This spring, franchise dates back to 1979, when The Kids of Degrassi Street first premiered on Canada’s CBC. Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High followed from 1987 to 1991 and were broadcast in the US on PBS. The latter two series tackled mature themes for their adolescent and teen audiences, including substance abuse, teen pregnancy, homophobia, and self-harm.
Following a ten-year hiatus, Degrassi: The Next Generation premiered on CTV in 2001 (and, in the US, on the Nickelodeon-owned programming block, The N). The series follows a new ensemble of students at the fictional Degrassi Community School, one of whom is Emma Nelson, the daughter of original Degrassi character Spike. In addition to Spike, various characters from the previous two Degrassi series appear in a recurring or guest starring capacity. Like its predecessors, The Next Generation dealt with a number of real-life teen issues, rightfully earning the catchphrase “It Goes There,” until its finale in 2015.
Now, HBO Max is making Degrassi: The Next Generation available to stream (via Alex Zalben on Twitter). All 14 seasons of the series will hit the platform sometime in Spring 2022. While Degrassi is available for streaming on niche services like Tubi and Pluto TV, HBO Max’s acquisition of The Next Generation–the longest-running and most popular installment of the franchise–is a boon for the platform.
HBO Max didn’t acquire other series within the Degrassi franchise, including the original ‘80s episodes. Perhaps most notably, the deal does not include Degrassi: Next Class, the fifth series in the franchise. Next Class follows some of the students introduced towards the end of The Next Generation, plus an ensemble of new characters. It debuted in the US and internationally on Netflix in 2016 and ran until its cancellation in 2019.
While Next Class may have been a logical acquisition for Netflix, it will be interesting to see how The Next Generation fits in tonally within the HBO oeuvre. Early seasons of TNG feel especially geared towards adolescents, exploring topics like stranger danger and bullying. That being said, HBO is savvy enough to know that most viewers will be millennials savoring a nostalgic rewatch. Degrassi should also serve as a notable contrast with HBO’s current teen Gossip Girls and Euphoria, which, unlike the Canadian series, cast adults rather than actual teenagers. HBO Max subscribers can look forward to revisiting Degrassi: The Next Generation when it hits the platform this spring.
Source: Alex Zalben
