"Degrassi: The Next Generation" is an unknown Canadian television show that first aired in the fall of 2001. It follows the lives of several different tweens and teenagers attending their school, Degrassi Community School. It is a soap-opera format, but do not let that deter you. Many of the faces we see in shows today started their film career at "Degrassi".
For example, Nina Dobrev who starred on the CW hit, "The Vampire Diaries", played Mia a teenage mom and want-to-be model, for several seasons in "Degrassi". Shenae Grimes, who played Annie in the CW remake of "90210", got her start from "Degrassi" by playing Darcy a religious young girl who was raped at a party and then showed the struggle young females face when being violated in such a way. Most of all, Drake got the start of not only his film career but also his musical career by being a part of the "Degrassi" family from the very beginning. He played Jimmy, a young male who was shot and paralyzed in a school shooting.
"Degrassi: The Next Generation" may seem outdated for the teenagers of today to watch, but it is still one of the most realistic and relatable teen dramas there is.
The first episode of the series shows the dangers of cyber dating. The main character, Emma, met whom she thought was a young boy in an online chat room. But when she went to meet him alone he turned out to be a repeat sexual offender. Luckily, nothing happened before her mom came to save her.
"Degrassi" shows the struggles of teen pregnancies and shows the options that those young women have. Throughout the series, three different girls had a pregnancy storyline. Each showing every option and all of the outcomes. One actress played a 15-year-old girl who had gotten pregnant and then decided to have an abortion. It showed the argument between male and females of “her body, her choice". Another actress played a 16-year-old girl who had chosen to give up her child for adoption after seeing her boyfriend struggle with the demands of raising a baby. Then, Nina Dobrev played a girl who had gotten pregnant at 14 and chose to keep and raise her daughter. It demonstrated the demands of raising a child while trying to balance high school with motherhood.
“Degrassi" was a television show that was well before it's time. It battled the issues of coming out to your friends and family as a teenager. It showed the pain and hurt of abusive parents and relationships. It showed bullies and what outcome can from them. In the later seasons, “Degrassi" even showed how being transgender can affect a young high schooler and the real-life bullies and problems they face.
The reboot that Netflix has released, “Degrassi: Next Class" may seem to conform more to today's view of teenagers, but it's an unrealistic soap opera that show's nothing but extremes. If you have a younger sibling who is battling anything about school or is just filled with uncontrollable teenage angst (I know I was), have them watch "Degrassi: The Next Generation". You can find every season and every episode on Degrassi's Youtube channel. The quality may not be as great as today's shows, but the message and theme is completely superior.
