I grew up watching "les années collège/ lycée" (Degrassi Junior High/High in French). Must have been aired for the first time in 88 or so, and I was in junior high myself at the time. I was already a TV freak, but I really got hooked by this show : sometimes heavy, sometimes light, dumb, harsh, cute, cruel, cunning, corny, vicious, talkative, stinky, laughing, moaning, crying, smart, boring, entertaining, wise, so-so, great... You get the idea : all and its contrary.
Just like life. Big hit on TV.
We would often talk about the episodes among ourselves the next day, and a few times with the teachers : there are times and things you just don't/can't discuss with your parents when you're in junior hi without feeling super dumb, shameful, sinner (continue the list) because you brought the subject. See what I mean ? My years were not as bad as these kids' in comparison. There was drama aplenty : I think maybe, what, 10 episodes overall ? say 5, do have happy endings.?. Kids in there, they got heavy blows. Ils prenaient cher! A bit of a Zola or Hector Malot's "Remy without family" trend. Somewhat refreshing, more relating to real life experiences : you get hit, recover and move on until the next. Teenagehood is drama, is an ordeal, is a sheat you have to live through and learn to cherish.
I just learned here tonight that the show was Canadian which explains why the drama hooks you up. Americains would have put happy endings all over the place (in everything they do for the screen they need a useless happy ending, I just hate it) ; though I must admit that recent creations (nip/tuck, for example) finally got rid of the Disney coating, yes. Like a snake changing skin.
An excellent social series, in phase with its time, with kids actually being kids, being black, yellow, red, cathos, Jewish, goths, hippies, slim, fat, with zits, braces and geek looking glasses, not rich... All what we've been through. Not cleaned 20 yrs old to play 13 yrs old ones. To my knowledge, sadly, there hasn't been any reruns back here, too bad. I'll have to get it on DVD, to show it to my daughter when she'll start wondering about the very same issues that were treated in Degrassi (she's only 3 now, but kids grow up faster than you'd think !). It definitely beats the sheat out of its descendants : 90210, Dawson, and, ow, I forgot the title, you know, that horrible good thinking and well mannered Wasp family the Dad is a preacher with 6 or 7 kids ?.. Yes, that one. I hate the general ambient of the series, wanna pop a cap in the TV !
I definitely recommend Degrassi Junior and High, as a must have in home video collection. Make a useful gift to a troubled pre and/or early teenager you know...
Just like life. Big hit on TV.
We would often talk about the episodes among ourselves the next day, and a few times with the teachers : there are times and things you just don't/can't discuss with your parents when you're in junior hi without feeling super dumb, shameful, sinner (continue the list) because you brought the subject. See what I mean ? My years were not as bad as these kids' in comparison. There was drama aplenty : I think maybe, what, 10 episodes overall ? say 5, do have happy endings.?. Kids in there, they got heavy blows. Ils prenaient cher! A bit of a Zola or Hector Malot's "Remy without family" trend. Somewhat refreshing, more relating to real life experiences : you get hit, recover and move on until the next. Teenagehood is drama, is an ordeal, is a sheat you have to live through and learn to cherish.
I just learned here tonight that the show was Canadian which explains why the drama hooks you up. Americains would have put happy endings all over the place (in everything they do for the screen they need a useless happy ending, I just hate it) ; though I must admit that recent creations (nip/tuck, for example) finally got rid of the Disney coating, yes. Like a snake changing skin.
An excellent social series, in phase with its time, with kids actually being kids, being black, yellow, red, cathos, Jewish, goths, hippies, slim, fat, with zits, braces and geek looking glasses, not rich... All what we've been through. Not cleaned 20 yrs old to play 13 yrs old ones. To my knowledge, sadly, there hasn't been any reruns back here, too bad. I'll have to get it on DVD, to show it to my daughter when she'll start wondering about the very same issues that were treated in Degrassi (she's only 3 now, but kids grow up faster than you'd think !). It definitely beats the sheat out of its descendants : 90210, Dawson, and, ow, I forgot the title, you know, that horrible good thinking and well mannered Wasp family the Dad is a preacher with 6 or 7 kids ?.. Yes, that one. I hate the general ambient of the series, wanna pop a cap in the TV !
I definitely recommend Degrassi Junior and High, as a must have in home video collection. Make a useful gift to a troubled pre and/or early teenager you know...