Degrassi: The Next Generation

[BetterForgotten]

It's so strange that they've avoided an adult-themed spin-off for so long. Most of the original TNG cast would be ripe for a Thirtysomething-esque type of show as well.

Ha, yeah, I didn't realize it upon my original viewing of the show, but that theme was used a lot for Sean. Another example is Sean's season 4 exit (9:05 in and 21:13 in at the end of the episode):

 

What an unusual ending btw - he just casually break it off with Ellie, and then he and Emma have a lengthy longing stare as Jay drives himself, Ellie, and Emma back, lol? Even as someone who hates that Sean and Emma didn't end up together in the end, this was laying it on a bit thick.  

[All My Shadows]

I don't know, they seemed to have a hard time letting go of the original core group (as they should) for about four solid seasons, with us following the Paige/Marco/Ellie crew off to college and then them trying really really hard to keep Emma and Manny relevant, going as far as having them be in the new "life at Degrassi"-style opening sequence, even though they were no longer there. I think the goal would be not to focus on a much smaller ensemble built around Degrassi characters. I honestly think the first big mistake DTNG made was not just spinning Paige, Marco, and Ellie off after they graduated. Trying to tell college stories on a show that was supposed to be (and was still trying to be) about a high school was rough.

[All My Shadows]

Gosh, that sweet baby boy...all of the episodes surrounding the shooting have been heavy on my mind this week for obvious reasons. Shortly after Parkland, we were given some bullsh!t reactionary directives to "incorporate active shooter safety into lessons," and I just so happened to be teaching a mini-unit on Canadian history so...we might have watched both parts of "Time Stands Still" in my classes that week, complete with us breaking apart all that was wrong with Degrassi's "lockdown," including kids being locked in classrooms while other people just went in and out of the building.

Sean and Ellie really were my preferred coupling. Separately, their stories were a bit more mature, then they ended up sharing an apartment as that *whispers* high school couple that lives together. Emma kinda went off the rails for a while, and I always thought she'd be better served ending up with someone who didn't go to Degrassi so that she didn't have to live up to the high standards of the righteous "cause girl" she'd been.

I'm ready to start skimming through some episodes to pick up on other regular background music lol There's one little piano piece that would always play at the end of emotionally-charged scenes right before a commercial or freeze frame. It low-key sounds like the hook from Summer Breeze. It looks like they've removed most episodes from YouTube, so I can't find it.

[Liberty City]

I mean, that'd be a cute idea. I did like when TNG did do those college years, even though they were not consistent. But I think it's going to depend on if people care about this next set of teens.

As fan-loved as Sean was... he was that soap opera character that was used when they got bored and needed to shake things up, whether for a long-term stint or for a few episodes.

[victoria foxton]

Keeping the kids after high school didn't work. It felt like two different shows. Surprisingly Degrassi kept that going for a while. I can understand why they were kept. But it didn't feel the same.

[BetterForgotten]

It didn’t help that those college stories just weren’t any good or very interesting.

I guess the same could be said for the adult group of Joey, Caitlin, Spike, etc in the early seasons when they tried to use them regularly. 

[All My Shadows]

I think the thing with the adults in the early years is that they weren't yet convinced that the show would gain a large enough teen audience to stand on its own, so they wanted to at least keep the interest of viewers of the original series. Those characters were great in their roles as they related to the new set, and anything Spike/Snake was good IMO, but Caitlin was pretty cringe-worthy in those episodes with her trying to stay in Joey's life even as he dated that awful, awful cow Sydney.

The ship may have sailed on a college Degrassi - the moment was really right there when Paige and crew graduated, and that's it. They really dropped the ball there, and yes, it manifested itself in pretty lame college stories. The few stories with potential never really went as far as they could because they were still squished in with everything else going on.

If the new series is to have no strong ties to TNG, then I would love it if we at least got updates on where the characters are now. I would be content with a concise write-up for each of the major players.

[BetterForgotten]

The new show will definitely be aesthetically different at least as I remember reading somewhere that the set was dismantled and sold off after New Class ceased production. 

Foe those who always wanted a long version of the song that played as Manny strutted down the halls in her studded blue thong, here it is. Cheesy, generic Y2K pop at its best, lol.

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by BetterForgotten

[BetterForgotten]

I’m up to season 4 with my re-watch and just got through Craig’s bipolar episodes. I may not have noticed it enough back in the day, but Jake Epstein was/is truly gifted - he had a way of making Craig seem likeable when he was clearly a f.uck boy. He also brought so much depth and range to these bipolar episodes in particular. 

I saw him in a play in NYC a few years ago, he definitely had a ton of stage presence in that environment as well. Glad to see he’s steadily working.

[Liberty City]

I am beginning S12 for the first time next week, and I am interested in seeing what is going to happen, despite not really liking the next round of students.

[BetterForgotten]

The show's focus on Clare and Eli in latter TNG seasons makes my gums itch. Not sure I'll be able to make it to season 14 after most of the OGs have gone. 

Alli was supposed to be their new Manny in later years, right? Except, she sucks...

[All My Shadows]

Craig was my favorite for so long probably because Jake Epstein was just so good at playing every part of the character - the ambition, the selfishness, the destruction, the manipulation, etc. I hated Ashley and still do.

Clare is definitely my main reason for not really getting into the later seasons. Alli was okaaaay, but it was just a blah group. I did like the class before them with Sav, Holly J, Anya, etc. The biggest mistake this show made (even bigger than the wishy-washy post-grad stuff with Paige and co.) was doubling up the episodes during that whole era. There was just no need - none of what they were doing necessitated hour-long episodes (because that's basically what they were, regardless of what TPTB said at the time), and you just ended up with a LOT of Clare and Eli all the damn time. I think Clare eventually clocked in nearly 200 episodes. Meanwhile, Paige was in half as many.

[BetterForgotten]

Made it to season 7 in my re-watch, and I still hate what they did to Alex before writing her out and after maturing and progressing her earlier in that season. Deanna Casaluce was another underrated one who never really got her due. 

[OzFrog]

OMG I love that there is a thread for Degrassi TNG! I literally just discovered this a few weeks ago (after having grown up as a kid watching the previous Degrassi series (KODS, DJH, DH)), and have already managed to watch my way through the first nine seasons. I have many many thoughts!

 

[Taoboi]

WELCOME!!!

 

I'm still on around Season 10/11/12 myself, but we definitely like hearing thoughts no matter what here. Especially someone that remembers how long it's been around aka the PBS years.