I love that the actors all wore their own clothes to the set. Especially cool for Spike because she really did her hair like that irl. Love to see an actual punk girl playing a punk girl.
Fr right? When I learned that I immediately felt less stylish considering actual teenagers picked those clothes and I can’t even wear a hoodie and look nice 😂
@@RilianSharp Yeah that makes him come off like a bit of a egotistical ass to me. I got to it a while ago and while it wasn't as bad as I thought it still was a little annoying
Degrassi will have you start to enjoy and like originally hatable/irritating characters (Holly j, Bianca, Spinner, Joey) and make you dislike people who started off nice (Craig, Wheels, Tristan)
@@RilianSharp he became the worst part about season 13 and I believe 14. He gets into a relationship with a teacher and gets mad at Maya for doing the right thing and even though Maya was almost always a good friend to him, she would need to apologize for everything
Something that is head canon for me now is the Joey became so good at fixing his crappy use car that he opened up a used car lot because he could us that knowledge
Fun fact: Amanda Stepto (Spike) hated School's Out. She requested to have a bigger part but never did, and she felt it just wasn't really a great send off. That's a shame. I find it disappointing that Spike was such a side character in the original series, because I feel like she warranted true "main character" status. Plots should have dealt with other stuff about her outside the pregnancy, such as her punk style, conflicts with others, etc. In fact, I've wondered about if Spike never got pregnant, what her character would be. It'd be kinda cool if Spike was a villain, like Jay in TNG, whose meant to be unlikable yet has enough wit, charm and character development to make you care and empathize. I'd argue that grin she does sometimes would be iconically mischievous. Shameless self-promo but I'm actually working on a video essay about Spike, how she was underutilized, what could have happened to her, and how she is percieved by fans.
I don’t think Amanda Stepto was that great of an actress. Therefore, I’m okay with her not getting as many storylines. Granted with the exceptions of Joey, Caitlin, Liz, Lucy, and Snake, there wasn’t an abundance of great acting.
@@wuteva4eva456 its not like they gave her much screen time to improve her craft on. A lot of people don't think she's a great actress and I've seen some nasty comments about the way she speaks. i liked Spike more than Joey, Caitlin, Snake, Wheels and so I wish she was there more bad acting or not.
Yes she should have had a bigger part in School's Out. She knew Tessa was dating Joey, and advised her that he and Caitlin had been "breaking up and getting back together for years". If she had been at any of the parties, even for a bit, she'd know what was really happening. There were a lot of other ways to write School's Out; Arthur(who had a crush on Caitlin, and Tessa was friends with his cousin Dorothy), and Michelle(who dated Snake in the last episode) could've also seen that love triangle. But that was nice the end credit parts, it shows Spike coming onto the dance floor with little Emma
Since there are 14 seasons in TNG you could just do them by 3’s and and then the last video could be 2 seasons and a “final thoughts/retrospective/where are they now” type bit. Might not be the best categorized but it would be the easiest way to keep track of everything and keep all the videos at a similar length haha. Love your vids!
Maybe do like "the Emma Years" "the Clare Years" and the "Maya Years" There's some bleed over from each, but it seems like the show changed focus as a new protagonist comes forward.
One distinct era is definitely the Lakehurst/follow the OGs to college seasons. It’s such a shift in storytelling, the cast is so disjointed, it feels like you’re watching 4 separate shows- the college kids, the Degrassi OGs still at Degrassi, the Lakehurst transfers, and the introduction of minor niners(Clare’s class).
From 2006 to 2010 was when I stopped watching the show. Once they started the Drew and Bianca storyline (began reading forums about it) I got back into the show by season 13 i finally grew out of the show altogether.
He so has no healthy coping mechanisms, so it's almost human nature to turn out the way he did. Wheels is honestly one of my favorite characters and I'm so mad that they didn't do better by him.
@@robynprice8289 What do you mean "they didn't do better by him" ? The writers stayed true to the character, and that's exactly what they should have done. As the show progressed, Wheels was written as the type of person that WOULD drink & drive because he didn't understand how much pain he was dealing with internally. If the writers gave Wheels a happy ending, that would have been the real disservice to the character AND the show. Although, I will say that if the show had the luxury of 3 or 4 more seasons with Wheels, maybe he could have grown into a healthier person. But they didn't have the time to do that. If you only want happy endings, then maybe Degrassi isn't the show for you.
