Common Sense Media Review
Socially conscious teen drama deals with tough issues.
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Degrassi
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 42 parent reviews
Based on 173 kid reviews
Kids say that this TV show is a powerful and realistic depiction of teen life, tackling heavy topics such as suicide, sexual assault, drug use, and the consequences of poor decisions. While many reviews highlight its educational value for older teens, they also caution that the show is not suitable for younger children without parental guidance due to its mature content.
- realistic portrayal
- educational value
- mature themes
- parental guidance needed
- suitable for older teens
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
DEGRASSI: THE NEXT GENERATION is a teen drama set in a Canadian community school where a diverse group of high schoolers cope with academic pressures, social stresses, relationship woes, and weightier issues like drug use, cyberbullying, and STDs. Like its 1980s predecessors, Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, the show's ensemble cast is a microcosm of the contemporary teen population as a whole, incorporating characters of different ethnicities, socioeconomic groups, religions, sexual identities, and disabilities, not to mention differences in personalities. Overachievers, underachievers, jocks, socialites, perfectionists, control freaks, social misfits—all find a place in the halls of Degrassi. During the show's run, it had many cast changes, but nothing has changed about the way the show addresses serious issues like gang violence, rape, and teen pregnancy.
Is It Any Good?
Excellently written and boasting a cast that actually looks and acts like real kids, this series provides provocative, engaging, and socially conscious programming for teens and adults. Degrassi: The Next Generation doesn't hold back when it comes to facing tough but relevant issues, which means that the teen characters have sex, drink, do drugs, deal with bullying, and turn violent. This uncensored honesty gives the show credibility beyond that of many of the soapier series available to teens.
It's also impossible not to get invested in the characters' lives and to sympathize with their feelings during rocky times. The high caliber of the storytelling itself makes it equally compelling for parents and teens. Degrassi isn't a comfortable, heartwarming series that solves all of its self-created problems in its allotted 30-minute window. It's designed to put you on edge, make you confront tough situations, and keep you watching to see how the characters resolve their issues. It does so without relying on any of the sensationalism that allows viewers to dismiss the content as dramatic effect, which creates a unique opportunity for open discussions. Some episodes are heavier than others, and the amount and type of controversial material varies widely from story to story. Ultimately, though, this series manages a moral tone without coming off as preachy. What's more, if you're an alum of the original Junior High series, you'll find particular enjoyment in seeing a few stars from that incarnation return to the screen as the grown-ups in this one.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what sets Degrassi apart from other teen shows. Does the fact that the teens look like regular teens make it more realistic? Can you relate to their issues or feel empathy for the characters? Have you or your friends dealt with similar issues?
The issue of self-image is a common theme in this show, and families can discuss the pressures on young people to change their appearance through weight loss and plastic surgery. Are there aspects of your body that you wish you could change? Does this issue affect your enjoyment of life? How does the media influence how you think you look?
This series shines a light on several timely issues, including sexual orientation, bullying, and sexual activity. Depending on the episode's content, talk to your kids about these and other topics, drawing comparisons between the characters' actions and your own family rules. Did the show encourage you to see a situation differently than you have in the past? How does peer pressure play a role in your decisions about what you will and won't do?
How do the characters on Degrassi learn and demonstrate compassion and self-control? What about communication and integrity? Why are these important character strengths?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 14, 2001
- Cast : Mike Lobel , Miriam McDonald , Stacey Farber
- Network : TeenNick
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship , School ( High School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Empathy , Integrity , Self-control
- TV rating :
- Awards : Emmy - Emmy Award Nominee , NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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