Degrassi

Degrassi
The Degrassi logo used from 2013 to 2017. A variation of this logo was used for Degrassi: Next Class (with the subtitle below the long "g") from 2016 to 2017.
Created by	Kit Hood Linda Schuyler
Original work	"Ida Makes a Movie" (The Kids of Degrassi Street)
Owner	WildBrain
Years	1979–present
Print publications
Novel(s)	Kids Of Degrassi Street novels Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High novels
Graphic novel(s)	Degrassi: Extra Credit
Films and television
Television series	The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979–1986) Degrassi Junior High (1987–1989) Degrassi High (1989–1991) Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–2015) Degrassi: Next Class (2016–2017) Degrassi (cancelled)
Web series	Degrassi Minis (2005–2016)
Television special(s)	Degrassi Talks (1992)
Television film(s)	School's Out! (1992) Degrassi Goes Hollywood (2009) Degrassi Takes Manhattan (2010) Don't Look Back (2015)
Audio
Soundtrack(s)	Degrassi soundtracks
Miscellaneous
Production companies	Playing With Time, Inc. (1979–1992) Epitome Pictures (2001–2017) WildBrain (2023–present)
Official website
http://www.degrassi.tv

Degrassi is a Canadian teen drama television franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler.^[1] With five main installments between 1979 and 2017, the franchise follows the lives of youths in Toronto, with the titular junior high and/or high school as the central setting; since 1987, each entry has taken place in the same fictional universe. Outside of television, the franchise comprises a variety of other media, such as companion novels, graphic novels, documentaries, soundtracks, and non-fiction works.

From 1979 to 1992, Degrassi was a non-union production by the independent company Playing With Time and was broadcast on CBC Television. This period was marked by the use of non-professional actors and entirely on-location shooting. The first entry, The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979–86), focuses on the lives of children living on the namesake Toronto street, but is unrelated to all other entries. Degrassi Junior High (1987–89) and its sequel series Degrassi High (1989–91) marked the beginning of a universe continued by future incarnations and followed the lives of those attending the titular fictional school. The two shows drew critical acclaim and numerous accolades for their unprecedented approach to adolescent life and social issues, and their success established the franchise as a Canadian cultural touchstone.^[2] Degrassi's original run officially ended with the controversial television film finale School's Out (1992). which received a mixed reception from fans and critics alike and also featured the first use of the word "fuck" on Canadian television. This was then followed by a short-lived documentary series, Degrassi Talks (1992), in which actors from the series interviewed teens and young adults nationwide about topics the show had dealt with. Series co-creator and primary director Kit Hood would not be involved with subsequent incarnations.

Throughout the 1990s, Degrassi maintained a cult following through re-runs and syndication, and a successful televised cast reunion in 1999 helped spark the franchise's revival with Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001–15), which was produced by Schuyler's successor company Epitome Pictures, and originally aired on CTV in Canada and The N in the United States. Marked by higher production values and the use of experienced actors and studio sets, it focused on a new generation of teenagers, including the daughter of original character Spike (Amanda Stepto), while featuring Spike and other previous characters as adults. Much like its predecessors, it was similarly acclaimed for its approach, but was most successful in the United States. The Next Generation notably launched the careers of musician Drake and actress Nina Dobrev. After a brief cancellation in 2009, The Next Generation returned on TeenNick simply as Degrassi and with a telenovela-style format. After five more seasons, it was cancelled in 2015. Degrassi: Next Class, a direct follow-up and soft reboot aimed at Generation Z, released on Netflix in early 2016 and ran until 2017, with its cancellation only confirmed in 2019. In January 2022, a new series was announced for HBO Max in which Schuyler would not be involved. Following months of silence and speculation, it was confirmed to be cancelled in November 2022. WildBrain, the current owner of the property, later indicated that there are still plans to develop the new series.^[3]

Degrassi is regarded as one of Canada's greatest television achievements and is one of the most successful media franchises in Canadian history, receiving numerous awards and honours over its timespan,^[4] including numerous Gemini Awards, an International Emmy in 1987, and a Peabody Award in 2010. Each entry has received widespread critical acclaim for its approach to controversial topics and age-appropriate casting. The franchise has courted controversy on several occasions for episodes depicting teenage pregnancy, abortion, and LGBT issues, with episodes from nearly every entry facing some form of editing or censorship outside of Canada. The franchise was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in December 2023.^[5]