Degrassi is a great introduction show for the younger audience. While dealing with major issues the creators make sure they do it in a way that doesn't overwhelm their targeted audience, but still make sure they can gather life lessons at the same time.
They have simple reals they like to follow that allow the show to be as authentic as it can be. The rules include characters being played by actors of the same age and the no-parent rule. The no parent rule is a rule they enforce as studies show that teenagers are more commonly to go to someone else before their parents, so parents will hardly make an appearance in the show throughout all seasons.
Degrassi is separated into many seasons and generations that start back in 1987 with the "classic" Degrassi generation up to as recent as 2015. Each season teaches and shows the many issues that teenagers might face at that time. Although I can't go over every issue the show tackles otherwise this post will be never-ending, let's go over some of them.
Warning Spoilers Ahead!!!
Degrassi Junior High (1987)
Although Degrassi started in 1979 with The Kids of Degrassi Street, they gained popularity (good and bad) when they did a spinoff show called Degrassi Junior High. Degrassi Junior High follows the stories of the students of Degrassi as they transition from the feeling of being just another kid to being more mature and responsible for their actions. They cover so many important themes and hot topics that teenagers watching may be facing themselves, from sexual harassment from adult figures, alcoholism and drug abuse, and even teen pregnancy.
Although the show starts off slow-paced, they make sure to take the time to introduce all their characters and get a feeling of their personalities.
Sex and Pregnancy
One hot topic that I immediately think of is the issues of teen pregnancy that we get introduced to by the end of the first season. It is revealed that one of the main characters, Christine "Spike" Nelson, is pregnant at the age of 14 years old. We get to see the amazing journey Spike takes as she realizes that she is pregnant, that having unprotected sex (first time or not) can lead to consequences. She faces many backlashes as news spreads of pregnancy, ending up with being forced to attend another school while pregnant due to the uproar of many parents and staff. We see Spike struggle with the decision of whether to keep the baby or give the baby up for adoption, talking to a fellow classmate who was given up for adoption himself. Spike was a good well-behaved student, but during her pregnancy and her delivery, she found herself also struggling to keep up with schoolwork and found herself failing many classes due to all the responsibilities that came with being a teen parent. It is important to note that although Spike's pregnancy is the only one shown on Degrassi, it is the first one introduced, making it the most controversial and talked about at the time.
We also see the students of Degrassi get introduced to the harsh reality of alcohol and drugs. We see some students struggle with their parents struggling with alcoholism and how it affects their everyday life. one character who struggles with this is Kathleen Mead. We see that Kathleen's father is never home which leads to her mother's struggle with alcoholism. We see the struggles she faces and how this affects her, but we never really get a true answer of whether Kathleen's mother is able to overcome this struggle, something true to reality. We also see some get introduced to drugs. One of the characters we see greatly affected by this is the father of Spike's baby, Shane Mckay. Later on, in season 2 we see that Shane is introduced to the drug LSD at a concert that he and many other friends were attending. Due to a domino effect caused by the stress of being a teenage father, we see Shane take the drugs in an attempt to escape his problems for the night. It is until the next day that many discover that Shane is missing. He's later found and rushed to the hospital after it is revealed that he slipped or jumped off (unknown whether he jumped or slipped) a bridge while high on LSD. He is left permanently disabled mentally.
This is a stark reminder to its many viewers old and young that drugs are no laughing manner, and just one bad night is all it takes to ruin or change your whole future.
Degrassi is a Candian Tv series that took the tv airline by surprise. It covers so many subjects that were and still are considered taboo and turns them into life lessons for their young viewers. The creators of the show were able to open the doors to many of these subjects and get people to more openly talk about these subjects. These subjects do affect the lives of everyday teenagers. This was just the tip of the iceberg of all the amazing coverage the Degrassi series has to offer. Keep an eye out for future posts as this is not the end of this series.
Citations:
Sara Hebert Posted in Arts & Literature TV. “Planned Obsolescence: How Degrassi Stays Relevant.” Global Comment, 14 July 2021, Planned obsolescence: how Degrassi stays relevant | Global Comment
“Degrassi Junior High.” Degrassi Wiki, Category:Degrassi Junior High | Degrassi Wiki | Fandom
“Christine Nelson.” Degrassi Wiki, Christine Nelson | Degrassi Wiki | Fandom
Hello Amanda!
I had never heard of the show Degrassi but it seems like a very interesting show to watch. Being that it was the 1970's, I'm more than sure that talking about drugs, pregnancy, and alcoholism so openly was frowned upon. It's good to know that these elements of life were introduced back then even though it was not very popular to speak about.