This article contains mild spoilers for “Degrassi,” so read at your own risk!
Ever since I was in sixth grade, if you asked me what my favorite TV shows of all time are, “Degrassi” would always make the list without fail. I mean, how could it not? It has literally everything you would want from a TV show. Drama, comedy, romance, lovable characters and even the occasional musical number. And, not to mention, it’s Canadian, which makes the show that much more fun.
“Degrassi” has been around for a long time. The “Degrassi” franchise first started in 1979 with “The Kids of Degrassi Street” that had books to go along with it. Eventually, the show evolved into “Degrassi Junior High” and “Degrassi High,” which followed characters from middle school to high school graduation. The franchise seemed to have hit its end then until it came back in 2001, twenty years ago, with “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” Following the cancelation of “Next Generation,” Netflix picked up the show for its most recent version, “Degrassi: Next Class.” So, yeah. There’s a lot of “Degrassi” we could discuss. For the purposes of this article, we’ll just be covering the 14 season run of “Next Generation,” the most popular iteration.
This show certainly should come with a trigger warning for just about every topic imaginable because “Degrassi” handles that many issues. And wanna know the craziest part? It handles the issues well, unlike some shows we know. While there are some storylines that could have been given more thought, the show does its best to tackle tough topics with as much care as possible. Some of the most memorable stories they touch on include school shootings, suicide, teen pregnancy, abuse, sexual assault, self-harm and addiction just to name a few. If you’re looking for a show to watch that explores something you’ve dealt with in your life, then “Degrassi” is probably for you!
The best part of the show is hands-down the characters. They are some of the most relatable, rootable and charming characters I’ve ever seen on a show. A few of my personal favorites are Holly J Sinclair and Miles Hollingsworth III. Because it ran for so long, the cast of characters is very extensive. Each episode follows two to three different storylines, so you come to know these characters pretty well by the time they graduate. No character is perfect; every single one of them has their flaws, which only helps to humanize them. Also, the cast is diverse in their sexual orientation, gender identity, family situations and ethnic backgrounds. Fun fact, “Degrassi” was the first show in Canadian history to feature a transgender main character with the creation of Adam Torres. “Degrassi” wasn’t afraid to push the envelope, but when they did, they didn’t do it for shock value; they did it to give underrepresented voices a chance to be heard.
“Degrassi” managed to also launch a few of its actors’ careers. Everybody knows how Drake got his start by playing Jimmy Brooks, the character who gets paralyzed from the waist down following a school shooting. Besides him, Nina Dobrev’s first role was playing Mia Jones on “Degrassi,” a teen mom who wants to become a model. Without “Degrassi,” who knows if “The Vampire Diaries” would have somebody else playing Elena? Even Shay Mitchell shows up in an episode to help Mia with her modeling career.
In conclusion, this is definitely one of the best shows ever made. It has a little something for everybody. Because the show went on for so long, you’ll have something to watch for basically the rest of your life! If you’re interested in giving “Degrassi: The Next Generation” a watch (or a rewatch), you can check it out on YouTube and IMDbTV!