Film + TV
Degrassi has been cancelled
by Jesse Locke
June 4, 2015
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After 14 seasons, Variety has reported that one of Canadian TV’s longest running institutions is coming to an end.
Of course, the cool teen drama Degrassi airing on MuchMusic and TeenNick is only its latest iteration, preceded by Degrassi Junior High, Degrassi High and the O.G. CBC series The Kids of Degrassi Street dating back to 1979. The current series debuted in 2001 as Degrassi: The Next Generation, and will close out in fan-fulfilling fashion with an hour-long special on July 20, followed by new episodes airing daily before the hour-long grand finale on July 31. A clip show is also slated with the title It Goes There: Degrassi’s Most Talked About Moments.
It should go without saying that the show’s cultural influences include launching the career of Drake with his role as Wheelchair Jimmy. 90210 actress Shenae Grimes is also a Degrassi alum, while high-profile fans include Kevin Smith and comedian Nick Kroll, whose “Wheels, Ontario” parodies are a pitch-perfect tribute. Over the years, Degrassi also boldly went where no other shows dared, touching on weighty topics and dropping the first ever f-bomb on Canadian broadcast television with the amazing 1992 film School’s Out.
We’re sad to see it go, but there’s no better time to revisit our list of fictional bands from the world of Degrassi.