@@28Pluto What I mean by them not doing better by him was getting to show him really accepting and taking responsibility for his actions. That and I never understood how he went from refusing to drink with Joey and Snake in one episode to drinking and driving in Schools Out. I guess because we had a time jump from the show to the TV movie we didn't see that progression. I also really relate to Wheels since I became an orphan as a young teenager. I just wanted to see more.
@@robynprice8289 i agree. I'll even go further. They did Wheels dirty. Also some unexplainable switch is after Wheels makes a deal with his grandma everything is going great with him, his friends and at school. Then all of a sudden by the end of the season, Wheels goes back to missing class and being brat with his Grandma and even his stealing closet friends. Wheels became Mister Hyde overnight and i feel like this was to Neil Hope's disadvantage, knowing how the writers used his real life's tragedy to write the plot. He was still a teen, let's not forget. And I'm not even talking about the School's Out plot that went too far imho because as you're saying he becomes an alcoholic out of nowhere, let alone a drunk driving killer.
i looove when her friend expects her to be pro-life simply because she chose to keep emma but instead she says “just because i kept emma doesn’t mean i know what’s right for everyone” we love a pro-choice queen!!
I'm sorry but I can't forgive the fact that you never mentioned that Cathleen's boyfriend looks like a 40 year old man attending highschool 😂😂 jkjk but these videos are amazing!!
Joanne (Claude's friend & the only one advocating against discrimination of people with HIV) was kind-hearted and deserved more to her character. She pretty much just popped up for these two things and that was it, we didn't really even get to see how she dealt with Claude's death or if she had any support, just saw her break down about it and feel like she's the only one who cared.
@@junodovah2323 people think that was him who appear in the eps on TNG but it wasnt. It was another actor. Same as the actor in TNG who portrayed emmas dad
I can't stress how groundbreaking both the Maya movie theater episode and Joey special education storyline were. We barely get that kind of disability representation now, so to see it back in Degrassi High is amazing. Also, Kyra Levy who plays Maya is actually disabled. Modern Degrassi's disability rep didn't even give us that because they were only interested in "person suddenly becomes disabled" storylines.
One of the cutest Joey and Caitlyn moments that sort of flys under the radar is actually the finale of Degrassi Junior High when the fire starts and she doesn't see Joey outside and she gets worried until he finds her. ❤
I wished BLT got more storylines as I relate to the struggle of dealing with racism in relationship. Also, Michelle and BLT's breakup....anyways shoutout Michelle as well. She is awesome.
The fact that there was a special episode about dysgraphia, right around the year I was born, and I didn't learn that ADHD and dysgraphia are comorbid until I was in my twenties, is wild.
I have ADHD AND dyslexia AND dysgraphia and basically the entire shebang. I remember when teachers would shame me for "writing like a boy" (because obviously only boys have ugly handwriting) but joke's on them because I ended up trans, lmao.
@@Jhud69 I ended up not being a boy but my handwriting didn't get any better 😅 It was actually a mild source of dysphoria for a while; when I was young I was always kinda envious of quote-unquote "girl handwriting" (as much nonsense as that is in retrospect)
@@Jhud69 Got a flashback....my teachers and mom would berate me for my handwriting too. I also have dyscalculia that made a mild-mannered teacher lose her temper with me and berate me in front of whole class. She did not believe me when I tried my hardest to learn.
Claude's off screen death was very creepy and uncomfortable. JT's stabbing was much more sudden and violent. Both were done well! I love his Bauhaus t shirt
I grew up watching degrassi, I named my daughter Emma after Spikes daughter in 2007. I am now 37 and a couple of years ago I met some of the original degrassi cast and I cried. It was so wild to meet them in real life after literally watching them for 20 plus years. This video was awesome thank you for keeping old school degrassi alive.
