Degrassi TNG seasons 5 and 6

Photo courtesy of Next Episode

Check out my first post about this series.

Check out my thoughts on seasons three and four.

My favorites list hasn't changed much, except one of the characters is no longer on the show. I want to add Alex to the list though. She's such a great character and adds a lot to the series. She's come a long way from being a bully in some earlier seasons. 

Thoughts on season five:

Manny is once again a train wreck. I didn't think it was cool of Peter to blackmail her. It's sexual harassment and even though Mrs. H is his mom, he should have been expelled the same way Spinner was for bullying. Also, Manny's father could stand to be less oppressive. And I don't like that Craig and Manny are back together again.

The whole storyline with Liberty being pregnant is a bit far-fetched. I feel bad for J.T.. He's trying really hard to help her and she keeps pushing him away. Her brother is so annoying. How are her parents not noticing anything strange? I was not happy at all about what J.T. did with the drug selling and using. That was so out of character for him, especially when he was trying hard to be responsible. 

It's nice that Joey is able to move on, but I feel like there wasn't much closure between him and Caitlin and that the door still remains somewhat open if she were to return to Toronto. 

When are Craig and Ellie going to hook up? It seems like something could be developing between Ellie and Jimmy though? 

I like how Darcy is accepting toward Spinner and trying to help him turn his life around. I also like that she explains how people who are religious can have other interests outside of their religion that may not always fit with the concept of that religion.

I felt bad for Jimmy with how his dad was pressuring him. I also love that he's coaching the basketball team and his artwork is amazing.

I'm glad Marco finally came out to his dad, even though it wasn't a positive experience and he was somewhat guilt-tripped into doing so. I'm glad he stood up for himself though. His dad is so closed-minded. 

I thought the two-parter involving Alex and Paige was really well done. I like their dynamic too. 

I was not happy with Snake kissing Mrs. H. I hope he figures things out for himself before he completely blows up his marriage. I'm glad he finally redeemed himself and it was funny how he did so.

When did Liberty's family move? I swear they had a smaller house before. And it seems like they went back to a smaller space later on.

I'm glad Spinner realized that Linus is bad news. I was getting worried when Spinner sounded like he was in a cult. I'm also glad that Darcy didn't agree with Linus either.

Manny should have alerted Spike to Emma's eating disorder a lot earlier than she actually did. In any case, I was annoyed with Emma for doing that to herself in the first place and I hope she's sticking with therapy.

I'm glad Jimmy finally forgave Spinner. That was huge! I don't expect Darcy to forgive him for cheating, but who knows? 

Thoughts on season six:

I like the new opening credits. Has a 90210 feel. 

Emma looks fabulous. And she knows it...

I'm glad Sean is back but not glad to see him already mess up his life. Now that he's 18, I feel less guilty over saying he's attractive.

Ellie's roommate was so annoying. I'm glad it works out for her to live with Marco and Dylan now. 

So annoying that Craig is a coke addict now. I'm glad Ellie is mad at him for it and that Manny broke up with him. 

Where is Joey?!?

What is the story with the verbally abusive teacher? 

There are times when I still like J.T. and other times when he acts like an idiot. However, I never saw him getting killed as a possibility. So awful. I find it strange that he was in the main credits but the actor who plays Toby is listed after the credits, even though Toby is on more than J.T. now and had a pretty big role this season.

Darcy was reckless in posting photos online. She even ended up with a creepy stalker. 

I like Mia and feel bad for her in some ways. Darcy was so judgmental of her.

I had a feeling Marco's gambling would be disastrous. I still love him though. I love that his dad acknowledged his relationship with Dylan in some way.

Paige blew up her life, but I'm glad she's trying to put things back together. I also love Alex's role in Paige's life. I hope Paige can get things under control so that she doesn't have panic attacks anymore.

I'm kind of glad Peter is going to boarding school. Even though he's trying to be a better person, it doesn't excuse how he set up Sean this year. 

It was TMI for Emma to tell Snake about the fact that she's going to have sex. That presentation was so awkward.

I felt bad for Alex having to be in the position she was. At first, I felt bad for her mom, but then she did something stupid again. I'm glad Alex left and that things are good between her and Paige.

