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''Degrassi Junior High'' is a Canadian television series and the second series in the ''
Degrassi ''Degrassi'' is a Canadian television franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler in 1979. It is centred on a multigenerational teen drama about an ensemble cast of teenagers attending the namesake Toronto school as they navigate their ad ...
'' franchise created by
Kit Hood Christopher Hood (24 March 1943 – 20 January 2020) was a Canadian television editor, director, writer and producer. He is best known as the director and co-creator of the '' Degrassi'' franchise alongside Linda Schuyler, including the series ...
and
Linda Schuyler Linda Schuyler, (; née Bawcutt; born February 12, 1948) is a Canadian television producer. She is best known for being the co-creator and producer of the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise, which has spanned five series over four decades. She i ...
. A successor but not a direct spin-off of ''
The Kids of Degrassi Street ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' is a Canadian children's television series and the first in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. It follows the lives of a group of children living on De Grassi Street in Toronto. It ...
'', it debuted on CBC on 18 January 1987 and ended after three seasons on 27 February 1989. The series also debuted on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
in the United States on 26 September 1987 and ended there on 15 April 1989. A non-union production by Hood and Schuyler's
Playing With Time, Inc Playing With Time, Inc. was a Canadian independent Film production, film and Television studio, television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1976, it is best known for being the original produ ...
, Kate Taylor of WGBH Boston also served as the show's executive producer, and the series was produced in association with the United States
Corporation for Public Broadcasting The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is an American publicly funded non-profit corporation, created in 1967 to promote and help support public broadcasting. The corporation's mission is to ensure universal access to non-commercial, ...
with participation of
Telefilm Canada Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation reporting to Canada's federal government through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Headquartered in Montreal, Telefilm provides services to the Canadian audiovisual industry with four regional offices in V ...
. The series centred around an
ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to ...
of
seventh Seventh is the ordinal form of the number seven. Seventh may refer to: * Seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution * A fraction (mathematics), , equal to one of seven equal parts Film and television *"The Seventh", a second-season e ...
, eighth, and later
ninth grade Ninth grade, freshman year, or grade 9 is the ninth year of school education in some school systems. Ninth grade is often the first school year of secondary school, high school in the United States, or the last year of middle school#United States ...
The ninth grade, which is considered the beginning of high school in North America, was added to the junior high in the show's third season as a creative decision. students attending the titular Degrassi Junior High School, as they faced various issues and challenges including
substance abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...
,
child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to a ...
,
teenage pregnancy Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a female adolescent or young adult under the age of 20. This includes those who are legally considered adults in their country. The WHO defines adolescence as the period bet ...
,
homophobia Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitude (psychology), attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, h ...
, and racism. The series often mixed comedy and drama, with serious storylines often balanced with more light-hearted secondary plots. The series was developed by Hood and Schuyler in response to what they perceived to be a lack of educational programming targeted toward teenagers. The cast was drawn from a repertory company that comprised age-appropriate actors with little to no prior acting experience, who undertook acting workshops before each season commenced filming. The building used for the school was the partially vacant Vincent Massey Public School in
Etobicoke, Ontario Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamation of Toronto, amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 17 ...
, with the rest of the series shot entirely on-location in and around the
Greater Toronto Area The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. In total, the region contains 25 urban, suburban, and rural municipalities. The Greater T ...
, specifically the
Queen-Broadview Village Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/ GO tracks, Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to ...
, where the eponymous
De Grassi Street De Grassi Street is a side street located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was named after Captain Filippo "Philip" De Grassi, an Italian-born soldier who immigrated to Canada with his family in 1831 and settled in York, Upper Canada. He later ...
is located. The show was acclaimed almost immediately following its debut, with critics praising it as a superior and more realistic alternative to the American and family-oriented sitcoms of the time. The series also enamored CBC executives, including the network's programming chief, who moved the series to a prime time slot in between two popular American sitcoms, despite Schuyler's doubts it would succeed in the new slot. Following this move, its viewership increased by 40 percent, and by 1988, it was the highest-rated drama series in Canada, with ratings consistently in the millions. The show was also a ratings success internationally, including in the United Kingdom; on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, the series received a peak of six million viewers, prior to the network banning several episodes from its first season and ultimately not airing its second and third seasons. The series' actors were brought to celebrity status in their home country, receiving adulation from fans on a level compared to
Beatlemania Beatlemania was the fanaticism surrounding the English rock band the Beatles in the 1960s. The group's popularity grew in the United Kingdom throughout 1963, propelled by the singles "Please Please Me", "From Me to You" and "She Loves You". By ...
. The cast also participated in many public appearances to promote various causes; in 1989, they were named ambassadors for the Ontario branch of
UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Devel ...
. The show also spawned a series of paperback
novelizations A novelization (or novelisation) is a derivative work, derivative novel that adapts the story of a work created for another medium, such as a film, TV series, Play (theatre), stage play, comic book or video game. Film novelizations were particula ...
, and was incorporated into health curricula by schools. The series received twenty-eight awards during its run, including eight
Gemini Awards The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States a ...
(including two won by actors
Pat Mastroianni Pasquale "Pat" Mastroianni (born December 22, 1971) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Joey Jeremiah in the ''Degrassi'' franchise, for which he received a Gemini Award in 1988. Biography Mastroianni grew up in Toronto, th ...
and
Stacie Mistysyn Stacie Mo'ana Mistysyn (; born July 23, 1971) is an American-Canadian former actress best known for her work as Caitlin Ryan on '' Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High'', which ran from 1987 to 1991, and for reprising her role as Caitlin on '' D ...
) and an
International Emmy The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based International Academy of Television Arts and Sc ...
for the 1987 episode "
It's Late "It's Late" is a song written by Queen guitarist Brian May and performed by the band for their 1977 album, ''News of the World''. Background The song was May's idea of treating a song as a three-act theatrical play, and the verses are called " ...
". It was succeeded by ''
Degrassi High ''Degrassi High'' is a Canadian teen drama television series and the third series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. A direct continuation of '' Degrassi Junior High'', it debuted on CBC in Canada on November ...
'', which debuted on 6 November 1989 and focused on the same characters in high school. ''Degrassi Junior High'' and its sequel maintained a significant cult following into the 1990s as it continued to be broadcast in re-runs and syndication. As the decade progressed, an online community developed around the series and led to several public reunions taking place. One of these reunions, which occurred on the CBC teenage talk show ''
Jonovision ''Jonovision'' was a Canadian television talk show aimed toward teenagers. The show aired for five seasons, from 1996 to 2001, on CBC Television. ''Jonovision'' was nominated for 4 Gemini Awards. It reached the top of its popularity at the begi ...
'' in 1999, became a catalyst for the development of the reboot series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'', which premiered in 2001 and features several characters from the original series as adults''.'' Although not usually acknowledged by the mainstream, ''Degrassi Junior High'' has been frequently referred to as a pioneer of the
teen drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
genre, predating later and better-known series such as ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran fo ...
'' and ''
Dawson's Creek ''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college that ran from 1998 to 2003. T ...
.'' In 2017, the series was named by the
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
as one of Canada's most significant contributions to the cinematic landscape.


