6x17 Episode 187

Summary: Now Draz is out in the real world he wants to up his income, and is none-too-pleased when D'espo refuses to reward him with more hours and a pay rise at the Shark Pool. Draz finds himself hitting the sidewalk in search for a better job, but it ain't as easy as he expected and he finds…
[show all]Now Draz is out in the real world he wants to up his income, and is none-too-pleased when D'espo refuses to reward him with more hours and a pay rise at the Shark Pool. Draz finds himself hitting the sidewalk in search for a better job, but it ain't as easy as he expected and he finds himself faced with the notion of becoming just another statistic of youth unemployment. After much prodding by Anita, he finally accepts that he's not going to get a job tomorrow, and goes on the dole, and D'espo revels in labelling him a bludger, a burden on society. Just when it looks like there's no hope of Draz ever finding a job, Katherine Baker, from Newslink turns up with a film crew, wanting to follow Draz's search for employment - a chance to show the public just how hard it is out there for young people to find work. Draz is into it, and D'espo gets a serve for being a shonky employer. When Draz's story goes to air, he's painted as the struggling hero of hard times and the job offers start flowing in. D'espo offers him his job back but Draz tells him to stick it where the sun don't shine - the Shark Pool is small-time, he's moving onto bigger and better things.

Carson, the new school principal, has arrived at Hartley. And he's full of pedantic, pre-historic rules, the first of which is no kissing in the school yard. The kids are determined to get up stuffy old Carson's nose and Lee comes up with the idea of a staging a kiss-fest - nothing to do with his desire to get closer to Gem, of course. But the kiss-fest back-fires and Lee finds himself on suspension for the rest of the day. To further reinforce his power, Carson introduces another archaic rule - segregation of boys and girls in the classroom. Gem incites the others to unite against Carson once again, but Lee wimps out and loses Gem's respect. He does, however, find a way to win it back when a Shakespeare class gives him an idea of how to throw Carson's segregation rule back in his face, without threat of punishment. Carson is forced to revoke his rule when it looks like Lee and Dennis, as a very unconventional Romeo and Juliet, might share a kiss. Gem is impressed and Lee finds himself in the running for her affections once again.
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