Degrassi: The Next Generation
Plot
Debuting October 14, 2001 on Canada's CTV network, the weekly, half-hour Degrassi" The Next Generation was the long-awaited spinoff of the enormously popular and occasionally controversial teen-oriented drama series of the 1980s and early 1990s, Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High (both of which, in turn, had evolved from 1979's The Kids of Degrassi Street. As before, the action took place in a modern urban Canadian high school, which during the "new" series' second season merged with its affiliated junior high. The title of the show was literal in many ways: One of the main characters, high-schoolers Emma Nelson (Miriam McDonald) was the daughter of longtime Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High stalwart Caitlin "Spike" Ryan, played as ever by Amanda Stepto).. Other carryovers from the earlier series included Archie "Snake" Simpson (still played by Stefan Brogren), who'd become Degrassi High's "media immersion" teacher and who would eventually marry his former classmate Spike; Joey Jeremiah (Pat Mastroianni), now the owner of a car dealership; Caitlin Ryan (Stacy Mistysyn), who had become a TV producer and who would live with Joey for a while; and anal-retentive school principal Mr. Raditch (Dan Woods), who in the middle of Season Three would leave the "Degrassi" franchise after 18 years, to be replaced by one Ms. Hatzilakos (Melisa DeMarco). In the tradition of the original series' youthful cast, Degrassi's new student body boasted an impressive ethno-religious mix and a startling variety of personal problems and hang-ups. Principal characters in the huge cast included Ellie Nash (Stacey Farber), troubled daughter of an alcoholic mom; Ashley Kerwin (Melissa McIntyre), who felt stigmatized when her dad came out of the proverbial closet; Jimmy Brooks (Aubrey Graham), who would be paralyzed from the waist down during a devastating school shooting in Season Three; Gavin "Spinner" Mason (Shane Kippel), who was led against his better judgment to commit a theft that would get him expelled; Hazel Aden (Andrea Lewis), a Muslim girl who for a while dated Jimmy; Manny Santos (Cassie Steele), insufferable head of the Pep Squad, who in the course of events had an abortion and was publicly humiliated during her brief reign as Prom Queen; Manny's chief rival Paige Michalchuk (Lauren Collins), who was raped by a star athlete from another high school; Craig Manning (Jake Epstein), the bipolar, musically gifted product of an abusive home who was adopted by Joey Jeremiah; JT Yorke (Ryan Cooley), the requisite class clown with a sensitive soul; Liberty Van Zandt (Sarah Barrable-Tishauer), who for a while was in the unenvious position of being the most intelligent and least popular girl in school; Toby Isaacs (Jake Goldsbie), resident nerd who was determined to break free of his uncool persona; Kendra Simpson (Katie Lai), Spinner's sports-jock adoptive sister; Dylan Michalchuk (John Bregar), Paige's sexually confused brother; Terri McGreggor (Christina Schmidt), so desperate for a boyfriend that she ended up being abused and beaten into a coma by the guy in her life; Sean Cameron (Daniel Clark), a failing student and petty thief who redeemed himself when he saved Emma from being killed; Jay Hobart (Mike Lobel), resident tough punk and bully, who gave Emma gonnorhea; Alex Nunez (Deanne Casaluce), misunderstood "bad girl" and inadvertent catalyst for tragedy; and Chris Sharpe (Daniel Sharpe), African-American aspiring deejay whose romance with Ashley had unintended ramifications. Two of the most memorable of the students were class president Marco Del Rossi (Adamo Ruggiero), the series' first openly gay character; and brooding loner Rick Murray (Ephraim Ellis), whose shocking outburst of wholesale violence resulted in the series' first on-screen death. As can be gathered from the above paragraph, Degrassi: The Next Generation followed in the footsteps of its series predecessors by dealing with a number of hot-button issues, including prescription-drug addiction, the grotesque self-destructive "cutting" phenomenon, profound eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, the perils of online dating, and out-of-control bullying, as well as the aforementioned homosexuality, child abuse, date rape, sexually transmitted diseases and school shootings (several of the episodes proved too potent for American TV consumption, and were edited accordingly). Also, the series maintained the integrity of its forebears by having the young characters, look, talk and behave like genuine teenagers instead of OC-style stereotypes. And finally, in the tradition of the original Degrassi series, Degrassi: The Next Generation was the recipient of innumerable industry and interest-group awards. ~ Hal Erickson, RoviEpisodes
