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Degrassi: The Next Generation

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Degrassi: The Next Generation
File:Degrassi Season 6.jpg
Cast of Season 6
Created byYan Moore
Linda Schuyler
Starring6th Season
Dalmar Abuzeid
Sarah Barrable-Tishauer
John Bregar
Stefan Brogren
Deanna Casaluce
Daniel Clark
Lauren Collins
Melissa DiMarco
Marc Donato
Jake Epstein
Stacey Farber
Jake Goldsbie
Aubrey Graham
Shenae Grimes
Jamie Johnston
Shane Kippel
Mike Lobel
Miriam McDonald
Melissa McIntyre
Adamo Ruggiero
Cassie Steele
Amanda Stepto
Rashon Nitollano
Opening theme"Degrassi Theme" Children's chorus
(Seasons 1-3)
"Degrassi Theme" Jakalope
(Seasons 4-5)
"Degrassi Theme" (remix) Jakalope
(Season 6)
Country of origin Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes143 (as of season 7)
(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersLinda Schuyler
Stephen Stohn
Running time22 minutes
(Half-hour including commercials)
Original release
NetworkCanada CTV United States The N
ReleaseCTV: October 14, 2001–Present
The N: April 1, 2002 –
Present

Template:Infobox TV ratings Degrassi: The Next Generation (sometimes abbreviated DTNG or D:TNG) is a Canadian television series, produced by Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn, which follows the lives of a group of high school students. The show is more commonly known as simply Degrassi.

Degrassi: The Next Generation continues the popular Degrassi series, and is preceded by Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, as well as The Kids of Degrassi Street. Rather than do a show focusing on the (now adult) characters, the creators decided to stay true to the original series and retain its focus on the issues and challenges of real teen life, bringing in a slew of new teen actors to star in the show. Several characters from the earlier series reprise their roles on DTNG as parents or teachers of the new students, and have plot lines of their own which tend to intermix with the stories of the younger generation.

Degrassi: The Next Generation details the lives of many different characters as they go through their junior high and high school years, and since the first season the characters have grown in many different ways. The show has dealt with many issues familiar to teenagers (a complete list can be found at List of issues addressed in Degrassi: The Next Generation).

In the first three seasons, the show's theme song is sung by a children's chorus. In seasons 4-5, the theme song is performed by Canadian industrial/pop group Jakalope. For season six and seven, the theme song is remixed, and stripped of the vocals.

Taglines

These are the taglines that have been used by The N.

Seasons 1 & 2: If your life was a TV show, this would be it.
Season 3: Degrassi, 100% Intense.
Season 4 & 5: Degrassi, It Goes There.
Season 6: Degrassi, It Goes There, Again.
Season 6.5:You Won't Believe Who Goes There.

Cast and characters

Main article: Degrassi: The Next Generation characters

Starring (in current credits order)

Regulars, but not mentioned in the credits

Recurring

Main article: List of minor Degrassi: The Next Generation characters

Formerly starring

Rise in popularity

In the United States, Degrassi: The Next Generation airs on cable channel The N (which runs as Noggin for pre-schoolers during the daytime hours). Noggin is owned by Viacom (the same company that owns Nickelodeon). Nickelodeon at one time aired Degrassi in their TEENick block. In Australia it is aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) as part of its "ABC Kids" lineup. Before some episodes are shown in Australia, a warning is broadcast that the program may not be suitable for younger children. Repeat episodes have also screened on Nickelodeon Australia. However, no episodes after Season 3 have been shown.

Several factors, including Degrassi:TNG's award-winning writing and heavy exposure on The N have made it surprisingly popular in the United States. A March 2005 article on this growing "south of the border" popularity in the Ottawa Sun notes that it is by far the most popular show on The N and has outperformed U.S. youth-oriented non-cable prime-time shows like Joan of Arcadia and 8 Simple Rules (both shows have since been canceled) which is about 4-5 million viewers, even though only a relatively small portion of the U.S. has access to The N cable channel (which in many areas is only available via satellite dish or premium cable).[citation needed] This is even more remarkable considering how few TV shows from other English-speaking countries -- besides those geared towards young children such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Teletubbies, or The Wiggles -- have succeeded with a U.S. audience. Other successful English-language shows from outside the U.S. have generally been from the United Kingdom rebroadcast on PBS or BBC America; despite the close proximity, Canadian television is almost never rebroadcast to the U.S., allowing Degrassi:TNG to be one of the most successful Canadian TV shows ever in America. Many American fans are only aware of the new Degrassi series, having never been exposed to the original (PBS briefly showed the original Degrassi series in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but today's Degrassi:TNG fans for the most part were too young to have watched it then or possibly were not even born yet). This success has caused The N to begin broadcasting episodes of Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High in October 2005. These episodes were rebranded as Degrassi, Old School.