I'm glad Emma isn't pregnant. I don't think she's emotionally ready to deal with that yet.

I feel like the season ended abruptly. Usually it ends at the end of the school year. This time, it was in the winter.

Stay tuned for thoughts on seasons seven and eight...

Degrassi TNG seasons 3 and 4

Courtesy of CinemaBlend

As I continue to watch Degrassi: The Next Generation, I'm going to share my thoughts after every couple of seasons. Currently, my top five favorite characters are:

1. Ellie: She has a lot going on in her life, but weathers it well. I like that she stands up for what she needs more often now.

2. Marco: He's been through a lot with coming out, but is even more amazing for it. He also puts up with a lot from his friends and stands up for himself more.

3. J.T.: I still like his playfulness and geekiness. I think he won me over when he stood up for Paige toward the end of season two and just kept going with that. 

4. Paige: She starts off as a mean girl in the first couple of seasons but has changed a lot since then. She still has mean tendencies, but I'm rooting for her more often than not. 

5. Jimmy: He actually took the time to be nice to Rick and ended up getting shot as a result. I also like how he was there for Marco in season three. 

Honorable mention goes to Joey: adults are fair game and he's so cute in his thirties. I'm annoyed that things are starting to go downhill for him and Caitlin. He's so good to Craig too, even when he shouldn't have to be. 

Thoughts on season three:

They finally covered teen pregnancy, but I'm not happy with where they took it. 

I'm glad they focused more on Marco coming out, but it was really intense at times. I also hated how Spinner treated him. However, I'm glad Spinner finally came around and was acting as his wingman later. It was sad that his parents were making themselves unapproachable in terms of coming out, especially after what his father said at the restaurant.

Paige has mellowed out a bit, but Spinner acts like a jerk most of the time. I appreciate that he's devoted to her, but still...

Toby has been really annoying, but it was nice what he did in the detention episode.

I'm glad Teri realized she was in an abusive relationship and got out of it. However, I am so annoyed that she got roped back in and feel so bad for her after what happened at the park. So scary! I hope Rick goes away for good.

I love that they have some focus on the adults from the original series. Nice to see Wheels. I wasn't sure when the actor had died, but found out it was years after he appeared on season three. I love Joey and Caitlin together and am so glad he broke up with Sydney to get back together with her. I hope Snake will be okay. His health situation definitely threw a wrench into the season. It was interesting to see Shane again. I wonder if the actor who plays him really has a brain injury because I think it would be weird to have someone acting that way if they really didn't. Especially in this day and age. I love how Emma was compassionate toward him and how she handled the situation between him and Spike. Also, it was a fun surprise to see Heather, Erica, and Liz. And yes, the Zit Remedy song still plays a lot. :) 

I don't like the new Manny. She got such an attitude after changing her look and then managed to break up a relationship and get herself into trouble. I have a hard time feeling sorry for her.

Sean has become a jerk because of hanging out with the troublemakers. However, it was nice what he did for Liberty. He's also mellowed out a bit since he first took up with them and I like that he and Ellie are dating now.

The detention episode was totally a rip-off of The Breakfast Club, complete with the five stereotypes of students. It was funny when Raditch was working out and the exercise ball kept getting away from him. The skip day was reminiscent of Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

The longer hair is working for J.T.. I also like seeing how his personality has developed over time. I feel bad for how Manny treated him. I'm glad Manny is starting to come around to possibly liking him, even though it took something drastic to make it happen. I loved J.T.'s commercial. So funny! I wonder how he even got involved in that. 

Craig and Marco need haircuts. There wasn't Covid back in 2003. There's no excuse!

I'm glad Sean confessed about the laptop and found a way to make it up to Snake.

I'm sad that Caitlin and Joey have to spend so much time apart because of her job, but I hope the time will go fast.

I like that Emma has a better relationship with Snake now and even refers to him as her dad. 

Thoughts on season four:

I don't like the new voice for the theme song. It doesn't fit as well.

I was wondering when they'd revisit the rape case. I was horrified at the cross-examination, especially since it was done by a woman. I was impressed by how supportive Spinner was being. I hope Paige can get the help she needs to feel like herself again. It sucks that she had to relive everything and that she had to deal with that jerk again. 