Premise

The show centred around an ethnically and economically diverse group of students from East End
Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
attending the fictional Degrassi Junior High School as they confronted a multitude of social issues, including, but not limited to,
teenage pregnancy Teenage pregnancy, also known as adolescent pregnancy, is pregnancy in a female adolescent or young adult under the age of 20. This includes those who are legally considered adults in their country. The WHO defines adolescence as the period bet ...
,
child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to a ...
, homosexuality,
shoplifting Shoplifting is the theft of goods from an open retail establishment, typically by concealing a store item on one's person, in pockets, under clothes or in a bag, and leaving the store without paying. With clothing, shoplifters may put on items ...
,
drug abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...
and alcohol abuse. Co-creator Linda Schuyler outlined the show's mandate as informing its adolescent viewers as opposed to directly advising them not to make controversial choices. Schuyler and Hood saw ''Degrassi Junior High'' as a response to what they felt was a lack of television series that addressed adolescent issues from the adolescent's perspective, always usually dominated with an adult centred moralistic mentality. Amanda Stepto, who played the character Christine "Spike" Nelson, stated in 1989 that the series was intended as a conversation starter for kids and their parents to discuss topics that would otherwise not usually be mentioned. Each episode would begin with a 30–60-second
cold open A cold open (also called a teaser sequence) is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In Ameri ...
which would set up the A-plot by establishing the issues the plot would address. Following the opening sequence, the story would concern the A-plot, before making way for the B-plot, which would have some connection to the A-plot. Sometimes, there would be a C-plot, which leaned more toward
comic relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...
. There would be a crisis at mid-point in time for the
commercial break A television advertisement (also called a television commercial, TV commercial, commercial, spot, television spot, TV spot, advert, television advert, TV advert, television ad, TV ad or simply an ad) is a span of television programming produce ...
. The episode would end on a freeze-frame of a character involved in the A-plot. The first two seasons span an entire year, with some characters in Grade 7, and others in Grade 8. For the third season, Grade 9, which is typically the first year of high school in Canada, was added to the junior high school as a creative decision. In the third season, which is set the year after the first two seasons, the Grade 9 students attend a nearby high school part-time, and new Grade 7 characters are introduced. In the series finale, the Degrassi Junior High School building is destroyed by a fire started by a faulty boiler, during a school dance.


Cast

Sixty-five overall teenagers from Toronto comprised the Playing With Time Repertory Company and mostly would appear as either extras or minor characters. The series did not have a fixed cast, and instead focused loosely on a select group. Minor characters would occasionally become the main focus or would be generally given an increased role overtime; by contrast, major characters would sometimes only be seen in the background, or phased out almost entirely. Unlike the trend of casting young adults to play teenagers, ''Degrassi Junior High'' cast real age-appropriate actors with little-to-no prior acting experience, a trend that was later continued in the development of ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' in reaction to the teen dramas throughout the 1990s. The actors were not a part of any unions.
Pat Mastroianni Pasquale "Pat" Mastroianni (born December 22, 1971) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Joey Jeremiah in the ''Degrassi'' franchise, for which he received a Gemini Award in 1988. Biography Mastroianni grew up in Toronto, th ...
portrayed
Joey Jeremiah Joseph "Joey" Jeremiah is a fictional character from the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise. He is portrayed by Pat Mastroianni. He debuted in the first episode of ''Degrassi Junior High'' and appeared throughout ''Degrassi Junior High'', ''Degra ...
, a fedora-wearing class clown who is later held back in the third season and is the keyboardist and founder of The Zit Remedy.
Stacie Mistysyn Stacie Mo'ana Mistysyn (; born July 23, 1971) is an American-Canadian former actress best known for her work as Caitlin Ryan on '' Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High'', which ran from 1987 to 1991, and for reprising her role as Caitlin on '' D ...
portrayed Caitlin Ryan, a high-achiever and passionate activist who has epilepsy.
Amanda Stepto Amanda Felicitas Stepto (born 31 July 1970) is a Canadian former actress who gained nationwide fame for her role as teen mother Christine "Spike" Nelson in the ''Degrassi'' franchise. Having no previous acting experience, Stepto rose to natio ...
portrayed Christine "Spike" Nelson, a punk rock girl with large spiked hair who becomes pregnant and deals with the social stigma and responsibilities of being a teenage mother.
Stefan Brogren Stefan Brogren (born 21 April 1972) is a Canadian actor, director, and producer. He is best known as Archie "Snake" Simpson in the ''Degrassi'' franchise of television shows. Early life Stefan Brogren was born on 21 April 1972, in Toronto, ...
portrayed Archie "Snake" Simpson, The Zit Remedy's guitarist and later the longest-running character in the franchise,
Neil Hope Philip Neil Hope (September 24, 1972 – November 18, 2007Cited ''Toronto Star'' report states he was likely dead for more than a week prior to discovery.), better known and credited as Neil Hope, was a Canadian actor who was best known for por ...
portrayed Derek "Wheels" Wheeler, the bassist of The Zit Remedy whose parents are killed by a drunk driver and is a friend of Joey and Snake's.
Nicole Stoffman Nicole Freda Stoffman (born 16 March 1972) is a Canadian actress and musician. She is best known for her role as Stephanie Kaye on the television series ''Degrassi Junior High.'' Life and career Stoffman was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada ...
portrayed Stephanie Kaye, a provocatively dressed
queen bee A queen bee is typically an adult, mated female (gyne) that lives in a colony or hive of honey bees. With fully developed reproductive organs, the queen is usually the mother of most, if not all, of the bees in the beehive. Queens are developed ...
who is school president. Stoffman would leave the series after the second season to star in the CTV sitcom
Learning the Ropes ''Learning the Ropes'' is a Canadian-produced sitcom that aired on CTV in Canada and in syndication in the United States from September 1988 to March 1989. The series stars Lyle Alzado as Robert Randall, a teacher who works as a professional wre ...
. Rebecca Haines-Saah portrayed Kathleen Mead, a "snooty mean girl" who deals with her alcoholic mother and later
anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gr ...
. Sara Ballingall portrayed Melanie Brodie, Kathleen's naive friend. Twins Angela & Maureen Deiseach portrayed Erica & Heather Farrell.
Anais Granofsky Anais Granofsky (born May 14, 1973) is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Lucy Fernandez in the ''Degrassi Junior High'' and ''Degrassi High'' series. Early life Granofsky was born in Spring ...
portrayed Lucy Fernandez, a relatively wealthy girl who is usually always a
latchkey kid A latchkey kid, or latchkey child, is a child who returns to an empty home after school (or other activities) or a child who is often left at home with no supervision because their parents are away at work. Such a child can be any age, alone or w ...
. Bill Parrott portrayed Shane McKay, Spike's boyfriend who later suffers brain damage from a fall. Other actors included Irene Courakos, who portrayed Alexa Pappadopoulos, Amanda Cook, who portrayed Lorraine "L.D" Delacorte,
Dayo Ade Dayo Ade (born 1972) is a Canadian actor who has appeared in several television shows and films. His most notable role was in the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise, playing Bryant Lester "BLT" Thomas in '' Degrassi Junior High'' (1987-89) and ' ...
, who portrayed Bryant Lister "B.L.T." Thomas, Maureen McKay who portrayed Michelle Accette, and Kyra Levy, who portrayed Maya Goldberg. The series also features characters that would not appear in the later series of the franchise. Tyson Talbot, who portrayed Billy Martin on ''The Kids Of Degrassi Street'', appeared briefly in ''Degrassi Junior High'' as Jason Cox. Talbot quit the series after three episodes. Craig Driscoll portrayed Rick Munro, a troubled Grade 7 boy and a love interest of Caitlin who leaves after season 2. Niki Kemeny portrayed Voula Grivogiannis, Stephanie Kaye's best friend who has a love-hate relationship with her, and who left after season 1, save for a voice-only appearance in season 2. Sarah Charlesworth, who originally played the role of Casey in ''The Kids Of Degrassi Street'', played Susie Rivera, Caitlin's best friend, but left after season 2; conversely, her brother Christopher Charlesworth played Scooter Webster, an accelerated student who was introduced in season 2 and appeared through ''Degrassi High''. The second season introduced new characters. Michael Carry portrayed Simon Dexter, a model and later boyfriend of Alexa. Cathy Keenan portrayed Liz O'Rourke, who becomes Spike's best friend. Darrin Brown portrayed Dwayne Myers, a school bully who fights Joey Jeremiah in an episode of the second season and occasionally appears in the background, before getting a prominent role in ''Degrassi High''. Throughout the series, there are three prominent teachers. Dan Woods portrayed Dan Raditch, a teacher who later becomes the vice principal of Degrassi High School, and then principal of Degrassi Community School. Michelle Goodeve portrayed Karen Avery, and Roger Montgomery portrayed Mr. Garcia, a Grade 9 teacher who only appears in the third season. People involved with the series would often make background cameos, including art director Judy Shiner, picture editor Rob de Lint, and writer Kathryn Ellis. Susin Nielsen, a writer for the series, starred as the school's janitor, Louella Hawkins, and had a speaking part in two different episodes.


