TORONTO – WildBrain announced Wednesday production is now underway on a new three-hour documentary series about the iconic Canadian television series Degrassi.
Commissioned by WildBrain Television, the as-yet-untitled docuseries is being produced in partnership with the award-winning Canadian production company Peacock Alley.
“Featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, the series will 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,” reads a WildBrain press release.
The documentary series is being directed by Lisa Rideout (Sex with Sue, This Is Pop) and is executive produced by Josh Scherba, Stephanie Betts and Angela Boudreault for WildBrain, and by Carrie Mudd (Leonard Cohen: Tower of Song, Travelers) for Peacock Alley. The series is produced by Erin Sharp (Sex with Sue, Hip-Hop Evolution).
“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,” Scherba, WildBrain’s president and CEO, said in the release. “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,” Scherba said.
“As someone who came of age watching Degrassi, I remember the much-needed reassurance I got from the show as a teen,” docuseries director Rideout said. “Degrassi not only helped teens feel less alone, it also didn’t shy away from what we wanted to know about puberty, sex, relationships and so much more. I’m thrilled to be showcasing the enormous impact Degrassi had on the viewers, the cast, and crew, and to be telling the incredible story of one of Canada’s most successful and unique franchises.”
Degrassi was originally created in 1979 by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood “out of a desire to tell authentic stories for young people that reflected the diverse generation of schoolkids that Schuyler, then a teacher, saw in her Toronto classrooms,” the release explains.
Over the years, the Degrassi franchise became known for breaking new ground on such subjects as teen pregnancy, racism, AIDS, eating disorders, child abuse, learning disabilities, gender identity, and violence.
Degrassi has launched the careers of many performers, including recording artist Drake (then known as Aubrey Graham), and actors Raymond Ablack (Ginny & Georgia), Luke Bilyk (The Porter), Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), Jake Epstein (Suits), Stacey Farber (The Spencer Sisters), Shenae Grimes (90210), Aislinn Paul (Heroes Reborn), Melinda Shankar (How to Be Indie), Sara Waisglass (Ginny & Georgia) and Stefan Brogren, who first appeared as Archie “Snake” Simpson in Degrassi High and returned as the school’s principal in Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class.
The Degrassi franchise has received dozens of awards across its six series, more than 500 episodes and four TV movies, including two international Emmy Awards, two Teen Choice Awards and a Peabody.
Degrassi collage courtesy of WildBrain.
