Degrassi

In the popular fictional adolescent Canadian television show, Degrassi: The Next Generation (also known as Degrassi or D:TNG), follows a group of students who face exaggerated instances of challenges common to teen life. Degrassi is the most-watched domestic drama series in Canada, and the highest-rated show on The N network in the United States. The show captures controversial topics such as date rape, eating disorders, homosexuality, abortion, and school shootings. The episodes are based on what is happening now in teenage society. Unlike other teen shows problems are not solved within the episode; some plotlines often continue through multiple episode. It can be viewed as a soap opera for teenagers but the instances in the show can be related to real life situations.

Degrassi Junior High was the original series during the late 1980’s and early 1990’s produced by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood. As the characters grew up, their stories continued in the spin-off series Degrassi High. Almost a decade later, Degrassi High was revived as Degrassi: The Next Generation. One of the main characters from Degrassi High gave birth the day of her graduation to a baby girl named Emma. Emma became the main character to the show D:TNG. One of the very first episodes was about online sexual predators. Such episodes are mature content but are issues needed to be addressed at a young age. Currently, D:TNG is in their seventh season and some characters will be graduating from high school this year and other characters are finishing up their first year in college. Teenagers not only relate to the issues in the show but also relate and grow with the characters through their experiences.

There are several adolescent shows but Degrassi is original in pertaining to teenage issues and society. Other shows such as Beverly Hills 90210 and Saved by the Bell came out about the same time as Degrassi but were not as impacting as the episodes of Degrassi. Numerous viewers made this a popular hit in the late 1980’s and it is still a popular show today. The popularity is growing and drawing attention to more viewers each season. In 2004, one episode alone grabbed a half a million viewers attention in the US while in Canada the same episode grabbed just under a million viewers attention. This proves that the popularity of the show not only underlies in Canada but also the US. Degrassi is popular worldwide. There are viewers in Australia, Europe,