Degrassi: The Next Generation: Season 01 (2001)The first season of the teen-oriented Canadian drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation begins as former Degrassi High student (and longtime star of the "Degrassi" TV franchise) Christine "Spike" Nelson attends a school reunion, where she is reunited with her former classmates (and fellow Degrassi High regulars) Archie "Snake" Simpson (Stefan Brogren), now a member of the faculty; Joey Jeremiah (Pat Mastroianni), who now owns a car dealership; and Caitlin Ryan (Stacy Mistysyn), at present a TV producer. And as luck would have it, Spike's daughter Emma (Miriam McDonald) is enrolled at Degrassi high. Among the other Next Generation students introduced this season are the wealthy but lonely Jimmy (Aubrey Graham); the highly intelligent but none too popular Liberty (Sarah Barrable-Tishauer), who suffers from a learning disorder and is being tutored by math teacher Mr. Armstrong (Michael Kinney) (thereby sparking the sort of malicious gossip typical of Degrassi's hallowed halls); Sean Cameron (Daniel Clark), who worries that he's going to be held back a grade for the second year in a row, but who still finds time to link up with Emma; Ashley Kerwin (Melissa McIntyre), whose multitude of personal problems (not least of which is the discovery that her father is gay) threaten to overwhelm her; and Terri (Christina Schmidt), an emotionally needy girl who always seems to be around when someone has had a major crisis. In the course of the season, Emma starts her first period at an embarrassing moment; a barrage of "get even with teacher" pranks backfire when the kids learn what's really bugging Ms. Kwan (Linlyn Lue); Paige, Ashley and Terri form a band called PMS; and the dangers of trading medications and experimenting with the drug "Ecstacy" are explicitly spelled out. The 15-episode first season ends as Ashley becomes "persona non grata" after a humiliating, drug-induced display of stupidity at a class party. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Mother and Child Reunion, Part I
- Mother and Child Reunion, Part II
- Family Politics
- Eye of the Beholder
- Parents Day
- The Mating Game
- Basketball Diaries
- Secrets and Lies
- Coming of Age
- Rumors and Reputations
- Friday Night
- Wannabe
- Cabaret
- Under Pressure
- Jagged Little Pill
Season two of Degrassi: The Next Generation introduces a new plot development: Degrassi Junior and Degrassi High have now merged into a single institution called Degrassi Community School. Accordingly, a number of new characters are introduced this season, among them Craig Manning (Jake Epstein), the handsome but profoundly troubled product of an abusive household, who turns out to be the stepson of car dealer and onetime Degrassi student Joey Jeremiah (former Degrassi High regular Pat Mastroianni); Kendra Simpson (Katie Lai), athletically inclined younger sister of "Spinner" Mason (Shane Kippel); attractive vice principal Ms. Hatzilakos (Melissa DeMarco), who is none too flattered when the male students nickname her "Ms. Hot Sauce"; and last but not least, Marco Del Rossi (Adamo Ruggiero), whom all the girls adore--but who is harboring a secret about his sexual orientation. Elsewhere: Ashley (Melissa McIntyre) has still not been completely forgiven for her atrocious behavior at the end of Season One, and in desperation goes "Goth" rather than admit she hates being and outcast. Fulfilling the long-held fantasies of many a veteran Degrassi High fan, former students Snake (Stefan Borgren), now one of the teachers, and Spike (Amanda Stepto), the mother of long-suffering high schooler Emma (Miriam McDonald), finally realize that they've been in love all these years and start drawing up marriage plans. Anxious to become one of the "cool kids", nerdish Toby (Jake Goldsbie) develops an eating disorder. Muslim student Hazel (Andrea Lewis) suffers from the racist backlash attending the 9/11 terrorist attack; and the kids mount a protest against genetically modified foods. Beginning with the season opener "When Doves Cry", several of this year's episodes are two-parters. In "Shout", Degrassi student Paige (Lauren Collins) is raped by Dean (Shawn Roberts), a star athlete from a rival school. In "White Wedding", Snake prepares to wed a pregnant Spike, who wants to keep her baby despite the protests of her daughter Emma. And in the two-part season finale "Tears are Not Enough", the neurotic Craig may well go over the edge when he finds out that his birth father has been killed. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- When Doves Cry
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
- Karma Chameleon
- Weird Science
- Drive
- Shout
- Shebop
- Mirror in the Bathroom
- Take My Breath Away
- Don't Believe the Hype
- White Wedding, Part I
- White Wedding, Part II
- Careless Whisper
- Hot for Teacher
- Message in a Bottle
- Dressed in Black
- Relax
- Fight for Your Right
- How Soon Is Now?
