Degrassi: The Next Generation
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Edgy series deals with teen issues frankly.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 14 and Up
The good stuff
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Role models:
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
This review of Degrassi: The Next Generation was written by Caroline Gates-Shannon
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.
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 , talk to your teens about the dangers of losing your inhibitions due to alcohol consumption -- and its potential repercussions.
More on Degrassi: The Next Generation
What’s the Story?
Like its 1980s predecessors, Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION follows a group of students in grades 8-12 at a Canadian community school. Over the course of its broadcast life, the show has tackled some tough issues as its core characters have matured from childish 7th and 8th graders to almost-adult 11th and 12th graders. Despite its focus on "issues," though, the show is consistently entertaining and thought- provoking rather than preachy and condescending.
Is It Any Good?
Excellently written and boasting a cast that both looks and acts like real kids, Degrassi: The Next Generation provides provocative, engaging, and socially conscious programming that will appeal to teens and their parents; the show even has a sizeable adult fan base as well. Fans of the first Degrassi series will be delighted to see classic characters like Spike, Snake, Caitlin, and Joey in the roles of parents and teachers in this latest incarnation.
Previous seasons of the series have dealt with such serious issues as a school shooting, which resulted in the shooter's death and serious injury to another student, and teenage pregnancy. Despite its focus on "issues," though, the show is consistently entertaining and thought- provoking rather than preachy and condescending.
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title off for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Good show, bad messages.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
It's a great show, kind of like a teen soap opera.
First off, yes, a lot of the content can be on the inappropriate side (although it's certainly not promoting any of the bad things some of the kids on the show do... in fact, it usually shows the very real and negative consequences of stuff like drugs and s*x). But it's a great show and you can actually learn a lot from the characters' mistakes. I watch this all the time, and it's packed with drama. My favourite old character is JT and my favourite new character is Eli.
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Kids ages: 9, 13, 16
I rate this title on for age 13 and give it- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
For 13 & up, fantastic show!
When my 13 year old first starting watching it I was a iffy on it, but then I watched it with her and realized it has good messages about what everyday teen's have to deal with! I think it depends on what your child can handle!
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
Okay for teens; some parental guidance might be a plus
Not to say it's brilliant or anything - quite frankly Degrassi has always been a primarily goofy TEEN-oriented soap-opera - but I think for some TEENs it's an okay show to see that others go through the same difficulties they might be facing. Dear parents...notice the word TEEN...? I'm thrilled to see so many alert parents adamant that their little ones don't watch it, believe me, but really: it revolves around high-schoolers, and the things high-schoolers worry about. Most anyone younger than 12/13 I don't think would really even be interested in the show unless an older sibling watched it. Personally, I started watching it a few years ago with my mom and we still occasionally catch the new ones; can't say it ever made a monumental difference in my confidence or anything, but it's a nice reminder that everyone else has to deal with some sort of issue growing up, too. I think on some aspects the show might be a bit soft (depicting, for example, the ratio of how many kids struggle with poverty/depression/etc. nowadays), but it does cover a wide variety of modern and age-old teen problems, which I like. I also like how it changes with the times - the original Degrassi series was in the 80s, and according to parents is mostly on par, if still goofy in the acting/script department; comparing the general North-American teenage mantality today, I see many similarities in the current depiction as well. As I said, I wouldn't say it's the best show TEENS could be watching, but as long as the they've got the common sense to take something positive from the "lessons" it tries to teach - and not purposely do something just because their favorite character does it - I think it's an okay influence.
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Kids ages: 12, 15
I rate this title off for age 10 and give it- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
NO WAY!!!!! Not positive for kids!
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Too much drama but some what sort of entertaining.
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I rate this title on for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
The perfect show for teens.
I'm 13 and have watched some of it. I think that the parents are overreacting. The show has sex, but the so said "Sex" is really just heavy kissing. Yeah, there's violence and pedophiles,but it's life. Life! Besides, there are 11 year olds who are exposed to more sexual things than Degrassi like the shows on Adult Swim,for example.
