Degrassi: The Next Generation

Degrassi: The Next Generation premiered on October 14, 2001, on CTV in Canada, reaching American audiences on April 1, 2002, via Noggin's teen programming block The N. Created by Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore, it was the fourth series in the Degrassi franchise—a continuation and revival of the earlier Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High. The show built its reputation on tackling teen issues with unflinching directness: storylines spanning sexuality, drug use, mental health, disabilities, racism, and violence in ways that made parents nervous and kept teens riveted.

The series ran for fourteen seasons and 385 episodes through August 2, 2015, eventually renaming itself simply "Degrassi" for seasons 10–14. It migrated between Canadian networks—starting on CTV, then MuchMusic, then MTV Canada—while American viewers came to know it through Noggin and its successor channel TeenNick. The ensemble cast rotated with graduating characters, though a few breakout roles stuck. Most notable was Aubrey Graham, who appeared as basketball star Jimmy Brooks in seasons 1–7 and made guest returns in season 8. (Graham went on to become the rapper Drake, one of the world's biggest music acts.) In season 4, a storyline involving classmate Rick Murray shooting Jimmy became one of the show's most shocking arcs—Jimmy survived but used a wheelchair for the remainder of his time on the show, a disability the series continued to center rather than sideline.

Millennial and early Gen-Z audiences across North America grew up watching Degrassi reruns on The N, making the show a shared cultural touchstone for anyone who spent their teenage years in front of a screen in the 2000s.