- Tears Are Not Enough, Part I
- Tears Are Not Enough, Part II
New to the cast of Degrassi: The Next Generation as the series enters its third season are Alex Nunez (Deanne Casaluce), a well-meaning student with a checkered past; Jay Hogart (Mike Lobel), a would-be "gangsta" who talks series regular Sean (Daniel Clark) into committing the robbery that will get him expelled; Dylan (John Bregar) , older brother of rape victim Paige (Lauren Collins) and the first "serious" soulmate for the recently uncloseted Marco (Adamo Ruggiero); the mercurial Rick Murray (Ephraim Ellis), who takes advantage of his relationship with the emotionally needy Terri (Christina Schmidt) to display the violent side of his nature; and Chris Sharpe (Daniel Morrison), an up-and-coming teen DJ who seriously considers dumping his steady in favor of Emma (Miriam McDonald). The season begins with the two-part "Father Figure", in which the long-suffering Emma learns the awful truth about her birth father just as her mother Spike (Amanda Stepto) is preparing to deliver her baby--while Spike's new husband Snake (Stefan Brogren) learns that he has leukemia and must undergo chemotherapy. In later episodes, Manny (Cassie Steele) decides to shed her "cute" image for a "hot" one and loses many of her friends in the process; the relationship between Ashley (Melissa McIntyre) and the troubled Craig (Jake Epstein) grows serious, if not entirely monogamous; while serving a detention, Ellie (Stacey Farber) reveals that she has been "cutting" herself out of frustration over her mom's alcoholism; class clown JT (Ryan Cooley) begins making inroads into professional show biz; the unbalanced Rick hits Terri so hard that she lapses into a coma; and Marco and Dylan share their first kiss. Several of the season's most powerful episodes are two-parters. In "Pride", Spinner (Shane Kippel) reacts abominably when he learns his friend Marco is gay. In "Holiday", grown-up DeGrassi Highstalwarts Caitlin (Stacy Mistysyn and Joey (Pat Mastroianni) finally confess their long-held love for one another. And in "Accidents Will Happen", Manny (Cassie Steele) makes a profoundly difficult decision when she finds out she is carrying Craig's baby. Echoing one of the more famous season finales from the original Degrassi series, Season Three of Degrassi: The Next Generation concludes with a fire during a school dance--but this time around, the festivities proceed as planned! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Father Figure
- U Got the Look
- Pride, Part I
- Pride, Part II
- Gangsta, Gangsta
- Should I Stay or Should I Go
- Whisper to a Scream
- Against All Odds
- Never Gonna Give You Up
- Holiday
- This Charming Man
- Accidents Will Happen, Part I
- Accidents Will Happen, Part II
- Take On Me
- Don't Dream It's Over
- Rock and Roll High School
- It's Raining Men
- I Want Candy
- Our House
- The Power of Love
Season Four of Degrassi: The Next Generation opens with the two-part "Ghost in the Machine", in which, among other things, Paige (Lauren Collins) has a breakdown after her rapist Dean (Shawn Roberts) walks out of the courtroom a free man; Paige's gay brother Dylan (John Bregar) heads off to college; and several of the relationships forged during the previous season are shown to be null and void, notably the romance between Chris (Daniel Morrison) and Emma (Miriam McDonald). In subsequent episodes, Dylan's former lover Marco (Adamo Ruggiero) overcomes anti-gay