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The 7 Actual Best Things About Degrassi High

The 7 Actual Best Things About Degrassi High
Carly Jacobs
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hen I say Degrassi High, I mean classic Degrassi High. I love the recent episodes (seriously I’ve been bingeing on them like a mofo) but my heart belongs to classic Degrassi. When the cast looked like actual students and none of the actors grew up to be famous r&b musicians. I recently re-watched the series (I actually listened to it while cooking dinner but it’s the same thing really) and these are my most favourite moments.

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1. When Spike got pregnant

She was 13 years old and fell pregnant the first time she had sex to a guy she only mildly liked. It was the best contraception ever for a 90s teen. This storyline was perfect in so many ways. It addressed the issue of a teen pregnancy being the ‘fault’ of the girl with Spike being banned from school but Shane, the baby’s father being allowed to stay. Spike was also central to the abortion argument later in the series, saying that an abortion wasn’t right for her but that it’s every woman’s own choice. Fist bump for you Spike! Also how un-progressive was progressive Liz? The pro-life beliefs just did not suit her character.

2. Wheels’ jeans

They really are the gift that keeps on giving. The actor who played Wheels sadly passed away in 2007 but if he was still alive today I highly doubt he’d have any ability to procreate. His poor balls were twisted up like hairy pretzels in those spray on jeans and he was rarely not sporting a camel toe. I want to open a Degrassi Museum with Wheels’ jeans as the main attraction.

3. When Dwayne got HIV from his girlfriend

This HIV storyline was so necessary and a really important topic but the spreading of HIV between men and from men to women was a MUCH bigger issue. HIV doesn’t live outside the body so a man catching it from a woman is the least likely scenario of them all, I mean it happens but not very often. Kudos to the producers for addressing it and aptly pointing out that HIV affected heterosexual couples too but a more likely scenario would have been a girl catching it from a dude.

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4. When Joey fucked Tessa Campanelli

This was in the School’s Out special but Caitlyn saying ‘Tessa Campanelli? You were fucking Tessa Campanelli?’ is probably my favourite thing that ever happened at Degrassi.

5. How lightly Melanie got off in life compared to Kathleen

Kathleen had an absent father, an alcoholic mother, an eating disorder and an abusive boyfriend. Melanie had braces and no boobs. The writers absolutely pummelled poor Kathleen and the worst thing that ever happened to Melanie was when Yick caught her at the movies with Snake. It’s just a little thing but it always made me feel sorry Kathleen. This show makes me emotional okay? Also the actress who played Melanie is now in hiding because a guy from Melbourne stalked her and sent her weird stuff in the mail for like 6 years. Creepy right?

6. How weirdly they dealt with homosexuality

The writers were super forward on most issues – teen pregnancy, abortion, depression – and dealt with them in a very educational and neutral way. However homosexuality was not dealt with well at all in the early seasons. The only gay character in the early series was Snake’s brother and his coming out resulted in being disowned by his family and Snake being super awkward about it. There were rumours about Ms Avery being gay, which she half-heartedly denied but there was no real lesson or conclusion. I would have really loved to have seen a gay main character student at the school. The discussion about homosexuality was there but the stance seemed off. The message seemed to be ‘it sucks to be gay and you can’t do anything about it.’ It’s totally okay though because the writers nailed homophobia and gay relationships in the later series so they’re forgiven.

7. The cast have the best accent in the world

‘What’s this all aboot?’

I don’t usually write a whole post about every podcast I do but this episode of Sweet Teen Club was too hilarious not to. I swear Stacey and I nearly comedy sprayed in the recording of this episode. My only regret is that we didn’t mention The Zit Remedy. I have no idea how it happened but I’m very embarrassed. Make sure you tweet me @smaggle if there’s anything you’d like to discuss. Like how it’s possible to be a lesbian and someone’s friend at the same time and how the most important thing at a party is the potato chips. Or ‘chaps’ as ‘Malanie’ likes to say.

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Did you watch Degrassi High? Who was your favourite character?

