Degrassi graduates to Netflix. Meet the Next Class, coming in 2016 pic.twitter.com/FhUZJ3ZiiL
— Netflix US (@netflix) June 9, 2015
Break out the ketchup chips! Netflix is going to make us (or at least the media we grew up on) immortal—in a Tweet earlier this morning, the streaming service announced that it had rescued seminal Canadian series Degrassi from the jaws of an untimely death.
Netflix VP of global content Erik Barmack said in a statement to Variety,
For more than three decades, this groundbreaking show has been reaching teens with important stories and starting in 2016 our members around the world will be able to enjoy and discover the newest chapter of this great show.
Like a Eugene O’Neill play mixed with Full House, Next Generation addressed the serious issues facing modern teenz, but with an unflappably ridiculous ’90s vibe that made even the most serious episodes relatable and endearing.
Degrassi also offered incredible representation for a teen drama throughout its many seasons, showcasing characters not just of diverse racial and gender identities but different economic classes, abilities, and body types. By using actual high-school aged actors, the series also helped me to feel less alone in my physical and emotional awkwardness and to truly believe that the characters on screen represented and understood some of what I was going through.
Here’s to 30 more years of Degrassi‘s Canadian sincerity, improbable pregnancies, and terrible hair. Find your own giant mouse and celebrate.
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