Although many people will disagree, I think that it teaches very good messages, if you can look at it the right way. Many teens in the show do bad things, but, in the end, they are punished and feel bad for what they did. It can be taken the wrong way at times. I would watch out for younger children (10 and under) because of some of the scenes, and they don't really learn from it, as older kids do. It is perfectly understandable if parents don't want their 12 year olds watching it, but by the age of 14 or 15 parents should let their kids watch it.
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Degrassi: The Next Generation
(Rated TV-PG, Drama, Starring Stacey Farber, Miriam McDonald, Mike Lobel, Where to watch: The N, DVD, Download)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 14. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Edgy series deals with teen issues frankly.
updated 07.04.08
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 14 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About Degrassi: The Next Generation
Parents need to know that this series makes a habit of tackling big issues without sugar-coating them. From the start, the show has never shied away from depicting real-life teen issues like sex, drugs, school violence, and even mental disorders in a frank, realistic way. Some parents might be wary of this, particularly the episodes depicting teen sex, so they might want to preview the episodes before letting their kids watch them. Some episodes have a far heavier tone than others do, and the amount of controversial material varies widely from episode to episode. However, this series has a moral -- though not preachy -- heart and can ultimately be used as a teaching tool. Overall, it's among the best, most responsible series out there for teens. The content is edgy but both relevant and appropriate for the target audience, which is why we're giving it an "on" rating.
Read our full review by Caroline Gates-Shannon
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about what sets this show apart from other teen shows. Does that fact that the teens look like regular teens make it more realistic? Manny's ongoing quest to become an actor might offer a good opportunity to discuss the pressures on young women to lose weight and get plastic surgery. Parents might also want to address the dangers of losing one's inhibitions due to alcohol consumption and its potential repercussions, which has happened on the show before. Families who watch will have no shortage of issues to talk about.
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Our Members Say
See all 88 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
Lives in TexasI rate this title iffy for age 13 and give itMy concerns are:- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
Good show (13+)
Lives in IllinoisI rate this title iffy for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Cool, for old kids.
This show is totally awesome! It is kinda bad for younger kids because it has a lot of sex talk...even scenes of the high school kids 'almost' doing it. Most of the time, they get punished. There's some bad language and the teens are often seen drinking and smoking.
Lives in North CarolinaI rate this title iffy for age 13 and give itWonderful Show.
We all know what entering high school is like. And if you don't, Degrassi: The Next Generation will teach you all about it. It has all the basics. Drug use, sex, violence, and LOTS of drama. There is many intense scenes in the show, however. For example, a jelous boyfriend abuses his oh-so-innocent girlfriend, and eventually puts her into a coma. In another episode, (This episode was only shown in Canada, because it includes the subject of abortion), a fourteen year old girl finds out she is pregnant, and gets an abortion. Later on in the show, two more teens have unexpected pregnancies as well. This show teaches teens about the encounters they may come to at one point in high school, and even middle school! The characters and scenes are all so realistic. The characters often have to choose a path of right or wrong. When they choose wrong, they must face the consequences. Parents should be strongly cautioned, however. Despite the many sexual, violent encounters in the show, it is fantastic. I recommend it to anyone who is in middle school, or about to enter high school.
- Lives in GeorgiaI rate this title on for age 14 and give it
Here's the Deal...
Degrassi is a wonderful show and while reading through the reviews I'm shock at how many parents don't want their teens seeing this. First of all, here's the deal, and suck it up and face it. Life is exactly like this, yes, even as early as high school; and as far as I'm aware the average parent isn't doing a thing to teach their children about this before hand, so we're left with a bunch of babied young adults thrust into a world where there IS drugs, sex, violence, cursing, and everything else you adults are 'freaking out' about. My mother and I have a wonderful relationship, she is my best friend and we talk about everything. However I know that most teens despise their parents at this age (as immature as that is, once again it's life) Now, how would you rather your 15 year old learn about life? From a television show that while risky and 'in-your-face' actually gives real life consequences (those who use drugs get into real-life trouble with it, one character almost dies. Those who are involved in violence face consequences, even those who engage in premarital sex face consequences) or would you rather them learn about life without being comfortable enough to talk to you about it while trying drugs themselves, or having premarital sex themselves? Here's the deal parents. One day your child will turn 18 and you will have zero control over them. As much as you'd like to believe your babying and isolate is protecting them all it's going to do is bite you back; the world isn't censored. Life sucks, and life is hard; and you can either baby them from day one and convince them that life is like a Disney movie (and then lose them when they face the real world, don't know how to handle it, and freak) or you can sit down and watch a show like this with them and talk to them and build a relationship. The absolutely worst thing you can do is catch them watching this and punishing them and leaving it at that. Yeah, that's just asking your teen to rebel and ditch you. Great show. Real topics that are actually extremely accurate (even at my small high school we faced every issue here, as well as a number of issues they don't address, of course I've graduated and I am quickly learning just how hard life is; I cringe when I think of how horrid it would have been if my parents had babied me) and most importantly it's not boring and mind-numbing like other 'after-school specials'. So teens actually pay attention and learn. Great show, I recommend it for anyone entering high school. (by the time you're in high school you're mature enough to handle this, because guess what, high school is like this)
- Lives inI rate this title on for age 12 and give it
very good show
its a most see show and a great example for 12 and up!
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