@@erickamorgan4564 like what Anne said, Shan was very lucky that the name Emma skyrocketed in popularity in the 2000's. There was a Emma in my grade before she moved and I was actually was gonna be named Emma if I was born a girl but I wasn't. Both me and the Emma I knew we're both born in 2005 and are juniors atm while Shan's daughter is most likely a freshman.
The reason Joey didn't come across as insensitive and instead humorous was because he pointed out his (lack of) logic. He wants to die but he can't talk to his dad because 'he'd kill him' ? It's something we appreciate out of most successful comedians - their ability to laugh and point out the illogical. Make light out of the dark
just wanted to thank you for single-handedly revitalizing my love for degrassi and finally get around to watching degrassi junior high/high and schools out
The problem I had with the Claude story is just how hard it was seeing a lot of characters make it about them. His friend (Joanne?) being the only one who cares and felt for him always hits me so hard. Its hard even now.
Never mind I found it. I hope he is being treated as he should while in prison. When he is released he shouldn't make any noise when he farts for a long long time
I think Kathleen did an excellent job portraying an abused character. Her acting was great and you could really feel for her. You can tell she must have tapped into her personal experiences of being date raped around that time. She did say the show did help her deal.
it was anthropology, the study of human cultures which is slightly different than archaeology but related she still could be involved with film with this field or she could have switched majors, a common occurrence in college
My degree is in anthropology and I always assumed she specialized in cultural anthropology. It would be feasible she could use film in ethnography work.
As a Canadian kid who grew up watching the next generation and a lottle bit of "Degrassi" and the classic series afterwards, it is very fascinating to see a full breakdown of this series. I remember it being over-the-top, but it actually feels more grounded in reality compared to modern shows after seeing this analysis. Its been a while since I've watched the show - maybe the show was wackier when I was watching it but honestly, I can't tell anymore.
Honestly I loved Wheels, much like you do, for how interesting and in-depth his character is. He was a kind friend in the beginning that was there for you whenever you needed him before his life went into a tailspin. Suddenly, he wasn’t that because his grief turned to anger which turned to taking the kindness or leniency of others for granted. And it would make me wonder if I’d reach out to him after everything. What if I had been Lucy and lost a chunk of my life trying to get things back to normal? What if I was a friend who’d been stretched too thin and was tired of being overlooked? What if I was the friend of a friend, someone he knew as just a classmate he’d been stuck with for years? It’s all great material for fanfics or testing my own views
You made THE Degrassi video! Everything you touch on is everything I've always wanted to discuss with other people, but nobody is willing to take a chance on watching a Canadian Teen Drama show that rivals the MCU in scale and continuity lol.
as someone who caught glimpses of degrassi TNG over the shoulder of their older cousin one summer, this comment really makes me want to actually get into it lol
The eras could be pre wheelchair Jimmy: s1-3 The end of the originals at the school: s4-7 New blood/attempt to move on: s8-9 Telenovela era: s10-12 Era with the worst version of the theme song: s13-14
Don't ever compare Feeny and Raditch. Feeny is a dignified, competent mentor who genuinely cares about (and RESPECTS) his students. Raditch is a bully who can barely run his classes (and school, when he became principal.)
I'm still watching but I remember when I was rewatching on RU-vid this series, when I got to to Claude's last episode, in the comments, I saw someone said you can actually hear the g*n shot and I went back to try hearing it, and you actually can! I just found that so eerie and creepy that the Degrassi creators actually did that!
I already know that stuff for I just meant when I rewatched it, I didn't know you could actually hear the g*n shot which truly surprised me while I was already aware there was also going to be episodes on someone saying the n word and f slur. Before I found out about the old generation, I watched Degrassi The Next Generation and saw they tackled similar issues and when I did manage to get the chance to see Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High on tv, when I first watched I didn't know you could hear the shot till it stopped rerunning on tv and I decided to watch it on RU-vid again
I would split up Degrassi: The Next Generation Video 1: Seasons 1 & 2 Video 2: Seasons 3-5 Video 3: Seasons 6-7 Video 4: Season 8/Hollywood, Season 9/Manhattan Video 5: Season 10 Video 6: Season 11 Video 7: Season 12 Video 8: Seasons 13 & 14/Don't Look Back
Agreed if you have to group them up than make sure the school years at least go together since seasons 6-14 either take place during part of a school year or between a two school years .