American actor and film director Kevin Smith made a three-episode story arc guest appearance at the very end of Season 4 (West End Girls, Goin' Down The Road) and re-appeared in a two-episode arc (Lexicon of Love) in Season 5. A fan of both the original and current shows (as a teen he was one of the many viewers of the old PBS broadcasts), Kevin Smith named a character in Clerks Caitlin for the character of the same name in Degrassi.

Critical response

In July 2005, Degrassi: The Next Generation won the award for "Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming" at the Television Critics Association (TCA) Awards in Los Angeles. It was only the second time that a non-American series has won an award in this category (the first time was Degrassi Junior High, which won in 1988). Three weeks later, Degrassi: The Next Generation won the Teen Choice surfboard as "Choice Summer Series" at the Teen Choice Awards. That was the first time a Canadian series had ever been nominated — and won — in that category.[1]

However, while some media outlets have praised Degrassi, others have criticized the show for over-dramatizing teenage life. One article for example, believes the show is irresponsible by scandalizing high school life in exaggerated terms, and that it does not teach life lessons. It has been compared to teen soap operas such as Beverly Hills 90210.

Broadcast history

While the earlier Degrassi series all aired in Canada on the CBC, Degrassi: The Next Generation airs on CTV. In the States, where former Degrassi series aired on PBS, Degrassi: The Next Generation airs on digital cable network The N/Noggin; in Latin America, DTNG is broadcast on MTV Latinoamérica and in Poland on VIVA music channel. In Flanders, Belgium Degrassi: The Next Generation is broadcast on the public children's station Ketnet. The DVDs are distributed in the US by Funimation Entertainment in unedited and uncut format.

Although US rights are exclusively owned by The N, there could be a market for this show on broadcast syndication as it would meet the criteria for E/I programming. On September 25, 2006, Program Partners, an American company whose Canadian-produced programs are distributed through Sony Pictures Television, announced that they have acquired the syndication rights to the show, which will start stripping daily on local stations in the US during the early evening fringe hours (between 5 and 7 pm) beginning in September 2007.[2] The requirement of using the E/I bug throughout the entire show, along with limits on the amount of commercial advertising may be factors against broadcast stations using Degrassi to fulfill E/I requirements. Despite those factors, the program has been cleared in nearly 80 percent of the country in advance of its September 2007 schedule.

Season 6 began airing in the United States on The N before it did on CTV in Canada (the first time during the series). However, episodes were put on a hiatus by The N in mid-November and they aired only one more episode on February 16, 2007, before taking a break. The N recently announced in a promotion for "Show Us Your Degrassi Month" that the show will regularly air again sometime this summer.It has now been confirmed that Degrassi will return its airing in the US June 29 2007.

Season 7 is scheduled to start in Canada in Fall 2007 after Season 5 of Dancing With The Stars is finished.[3]

Degrassi: The Next Generation is currently broadcast in over 70 countries across the globe.

DVD releases

Season Episodes Originally aired DVD release date
1 15 2001 – 2002 September 28 2004
2 22 2002 – 2003 June 21 2005
3 22 2003 – 2004 March 28 2006
4 22 2004 – 2005 October 24 2006 (United States)
April 3 2007 (Canada)
5 19 2005 – 2006 July 3 2007
6 19 2006 – 2007 [TBA]
7 24 2007 – 2008 [TBA]

Television ratings

Degrassi: The Next Generation is Canada's most-watched domestic drama series. It has been hosting a constantly growing audience; its fifth season saw a 24% increase in the number of viewers, sending its audience count past one million for the first time. After premiering in the United States on The N on April 1 2002, it soon became the network's most-watched series.[4] With characters from preceding Degrassi series being featured in The Next Generation (i.e. Spike, Snake, Joey, and Caitlin), viewers of the older series now in their 20s and 30s make up a dedicated fan base. Approximately 40% of the show’s average number of viewers are outside of The Next Generation's 12-17 year-old target audience.[5]

Cast member departures

Christina Schmidt played character Terri MacGreggor from the show's beginning until the end of season three. In season three, her character got in an abusive relationship and was put in a coma. She was no longer in the show post-season three, with her disappearance never fully explained on the show. According to degrassi.tv, her character was sent to a private school by her dad due to some slight brain damage and to get away from Rick. It is mentioned that Paige still communicates with her via Instant Messager. In real life, Christina wanted to leave so she could become a plus-sized model for Torrid.

Daniel Clark played Sean Cameron from the show's beginning in 2001. However, Clark planned on attending college full time during the fall 2004 year of Degrassi, which was the show's fourth season. Daniel Clark kept his plan on college and left the show after the third season (2003-2004). So, during the show's fourth season, (2004-2005) the character of Sean had gone through a severely traumatic stage, in which he unintentionally killed student Rick Murray (Ephraim Ellis), and this storyline was used to write Clark out of the show, creating a script that sends Sean back to Wasaga Beach, his hometown, and live with his parents.

