HBO’s January 13 announcement that a new season of Degrassi will return was nothing short of a surprise. The last time fans saw Degrassi was in the 2017 Degrassi: Next Class finale streaming on Netflix. While unexpected, fans of the franchise could not be more excited, and a new series of Degrassi is just what Gen Z needs.
The show follows different groups of students in Toronto along with their teachers and families. It is a staple of Toronto life, and while there is an actual De Grassi Street in the city, Degrassi High is not a real school. Older generations may remember the franchise began in 1979 with The Kids of Degrassi Street and was followed by Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High in the 80s and 90s.
The show then returned with the popular Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2001 and a follow-up Degrassi: Next Class in 2016. The franchise has never held back on tackling issues teenagers face that don’t usually make the mainstream media.
The series will be released on HBO Max and has many questioning if it will be new competition for Euphoria. Ever since the release of Euphoria, there have been countless comparisons with the characters from Degrassi: The Next Generation. Euphoria’s character Maddy Perez’s iconic cut-out flare pants are reminiscent of Degrassi’s Manny Santos’ 2003 low-rise jeans and thong outfit.
Even though much of the fashion and plot points are alike between the shows, the similarities end there. The reboot was announced by WarnerMedia Kids & Family and will be produced by franchise owner WildBrain.
Degrassi has always been a show for teenagers. It continuously explored topics that you didn’t see on other shows, such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, suicide, racism, gender identity, rape and more. Watching Degrassi as a teenager was a chance to discover things adults didn’t tell you about. There was a lot to learn from the show.
Even though some characters were kinder than others, there was a message to take away from each of their journeys. The show has been dramatic in the past, but the issues it deals with are real and a part of many people’s lives.
The return of Degrassi will bring a fresh set of faces and a new storyline to the franchise we know and love. Teenagers today could use what Degrassi has always offered, an authentic depiction of some of teenagers’ greatest challenges. Just like in the lyrics of the Next Generation theme song, everyone could use the line “whatever it takes, I know I can make it through.”