An Introduction to Degrassi
Created | Updated Sep 15, 2003
Degrassi is the most successful Canadian television production ever. (It's okay, go ahead and laugh, we're considered the world's politest nation for a reason.) It's a series dealing with realistic kids with real problems, growing up in Toronto.
Degrassi was created, frequently directed and written by Yan Moore and Linda Schuyler, who started a production company in the early '80's called "Playing With Time." The first series was called "The Kids of Degrassi Street." It consisted of 26 episodes and aired on CBC in Canada. A couple years later it was followed by "Degrassi Junior High", which featured many of the same kids playing similar (or very different) kids with different names. Three years later the series continued with "Degrassi High". In 1991, a TV movie of the week was produced called "School's Out" which wrapped up the series with the graduation of most of the kids and the events of their last summer together. This was followed by "Degrassi Talks", which was actually a series of discussion piece specials where actors from the show travelled around talking to kids around the country about issues like teen sexuality and substance abuse. Finally, in 2000, a new series (by the same producers, but now made by "Epitome" Productions) was picked up by CTV in Canada. It's called "Degrassi - the Next Generation" and takes a new spin with modern kids to some of the same issues, and features an ever-increasing amount of cast members from the original series.
Degrassi has something of cult status in Canada amongst people (like myself) who were children in the '80's, as evidenced by the number of websites devoted to cast spotting. It even received multiple nods from cult director Kevin Smith in his films "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy." (Smith went to film school in Vancouver, though the series also aired on PBS is the States.)
The series is primarily remembered for it's surprising honesty in facing real issues, most notably the pregnancy of 14 year old "Spike" in "Degrassi Junior High" and it's continual show of the consequences. ("Next Generation" frequently focusses on the life of Spike's daughter, now a teenager herself.) It was interesting for casting kids that were actually the same age as their characters, rather than having a group of fifteen year olds played by actors nearing thirty. Also, they LOOKED like regular kids, complete with bad hair and teeth, and sometimes, no ability to act at all. It has won, and continues to win, numerous awards for acting and writing, and has been shown in countries around the world.
As an interesting side note, famed US TV producer Aaron Spelling was so impressed with Degrassi during it's original run that he tried to purchase it from Playing With Time to export to the States, but wanted to make a few changes, such as lightening the tone and casting better looking kids and setting it in California. When the producers refused to sell, Spelling created his own series, the long running "Saved By the Bell."
The current Degrassi has an award winning website, set up as a virtual school, where members can talk to other fans and characters "send" members D-mail updates after each episode. You can check that out at www.degrassi.tv
For more information, or if you just want to tell me I'm a loser, drop me a line.
Misty
Degrassi was created, frequently directed and written by Yan Moore and Linda Schuyler, who started a production company in the early '80's called "Playing With Time." The first series was called "The Kids of Degrassi Street." It consisted of 26 episodes and aired on CBC in Canada. A couple years later it was followed by "Degrassi Junior High", which featured many of the same kids playing similar (or very different) kids with different names. Three years later the series continued with "Degrassi High". In 1991, a TV movie of the week was produced called "School's Out" which wrapped up the series with the graduation of most of the kids and the events of their last summer together. This was followed by "Degrassi Talks", which was actually a series of discussion piece specials where actors from the show travelled around talking to kids around the country about issues like teen sexuality and substance abuse. Finally, in 2000, a new series (by the same producers, but now made by "Epitome" Productions) was picked up by CTV in Canada. It's called "Degrassi - the Next Generation" and takes a new spin with modern kids to some of the same issues, and features an ever-increasing amount of cast members from the original series.
Degrassi has something of cult status in Canada amongst people (like myself) who were children in the '80's, as evidenced by the number of websites devoted to cast spotting. It even received multiple nods from cult director Kevin Smith in his films "Mallrats" and "Chasing Amy." (Smith went to film school in Vancouver, though the series also aired on PBS is the States.)
The series is primarily remembered for it's surprising honesty in facing real issues, most notably the pregnancy of 14 year old "Spike" in "Degrassi Junior High" and it's continual show of the consequences. ("Next Generation" frequently focusses on the life of Spike's daughter, now a teenager herself.) It was interesting for casting kids that were actually the same age as their characters, rather than having a group of fifteen year olds played by actors nearing thirty. Also, they LOOKED like regular kids, complete with bad hair and teeth, and sometimes, no ability to act at all. It has won, and continues to win, numerous awards for acting and writing, and has been shown in countries around the world.
As an interesting side note, famed US TV producer Aaron Spelling was so impressed with Degrassi during it's original run that he tried to purchase it from Playing With Time to export to the States, but wanted to make a few changes, such as lightening the tone and casting better looking kids and setting it in California. When the producers refused to sell, Spelling created his own series, the long running "Saved By the Bell."
The current Degrassi has an award winning website, set up as a virtual school, where members can talk to other fans and characters "send" members D-mail updates after each episode. You can check that out at www.degrassi.tv
For more information, or if you just want to tell me I'm a loser, drop me a line.
Misty
