Degrassi

Honestly, i can't think of many things wrong with this show. It deals with mature subject matter on a very personal level. It encourages their audience to deal with their issues head on as well as keeping it relatively entertaining in regards to the drama in the show. The one thing i love about the show, is while the acting is lacking from the very beginning (as they as young), you get to see the characters and the actors grow into one another. The story lines ares fabulous as they always deal with interesting narratives and personal developments very well. The fact that they dedicate episodes to each specific characters troubles/scenarios/life is very original and interesting to see. It helps the audience focus on one main thing at a time as opposed to cramming in a whole lot of filler information on the entire cast. Another aspect of the show that i always found great, is that they use real Canadian actors true to the age that they play. It's refreshing (regardless of the show being 10+ years old) to see a 12/15/18 year old being played by someone of the same age, dealing with things of that era and of that maturity. This show is not rated as highly as it should be, as it is certainly one of a kind in its talents. It's relate- able, memorable and entertaining. It provide excellent information of various themes (eating disorders, suicide, gay/lesbian relationships, alcohol addiction, drug addict, teen pregnancy, etc..) as well as providing good character development, narrative and overall growth for the show. Definitely two thumbs up.

However, my only problem with this show is that it isn't long enough. I could literally watch it for hours on end, and if i didn't have to change the episode every 22 minutes, i'd be a lot happier.

After Degrassi High went off the air in 1991, I thought it would be the end of a great Canadian series forever. But in October 2001 I was so happy to see Degrassi The Next Generation.

Of course I have compared it too the original show and I like it even though the new series does not take place in a real school as the original series did. It's nice to see some of the original cast members like Mr. Raditch and Snake (with less hair this time around!)

This may not live up to the level of the original '80s Degrassi series, but I still think this is the best (new) show ever for the set age group (preteens and teens). This NOT a fluffy and unrealistic show like Dawson's Creek or Saved By The Bell; it deals with issues many kids face in real life (discrimination, drugs, rumors, and so forth), and often like in real life, things don't just get back to normal at the end of each episode.

The characters on this show range from fantastic to 'eh.' My absolute favorites are Terri and Sean. Terri is VERY sweet and goes to show you that you don't have to be underweight to be beautiful. Sean's often misunderstood. Most see him as a rebel, but he's really a sensitive and loving kid who comes from a bad family.

Tobey and J.T. are great together, though J.T. gets on my nerves sometimes. I don't care much for Liberty or Paige for the fact that they're a bit over the top. Emma's self-righteous at times, but she's still a good character (she's also the daughter of one of the original Degrassi characters, Spike). Manny, Ashley, Jimmy, Spinner, and Craig are all okay too. (I'd say more about these characters but I don't want it to get too long!)

Degrassi: TGN is a breath of fresh air from all the crummy teen shows on nowadays. For one thing, you really can relate to certain characters and plots (I can really relate to the pilot episode where Emma finds out that someone she meets from online isn't who she quite expects. I wasn't so careful about who I talked to online back when I did). But I REALLY hope that Noggin also airs the original Degrassi series someday. That would be incredible.

Degrassi: The Next Generation is a really awesome show. It deals with real problems that teens face, such as homosexuality, violence, sex, drugs, and many other topics. My favorite characters are definitely Paige and JT. They add much humor to the show. The one thing I don't like is the fact that in the states, The-N edits the episodes. We didn't even get to see one of the episodes, because The-N thinks that the people of the states are too weak to handle a little maturity. Many of the shows do deal with mature topics, but we can handle them just fine, thank you. Anyway, if you don't watch Degrassi: The Next Generation, then you should start watching it!

This is an amazing teen drama that should be recommended watching for all teens. The characters are 3 dimensional and all sorts of religions and races are showcased.

Some of the episodes are more intense than others, which is just like teen life. Sometimes horrible things happen, sometimes they don't. This show covers all ranges of topics, including teen pregnancy, abusive boyfriends and homosexuality. These are all topics that teens experience in high school, and there is no sugar-coating.

My favourite character is Marco, and I feel he has really grown as a character. He started out as just another guy, but turned into a sensitive, sweet, and overall amazing guy.

I definitely recommend teens watch this, but also parents. I know my mom loves watching it with me! What I don't recommend is anyone under 12 watching this. I have met people who just don't get it, and think it's gross or stupid because they are too young to comprehend what is going on. It is a great Canadian (yeah!!!) teen show.

9 stars out of 10. (I don't believe in anything being perfect, I think everything can be improved)