I guess they were going for something like this when writing the lyrics: "Everybody must succeed. In yourself, you must believe. Give it a try..." It confused me at first too but over the years I've heard other musicians write similarly in order to make a verse rhyme. Thanks for the in depth review! Broomheads and Narbos forever!!!
It’s just such a weird choice of lyrics considering that they already had the original lyrics ready to go. Those ones actually fit the rhythm and weren’t as clunky, so it’s weird to see such a downgrade.
i was born in 2005 and i'm brazillian so I literally had no idea what Degrassi was before these past two videos but you made me get so invested on these characters!!! great video, I'll look forward to the next one 🙃
I was born about ten years before you, but I grew up on Degrassi: The Next Generation (the sequel series), I’m on the same boat as you. Lol TNG started airing around the time I was about six or seven. So I grew up watching those episodes as they came out. I’ll never forget the episode where Jimmy gets shot. Saw that the night it premiered!
I always thought that Degrassi did Wheels dirty with killing off his parents and him turning to be rebellious and a thief. I started watching Degrassi in May of 2020 and now I'm on season 12, episode 35 of "Degrassi: The Next Generation".
the way I usually split up TNG in my mind is usually seasons 1-4 (2-4 feel really solid and 1 is so short that it feels like a prologue), seasons 5-7 (post-Time Stands Still era, that weird transition into college era), seasons 8-9 (emma's college years), seasons 10-12 (rebranded as degrassi, introduced eli), and then seasons 13-14 (introduction of miles and zoe and a lot of the next class characters) that being said... it might be easier to split them up as 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, and then 13-14... or something like that. or just do it based on how much you have to say per season because it can obviously be a lot, especially in the later ones when there are so many episodes. (good luck!)
I’m so late to the party on this one, but eras of Degrassi TNG: Degrassi TNG Junior High: Seasons 1-2, where the main OG cast is between 7th and 9th grade and things are still pretty tame as they’re focusing on 11-14yos. Most of the OG mains are introduced. Degrassi Golden: s3-5, where the OG mains are in high school, things are getting a little more mature and dramatic, and what I would consider Degrassi at its early (if not true) prime. Degrassi College/Early Transition: s6-7, where our OG mains are transitioning out of high school. Our OG mains feel weirdly grown up because we’ve been with them since middle school and now they’re practically adults. The transitional characters are beginning to be introduced. Degrassi Transition: s8-9, where our OG characters are being phased out and stories largely focus on the transition characters. Also tend to be some of the weakest. Degrassi Reborn: s10-12, wherein we have a new cast of main characters without any of the OGs. It’s like a whole fresh era of characters. A bit more teen soap opera than the OGs, but still solid and dealing with important issues. Degrassi What The Fuck Is This: s13-14, wherein things just kinda go completely off the rails and the story is mainly written for the drama. Begins introducing the Next Class in depth, and seriously… what the fuck was happening? This era was about the shock value and plot twists and not about building a good story that resonated and made sense.
I'd always hoped Mr. Raditch would have been more of a Mr. Feeney type in the Next Generation but he was never really that close to any of the kids. And I get the idea behind no adults helping the kids through their issues.
You did an amazing job with this video! I was born in '81 & used to looooove watching Degrassi on PBS every weekend. I think my parents thought it was okay for me to watch at that age b/c it was on public TV, but I was probably a little too young to be watching! I remember seeing the abortion episodes & being sooo confused as to what was going on b/c of all the editing. Anyway, thanks for all your hard work!
wait, wait, wait... you put allll of this time into these detailed and well done long form videos, and you get demonitized?! WTF?! that is SAD. i will be supporting the patreon. learning about this just now, at around 24:14, i almost spit out my jack daniels lol that is CRIMINAL.
I just binged JH, Degrassi High, and now getting into NG. I loved how they handled different subjects and subplots, especially the story with Wheels. I've never grew up with it, and as a near 30 year-old, it's pretty refreshing to watch. It was super fun and enjoyable as an adult, imo haha.
Wheels is something of a tragedy. Deffo feel sorry for him. Neil's death was the nail in the coffin in my opinion. And I only started watching the whole of Degrassi (minus Next Class) last summer. Haven't watched School's Out though.