Development


Concept

Schoolteacher Linda Schuyler and her partner Kit Hood founded the company Playing With Time, Inc. in 1976. Together, the two created the ''Degrassi'' franchise in 1979 with the special ''
Ida Makes a Movie ''Ida Makes a Movie'' is a 1979 Canadian after school special short film produced by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, who aired the film on December 8, 1979. The story was adapted from the 1974 children's pict ...
,'' which along with three other annual specials, spawned ''
The Kids of Degrassi Street ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' is a Canadian children's television series and the first in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. It follows the lives of a group of children living on De Grassi Street in Toronto. It ...
,'' which featured several future Degrassi actors including
Stacie Mistysyn Stacie Mo'ana Mistysyn (; born July 23, 1971) is an American-Canadian former actress best known for her work as Caitlin Ryan on '' Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High'', which ran from 1987 to 1991, and for reprising her role as Caitlin on '' D ...
,
Neil Hope Philip Neil Hope (September 24, 1972 – November 18, 2007Cited ''Toronto Star'' report states he was likely dead for more than a week prior to discovery.), better known and credited as Neil Hope, was a Canadian actor who was best known for por ...
,
Anais Granofsky Anais Granofsky (born May 14, 1973) is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, producer and director. She is best known for portraying Lucy Fernandez in the ''Degrassi Junior High'' and ''Degrassi High'' series. Early life Granofsky was born in Spring ...
, and Sarah Charlesworth. The series was a critical success, with the episode "''Griff Makes A Date''" winning an
International Emmy Award The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based International Academy of Television Arts and S ...
. The production team also featured editor
Yan Moore Yan Moore (born February 6, 1953) is a Canadian television writer and producer. He is best known as a writer for '' Degrassi Junior High'', ''Degrassi High'' and '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''. He was also the creator and producer of the Canad ...
, who became the head writer of the next series, as well as the co-creator of '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''.The final six episodes of the series, dubbed 'Yearbook', followed a narrative of the kids creating the school yearbook. A year before the end of ''The Kids Of Degrassi Street'', Schuyler announced ''Degrassi Junior High'' in a November 1985 Toronto Star article: "We'll launch a new series in about one year – Degrassi Junior High. The very last segment (in Yearbook) shows the kids graduating. Where are they going? Degrassi Junior High!". Work began on the new series by early 1986. The show was not a direct sequel, but rather a spinoff of the previous series.


Casting

Schuyler explained that the show's age-appropriate casting was because "so much of the American stuff set in high schools is played by late teens and early 20s – and then some". Auditions took place throughout schools in Toronto; an estimated 300 kids auditioned and fifty-four were selected.
Pat Mastroianni Pasquale "Pat" Mastroianni (born December 22, 1971) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Joey Jeremiah in the ''Degrassi'' franchise, for which he received a Gemini Award in 1988. Biography Mastroianni grew up in Toronto, th ...
, who played
Joey Jeremiah Joseph "Joey" Jeremiah is a fictional character from the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise. He is portrayed by Pat Mastroianni. He debuted in the first episode of ''Degrassi Junior High'' and appeared throughout ''Degrassi Junior High'', ''Degra ...
, was the first to audition. The selected fifty-four would undergo a three-week workshop that took place from 26 May to 13 June 1986 which helped them with basic acting skills, techniques and improvisation and included seminars in the behind-the-scenes aspects of production. The workshops would be repeated at the beginning of production for each season, as new cast members joined, and existing cast members underwent more advanced workshops. Characters would be developed based on the strengths of the actors; those who did exceptionally well would have their roles expanded. The actors comprised The Playing With Time Repertory Company (referred to by Kathryn Ellis as "the Repco"), which at its peak consisted of sixty-five kids. The idea of the repertory company meant that there was no bias towards a particular set of actors on screen; major characters could be background extras in one episode, as minor characters could get a major role or focus, a practice very rare on television. The actors would also earn school credits for being in the repertory company. The actors were required to avoid missing more than eight days of their real school, but those with prominent roles usually missed three to four days a week. They would also be usually helped by a tutor, who would also administer tests and exams. The parents of the teenage actors were also given scripts of which their child was a prominent role and were consulted about the issues the show would address before they joined the company, but none of them "wanted their kid taken out". On set, the teenage actors would also usually run errands, including washing dishes and moving sandbags. Hope, Mistysyn, Granofsky, Charlesworth and others returned to the new series with different characters. Stephen Stohn, who later co-founded
Epitome Pictures Epitome Pictures Inc. (later known as DHX Studios Toronto and WildBrain Studios) was a Canadian film and television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded by Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn in 1992, the company is best known for ...
with Schuyler and executive produced '' Degrassi: The Next Generation,'' served as the show's legal counsel.


Filming

Principal photography of the series usually took place from April to December. Filming for the show began on 8 July 1986 in
Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...
, Ontario. and finished in December 1988. The school used in the show was Vincent Massey Public School (then known as Daisy Avenue Public School) in
Etobicoke Etobicoke (, ) is an administrative district of, and one of six municipalities amalgamated into, the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the city's west-end, Etobicoke was first settled by Europeans in the 1790s, and the municipalit ...
, Ontario. At the time, the building was partially unused by the school board, except for the ground floor, which housed a private school; as a result, most of the interior scenes were filmed upstairs, with brief shots filmed on the ground below. The actors would routinely gather at the Playing With Time production office and be taken via a minivan to the school, where shooting would take place from 9:00a.m to 6:30p.m. One of the rooms, which was used as a library, served as a
green room In show business, the green room is the space in a theatre or similar venue that functions as a waiting room and lounge for performers before, during, and after a performance or show when they are not engaged on stage. Green rooms typically have ...
. The principal's office that students are seen entering and exiting did not actually exist, with the door opening to a blank wall. The lockers in the school were arranged to create an "illusion" of corridors. The series was filmed entirely on-location throughout the
Greater Toronto Area The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. In total, the region contains 25 urban, suburban, and rural municipalities. The Greater T ...
. Places seen on the series include
Queen-Broadview Village Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/ GO tracks, Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to ...
, which contained the real
De Grassi Street De Grassi Street is a side street located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was named after Captain Filippo "Philip" De Grassi, an Italian-born soldier who immigrated to Canada with his family in 1831 and settled in York, Upper Canada. He later ...
as well as a building similar to that of Vincent Massey's, Dundas Street Junior School, which coincidentally served as the location for the school in ''
The Kids of Degrassi Street ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' is a Canadian children's television series and the first in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. It follows the lives of a group of children living on De Grassi Street in Toronto. It ...
'', that served as a background double; this was done to make it seem like that neighbourhood was near the school, when in reality it was not. Various real life stores and other locations are shown and mentioned in the series, such as the
Shoppers Drug Mart Shoppers Drug Mart Inc. (named Pharmaprix in Quebec) is a Canadian retail pharmacy chain based in Toronto, Ontario. It has more than 1,300 stores in nine provinces and two territories. The company was founded by pharmacist Murray Koffler in 1962 ...
location on the corner of Queen & Carlaw streets, where various characters are seen shopping. Other locations, such as the Degrassi Grocery and the Broadview Community Health Clinic featured in the episode "
It's Late "It's Late" is a song written by Queen guitarist Brian May and performed by the band for their 1977 album, ''News of the World''. Background The song was May's idea of treating a song as a three-act theatrical play, and the verses are called " ...
" no longer exist. Earl Grey Senior Public School in Toronto, where Linda Schuyler was a teacher prior to Degrassi, served as the setting for Borden High School, where several grade 9 students attend science classes in the show's third season due to student overpopulation.


