'Degrassi' Documentary Series About Franchise's History Is in the Works

The new docuseries will "dive into 'Degrassi' lore" with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from its over 40-year history.

By Megan Behnke

It's time to take a trip back to Degrassi Community School but for a different reason. Variety reports a three-part docuseries is in the works about the long-running Canadian teen drama franchise. Produced by family entertainment producer and Degrassi franchise owner WildBrain with Canadian production company Peacock Alley, the series promises to "dive into Degrassi lore and the teenage experience with its creators, cast, crew, and fans, as well as generations of filmmakers influenced by the franchise's 40-year legacy."

The news comes on the heels of the franchise earning a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, which reunited many cast members and crew from throughout the franchise for the ceremony. It all started in 1979 with The Kids of Degrassi Street, created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. The series focused on a group of children living on the very real De Grassi Street in Toronto. The next two installments, also created by Hood and Schuyler, were Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, which featured many of the same actors from Kids of Degrassi Streets in different and unrelated roles.

Following the television film School's Out, the franchise really started to take over in the States with Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2001. Created by Schuyler and Yan Moore, the series ran on CTV, MuchMusic, and MTV Canada throughout its 14-season run, and The N and TeenNick in the U.S. Some of The Next Generation's cast had their careers launched thanks to the series, including Drake, Shenae Grimes, Nina Dobrev, Jake Epstein, Raymond Ablack, and more. The latest was the Netflix spinoff Degrassi: Next Class, which ran for four seasons.

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Since the beginning of the franchise, Degrassi has been known to include some pretty heavy topics and discuss them in a realistic manner. There's been teen pregnancy, abortion, suicide, child abuse, racism, AIDS, school shootings, and much more. The new docuseries will be directed by Lisa Rideout, with Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts, and Angela Boudreault executive producing for WildBrain. Carrie Mudd will executive produce for Peacock Alley, and Erin Sharp is producing.

"Degrassi continues to be enormously popular, resonating with fans across generations, from adults who grew up watching the show to today's teens who are discovering it for the first time," WildBrain CEO Josh Scherba said in a statement. "In fact, more people today watch Degrassi around the world than ever before. Its enduring popularity is driven by its unflinching honesty and authenticity, tackling topics and issues that teenagers everywhere face. Peacock Alley brings award-winning talent and credentials to this project, and we look forward to working with them to share this exclusive inside view of Degrassi with fans everywhere."

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