Okay, I admit it: At 32, I’m wayyyy out of Degrassi’s target demographic, and actually closer in age to the original generation than The Next Generation. Yet this Canadian teen series, which is about to enter its tenth season, makes for good TV, and several now-famous folk like Nina Dobrev, Shenae Grimes, and Drake all got their starts there.
This summer on TeenNick (and on MuchMusic in Canada), Degrassi is going to switch to a telenovela format, airing 24 new episodes over a six-week period. The season itself will be an unprecedented 48 episodes.
Networks like The CW who see ratings dwindle over long breaks between new episodes could learn from this model. Actually, there is a lot to learn from a series like Degrassi which has endured for so long and has practically reinvented itself yet again in recent years.
Here’s the new promo for the new episodes, offering some hints as to what to expect when the show returns:
4 Comments
That is a pretty darn awesome promo. Totally love it. Love Degrassi, I remember last summer when they were doing the even of airing every episode ever I was glued to my TV far longer than I should have been. I love how over 10 years the show has stuck with what made it so popular originally, and continues to handle very real issues that teenagers have. If you ask me, it’s probably the most “real” show on TV.
I think the only time Degrassi really deviated was the two seasons when they went for that 90210-esque boring opening titles sequence. When Season 8 started, it kind of showed me “Degrassi is alive again.” I like that. And I like that they haven’t forgotten their older characters, who still show up from time to time. The show has really evolved.
That is an awesome promo, and probably expensive to come up with and make. This is on the CBC network in Canada, isn’t it? If so, one must remember that this network is funded by the Canadian government, thus given the extra money to be able to do awesome promotions like this one (and even the time to reinvent itself if the show is beginning to wane). There has been many a show on this channel that one wonders if it is kept on because of it being a Canadian production and not because it is making any money for the network. However, it is good to see that they when they have a show that is so popular that they know how to promote it in a creatively unique way.
next generation and this one dont really have the feel of the original they r too flashy and seem more polished no feel at all of the original series sad.