Episode production

Following the first
read-through The read-through, table-read, or table work is a stage of film, television, radio, and theatre production when an organized reading around a table of the screenplay or script by the actors with speaking parts is conducted. In addition to the ca ...
of the script, which would take place in a circle, Linda Schuyler sought significant input from the teenage actors on the credibility of its dialogue. Many of the show's ideas were drawn from the actor's personal experiences, the writers' own teenage experiences, and "official idea sessions" with the actors. Yan Moore noted in 2005: "In the old days, the kids would come to the office...and they'd tell us things." For instance, actor
Siluck Saysanasy Siluck Saysanasy (born January 30, 1974) is a Laotian-Canadian television actor. Saysanasy is best known for playing "Yick Yu", a character from the ''Degrassi'' series. He went to high school at Vaughan Road Academy in Toronto, Ontario, in ...
, who played Yick Yu, was forbidden to get an earring by his father, but was only allowed if he got one for the show; writer
Yan Moore Yan Moore (born February 6, 1953) is a Canadian television writer and producer. He is best known as a writer for '' Degrassi Junior High'', ''Degrassi High'' and '' Degrassi: The Next Generation''. He was also the creator and producer of the Canad ...
would write an earring into the script for Saysanasy. Amanda Stepto also experienced occasional harassment in public for her spiked hair, which became a minor plot point in the series. A typical episode would take two weeks to rehearse and two weeks to film. Each episode cost approximately $250,000 to $350,000 to produce; the first season cost $2.6 million. The writers intentionally avoided pop culture references to avoid dating the show, and created fictional pop culture within the universe. This included bands such as "Gourmet Scum", movies such as "Teen Academy IV" and "Swamp Sex Robots", game shows such as "Quest for the Best", and soap operas such as "Days Of Passion". Sex educator Sue Johanson played "Dr. Sally", who hosts a radio talk show similar to Johanson's " Sex with Sue".


Music

Wendy Watson and Lewis Manne, who worked on the music for ''The Kids Of Degrassi Street'', composed, arranged and performed all of the original music for ''Degrassi Junior High'', including its theme song, which was sung by Watson. Watson and Manne recorded the show's music using a drums, bass, guitar and keyboard arrangement. Songs by various Canadian recording artists, including Watson and Manne's own music, were used for school dances and radios. The
garage band Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
The Zit Remedy is formed late into the first season by characters
Joey Jeremiah Joseph "Joey" Jeremiah is a fictional character from the ''Degrassi'' teen drama franchise. He is portrayed by Pat Mastroianni. He debuted in the first episode of ''Degrassi Junior High'' and appeared throughout ''Degrassi Junior High'', ''Degra ...
,
Archie "Snake" Simpson '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' is a Canadian teen drama television series created by Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore. The series is now considered the first incarnation and premiered on CTV on October 14, 2001, and then ended on MTV Canada and ...
, and Derek "Wheels" Wheeler. The band have only one song, "Everybody Wants Something", jokingly described by Kathryn Ellis as "Lewis's biggest hit". The song was written by a nephew of Watson and Manne on the back of a school permission letter, and sent to them. Actors Pat Mastroianni, Stefan Brogren and Neil Hope were musically inexperienced, and would be taught by Manne on how to play their instruments. In the book ''Exit Stage Left'', the Zit Remedy have a second song, entitled, "I Don't Want To Be A Porcupine With Anyone Else But You, Baby", which Joey claims will "revolutionize the pop music industry". Stories around the group continue in ''Degrassi High'', where their name is shortened to The Zits.


Opening sequence

The "documentary-style" opening sequence follows the show's 30–60-second cold open. The sequence begins with a stop-motion live-action scene of a person picking up a group of textbooks, labeled "History", "Geography", "Math" and "English", and walking away. It mostly consists of scenes from various episodes of the characters in and around the school, juxtaposed with images of students with blackboard-esque transitions. The opening sequence does not credit the cast members. The theme song that accompanies the opening sequence is an upbeat track sung by show co-composer Wendy Watson, in the key of
C major C major (or the key of C) is a major scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. C major is one of the most common keys used in music. Its key signature has no flats or sharps. Its relative minor is A minor and ...
and driven by synthesizers and guitars. It begins with a pessimistic tone, with the narrator feeling uncertain about going to school. The lyrics turn optimistic as the narrator notices "that someone is smiling right at me". It concludes with the lyrics "Everybody can succeed, all you need is to believe/Be honest with yourself, forget your fears and doubts/Come on give us a try at Degrassi Junior High!". Anne Weiss of
Cinema Canada ''Cinema Canada'' (1972–1989) is a defunct Canadian film magazine, which served as the trade journal of record for the Canadian film and television sector. The magazine had its origins in the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC), which beg ...
magazine described the theme song as having a "chirpy, almost inane melody". Shamus Kelley of
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gan ...
called it ""inspirational", and said: "For a show that’s all about slice of life and dealing with big problems, it’s perfect." but had mixed feelings about the visuals, feeling that its emphasis on random shots of characters did not properly establish them. An instrumental variation of the opening theme is used in the end credits. The theme song was later reworked with different lyrics for ''Degrassi High''.


Makeup and wardrobe

In an unconventional practice for television, ''Degrassi Junior High'' did not have a makeup and wardrobe department. The cast would usually wear their own clothes and apply their own makeup, although the art department would tweak their appearances for continuity purposes.
Neil Hope Philip Neil Hope (September 24, 1972 – November 18, 2007Cited ''Toronto Star'' report states he was likely dead for more than a week prior to discovery.), better known and credited as Neil Hope, was a Canadian actor who was best known for por ...
, who played Derek "Wheels" Wheeler, stated: "It's looking phony. ..When you look more natural, its helping the show." Some of the clothing choices however were not of the actors; actress
Nicole Stoffman Nicole Freda Stoffman (born 16 March 1972) is a Canadian actress and musician. She is best known for her role as Stephanie Kaye on the television series ''Degrassi Junior High.'' Life and career Stoffman was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada ...
did not dress like her sexually provocative character
Stephanie Kaye The following is a list of the characters from the ''Degrassi Classic'' era of the Canadian teen drama ''Degrassi'' franchise, created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. ''Degrassi Junior High'' was the second series in the ''Degrassi'' franc ...
. However, the "outrageously-coiffed" hair of character Christine "Spike" Nelson, was the real hair of actress
Amanda Stepto Amanda Felicitas Stepto (born 31 July 1970) is a Canadian former actress who gained nationwide fame for her role as teen mother Christine "Spike" Nelson in the ''Degrassi'' franchise. Having no previous acting experience, Stepto rose to natio ...
, who was an avid fan of punk rock music.


