video for their only song, "Everybody Wants Something" ("Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", DH ep. 103; "Everybody wants Something", DH ep. 105) and they also convince Clutch to let them use his car as a prop (Id). In return, they appear in Lucy's feminist horror film, It Creeps ("It Creeps", DH ep. 114).

Snake doesn't quite know how to talk with Wheels after the death of Wheels' adoptive parents (portrayed by Timm Zemanek & Nancy Sinclair), and their relationship suffers ("Can't Live With 'Em, Part 2", DJH ep. 302). Wheels is hurt by what he perceives as Snake's abandonment of him, but Joey mediates a reconciliation between the two ("A Big Girl Now", DJH ep. 303). Snake exhausts his sympathy for Wheels's loss of his parents to a drunk driver, and so does Joey, when Wheels incessantly lies, steals, and refuses to accept responsibility for anything ("Home Sweet Home", DH ep. 208). While Snake is saving a life, Wheels, in contrast, has a serious motor vehicle accident with another car, as he is drunk driving to get more beer for a party (Degrassi: School's Out (DSO)). Snake refuses to visit or write to Wheels in jail because he is disgusted by Wheels' refusal to accept responsibility for killing a child in the other car. He is also angry with him for temporarily blinding and severely injuring Lucy, who was riding with Wheels. His outrage is heightened by the fact that Wheels had lost his own parents to a drunk driver years earlier. Although Wheels eventually pleads guilty to the charges against him, Snake refuses to forgive him, and does not, for twelve years (Id.) "Mother and Child Reunion", Part 2; Degrassi: The Next Generation (DNG) ep. 102; "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" DNG ep. 307).

Snake is an excellent swimmer but is inept at soccer ("The Great Race" DJH ep. 105). A tall boy, he enjoys basketball but does not have his older brother Glen's (Montgomery Randal) legendary prowess on the court; he is uncomfortable with the revelation of Glen's homosexuality, but does not share their father's hostility toward it ("He Ain't Heavy", DJH ep. 306).

Upon entering a Degrassi High School lavatory one day, he discovers the corpse of classmate Claude Tanner (played by David Armin-Parcells) who had recently shot himself in the head. Snake dashes to the administration office and guides Assistant Principal Raditch (Dan Woods) to the scene ("Showtime Part 1", DH ep. 210). The incident leaves Snake noticeably shaken and he withdraws to his parents' home, away from school for a couple of weeks ("Showtime Part 2", DH ep. 211; "Three's A Crowd", DH ep. 212).

Though liked by nearly everyone as a friend or pleasant acquaintance, Snake is generally unsuccessful with women, owing largely to his lack of self-confidence and desire to be the "good guy". Nevertheless, he periodically gets dates with various girls, though none develops into a relationship. Among his failed adolescent pairings are Melanie Brodie (portrayed by Sara Ballingall), Michelle Accette (portrayed by Maureen McKay), and future wife Christine "Spike" Nelson (portrayed by Amanda Stepto) ("Making Whoopee", DJH ep. 313; "Loyalties", DH ep. 203; "Three's A Crowd", DH ep. 212).

Snake is paired with Spike Nelson for what is to be one of their final class assignments of grade 11; studying in the Nelsons' kitchen. Spike watches Snake playfully carry her young daughter Emma (portrayed by toddler Ashlee Henricks) ("Three's A Crowd", DH ep. 212). Unbeknownst to Snake, this triggers romantic feelings in Spike toward him, and she daydreams of him initiating a passionate kiss. Snake accepts Spike's invitation to attend the prom together, believing that Spike wants to go simply as friends. Upon learning that Snake really likes Michelle Accette and would rather go with her, Spike backs out and keeps her disappointment secret from Snake (Id).

During the summer following his graduation from Degrassi High School, Snake takes a job as a lifeguard in the hope of impressing a bikini-clad woman to take his virginity. Unfortunately, he only succeeds in impressing children (Degrassi: School's Out). Having finally taken enough of Joey's teasing over his virginity throughout the summer, Snake angrily denounces Joey for his infidelity toward Joey's girlfriend Caitlin Ryan. Ironically, in this exchange, the traditionally "good boy" Snake becomes the first character on Canadian prime-time television to utter the word "fucking". Moments later, traditionally "good girl" Caitlin becomes the second character (and first female) to do so when she overhears Snake and confronts Joey with: "Tessa Campanelli? You were fucking Tessa Campanelli?!" (Id).

Immediately after unintentionally breaking up Joey and Caitlin, Snake realises that his former classmate Alison Hunter (played by Sarah Holmes) is drowning, and he rushes into the lake to rescue her. Everyone congratulates him as a hero, but he breaks down in a flood of emotion and anxiety (Id). Two months later, at the wedding reception of classmates Alexa and Simon Dexter (Irene Courakos & Michael Carry), Snake is accompanied by his girlfriend Pam, whom he met at university, and he appears considerably more self-assured. Like Caitlin, Snake is receptive to Joey's apologies for the way he had behaved toward both of them, and they look forward to going out to shoot pool while Snake is in town (Id).