I'm glad Craig and Spinner finally got haircuts. Marco is at least styling his hair now.

Why would Rick come back to Degrassi after what he did?!? He should go into hiding and change his name. Huge eye roll over that. I don't blame anyone for how they treated him. He almost killed Teri! And what is going on with her now? Last we saw her, she was awake and just getting a bandage changed. What Rick ended up doing was horrible and could have been prevented. I'm not sorry that he was a casualty of his own making.

I am annoyed by Manny being so churlish toward J.T.. Also, the device he was using was hilarious. 

I felt bad for Marco with still not being able to tell his dad that he's gay. I hope he eventually will be able to, but I know his dad makes it hard for him. I'm glad he could tell his mom and that she's supportive.

There's an interesting new development with Craig this season and I can't say I saw it coming, even with how his father acted toward him. It got really intense and I'm impressed that Ashley is sticking around. 

J.T. and Liberty, huh? I guess it was bound to happen. I like how they balance each other out. J.T. makes Liberty more fun and Liberty keeps J.T. grounded.

It's cute what Caitlin did with her hair. I like it that length and color. 

I'm glad Ellie stood up to her mother and I hope her mother will be able to stay sober after rehab. It's sad that Sean left though. I hope he'll be back.

It's nice to see Shenae Grimes on the series. I knew she was on it, but wasn't sure when she came in. I liked her on 90210. 

Surprising that Mr. Raditch is leaving mid-season. Interesting that Ms. Hatzilakis (sp?) is taking over for the time being. I like her a lot in general and think she's going to make a great principal.

The situation with Paige and the student teacher was headed for trouble and of course it went there. I don't even like them together all that much. 

Manny and Paige work well as frenemies and I never know whose side I want to take. 

I hope things go further with the blood donation company being homophobic.

I love that Kevin Smith is being featured. So much fun! There's even a meta quality to his appearance. Alanis Morissette's cameo was a nice surprise, as well. Also, I can't believe Caitlin kissed him. I know he's a celebrity and all, but she has Joey! 

I don't know that I feel sorry for Spinner at all. He dug his own grave and now he has regrets. I hope he can turn things around for himself and that this will teach him never to bully anyone again. 

Stay tuned for my thoughts on seasons five and six!

On a Degrassi "high"

Courtesy of IMDb

Shortly after starting this blog, I wrote about Degrassi High, which was one of my favorite series growing up. In the post, I mentioned Degrassi: The Next Generation. I recently started revisiting this series, after watching Degrassi Goes Hollywood, thanks to finding out that Dan Levy is in that movie. Watching it made me want to learn more about the characters, so I decided to try the series from the very beginning, when it started in 2001. Since then, I've watched two seasons and am starting the third soon. I figure I would share my thoughts on the first two seasons and then continue on with these blog posts as I keep going with the series. I found the episodes (along with the Hollywood movie) on YouTube, but there are a lot of ads and pop-ups. They're worth dealing with though!

As I mentioned in my post from a long time ago, Degrassi: TNG covers a lot of heavy issues that affect preteens and teens. In just two seasons, they've covered bullying (including cancel culture, before it was a thing), homosexuality/homophobia, body shaming, rape, racism, eating disorders, child abuse, theft, drug/alcohol abuse, catfishing, grief, etc. I'm surprised they haven't covered teen pregnancy yet, as that was a big trope in the original series, but there are many more seasons to go...

I love that some of the characters from the original series are back, namely Joey, Caitlin, Lucy, Spike, and Snake. Even Mr. Raditch is still around. Sadly, the guy who played Wheels passed away a long time ago. Joey actually looks really good without hair and I am hoping he and Caitlin will get back together eventually. I was laughing so much when they talked about the Zit Remedy and played their classic hit song.

Courtesy of Dougsploitation

The fun part is knowing that some of the characters in the Hollywood movie are in the series from the beginning. It's interesting seeing them so young and watching them grow up on this show as time goes by. It's interesting to watch as an adult because the characters are close in age to my older two kids and I keep thinking of how they'd be grounded for life if they pulled some of the stunts that the preteens and teens do on this show. I'm glad that they receive consequences though. I felt really bad for this one teacher when some of the students were playing pranks on her and then we find out that her husband is really sick. The characters have lots of layers to them though. One minute, I'll hate someone, and then next I'll be crying for them. (And yes, I've actually cried for some episodes.)