Episodes


Degrassi Between Takes

''Degrassi Between Takes'' is a half-hour documentary special that aired on 30 October 1989, a week before the premiere of the sequel series ''
Degrassi High ''Degrassi High'' is a Canadian teen drama television series and the third series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. A direct continuation of '' Degrassi Junior High'', it debuted on CBC in Canada on November ...
'', on CBC. The documentary is a behind-the-scenes look at ''Degrassi Junior High'', shot during the show's third season and narrated by
Peter Gzowski Peter John Gzowski (July 13, 1934 – January 24, 2002), known colloquially as "Mr. Canada", or "Captain Canada",Mary Gazze Canadian Press via The ''Toronto Star'', August 23, 2010. Retrieved 2016-06-27. was a Canadian broadcaster, write ...
. The special focuses on the development and impact of the series, with footage of the cast at the Gemini Awards, working on set, socializing in public and on publicity tours.


Release


Initial broadcast

The series premiered on CBC on 18 January 1987 and concluded on 27 February 1989. From its debut, the show ran on Sundays at 5:00p.m. Starting from its second season, due to a budget squeeze, it was then moved to Monday nights at 7:30p.m, and then later by then-new CBC programming chief
Ivan Fecan Ivan Fecan is a Canadian media executive producer and philanthropist. Fecan was the president and chief executive officer of Baton Broadcasting and its successor CTVglobemedia from 1996 to 2011, and chief executive officer of the CTV Television N ...
, who championed the series to
primetime Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
at 8:30p.m, between the popular American series ''
Kate & Allie ''Kate & Allie'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from March 19, 1984 to May 22, 1989, starring Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin as two divorced women, both with children, who decide to live together in the same house. ...
'' and ''
Newhart ''Newhart'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on CBS from October 25, 1982, to May 21, 1990, with a total of 184 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons. The series stars Bob Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife, ...
''. Fecan was one of the biggest proponents of the series and viewed it as a standard for Canadian television writers; in 1988, he stated that there was "nothing bogus about that show", and that he wished that he had "20 more shows like it". When Fecan called Schuyler to inform her of the move, she reportedly disagreed, feeling that the series wasn't ready for prime time. She eventually agreed to the decision, under the condition that if the move was unsuccessful, the series wouldn't be cancelled and instead be moved back to its original timeslot. Following its move to prime time, the viewership increased 40 percent. In the United States, the
Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educati ...
(PBS) debuted the series on 26 September 1987. On PBS, the show aired on Saturdays at 7:00p.m. In New York City, the series aired on Tuesdays at 6:00p.m. on
WNET WNET (channel 13), branded on-air as "Thirteen" (stylized as "THIRTEEN"), is a primary PBS member television station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, United States, serving the New York City area. Owned by The WNET Group (formerly known as the ...
starting from 22 September 1987. The first two thirteen-episode seasons were aired as one twenty-six-episode season during the 1987–88 television season. The third season premiered in the United States on 10 December 1988 with the series finale airing on 15 April 1989. The program was distributed through PBS member station
WGBH-TV WGBH-TV (channel 2), branded on-air as GBH or GBH 2 since 2020, is the primary PBS member television station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship property of the WGBH Educational Foundation, which also owns Boston's sec ...
in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, who also offered financial support for the show. Due to PBS's lack of commercials, the American airings often featured scenes that were not seen in Canada. By November 1988, Degrassi Junior High was being shown in over forty countries, including Australia,
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, China, France, and the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, where it began airing on the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
starting from 5 April 1988, several episodes from the first season were banned, including several episodes about Spike's pregnancy and the episode "Rumour Has It", which involved rumors of a teacher and a student being homosexual. Despite the banned episodes airing on
DEF II DEF II was a programming strand on BBC2, which aired at 6 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 May 1988 to 23 May 1994, to serve the teenage market. It was produced by Janet Street-Porter, and followed on from her influential youth TV show ''Netw ...
on
BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
, the rest of the series was not aired. The series concluded its BBC run on 10 May 1988, with re-runs of the aired episodes from the first season continuing into 1989. In Australia, the show debuted on ABC TV on 8 February 1988, as part of ''The Afternoon Show'' hosted by James Valentine, where it aired at 5:00p.m. The series finale aired in Australia on 10 October 1989. In France, ''Junior High'' and ''High'' were aired under the banner '' Les Années collège'' (The College Years) on
Antenne 2 France 2 () is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4 and France 5. France Télévisions also participates in Arte and Euronews. Since 3:20 CET on 7 Ap ...
starting from September 10, 1988.


Re-runs and syndication

In Canada, the series re-ran on CBC starting from summer 1991. On 1 September 1997, the show began to air in re-runs on
Showcase Showcase or vitrine may refer to: *Cabinet (furniture) *Display case Music * ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961 * ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...
. In the United States, the series was rerun on
Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
starting from 14 August 1994, in its original 1987 CBC timeslot. Starting from 8 October 2005, coinciding with the premiere of ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'''s fifth season, the show along with its sequel debuted on the
Noggin Noggin may refer to: General * Noggin or gill (volume), a unit of volume * Noggin (cup), a small cup * Noggin, slang for head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, an ...
block
The N The N (standing for Noggin) was a nighttime programming block on the Noggin television channel, aimed at preteens and teenagers. It was launched on April 1, 2002, by Viacom and Sesame Workshop. Before the block's introduction, Noggin's daytim ...
with a two-hour block, followed by standard re-runs. In Australia, re-runs aired starting on ABC from 1992. It later re-ran on
ABC1 ABC TV, formerly known as ABC1, is an Australian national public television network. It is owned and operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and is the flagship ABC Television network. The headquarters of the ABC TV channel an ...
's
Rollercoaster A roller coaster, or rollercoaster, is a type of amusement ride that employs a form of elevated railroad track designed with tight turns, steep slopes, and sometimes inversions. Passengers ride along the track in open cars, and the rides are o ...
and
ABC2 ABC TV Plus (formerly ABC2 and ABC Comedy) is an Australian free-to-air television channel owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and part of its ABC Television network. The channel broadcasts a range of general entertainment progra ...
. By 2001, it had been syndicated in over seventy countries. In the United Kingdom,
UK Gold Gold is a British pay television channel from the UKTV network that was launched in late 1992 as UK Gold before it was rebranded UKTV Gold in 2004. In 2008, it was split into current flagship channel Gold and miscellaneous channel, W, with clas ...
screened ''Degrassi Junior High'' daily starting from its launch in 1992. Later in the mid-1990s, ''Degrassi Junior High'' later reran on
The Children's Channel The Children's Channel, also known as TCC, was a British-based pan-European children's television channel in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, which was owned by Flextech in London, England, UK. It began broadcasting on the original Eutelsat ...
.


Use in schools

The series was often shown in schools as part of health and sex education curricula. Educational materials relating to the series were released by WGBH in the United States during its original run, including discussion & activity guides. 25,000 copies of the ''Degrassi Junior High Discussion and Activity Guide'' were distributed to educators. In 1989, ten schools in
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
were reported as using the first season of the series in their seventh and eighth grade human growth and development curriculum.


Home media and streaming

The series has seen multiple home video releases as well as releases to streaming. In the United States, the series is distributed on home video by WGBH Boston Home Video, who released a twenty-one volume VHS boxset in 2000. WGBH would later release it on DVD in Region 1 in 2005. Each season was released separately followed by a complete 9-disc boxset. The 2005 WGBH box set, as well as the individual sets, include various special features, including the ''
Degrassi Talks ''Degrassi Talks'' is a Canadian non-fiction documentary Television program, television series and part of the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. Running six episodes from February 29 to March 30, 1992, it revolved arou ...
'' series, the 1989 ''Degrassi Between Takes'' documentary, printable materials, wallpapers, and a pop quiz. In Region 4, the show's home media releases are distributed by
Beyond Home Entertainment Beyond International Limited is an international television and film production company with operations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (), the company is involved ...
(under the imprint Force), who released a seven-disc set in 2006, including an extra disc containing special features. The special features are similar to the Region 1 box set, omitting the pop quiz. The series was also made available on YouTube.


