Nekoshoujo

whoa Kit Hood is a guy?! BRB rethinking everything I've known for the last 10 years....

mellifluouscloud

Whoa, my mind is blown by this "Kit Hood is a man" revelation as well. Everything I thought I knew is a lie!!!!!! Who started that rumor, anyway? Was it YOU, Asya?!?! I kid, I kid.

So while we're (sort of) on the subject, how involved IS Linda Schuyler with the show, anyway? I kinda assumed/hoped that she's still as involved as ever but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of evidence to support that...

And yeah, the rushing through 40-some episodes a year would definitely impact the quality. I think I blamed the staff working double-time on Instant Star for why seasons 5-6 suffered.

YES. Agreed. And I know I've ranted about the cast before. Was Degrassi always this white? The best they do is give us vaguely Latino characters like Bianca and the Torres family (played by white actors) and then they have Chantay and Marisol as total fodder (no storylines, no depth) and does anyone even remember Leia? Looking back, wasn't Jimmy always a sort of Magical Negro? And remember how Paige's bisexuality was completely dismissed in season 7? I could go on...

It's very possible I'm just stalling to avoid voting in the Survivor.

Nekoshoujo

No! I would never!
But seriously I'm really confused right now. I know we're not alone in this belief. The rumor is fact to so many people.

True, true. I'd rather have fewer episodes if it meant better quality. :\

To me it's almost ironic considering the fact Degrassi likes to think of itself as a leader in global involvement and yet....

kaleidocat

It never dawned on me until last night that Kit Hood might be a woman. I'm guessing you assumed that because of the ambiguous name?

So we don't lose the survivor:


Vote which you want to eliminate:
8 - JustMe2000
10 - MD9999

MD9999

I am extremely amused by all of this.

I have very little evidence of this, but I don't think that she is as involved as she was. There was an interview with her a while back in which she talked about the Manny abortion episode, how she wouldn't change it so Teennick would allow it, and generally how she could only support good messages. Hence, she either has really confused ideas about good messages (LL: it's not rape if she says it isn't!, Owenya: when a girl says she doesn't like to be harassed, that's her way of asking you out!, Eli: Hearse crashing...fun!), has become less principled, or just doesn't have as much influence any more. (side note: Stephen Stohn or Stefan Brogren or someone relatively recently said something along the lines of 'Degrassi isn't supposed to be educational and issues-based anymore. It is now primarily for entertainment.' 1. That is just terrible. Why give up on the one thing that made the show both successful and relatively high quality? 2. Does anyone think it is more entertaining now that they have given up on things like good writing and character development? 3. I refuse to believe that Linda would approve of that)

There's actually something weird about this, though. Linda made the show before she even knew Stephen Stohn. Why would he gain influence at her expense?

Nekoshoujo

I'm going with 10 because 8 is such an iconic scene and in a way it's everything I love about them.

Oh yeah I remember the whole entertainment quote but not where it came from. I wonder if from that they're taking in other influences. I kinda feel like the writers are playing off the actors more than they did in the past.

For me the issue is less about entertainment vs. education value as it is about reputation. Degrassi has build theirs on being a show with a message. And that idea is still ingrained in the name. So when younger viewers watch Degrassi they might still have it in their heads that if this is the message Degrassi is sending it must be okay. I'm cool with the idea of it going to a place that's based more on entertainment, I just wish the transition was handled in a more responsible way ie. the cast/crew really talking about some of these disturbing issues. They do PSAs already, why not a few more? Again, I think the whole thing just makes me nervous because I'm thinking about the younger viewers and the messages about what's okay/not okay that they're getting from this show.

mellifluouscloud

Okay I'm doing it! I'm voting off 10! NACHOS, COWGIRL UNIFORM, AND CHEESY MUSIC FOREVER!!!!!

Pshhh if Degrassi is all entertainment now, then they shouldn't even touch heavy issues like rape, emotional abuse, gender identity, sexual harassment, bullying, gang violence, etc. And maybe stop giving every single episode that patented after-school special kind of feel. But they keep doing it because that's what Degrassi is. That's what its legacy is, like it or not. So whoever made that statement is full of crap.

Nekoshoujo

^ Maybe that's part of the problem. Degrassi doesn't know what it is anymore.

This reminds me I think HJ really works that uniform. It compliments her coloring more than it should. Who doesn't love a cowgirl?

kaleidocat

A part of me wants to throw a vote in 8's direction in hopes of continuing this forever and ever but...my gut instinct is to vote to eliminate 10. 8 is an iconic scene.

MD9999

This is how I feel. The serious stuff is what made Degrassi famous, and I think it is what most people are attracted to about it. Going more in the entertainment direction just doesn't make sense, and also isn't consistent with their continued use of serious issues.

Nekoshoujo

^ Right it's like two combating ideas. You can't really have a show that's purely for entertainment and have these messages in it. That voids the idea of it strictly being for entertainment.

But they've already proven you can make "issue" storylines entertaining. Sometimes I feel like they're actually trying to hard. If they just kept it simple, covered different issues every episode, and developed their characters this show would actually end up being more entertaining and less cliche... (I'm looking at you, Dead And Gone!)

mellifluouscloud

Does this mean... 8 is the winner??!

When is Holly J coming back? I think the lameness of her "successor" (Katie) is causing me to miss her even more. HJ, come back and bring Sav with you. Wedding episode!

Nekoshoujo

^ If Spin and Emma can get a marriage send off, I say: why not!

mellifluouscloud

Spemma was beautiful...

Hey, remember when we thought there was a chance of a college spin-off with Holly J and Sav? Those were the days... I'm so bored by the current cast, I kinda wish a bomb would blow up the school and kill everyone except Ali and Fiona. Sav and Holly J would return to comfort them and assist in the cleanup efforts. They would find love again as they sweep up the ashes. It's a metaphor, maybe. They find themselves reunited in a post-apocalyptic world! They get married and live happily ever after. Roll credits. (I'm imagining this as the summer movie before season 12, just to clarify.) This allows Degrassi to lay the groundwork for the next series in the franchise, coming to a TV near you in 2025: Degrassi: The Next Generation Twice-Removed.

Someone should hire me for the writing staff. Too bad I'm female~

JustMe2000

This thread was in danger of slipping down too far into the Degrassi board abyss, so while I don't really have anything interesting to say, I do bring some pictures. Stuff we've all seen before, but stuff we can enjoy again.