I do feel like the seasons jump around a bit and all of a sudden it's the end of the school year with some things that didn't get resolved. I also really want to see Heather Sinclair. She gets mentioned all the time but never shows her face.

Sex Talk Sue (Johanson) makes a couple of appearances on the show. It's funny because I recognized her right away from when I watched her show with a friend in 2004.

The theme song for Degrassi: TNG is definitely a change from the original series theme song. See which one you like better. The current one is an ear worm and I tend to skip through it now.

Thoughts on some of the characters (major players so far):
Liberty: I feel like Alana from Dear Evan Hansen was modeled off Liberty, not just for looks, but also for personality. I feel like Liberty is a tougher nut to crack, but she's grown on me and I like that she stands her ground. She even reminds me of myself in some ways. Like being the one behind the scenes all the time. The floor hockey episode was totally me, but for speech team.

J.T.: He reminds me so much of my younger son in looks and personality, except he's more of a girl-crazy extrovert. (He's the kid on the way bottom of the picture at the beginning of this post.) He's also good with animals.

Toby: He reminds me of a younger version of a guy I dated for a short time. Not a bad thing at all. And he's Jewish too. I hope they do more with that.

Ashley: I like how Ashley has come into her own a lot. She came off as annoying in season one, but I like her new look and the personality to go along with it. She also has a great singing voice.

Craig: If I were to crush on anyone from the show (like if I were a teenager), it would be him. I feel so bad for what he goes through in the beginning and at the end of season two. I love that he's connected with Joey Jeremiah, as well.

Courtesy of Amino

Jimmy: I didn't realize that the guy who plays Jimmy is Drake. I knew he was on the show, but his name comes up as Aubrey Graham and I had to do some research on that. He looks so young and awkward in the first couple of seasons, but I've seen pics of how he looks over time and the "transformation" into Drake. Jimmy tends to annoy me in general though. There are moments when he can be nice, but he runs hot and cold a lot of the time.

Courtesy of TV Guide

Sean: I like him with Emma, but his attitude can be annoying. He's either pitying himself or fighting with someone. Also, his brother creeps me out.

Emma: She also reminds me of myself in some ways. I love that she's Spike's daughter and it's nice to see the dynamic between the two of them. She's more outspoken than I am, but I like that she stands up for what she believes in, no matter the cost. I didn't like how she sneaked out of the house to meet a guy from the Internet though!

Manny: I originally saw her in the Hollywood movie and was really impressed by her, so it's fun to see her start out as a preteen and see her change between 2001 and 2009. I feel like there were only two episodes so far that were really about Manny....when she goes on a date and when she tries out for the cheerleading squad.

Paige: I referenced her earlier. She's the mean girl, but she does sometimes show her softer side. And I did feel really bad for her because of a certain incident. I like the rapport she has with J.T.. Like she's not supposed to like him since he's younger, but they have these really great moments together. I just can't stand how manipulative and bossy she can be sometimes.

Hazel: Hazel is Paige's best friend and she really showed a new side of herself in the episode about racism. I think she's mellowed out a bit since then.

Terri: There are times I like her and times I don't. I didn't like how she was going along with Paige to manipulate Ashley with her tarot cards. However, I liked when she stood up for herself when she was being body shamed.

Spinner: He's also very layered and I like him sometimes, but not others. I got annoyed at him for playing pranks on his teacher and for bringing bugs into school to prove a point. However, I love that he'll protect his younger sister, even though he has some mean ways of doing so.

Ellie: She gets introduced in season two. I first saw her in the Hollywood movie and thought she was really interesting. She starts off with more of a goth look, but I can see that it tapers off over time. The actress who plays her was on one episode of Schitt's Creek, playing a character who had previously dated someone who became gay. So it's funny that Ellie has that same situation early on in TNG.

Marco: The guy that Ellie likes in season two. I'm glad they introduced the topic of homosexuality through his character. He was also in the Hollywood movie and seems genuinely cool.

Courtesy of Fan Forum

If anyone has watched TNG, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. If you haven't yet, it's never too late to get started...