Reception and impact


Critical reception

''Degrassi Junior High'' was a critical and commercial success as well as a cultural phenomenon in Canada, where it is considered one of the country's greatest television achievements. It established the franchise's popularity and longevity. According to American psychiatrists David A. and
Beatrix Hamburg Beatrix A. Hamburg (October 19, 1923 – April 15, 2018) was an American psychiatrist whose long career in academic medicine advanced the field of child and adolescent psychiatry. Hamburg was the first African-American to attend Vassar College, an ...
, research on adolescent reactions to the series found that young viewers found it "exceptionally appealing", highly effective in presenting their issues, and successful in stimulating in-depth discussion. Favourable reviews regularly came from critics from the ''Toronto Star'', the ''Globe and Mail'', the ''
Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...
'', and the ''
Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...
''. The Canadian press, including CBC itself, celebrated the series and its international success and considered it to be one of the most groundbreaking and one of the greatest children's television series of all time. In particular, ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
'' film and television critic Jim Bawden's regular championing of the series was credited by cast member
Stefan Brogren Stefan Brogren (born 21 April 1972) is a Canadian actor, director, and producer. He is best known as Archie "Snake" Simpson in the ''Degrassi'' franchise of television shows. Early life Stefan Brogren was born on 21 April 1972, in Toronto, ...
with influencing its move to prime time. After its move to prime time, critics felt it had been well deserved. It was also a cult hit and received favourable reviews in the United States. Speaking of the show's upcoming premiere on PBS,
Fred M. Hechinger Fred M. Hechinger (July 7, 1920 – November 6, 1995) was a German-born American education editor at ''The New York Times'' from 1959 to 1990. Life and career Hechinger was born in 1920 in Nuremberg, Germany, the son of Lily (Niedermaier) and Dr ...
of the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' pondered whether the show's then-uncommon way of addressing adolescent issues would have an impact; "Can teen-agers be won over to entertainment that is not mindless, violent or sexually irresponsible?". In 1989, in the lead-up to the premiere of its third season, the series was profiled by
John Fisher Burns John Fisher Burns (born 4 October 1944) is a British journalist, and the winner of two Pulitzer Prizes. He was the London bureau chief for ''The New York Times'', where he covered international issues until March 2015. Burns also frequently ...
, also of the ''New York Times'', who asserted it was "remolding the pat-a-cake image of what the industry, with at least some sense of paradox, likes to call ''children's television.'" Writing for New Jersey's ''The Record'', Joel Pitsezner remarked that he was so impressed with the series that he skipped two press conferences to watch more episodes, citing in particular the "intelligent and sensitive writing" of Yan Moore, the "believable interplay" between the actors, and in particular the portrayal of the "pain and awkwardness of the early teen years", the latter of which he believed to be its best quality. Praise for the series was often directed to its portrayal of controversial topics, its casting choices, character development, balance of comedy and drama, cinematography, writing and low-budget production, which critics felt offered a more sincere and realistic depiction of adolescence in opposition to other youth and family-focused television programs of the period, which were widely viewed as trivializing serious issues and leaning heavily towards moralism. Writing for the ''Edmonton Journal'', Bob Remington described the show and its characters as an exception to the "unrealistically antiseptic" television series such as ''
The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom co-created by and starring Bill Cosby, which aired Thursday nights for eight seasons on NBC between September 20, 1984, until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on an upper middle-class African- ...
'' and ''Our House''. Dave Rhein, in a review for wire service
Gannett Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Montreal Gazette The ''Montreal Gazette'', formerly titled ''The Gazette'', is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Three other daily English-language newspapers shuttered at various times during the second half of th ...
'', who also often covered the series in her ''Children's Television'' column, and Anne Weiss of ''
Cinema Canada ''Cinema Canada'' (1972–1989) is a defunct Canadian film magazine, which served as the trade journal of record for the Canadian film and television sector. The magazine had its origins in the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC), which beg ...
'' magazine, praised the show's cinematography; Kennedy praising the producer's decision to shoot on film instead of video tape, and Weiss suggesting its "highly developed psychological use of the camera" was influenced by soap operas. The portrayal of the characters was praised by Steve Sonsky of the ''
Miami Herald The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a List of communities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, city in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the M ...
'', who felt that it differentiated the series from others with teenage characters that were less realistically problematic. Retrospectively, the series has continued to receive critical acclaim. Ian Warden of ''
The Canberra Times ''The Canberra Times'' is a daily newspaper in Canberra, Australia, which is published by Australian Community Media. It was founded in 1926, and has changed ownership and format several times. History ''The Canberra Times'' was launched in ...
'', speaking of the show's continued reruns on ABC-TV, asserted in 1995 that it was "perhaps the best sustained piece of children's television drama ever made". In 2000, Leah McLaren of the ''Globe and Mail'' would recall disliking the series with her friends as a teenager, before later appreciating the "raw beauty" of the series as an adult. In addition, McLaren called it "way ahead of its time, both aesthetically and conceptually". ''Ottawa Citizen'' critic Tony Atherton, in a mixed review of the premiere episode of ''Degrassi: The Next Generation,'' made numerous comparisons between the characters of the older and newer series, and felt that due to the "deluge of teen dramas since". ''Next Generation'' would not make the same impact as the "groundbreaking" original series. David Berry of the ''
National Post The ''National Post'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet newspaper available in several cities in central and western Canada. The paper is the flagship publication of Postmedia Network and is published Mondays through Saturdays, with ...
'' noted the difference between the show and the "slicker" ''Next Generation'', saying that it was "like someone snuck a piece of avant-garde socialist realism onto mainstream network airwaves". Reviewing the DVD release of its first season in 2007, Andrew Mickel of ''
Den of Geek ''Den of Geek'' is a US and UK-based website covering entertainment with a focus on pop culture Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gan ...
'' felt the show still held up twenty years after its debut, and singled out the character of Joey Jeremiah, which he compared to
Ferris Bueller ''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' is a 1986 American teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes and co-produced by Tom Jacobson. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck with supporting roles by Jennifer Gre ...
, as being a "big casting draw". Although also praising the series for its realism and sincerity, ''
Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...
s Noel Dix felt that the DVD release leaned too much towards having an educational purpose rather than having "the fans in mind". Brodie Lancaster of the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' commented on the age-appropriate casting, calling it a "rare occurrence in the genre" of teen drama.


Television ratings

In Canada, the show reached a quarter of the adolescent viewing audience aged 12 to 17. In total, it received a 4 percent share of the viewing audience, which translated to several million viewers, despite minimal funding from the US public broadcasting system. By season two, ''Degrassi Junior High'' was receiving an average of 1.4 million viewers with a peak of 1.9 million, aided by its move to a prime time slot. The show's season 3 premiere, the two-parter "Can't Live With 'Em", drew 1.7 million viewers. The number accounted for 21 percent of the entire audience during that slot. By 1988, Degrassi Junior High was the highest-rated drama series in Canada. In the United Kingdom, the series drew in six million followers by 1988, making it the highest-rated children's television series in the country, despite the BBC banning several of its episodes.


