kaleidocat

6 Things to Know About Degrassi's Move to Netflix

Out with the old class, and in with the new. Now that Degrassi has wrapped it's run on TeenNick, fans are eagerly awaiting the show's debut on Netflix early next year where it will return as it's latest incarnation, Degrassi: New Class. Until then, we pressed Executive Producer Stephen Stohn for some details on the new series, which is currently under production. Here's everything that we learned.

1. The show will follow the remaining characters, including a few new additions.
Now that Degrassi's senior class has graduated and are off pursuing their futures, Zig, Maya, Tristan and the remaining cast will become the focus of the show. But viewers looking to jump into the series shouldn't feel pressured to catch up on previous seasons. "We're trying to make a fresh start for a fresh audience. They don't need to have seen Degrassi before," says Stohn. "If you're a long-time Degrassi viewer, you will know the backstory and, in some ways, the [viewing] experience may be richer and as we go along."

2. Don't expect an update from any recent Degrassi graduates just yet.
As much as fans may be dying to know whether Clare joined Eli in New York, or if Sean and Emma eventually get together, it may take some time before there are any answers. "Throughout the history of Degrassi, there's always been little check-ins back and forth," says Stohn. "[But] as we begin on Netflix, it's important for us to frame this as a fresh start. It is called Degrassi: New Class."

3. The change in administration will be addressed.
Stohn says that anyone hoping for Mr. Simpson to make a speedy return from Haiti will have to log onto Netflix next season to see if phone-banning Pill's appointment as principal is permanent or temporary.

4. The show may be getting a longer opening credit sequence.
Degrassi's most recent title sequence was a far cry from the longer, more storied opening credits the series started with. Now that the show will be streamed, Stohn is hoping to return to something similar. "For the first 10 seasons, we did credits that were little vignettes of characters. We won't necessarily be doing that, but we will be doing something that is very reflective of Generation Z and how tuned-in they are to technology."

5. Past seasons of Degrassi won't be available on Netflix any time soon.
With 14 seasons under its belt, the show has a large backlog of episodes. Unfortunately fans hoping to binge on previous seasons might have to wait a while. "For the time being it's been important for us, and for Netflix, not to confuse the audience," explains Stohn. "We didn't want new viewers to type in 'Degrassi' and find some older episodes and get confused. Hopefully after a period of time, it will be appropriate to start going back and having a look at Degrassi."

6. Degrassi: New Class will see the series celebrate it's 500th episode.
Stohn is mum on the details, but long-time fans will probably not want to miss the episode.

Degrassi: New Class will be available on Netflix in early 2016.
source: 6 Things to Know About Degrassi‘s Move to Netflix | TV Insider


Can you just talk a little about the transition to Netflix? How is the show changing?
Linda Schuyler: We're in production and busy editing. When we came back this year, we would have been in season 15 of Degrassi. Without knowing anything about [Netflix or Teen Nick] creatively, the writers and I decided to take a hard look at the show. We've been on the air for 14 seasons which is something to be tremendously grateful for. We're very thrilled that we've had 14 years with Teen Nick and CTV in Canada. We realized that the kids we're talking to today are a new generation from the kids we talked to in 2001 when we came out with Degrassi: The Next Generation. Then, we were very much talking to millennials. There's a new generation, Generation Z, who weren't even born when we started that show. That was a very sobering fact...We've done a lot of research into Generation Z and decided we need a reboot.

Is there going to be some change to the flow of the show as it is coming out on Netflix?
Linda: There is going to be some change to how the narrative of the show unfolds. There will be two chapters of ten episodes each. Each chapter has its own thematic storyline. As we tell each story, there are some stories that compete with each other and then bits and pieces flow through. We actually don't have a roll out plan from Netflix yet but we are aware that our audience could be binge watching. We're trying to make an experience that will be satisfying on a weekly basis. But if you watch it at once it's a very juicy form of creative storytelling.
source: High School Never Ends: An Interview with the Creators of 'Degrassi' | VICE | United States

Benji

I believe it's called Degrassi Next Class

What I want is for Tori to make a return

kaleidocat

I imagine we all will still just call it Degrassi right? Like when it was DTNG we called it Degrassi. And now I'm remembering Stohn saying that it won't be season 15. It will be season 1. I don't know if I can think of it that way.



Now I don't know what to call the thread.

Astroman129

I think we should actually watch the season itself before making any big judgment calls in that regard. If the show is drastically changing, maybe make it DNC season 1 or something, but if not, keep it season 15. I dunno, this is all confusing. I think I like the "chapters" format, though, as long as certain characters don't completely dominate those chapters. It would be nice if the chapters just had a theme in common but the storylines were generally different, maybe with one "main" one and several "floater" ones. Also, it makes me afraid that major stories will be resolved in a matter of ten episodes.

For example, a major storyline for a chapter about body image could have Frankie suffering from anorexia, meanwhile in the background Tiny begins to experiment with laxatives and Lola feels uncomfortable about her height. Perhaps intersperse that with a return of the gang plot with Zig and maybe have that influence Tiny's plot somehow, or make Frankie's dad try and take control of her life, flaring her anorexia. Maybe the next "chapter" could be about anxiety and have Hunter/Maya deal with whatever anxieties plague them with Frankie's eating disorder overshadowing Hunter's internal struggles in his family.

87daysofTV

I'm pretty confused about the format as well. I guess all we can do it wait and see how they decided to show the stories but it does sound like its gonna be different then it is now.

I am just gonna call it s15, it be weird to call it season 1 at this point for me.

Forwood4Bamon

I don't have Netflix. Is there any other way I can watch?

ChinaTequilia

Family Channel will be airing it in Canada. So I can only imagine those episodes will eventually be uploaded online. Same here. I can't just call it "season 1" after watching the first fourteen seasons.

JustMe2000

For me it will probably be Season 15 of Degrassi, not "Next Class" and not "Season 1."

That said, who knows, maybe the show will present itself in a way that we do indeed end up calling it those things with ease. Just have to wait and see.

It's definitely the strangest year ever to be a Degrassi fan. We had just a few episodes at the beginning of the year to wrap up 14A then go months without anything only to see the remaining 16 episodes in less than two weeks in late July/early August. And now we're going to go months again without any new episodes. Hopefully, early 2016 turns out to be January and not March or April.

87daysofTV

Same, I really hope they put the episodes in the start of 2016 and not in the spring.This is all so strange. Remember when Degrassi was pretty much on all year except for a few week breaks in between blocks or seasons, I miss those days

socialfirefighter

Is Degrassi going to be on Netflix in the US for the new season?

ChinaTequilia

Yes.

socialfirefighter

Thanks. I was just wondering. I like this show and all of the characters. I have a lot of episodes to catch up on.

Benji

Yeah I still consider it Degrassi season 15
but what I meant was.. it's called Next Class, not New Class (your post kept saying New Class)

kaleidocat

OH! I didn't even notice that blooper the article made! Another way we can all be confused. If I haven't started already, I think I'm going to be making this mistake. It will be Degrassi to me.

Just dropping off this article that includes some on-set pictures:
The Degrassi: Next Class set, behind the scenes. No pics of Lola's Cantina?

ihavealife2uknow

I wouldn't mind seeing more of Tristan's journey of trying to get popular on the internet and the pros/cons of that. Seems like a very fitting storyline for him.