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
GREAT for 14+! :)
I Love this show! It's amazing and it doesn't sugar coat things that happen in real life. You should be aware of sex, drugs, and violence, and what the consequences are. The teens are actually teens and are diverse. It depicts real life. All of the characters' actions have consequences. It really helps me in life to see the characters get through everything. Sure, it's not "kid-friendly" but teens like me LOVE IT!
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I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
16 and up ok. Younger than that, not acceptable.
Well i am a teenager and I honestly think that Degrassi is terrible for my age group 13, 14, and 15. But for higher ages...its ok. I mean, the situations remind me of a Mexican Soap Opera, except instead of adults, teens. BUT, Degrassi definitely has situations where teens have gon through and will go through. BUT younger kids should NOT IN ANY WAY be viewing this program because it is innappropriate for them. They should not be forming ideas in their mind that they shouldn't at their age.
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Kids ages: 6, 8, 11
I rate this title off for age 15 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
anyone who allows a child to watch this is just as stupid as the writers who wrote it!!!
I believe the show to not care what the audiance sees my child watched an episode where Ellie cut herslf and her and her cousin decided to do what Ellie did. If they had not seen it they would not have done it. The show has to much violence drama and does not give a positive outlook on life it says this what teens and kids do why dont u try it to.. My kids will never watch the show again!!!!
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
AWSOME SHOW!!!!
Degrassie is one of the best shows on tv! but only for teens and adults of course because this show is definetly not for kids!!!! This show covers some very very mature stuff like: drinking, smoking, peer presure, sex, going out, stealing, breaking up, learning disorders, eating disorders, pregnancy.... you get the picture, It's a mature show thats meant to show you what can happen if you make big mistakes involving these things. But they do it in intaning way that leaves you hanging off the edge of your seat every time.
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I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
Don't watch, for your own good
Why does anyone actually WATCH this show? I mean, a stupid character gets eggs or something splattered all over him at school and the next day he's still soaked in the yolk, brings a gun to school, and almost kills a classmate, plus killing himself. A character gets RAPED. Oh, and my eight-year old sister was scared to go to bed after she saw that dumb guy shoot his classmate (What? The show was only rated PG!). Sounds too depressing to actually watch a whole dang episode.
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I rate this title iffy for age 14 and give it
i love this show. i cant watch it cus we dont have direct tv anymore. but i watched it when i was 11 and i knew if my mom saw the stuff they were doing, she wouldnt let me watch. im 13 now, and i use to watched it at my aunts house and now they blocked it cus it was "inapproprete" i have a feeling that by the time im 14, they would be ok if i watched it, because right now im stil muturing into a teenager. by 14 i think ill be ready for those type of shows. degrassi shows teens whats can really happen in high school. they dont show teens having sex without showing the consequnces. i think degrassi is teaching life lessons in a real way.
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I rate this title iffy for age 13 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
this show tells you if u do this that will happen like when teenagers stravie themselves they will die and other stuff its like a sopa opera but it tells u a lesson in every show and thats why i luv this show
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Kids ages: 7, 11, 11, 13
I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Excessive consumerism
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
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Kids ages: 13
I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
i'm not sure
Well my child loves it although she says it involves *** and swearing....
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I rate this title on for age 14 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Negative role models
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
It's about to get real.
It's basically a teenage soap opera. While most of the time it's a very intriguing show, the plot can get repetitive and you can only do so much with the same characters which is why we've had several of the main characters graduate and new 'grade nines' come in and take their place. There are some episodes that still scare me, like the school shooting, J.T. dying, (I bawled my eyes out both episodes.) rape, pedophiles, murder, sex, drugs, everything you could ever think of. For every bad role model, they have a good one. And for every traumatizing situation a character gets themselves into, they can always seem to turn it around. Or die. That's Degrassi, it's about to get real.
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I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
Tweens and Teens
Although there is sexual content and swearing none of the swearing is severe, nor the violence is severe also the " sexual content" is never detailed, the most they show is heavy kissing, the drugs are never shown. I am 10 and watch Degrassi,nothing is ever extremely detailed and the basic idea is highschoolers. The entire show isn't based on sexual content or drugs and the say some mild cuss words but nothing to serious and/or detailed
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I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Negative role models
AWSOME!!!
I love it!!! It's soooooo funny!!!
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I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
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