Awards and nominations

''Degrassi Junior High'' has received twenty-eight awards, including eight
Gemini Awards The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States a ...
, three
Parents' Choice Award The Parents' Choice Award was an award presented by the non-profit Parents' Choice Foundation to recognize "the very best products for children of different ages and backgrounds, and of varied skill and interest levels." It was considered a "prest ...
s, three Chris Awards, and one
International Emmy Award The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based International Academy of Television Arts and S ...
. The series won a Rockie Award for Best Continuing Series at the Banff Television Festival in 1988, where it drew praise from
MTM Enterprises MTM Enterprises (also known as MTM Productions) was an American independent production company established in 1969 by Mary Tyler Moore and her then-husband Grant Tinker to produce ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' for CBS. The name for the productio ...
senior vice president and judge Laurence Bloustein, and marked the first time it had won an award outside of children's categories. Despite the win, the next year's festival saw an episode that addressed AIDS unanimously rejected for being "sloppily executed". The episode "It's Late" won the International Emmy Award for Children & Young People in 1987, and the series was nominated again for the award in 1988 for the second season episode "Great Expectations". Out of the eight Gemini Awards won by the series, including one won in 1987 for Best Children's Series, it won four in
1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
, including Best Continuing Dramatic Series, and Best Direction in a Dramatic Comedy Series for Kit Hood. When one award was announced, thirty four cast members took the stage. Furthermore, actors Pat Mastroianni and Stacie Mistysyn won the Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress in a Dramatic Role awards in 1988 and 1989 respectively. Mastroianni's win in particular was considered an upset, as he had beaten several established Canadian actors such as
Scott Hylands Scott Hylands Douglas (born 1943) is a Canadian actor who has appeared in movies, on television, and on the stage. Because of his longevity and versatility, critics have called him "one of Canada's greatest actors." Early years Hylands was born ...
and
Donnelly Rhodes Henry Donnelly Rhodes (December 4, 1937 – January 8, 2018) was a Canadian actor, known professionally as Donnelly Rhodes. He had many American television and film credits, probably best known to American audiences as the hapless escaped convic ...
. Nineteen members of the cast, including Mastroianni, Mistysyn, Amanda Stepto, Stefan Brogren and Neil Hope were nominated for the
Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...
for Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in 1990, but lost to ''A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story.''


Influence on teen drama

''Degrassi Junior High'' was one of the first drama series in Canada to exclusively target teenage audiences. Michelle Byers. editor of ''Growing Up Degrassi'', states that while largely excluded from most discussions about teen television, ''Degrassi'' was "probably one of the earliest examples of the genre". According to the book ''The Greatest Cult Television Shows of All Time,'' the series was a trailblazer for future teen-oriented drama series "mainly because it understood teenage culture better than almost any other show produced before or since". The series is widely described as an early teen drama and an influence on several key series of the genre. most specifically ''
Beverly Hills, 90210 ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran fo ...
,'' which ''Degrassi Junior High'' is frequently compared to. For many years, an urban legend, supported by Pat Mastroianni, circulated that American television producer
Aaron Spelling Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923 June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the TV series ''Family'' (1976–1980), '' Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981), ''The Love Boat'' (1977–1986 ...
had attempted to adapt the series for a US audience, but was unsuccessful, and instead created ''Beverly Hills, 90210.''Spelling was the series' producer. The show was created by
Darren Star Darren Star (born July 25, 1961) is an American writer, director and producer of film and television. He is best known for creating the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000), ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), ''Sex and the City' ...
. Linda Schuyler denied the rumor in 2008, but indicated Spelling may have been aware of ''Degrassi''. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Sarah Hughes suggested that ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' was "Spelling's answer" to ''Degrassi Junior High''. Writing about the death of actor
Neil Hope Philip Neil Hope (September 24, 1972 – November 18, 2007Cited ''Toronto Star'' report states he was likely dead for more than a week prior to discovery.), better known and credited as Neil Hope, was a Canadian actor who was best known for por ...
, the ''
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
''s Paul Vitello said the show anticipated ''Beverly Hills 90210'' as well as the
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's ''The Real World''. It has also been named as an influence on ''
Dawson's Creek ''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college that ran from 1998 to 2003. T ...
'', ''7th Heaven'', and ''Felicity''. Various academic studies have been written about the comparison between ''Degrassi'' and American teen drama series.


Promotion and fan reaction

The cast members became national celebrities as a result of the show's success. They would often embark on promotional tours across North America and even in Europe for the series during its run. They were primarily accompanied by Kathryn Ellis, who acted as the publicist. When travelling by plane, one of the actors would be in charge of checking the others through the airport. They were warmly received in most places, and participated in various cultural activities. The actors frequently visited
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...
in particular. The success of the show led to the actors making appearances at public service events. For instance, Bill Parrott, who played Shane McKay, co-hosted the launch of the
Kids Help Phone Kids Help Phone (french: Jeunesse, J’écoute) is a Canadian charitable organization that provides online and telephone counselling and volunteer-led, text-based support in English and French to youth across Canada. Kids Help Phone also prov ...
hotline in Toronto. The actors often participated in meet-and-greets and book signings at shopping malls and other places, where they drew a reaction comparable to
Beatlemania Beatlemania was the fanaticism surrounding the English rock band the Beatles in the 1960s. The group's popularity grew in the United Kingdom throughout 1963, propelled by the singles "Please Please Me", "From Me to You" and "She Loves You". By ...
. The actors were also sometimes conflated with their characters by fans and viewers. Amanda Stepto, who portrayed Spike, was mistaken for being pregnant like her character, and often received baby products and toys. Kit Hood expressed his concerns over the fan reactions: "That's what scares me is that the audience sometimes expects the kids to have knowledge about their characters that they don't have in real life". Despite their international fame, and an on-set tutor, the actors were still required to attend school, and some recalled their teachers not being lenient about their busy schedules. Pat Mastroianni recalled that his geography teacher gave him a low grade despite succeeding in other subjects; Rebecca Haines recalled her parents threatening to remove her from the show if her grades were low enough. Speaking to the
Edmonton Journal The ''Edmonton Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network. History The ''Journal'' was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as ...
, Haines stated: "Some teachers can be jerks about it. ..When you get home at eight at night, after working all day, you don't feel like writing an essay".


UNICEF partnership

In 1989, UNICEF Canada entered a partnership with ''Degrassi Junior High'', with the cast being named
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. The United Nations Intern ...
s. The cast members would make various appearances and appear in several
public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. In the UK, they are generally called a public information film (PIF); in Hong Kong, ...
s. Pat Mastroianni and Amanda Stepto flew to New York City to tour the
Headquarters of the United Nations zh, 联合国总部大楼french: Siège des Nations uniesrussian: Штаб-квартира Организации Объединённых Наций es, Sede de las Naciones Unidas , image = Midtown Manhattan Skyline 004.jpg , im ...
and meet other ambassadors. That same year, coinciding with the
Convention on the Rights of the Child The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (commonly abbreviated as the CRC or UNCRC) is an international human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. The Con ...
(which was ratified by Canada in 1991), a ten-minute video called ''The Degrassi Kids Rap On Rights'' that was distributed in Canadian schools nationwide. The video, narrated by Amanda Stepto, focused on the impending ratification of the Convention and highlighted the childhood experiences of several cast members in refugee camps and natural disasters.


