I, like many others my age who grew up in front of the box, would come home to enjoy Degrassi Junior High (and later Degrassi High), after school. If you grew up watching this on the ABC (Australia), you would remember the introductory warning from The Afternoon Show host (James Valentine, later Michael Tunn) about the serious adolescent issues covered in Degrassi, such as teen drinking, drug use, homesexuality, AIDS, suicide, youth pregnancy and abortion, and getting locked in the janitor closet with no clothes on while being called a “broom-head”. If you were a younger viewer, you were politely asked to go away for half an hour.

In more recent times, Degrassi has returned in the form of The Next Generation, with a cast of new young characters along with the return of some of the original characters we grew up with, which I’ve talked about in a previous post. Anyway, I’ve recently gotten my hands on the new Degrassi book, Degrassi Generations The Official 411. If you like Degrassi the way I do, this book has everything you need. Actor and character profiles, where are they now, theme song (and zit remedy) lyrics, episode guide and just about anything you would ever want to know about all the Degrassi programs – Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High, Schools Out (the Degrassi movie) and Degrassi: The Next Generation. Here are some bits of knowledge:

Did you know?

• Degrassi is named after Captain Filippo De Grassi, an Italian soldier and early Canadian settler in the 1830s.
• The actors who played The Zit Remedy didn’t actually know how to play their instruments (No way!)
• Executive producer Linda Schuyler was actually a high school teacher who wanted to make films with students about high school life.
• Kevin Smith (of Clerks, Mallrats, etc fame) is a huge fan. He wrote the introduction to the book and talks about how he got to snog Caitlin (LUCKY!) on his guest appearance in The Next Generation.

The book itself is well designed and has hundreds of photos throughout. Fans won’t be disappointed.

I am giving away 2 copies of Degrassi: Generations

If you would like a copy of the book, just write a comment below outlining which Degrassi character you are most like and why. Keep it short and sweet.

I will give one copy away to a random commenter, and another to the person giving the best answer. Make sure you submit a valid email address (will never be published) with your comment. You have until 14 November 2005.

Published at HenryTapia.com – Experiencing and designing things

• Everyone remembers the “all the way with Stephanie Kaye” episode (“Kiss Me, Steph”). This is the very first episode of DJH. Stephanie Kaye is now a “mature” 8th grader, and runs for school president. Her prissy nerd friend Voula can’t handle Steph’s new image and sluttish behaviour.
• Joey Jeremiah was such a little obnoxious dweeb! Allow me to demonstrate with this visual comparison of young Joey vs Craig’s stepfather Joey in next generation. Joey can be seen in the second shot as the responsible father figure, and more importantly, the hat has been passed to the next generation:

He still rules. No-one could pull off the vest, mullet and brim hat like Joey.

• The ultimate insult seems to be “broomhead”. This term is used quite often. The poster ad for the school dance in episode 2 says “be there or be a broomhead”.
• One word… Caitlin. She was so sweet and classy before that Claude (“Cload”) fool offed himself and blamed it on her. But that there’s a whole different post.

I also have to mention that The Next Generation has got me hooked, especially seeing the episodes (season1?) that have just aired here on the ABC have predominantly been centred around Spike and Snake getting married, and there’s a whole lot of Joey, Caitlin and Lucy to be seen. Mr Raditch is now the principal and looks like an old lech.

Spike’s daughter Emma is a central character of the new show. As some might recall, she is the lovechild of Spike and Shane back in Degrassi High. Shane didn’t want to stick around with the baby until he took some acid and jumped off a bridge and got brain damage.

Published at HenryTapia.com – Experiencing and designing things