Promise not to laugh...

[housemouse]

I was channel surfing the other day and got looped into an episode of DeGrassi: The Next Generation. All you Canadians out there, is this a racier version of 90210? Is it a prime time show up there, or is it just on cable?

For those who haven't seen it, it is the ultimate teen soap opera, here are some of the plot lines I have picked up on so far:

1. JT got Liberty pregnant and started dealing painkillers to support her and the baby; that is until he OD'd.
3. A video of Manny dancing topless was circulated through the school.
4. After trashing a hotel room and ruining his girlfriend's father's wedding to another man (oh and beating up his stepfather), Jake was diagnosed bi-polar.
5. Spinner told Rick that it was Jimmy who played the practical joke on him, so Rick shot Jimmy who is now paralyzed, then when Sean was trying to get the gun from him, Rick was shot and killed.

This show is way over the top! I am horrified but I can't look away!

[Chocky]

I used to watch the original DeGrassi when I was a teenager (almost 15 yrs ago now) and was addicted to it! It was on at 5pm which was when we were allowed to turn the TV on before dinner, as long as homework was done. My sister and I watched it religiously but I don't think it was anywhere near as raunchy at this series sounds!

[inuvik]

Hey Mouse,

I can't tell you a lot about this new incarnation, but I am a huge degrassi fan. Like chocky, I grew up with it and just loved it!

The Next Generation first. Yes, the show is on on prime time, and it is current, not reruns. And it's a regular show, not cable. In fact, it's on a network, ctv, that allows most people to get it without even basic cable, just antennas, like me.

As for a racier version of 90210--it is aimed at a different demographic. This show's target audience is teenagers. I think 90210 was aimed at young adults and adults wasn't it? Not sure, I never watched it.

But ah, the degraissi phenomenon. Like Star Trek, there are many shows and it's been around a while. It began with "Kids of Degraissi Street" in the late 70's or early 80's, and was about a bunch of kids in elementary school. We basically grew up with the children. The same actors then starred later in "Degraissi Junior High", which ended around the early 90's maybe? Then, a few years ago, this new show came for, you guessed it, a new generation of Canadian children to love. By the way, the principal in the Next Generation, (actor Stefan Brogen), Joey Jeremiah, and Caitlin are all from the original two series and they are the main adults now.

Anyway, Degraissi Jr. High dealt with very controversial topics, such as homosexuality, teen sex, pregnancy, interracial relationships, abortion, death of parents, dropping out of school, etc, etc, in a really sensitive and intelligent way. The show won heaps of critical praise and was also very popular, quite a feat.

I haven't really watched it, just a few episodes, not being a teen any more, but it's my understanding the next generation was trying to do the same thing. The shooting I did see, and it's dealt with the same problems, as well as new ones like internet luring and other technological things. I don't think it's as popular, but then again the teens didn't grow up with them as kids and it hasn't been on the air that long. I would be very surprised if the tone of the show had changed to the sort of soap opera melodrama you describe, that's too bad. Degrassi really was a wonderful show in the past.

[Eyphur]

I've never watched Degrassi (perhaps I just fell inbetween the old and the new versions? or maybe I just have allways had some strange taste in TV) but my sister (age 15) loves the show and watches it frequently on the N (which is the name of the network). To me it looks like some strange twisted version of jr high (or is it high school?) that doesn't exist or at least doesn't comepare to where I went to high school (in the middle of nowhere). I'm rambling but if it amuses you and makes you ahppy to watch, I say go for it. (my personal favorite kid's show to watch is MR. Rogers, I watched a lot of him in college-when I didn't have a roommate).

[Forensic Paws]

I'm trying to work out how we got it in Australia.

With the recent DVD release, we have both Degrassi Jnr High and Degrassi High. I remember watching both Degrassi Jnr. and Degrassi High (including the feature-length finale Degrassi High:School's Out!), but IMDB isn't being very helpful hahaha.
IMDB says that 'Degrassi High' is an alternative title for Degrassi Jnr High, but I know that's not the case! Oh well. Not important right now lol.

I remember growing up with both series, and I still remember a good part of the School's Out finale! I was only 9 when School's Out aired and I was devastated it was over. As well as obsessed hehe. I vividly remember coming to school the very next day and handing out little 'School's Out' booklets to my friends and I'd spent half the night making these little Degrassi badges and everything! Our club lasted for about a month lol.

When my grandma went to the US and Canada in 1992, I begged her to bring me back one or two of the Degrassi novels. She came back with one of the Junior High novels and while I was pleased, I was also disappointed because she had refused to get me one of the ones I really wanted, which were the Degrassi High ones because she thought they were too grown up (and she was quite right haha). I remember the series of books, each one about a different character.

When I heard a few years back about Degrassi: The Next Generation, I was dubious, yet sat down to watcha few episodes when they finally aired in Australia. I was so upset. It's COMPLETELY differnt to the old Degrassi. As people have said above, it's turned into a soap-opera! Now I thought maybe I'm just giving the old Degrassi too much credit, as I hadn't seen them in years so i got mum to wathc TNG with me. She agreed with me. TNG hasn't got a PATCH on the old series's.

I'm hoping to get the original Degrassi's on DVD sometime in the near future, just waiting for them to come on sale lol.