hostility to be elected Degrassi class president; Sean (Daniel Clark) takes time out from trying to gain re-admittance to school in order to provide moral support for Ellie (Stacey Farber) after her drunken mother nearly burns down their house; and Spinner (Shane Kippel) gives Paige a hard time as she labors to pay off a debt accrued during the previous season (but it isn't all moans-and-growns for Paige, as she inaugurates a romance with youthful teaching assistant Matt Oleander [Christopher Jacot]). Elsewhere, the mercurial Rick (Ephraim Ellis) hopes to be re-admitted to Degrassi, but his efforts are blocked by Emma, who hasn't forgotten that Rick nearly beat her friend Terri (Christina Schmidt) into a permanent coma. The season's most shocking episode--and one of the most powerful episodes in the entire "Degrassi" saga-- is the two-parter "Time Stands Still." Mercilessly bullied by the other students because of his atrocious behavior and publicly humiliated at a trivia competition, Rick returns to school with a gun and begins methodically mowing down his tormentors, shooting Jimmy (Aubrey Graham) in the spine and nearly "offing" Emma before she is saved by Sean. Understandably, the surviving cast members spend the remainder of the season trying to put the pieces back together and return to normal. Paralyzed from the waist down, Jimmy survives the ordeal of rehab with the help of his friends; Spinner is consumed with guilt, certain that he and he alone had triggered Rick's violent outburst; and in the wake of the tragedy, Principal Raditch is transferred to a different school (an ignominious exit for actor Dan Woods, who'd been part of the "Degrassi" franchise since 1986!) and Ms. Hatzilakos (Melisa DeMarco) is promoted in his place. Also, Craig's (Jake Epstein) behavior becomes increasingly erratic, resulting in a number of appalling displays of temper and a brief stay at a mental hospital, where he is diagnosed with a bipolar disorder. Emma and resident "bad-boy" Jay (Mike Lobel) experiment with oral sex, the result being a bad case of gonnorhea. And Manny (Cassie Steele) causes her rival Paige to break her leg, whereupon Paige formulates a diabolical scheme which culminates in an outrageous display of cruel vengeance on Prom Night. The season concludes with the two-part "Goin' Down the Road", wherein Craig agonizes over the fact that his girlfriend Ashley (Melissa McIntyre) is planning to go London--while another of the grown-up DeGrassi High veterans, Caitlin Ryan (Stacy Mystysyn), is ardently wooed by visiting film director Kevin Smith of Clerks fame! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Ghost in the Machine, Part I
- Ghost in the Machine, Part II
- King of Pain
- Mercy Street
- Anywhere I Lay My Head
- Islands in the Stream
- Time Stands Still, Part I
- Time Stands Still, Part II
- Back in Black
- Neutron Dance
- Blue Monday
- Voices Carry, Part 2
- Bark at the Moon
- Secret
- Secret
- Eye of the Tiger
- Queen of Hearts
- Modern Love
- Moonlight Desires
- West End Girls
- Goin' Down the Road, Part I
- Goin' Down the Road, Part II
- Venus
- Venus
- Death of a Disco Dancer
- Foolin'
- Weddings, Parties, Anything
- I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
- Turned Out, Part I
- Turned Out, Part II
- Tell It to My Heart
- Redemption Song
- The Lexicon of Love, Part I
- The Lexicon of Love, Part II
- Together Forever
- I Against I
- Our Lips Are Sealed
- Our Lips Are Sealed