I loved this show so damn much. During quarantine, I watched the entire season of both Degrassi High and Degrassi Junior High with my then 11 year old daughter. She loved it as much as her mama.
I feel like Next Generation really does have eras that vaguely revolve around the core relationships? Like there's the start of the show, Spinner & Paige, Manny & Craig, Craig & Ashley, JT & Liberty, Paige & Alex, Sean & Emma etc. Maybe that's too many all from the same timeline but I guess the eras also vaguely revolve around Emma and Manny. Definitely don't kill yourself by doing it season by season! If you're looking for other teen shows I've enjoyed Sex Education! And loved this video, may Lesbian Jesus bless you for giving us some much needed Degrassi content
i'm so so so happy you made this i was so hoping you would after the last episode. i love your take on all of these things, especially wheels. sending well wishes for the behemoth that is the next generation, i think probably go season by season bc there's so many different things that happen i can't imagine how hard it'd be to split it into eras. let me know if i can help haha
@@Mama_Bear524 And worst of all: His family never even learned of his death until YEARS later. His mom died a few years later never even knowing that her son passed away before her.
your last two Degrassi vids have been AMAZING, I’m in the middle of a TNG rewatch and its just such a wild series. I love it getting the attention and analysis it deserves all these years later
The entire series is uploaded for free in HD on the Official Degrassi RU-vid channel!! If you just RU-vid search Degrassi The Next Generation and whatever season you want it should show up. They’ve got Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High as well!
Ohh man Degrassi. Totally my jam. GenX completely. I never missed an episode. Everyone loved joey and cailtlin together. Same with Spike. I fell in love with Claude. This show was perfect for its time. It addressed alot of stuff going on in our lives in the 90's as teens. Actually it was ahead of its time. Teenage pregnancy,suicide,finding yourself,abuse,aids,cancer,romance,relationships,breakups,divorce, drinking and driving, etc.
So spooky! I was thinking the other day (like, the day you posted this), "I wonder when Kat is gonna post the second Degrassi video." And then you did! You do such a great job. Can't wait for the next one. :)
Watching this video originally made me binge the whole OG Degrassi. Now I wanted to come back and watch it again. I really loved this series more than I thought I would when I originally watched your video. So thanks for opening my mind to it
Sidenote special education also includes the gifted kids. All of mine ended up in special education because they excel beyond their grade level. Special education is essential and I hate that there’s a stigma for it, and if you need it because you’re struggling or because you’re excelling it doesn’t matter, it shouldn’t be something people are shamed for
Joey Jeremiah could’ve suckered 13 year old me into tutoring him until college. This show was so fun, especially when I knew Snake and Spike as parents, Joey raising Craig ❤️ I am SO happy I found this, the amount of Degrassi TNG brain dumping I’ve done in my life 😂
Spike's denim-topped skirt was actually very popular in the mid- to late 80's. I had one with the skirt part in white. One of my favorite articles of clothing back in the day! 😊
TNG was the show I grew up on. I recently binge watched the older series but TNG is the best because i was 12-17 and grew up with the show. Love your video
not totally related to your video itself (which i do also adore and literally said 'omg it's finally out!' about, out loud when i saw it) but when you brought up dysgraphia and the symptoms i completely just broke down in tears because i have adhd and i had no idea this also existed. as a kid (and now) i have always had really awful handwriting, writing itself is hard and painful, and i can't ever seem to write as fast as my thoughts require and make endless mistakes when i write. in elementary school i was shut in a closet during main classes like math and science by myself with a teacher and told i couldn't leave until i started holding my pencil right. but i couldn't do it so i missed countless classes and was scared because i didn't understand why i needed to. and i got zeros on tests if my handwriting was bad. my parents never knew about this. watching this video made me finally, fully realize that it wasn't my fault. that i never would have been able to just work harder and 'fix' it. so thank you for touching on that storyline. otherwise i might never have realized that there is nothing wrong with me and that there was nothing i could have done to stop that from happening.