 

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Also are you keen to learn to crochet? I have a beginners course launching really soon so make sure you sign up here so you don’t miss my reader discount offer.

Images via Huffpo

22 Comments

  1. Shannon@ my2morrows 8 years ago

    Going all the way with Stephanie K! Thats the line that sticks in my head. Degrassi was everything!!

    And now I have the zit remedy in my head ?

  2. I think my lifelong admiration of hats started with Joey Jeremiah!

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      That boy could do a fedora like nobodies business.

  3. Jamie 8 years ago

    One of the best shows ever! Every episode was an emotional roller coaster and traumatized me – in all the best ways! – as a pre-teen viewer. And imagine my excitement when I went to college in Toronto and my school was where they filmed Degrassi!!! 😀 I’m still tickled when I think of it.

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      You’re joking! Did they film it while you there? Did you get to hang out with cast? Oh my god I’m so excited right now.

      • Jamie 8 years ago

        OMG I wish! I would have died of excitement! 🙂 Filming was over a few years before I got there, but I’ll never forget my first time walking around the school thinking “why does this all look so familiar?” Lol! Our teachers told us soon after that it was the school they used for Degrassi. There were definitely also neighbourhoods in the city that I recognized from the scenes showing people’s houses on the show. Very cool, that a little Canadian show did so well!

  4. Darcy 8 years ago

    Did you used to watch Press Gang?

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      No but I feel like should! How did people watch it in Australia? I seem to have totally missed it!

      • Raymond 5 months ago

        You’re in Australia and never saw Press Gang? It aired on the same show that screened Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. They were aired along with a huge array of cartoons and other live shows on a wrapper program called The Afternoon Show on the ABC, which ran from 1987 to the end of 1993. That coincided with my early to middle teenage years so I always watched it for the hour before the even news came on at six.
        Wikipedia carries a good summary of the things broadcast on The Afternoon Show.
        The big news about Press Gang was that it featured Dexter Fletcher (whatever happened to him?) and a pre-Absolutely Fabulous Julia Sawalha.

  5. Amanda 8 years ago

    Love it so much! But HOW could you forget about the Zits? My sister and I were so into Degrassi we made a Zit Remedy sweatshirt like they had on the show.. and I still have it! https://www.instagram.com/p/3Wm-5mDtb8/

    • Veggie Mama 8 years ago

      We ran out of tiiiiiime, i’m still so cut up about it

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      We’ll mention them next time – we still have the Degrassi High episode to do!

  6. Beth R (AlmostPosh) 8 years ago

    Degrassi was pivotal in my teen years (not as much as Press Gang but still a huge influence), I have the DVD box set and most of the books! Pretty sure Melanie had some kind of crisis in her book but I can’t remember what it was. Alcohol maybe? I’ll have to have a look. I remember watching the School’s Out episode and my jaw dropping when Caitlin dropped the f bomb. What was that even all aboot??

    • Author
      Carly Jacobs 8 years ago

      Oh man that is legit my favourite line ever in Degrassi. Also Joey was a complete asshole. I actually feel like that was totally out of character for him. It was a great storyline but totally not like Joey.

  7. Veggie Mama 8 years ago

    SACKSFLASHBACK

  8. kyliebh90210 6 years ago

    I love all things Degrassi, I got hooked on the original, and it made me watch TNG which is one of my all time fave shows (and I’m still watching the new seasons). I didn’t realise you were the Carly from Sweet Teen Club! I too love all things Sweet Valley, BSC and 90s, so your podcast is a perfect listen. Lucky I googled ‘the worst thing about Dawson’s Creek was…’ and found your blog!

  9. Emily 5 years ago

    I laughed way too hard about your comments about Wheels’ jeans. It’s so true, I just watched all of Degrassi recently, and was super bummed how Wheels’ storyline ended too, I wish there would have been some kind of redemption. Love the podcast btw!

  10. Fibro 4 years ago

    Watched it has an almost 30 year old adult. Watched Degrassi tng when I was like 11 and didn’t know all the weird references being made were actually about a real show but for my favorite character #tessacampanelli I’m all the way Team Tessa

Pingbacks

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