In popular culture

American filmmaker
Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film ''Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co ...
was a particular fan of ''Degrassi Junior High'', having discovered it while working at a convenience store in New Jersey, and acknowledged an infatuation with
Stacie Mistysyn Stacie Mo'ana Mistysyn (; born July 23, 1971) is an American-Canadian former actress best known for her work as Caitlin Ryan on '' Degrassi Junior High/Degrassi High'', which ran from 1987 to 1991, and for reprising her role as Caitlin on '' D ...
and her character Caitlin Ryan. Smith wrote a piece about his enthusiasm for the series for
Details magazine ''Details'' was an American monthly men's magazine that was published by Condé Nast, founded in 1982 by Annie Flanders. Though primarily a magazine devoted to fashion and lifestyle, ''Details'' also featured reports on relevant social and polit ...
in November 1996, where it is claimed that he spent $3,000 on the series on home video. Smith has referenced the series several times in his work, including
Clerks A clerk is someone who works in an office. A retail clerk works in a store. Office holder Clerk(s) may also refer to a person who holds an office, most commonly in a local unit of government, or a court. *Barristers' clerk, a manager and adminis ...
, which features a character named Caitlin Bree, and ''
Chasing Amy ''Chasing Amy'' is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Lee. The film is about a male comic artist (Affleck) who falls in love with a lesbian woma ...
''. He attempted to cast Mistysyn in his 1995 film
Mallrats ''Mallrats'' is a 1995 American buddy comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Jason Lee, Jeremy London, Shannen Doherty, Claire Forlani, Ben Affleck, Jason Mewes, Joey Lauren Adams, Michael Rooker, and Smith as Silent Bob. ...
in the role of Rene Mosier, but was denied by
Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
, who wanted a better-known name. As a compromise, Smith made
Shannen Doherty Shannen Doherty (, born April 12, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Jenny Wilder in ''Little House on the Prairie'' (1982–1983); Maggie Malene in ''Girls Just Want to Have Fun'' (1985); Kris Witherspoon in '' Our Hous ...
, who got the role, wear a ''Degrassi'' jacket for the character. Smith, along with
Jason Mewes Jason Edward Mewes (born June 12, 1974) is an American actor, comedian, film producer, and podcaster. He is best known for playing Jay, the vocal half of the duo Jay and Silent Bob, in longtime friend Kevin Smith's films. Early life Mewes was ...
, guest-starred on and wrote several episodes of ''Degrassi: The Next Generation,'' in which they play fictional versions of themselves filming a
Jay and Silent Bob Jay and Silent Bob are fictional characters portrayed by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, respectively, in Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse, a fictional universe created and used in most of the films, comics, and television programs written and produc ...
movie at the school. Smith later wrote the introduction to ''The Official 411: Degrassi Generations'' by Kathryn Ellis. Reviewing the 2005 film ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'',
Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
critic
Ty Burr Ty Burr (born August 17, 1957) is an American film critic, columnist, and author who currently writes a film and popular culture newsletter "Ty Burr's Watchlist" on Substack. Burr previously served as film critic at ''The Boston Globe'' for two ...
quipped that it sometimes felt like "''Degrassi Junior High'' with dragons".


Cult following and legacy

The series endured a significant cult following after its initial broadcast. Throughout the 1990s, an online fan community emerged, with the creation of various fansites about ''Degrassi Junior High'' and its sequel series. The fan sites, part of a
webring A webring (or web ring) is a collection of websites Hyperlink, linked together in a circular structure, and usually organized around a specific theme, often educational or social. They were popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly among a ...
created by Mark Aaron Polger, featured multimedia related to the show and spawned
fan fiction Fan fiction or fanfiction (also abbreviated to fan fic, fanfic, fic or FF) is fictional writing written in an amateur capacity by fans, unauthorized by, but based on an existing work of fiction. The author uses copyrighted characters, settin ...
, including a 1998 story called ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'' that centred around Spike's daughter Emma and included a character named Paige, similar to the real series of the same name that debuted in 2001. In 1996, a website named ''Degrassi Update'' appeared which chronicled public sightings of the ''Degrassi Junior High'' cast and drew mixed responses from cast members. A small reunion was organized on 24 August 1999 at Centennial College where the sequel series was filmed, and the cast reunited on the CBC youth show
Jonovision ''Jonovision'' was a Canadian television talk show aimed toward teenagers. The show aired for five seasons, from 1996 to 2001, on CBC Television. ''Jonovision'' was nominated for 4 Gemini Awards. It reached the top of its popularity at the begi ...
, hosted by
Jonathan Torrens Jonathan Ormond Torrens (born October 2, 1972) is a Canadian actor and television personality best known for his co-hosting of '' Street Cents'', his talk show '' Jonovision'', and his role as "J-Roc" in the popular Canadian mockumentary ''Traile ...
, on 24–25 December 1999. The Jonovision reunion, which according to Torrens saw in-studio viewers attend from as far as San Francisco, served as a catalyst for the development of ''Degrassi: The Next Generation.''
Epitome Pictures Epitome Pictures Inc. (later known as DHX Studios Toronto and WildBrain Studios) was a Canadian film and television production company based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded by Linda Schuyler and Stephen Stohn in 1992, the company is best known for ...
(the company that eventually produced ''Next Generation'') would later send Polger a draft statement of claim over his use of the ''Degrassi'' name, claiming he was confusing the public, and threatening legal action. After he sent various media outlets a press release, and garnered support from other fans of the series, Epitome withdrew the claim. Polger criticized Epitome Pictures for showing a lack of gratitude for the online community's impact on the show's continued success. In 2017, the series was named by the
Toronto International Film Festival The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
as one of Canada's 150 most significant contributions to the cinematic landscape. Pat Mastroianni, after appearing at numerous fan conventions, later organized ''Degrassi Palooza,'' a convention celebrating the legacy of the 1980s ''Degrassi'' series and featuring a reunion of 26 cast and crew members'','' at the Westin Toronto Airport Hotel in mid-June 2019.


Print media

Starting from 1988, a series of mass-market paperback
novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
izations were released by James Lorimer & Co. The books would often centre on a particular character on the show and expanded upon storylines from the series, although the novel ''Exit Stage Left,'' which centres around various students as they organize a school play, is original. A thirteenth book, based on the characters Arthur Kobalewscuy and Yick Yu and written by Kathryn Ellis, remains unreleased. The books were also published in other places; in Australia, they were published by
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
in November 1990, with more published in January 1991. The books also saw French Canadian releases by
Les Éditions de Minuit Les Éditions de Minuit (, ''Midnight Press'') is a French publishing house. It was founded in 1941, during the French Resistance of World War II, and is still publishing books today. History Les Éditions de Minuit was founded by writer and i ...
.


See also

* ''
The Kids Of Degrassi Street ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'' is a Canadian children's television series and the first in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. It follows the lives of a group of children living on De Grassi Street in Toronto. It ...
'' — predecessor to ''Degrassi Junior High'' featuring some of its actors in different roles * ''
Degrassi High ''Degrassi High'' is a Canadian teen drama television series and the third series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. A direct continuation of '' Degrassi Junior High'', it debuted on CBC in Canada on November ...
'' — sequel series of ''Degrassi Junior High'', following the same characters in high school * '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'' — 2001 reboot of the series, featuring several characters from ''Degrassi Junior High'' as adults


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * *


Further reading

*


External links

*
Official Degrassi website
{{Navboxes , title = Awards for ''Degrassi Junior High'' , list = {{ACCT Best Dramatic Series {{InternationalEmmyAward Children and Young People {{TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming Degrassi Junior High 1980s Canadian teen drama television series 1987 Canadian television series debuts 1989 Canadian television series endings Television series about bullying CBC Television original programming Canadian television soap operas English-language television shows Teenage pregnancy in television Television shows set in Toronto Television shows filmed in Toronto Television series by DHX Media Gemini and Canadian Screen Award for Best Drama Series winners 1980s Canadian LGBT-related drama television series Television series about teenagers Middle school television series Fictional schools Works about puberty Coming-of-age television shows