Degrassi School's Out is hands down my favorite movie of all time. Just as you said Kat, the movie mimics a realistic version of that timeline before university and after high school. I remember having the minivan to myself, hot summer nights, mid-July when him and I were forever wild, doing typical teenager things just like main cast was doing, minus the love triangle lol. I reminisce about my high school crush as a teenager/young adult but can't stand him now knowing better 😂 Also there is that impactful realization that everybody is moving on and doing their own thing, even after years of being in school together. Joey of course feels like everyone is moving on, as his peers were academically and professionally secure in their future to be ready to move on. It's a wonderful movie, very raw and real. Almost seems like it happened in real life too
Thank you for making this! I loved this series so much when I decided to binge it on a whim. It's honestly such a great show, no matter how cheesy it is -- you gotta love it!
I really appreciate the long-form videos! And loved that little homestar reference thrown in around the middle ... I would love a whole Homestarrunner video 😂
Degrassi High (as well as previous Degrassi parts) was shown in Russia in 90s and I remember it was like a Bible for Russian kids&teens as there were so many important information that we needed to know and no school no parents could provide. I didn’t miss an episode. It was really free television in Russia at that time. Happy we :) Now it’s sick again, really :((((
If you enjoyed old school Degrassi you should check out Liberty Street. It is the same production team and some of the same actors, but not characters. It is like a Degrassi version of friends.
If I were to do a deep dive on TNG and were to break it down in parts, this is how I'd personally do it. - Seasons 1 and 2: The cast is still in middle school compared to high school, and plus season 2 finally rounds out the main cast with the introductions of Marco, Craig, Ellie, and Hazel. - Seasons 3 and 4: These two seasons feel like companion pieces. In terms of plotlines, Season 3 feels like the "cause" and Season 4 the "effect" with many characters and their arcs. -Seasons 5, 6, and 7: Season 5 feels like a blank slate after season 4. Plus season 7 finishes with many of the older character's leaving the show, and Emma graduating. - Seasons 8 and 9 : Season 8 introduces a new grade of characters, and season 9 sends off the last few remaining original cast members. Plus season 10 is when they drop "The Next Generation" in the title. - Season 10, 11, and 12 : These 3 seasons just blend well together, in my opinion. - Seasons 13 and 14 : Same reasoning as above.
This is a great video Kat. As a young Canadian kid, I grew up with the characters while watching the series. The fact that it was Canadian (and proud of it) filmed largely in Toronto (only about an hour) from where I lived. I really felt a connection. I've just started watching TNG and I'm loving it too. Degrassi fan for life.
I adore this video and the previous one on Degrassi Junior High. I have loved Degrassi for years but never really watched much of the OG Degrassi outside of the first ep of Jr High. Now I really want to watch them in full for myself. I really hope you do videos on Next Gen and later parts
I was so excited to wake up this morning and see that you had posted a Degrassi High video! Your DJH video was so well done and hearing you talk for an hour about DH was such a treat! I can’t wait for your videos on Next Gen. I think splitting the videos up into a couple seasons at a time would probably be the easiest!
I’m so excited for the next generation episode (s????) this show is my secret obsession and I love to hear other people’s thoughts on it. This video and your junior high one are absolutely amazing.
I played a trivia game recently and Degrassi was one of the answers. I went to straight RU-vid that day to remember the theme to the original series. I've been skipping around episodes over Christmas break. It really takes me back. This retrospective is really well done Thank you for making this video. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
I loved this series! I can't wait for the DTNG videos too! TNG is definitely my comfort show and I've watched seasons 1-6 like 20 times over but only watched through classic Degrassi for the first time a few years ago. Just like you I was blown away by how good it was! I'm so thankful that a show like Degrassi was out there for me to watch during my formative years. The way it tackles so many issues at a kid's level and balances such a large ensemble cast so well is just legendary. Also, Claude's fashion is iconic and I find him so attractive, sue me. For the TNG videos, you could group them by seasons. For me I always tend to mentally group them as: S1+S2 (maybe S3 too. Those seasons are just so cozy), S3-S5, S6-7, etc basically whenever the intro changed
i've never seen a single episode in my life but i devoured both of the degrassi vids in a day. they were incredibly well-made, i can totally see why you're so passionate about the series! can't wait for more! :)