His exit episode was intended to be the season three finale, however, the producers wanted to include a school shooting issue during the fourth season, so this was used as an excuse to bump Clark off the show. His exit episode was 409 "Back in Black". Years went by and Daniel Clark had an offer to return to the show's sixth season, which is indeed what he did. Clark is now re-casted in Degrassi, and is currently a part of the cast as of season six.

Melissa McIntyre played Ashley Kerwin on the show. Her character left to go to England in the season four finale, due to the fact that in real life, Melissa wanted to go to college. In the season five premiere, it was stated that her character wanted to stay in England. She returned in the season five finale and is a recurring cast member on the show as of season six.

Ryan Cooley played JT Yorke on the show. He was murdered in season six episode "Rock This Town" by being stabbed in the back by students from Degrassi's rival school 'Lakehurst'. He is the only departed character that was murdered, making his death the third on Degrassi (Mr. Manning, Rick, and JT). Ryan Cooley plans on attending college and will continue to act.

Unexplained absences

  • Terri McGreggor (Christina Schmidt), She was introduced in episode two of season one and was a Series regular throughout Season 1 & 2 but in Season three she was put into a coma and absent from the series for some time. Then in a Season 3 Episode called I Want Candy, Ashley, Paige and Spinner skip school and one of the things they do is visit Terri. Ashley talks to her and then leaves. Terri was only mentioned a few times after that episode. It was rumored that she was transferred to a private school because of the coma.
  • Kendra Mason (Katie Lai), the younger sister of Spinner, was introduced in season two, as a recurring character. Although Kendra was Toby's girlfriend for a while, she was never seen after the season three episode "I Want Candy". The last reference to Kendra was made by Toby in season four, when he mentioned that they broke up the previous summer. Concurrent with Kendra, the character Nadia was never seen again.
  • Chris Sharpe (Daniel Morrison) was introduced in season three as Emma's new boyfriend. He made his last appearance in "Secret" never to be seen or mentioned thereafter. In fact, when we first see Peter Stone in the season five premiere, Emma says he's the first guy she's liked since Sean Cameron, even though she dated Chris after breaking up with Sean.
  • Chester Hosoda (Philip Nozuka), Emma's new neighbour, appeared in two season four episodes. He seemingly disappeared afterwards.

Some characters have been discussed on screen, but are never mentioned or seen in later episodes. For example, JT says he has a sister in "Secrets and Lies" and Manny claims she has an older brother in "Family Politics", but neither are ever seen on screen and are never mentioned again. Paige says in "Secrets & Lies" that her 'oldest' brother (Dylan) is gay, indicating that there was another brother born between her and Dylan, but he was also never seen or mentioned in later episodes; and in the episode "Careless Whisper", the line was changed to her 'older' brother.

The-N and 2 Part Episodes

The-N often combines a 2 part episode into a one-hour special for the U.S.

Kevin Smith

The most notable booster of the Degrassi series is popular director Kevin Smith. His first exposure to the Degrassi series came when he worked at a Quick Stop in Leonardo, New Jersey around 1990. His friend, actor Jason Mewes, who was also his co-worker at the time, became a fan after being introduced to the series by Smith. Every Sunday morning at work, Smith and Mewes watched re-broadcasts of Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. Drawn by the drama of the Degrassi series, Smith became an obsessed fan. The climax of his Degrassi obsession was realized when he landed guest appearances on Degrassi: The Next Generation while writing all his dialogue for the shows he appeared in. He first appeared in a three episode story arc to conclude season four. In those episodes, Smith, portraying himself, visited the school to work on the (fictional) film Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh!. Smith re-appeared in a two episode arc in season five when the film premiered in theatres. Mewes also landed guest appearances with Smith in four of those episodes, three of them as their characters, Jay and Silent Bob. Alanis Morissette, a friend of Smith and co-star in two of his previous films also made a cameo appearance in one episode. Smith was originally slated to play the part of Caitlin's fiance in the original pilot episode, but, due to filming commitments, the role was recast with Canadian director Don McKellar. A fan of both the original and current shows, Kevin Smith pays homage to Degrassi by making reference to it in several of his films. An example of this is when he named Caitlin Bree from the movie Clerks after his favourite Degrassi character, Caitlin Ryan. He also had Shannen Doherty's character Rene wear a Degrassi jacket throughout his Mallrats film.

Soundtrack

Main articles: Songs from Degrassi: The Next Generation and The N Soundtrack (D:TNG)

In November 2005, a soundtrack for the show was released by Orange Records Canada. It was entitled Songs from Degrassi: The Next Generation. The N released their own version in the summer of 2006 with Nick Records, entitled The N Soundtrack.

References

  1. ^ "Degrassi:TNG Awards". Retrieved 2006-10-07.
  2. ^ "Broadcasting & Cable Breaking News". Retrieved 2006-10-07.
  3. ^ "CTV Fall Schedule". ChannelCanada.com. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
  4. ^ "Degrassi: The Next Generation Graduates to the Century Club". Retrieved 2006-10-07.
  5. ^ "Channel Surfing for Nostalgia". Retrieved 2006-10-07.

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