The year is 2004. You just got home from school, kicked off your platform Steve Madden sneakers and grabbed some Dunkaroos from the pantry. You feed your Tamagotchi before turning on the TV and changing the channel to The N. Degrassi: The Next Generation is on. Life is good.
Now, thanks to HBO Max, Gen-Z will finally get to know the joy that is the iconic Canadian teen drama series as E! News can exclusively reveal that all 14 seasons will be available to stream on the platform beginning Friday, March 25. And in the trailer above, you can get a taste of what to expect from the beloved show that launched the careers of Nina Dobrev, Shenae Grimes, Sara Waisglass, and, of course, Drake. Started from Degrassi Community School, now we're here.
As if all 385 episodes of the show finally being available to watch wasn't enough to celebrate, an all-new Degrassi series from WarnerMedia Kids & Family and WildBrain is set to debut in 2023. Whatever it takes, we know we can make it through by binge-watching old episodes until then.
Now, listen up youths, before Euphoria, there was Degrassi: TNG, which pulled no punches as it tackled topics such as abuse, pregnancy, suicide, homophobia, racism and more. It was never afraid to go there.
The series, which premiered in October 2001, was actually the fourth installment of the franchise, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High followed, with TNG serving as a direct follow-up by centering on Emma Nelson (Miriam McDonald), the daughter of Christine Nelson a.k.a. Spike (Amanda Septo) and Shane McKay (Bill Parrott). (And you thought teen dramas couldn't have a vast mythology!)
Beginning in 2015, Netflix aired four seasons of Degrassi: Next Class after Teen Nick cancelled the series after its 14th season.
Degrassi: The Next Generation will be available to stream beginning March 25 on HBO Max.