- Total Eclipse of the Heart
- High Fidelity, Part I
- High Fidelity, Part II
- Here Comes Your Man, Part I
- Here Comes Your Man, Part II
- Can't Hardly Wait
- True Colours
- Eyes Without a Face, Part I
- Eyes Without a Face, Part II
- Working for the Weekend
- Crazy Little Thing Called Love
- What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?, Part I
- What's It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?, Part II
- Rock This Town
- The Bitterest Pill
- If You Leave
- Free Fallin', Part I
- Free Fallin', Part II
- Love My Way
- Sunglasses at Night
- Don't You Want Me, Part I
- Don't You Want Me, Part II
- Standing in the Dark, Part 1
- Pass the Dutchie
- Owner of a Lonely Heart
- Live to Tell
- Bust a Move, Part 1
- Bust a Move, Part 2
- Got My Mind Set on You
- Sweet Child o' Mine
- Talking in Your Sleep
- Another Brick in the Wall
- Broken Wings
- Standing in the Dark, Part 2
- Ladies' Night
- Everything She Wants
- Don't Stop Believin'
- If This Is It
- We Built This City
- Love Is a Battlefield
- It's Tricky
- Death or Glory, Part I
- Death or Glory, Part II
- We Got the Beat
- Jessie's Girl
- Hungry Eyes
- The Curse of Degrassi
- Uptown Girl, Part 1
- Uptown Girl, Part 2
- Fight the Power
- Didn't We Almost Have It All
- Man with Two Hearts
- With or Without You
- Money for Nothing
- Lost in Love, Part 1
- Lost in Love, Part 2
- Bad Medicine
- Causing a Commotion
- Heat of the Moment
- Jane Says, Part 1
- Jane Says, Part 2
- Touch of Grey
- Heart of Glass
- Up Where We Belong
- Danger Zone
- Paradise City, Part 1
- Paradise City, Part 2
- Paradise City, Part 3
- Paradise City, Part 4
- Just Can't Get Enough, Part 1
- Somebody
- Heart Like Mine, Part 1
- Heart Like Mine, Part 2
- Holiday Road
- Start Me Up
- Just Can't Get Enough, Part 2
- Shoot to Thrill
- Close to Me
- You Be Illin'
- Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
- Beat It, Part 1
- Beat It, Part 2
- Waiting for a Girl Like You
- Why Can't This Be Love, Part 1
- Why Can't This Be Love, Part 2
- Innocent When You Dream
- In Your Eyes
- Keep On Loving You
- The Rest of My Life, Part 1
- The Rest of My Life, Part 2
- The Rest of My Life, Part 3
- The Rest of My Life, Part 4
- What a Girl Wants, Part 1
- I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself, Part 2
- Try Honesty, Part 1
- Try Honesty, Part 2
- You Don't Know My Name, Part 1
- You Don't Know My Name, Part 2
- My Body Is a Cage, Part 1
- My Body Is a Cage, Part 2
- Tears Dry on Their Own, Part 1
- Tears Dry on Their Own, Part 2
- Still Fighting It, Part 1
- What a Girl Wants, Part 2
- Still Fighting It, Part 2
- Purple Pills, Part 1
- Purple Pills, Part 2
- All Falls Down, Part 1
- All Falls Down, Part 2
- Don't Let Me Get Me, Part 1
- Don't Let Me Get Me, Part 2
- Love Lockdown, Part 1
- Love Lockdown, Part 2
- Umbrella, Part 1
- Breakaway, Part 1
- Umbrella, Part 2
- Halo, Part 1
- Halo, Part 2
- Degrassi in India
- Breakaway, Part 2
- 99 Problems, Part 1
- 99 Problems, Part 2
- Better Off Alone, Part 1
- Better Off Alone, Part 2
- I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself, Part 1
- When Love Takes Over, Part 1
- When Love Takes Over, Part 2
- The Way We Get By, Part 1
- The Way We Get By, Part 2
- Jesus, Etc., Part 1
- Jesus, Etc., Part 2
- Hide and Seek, Part 1
- Hide and Seek, Part 2
- Chasing Pavements, Part 1
- Chasing Pavements, Part 2
- Drop the World, Part 1
- Drop the World, Part 2
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