Degrassi is now Emmy Nominated!

Holy shit, it took 25 years, but Snake might actually get an Emmy!

The cast and crew of Degrassi are celebrating today,their show has just been nominated for its first ever Primetime Emmy!  They found out the big news this morning, when it was announced that the show was nominated for Outstanding Children’s Program. Some of the show’s producers include Linda Schuyler, Stephen Stohn,  Brendon Yorke and Stefan Brogren, who played Snake in the original series and is now the principal of Degrassi!

This has been a stellar year for Degrassi, so far it’s already picked up a Peabody Award, and now there’s a chance it could be bringing an Emmy home to Canada.

The timing of the nomination couldn’t be better, the show is about to kick off its ELEVENTH season this Monday on MuchMusic.  That’s right, it’s been eleven years since the Next Generation of Degrassi started, who feels old now?

Congrats to the cast and crew!

Degrassi Season 11: First Look!

We’re only three weeks away from the premiere of the 11th season of Degrassi and yes, I’m as excited as a tween.  I never got on the Justin Bieber train, let me have this, okay?

One of the best parts of any new season of Degrassi are the new opening credits, who’s in, who’s out, and who didn’t you know was still even on the show

Well the kind folks at Epitome Pictures have released the opening credits a little early and it already has me salivating for the new season.  I realize that is a gross visual to describe a show about teenagers, but that’s what you get.

Take a look at the trailer below, keen listeners will notice that it’s Alexz Johnson singing the credits this year, she is from another Epitome Pictures project a few years back, Instant Star!

Degrassi: Now or Never begins July 18th, Monday to Thursday on Much Music.

Degrassi: 11th Season sneak peek!

Look, I know that I’m pretty much the only person over the age of twenty-five that regularly gets excited about anything to do with Degrassi.  (I still have a very clear memory of watching the first episode during my first year of university, I had a Degrassi party. There were three people there. It was a big deal.)  So now, eleven years later, even I’m surprised that I’m still invested in the show as much as I am.  It really is the Coronation Street of my generation.

Well in a few weeks, the series will kick off its eleventh season and if the new trailer is any indication, Degrassi is in fine form.  Much like last year, the trailer plays more like a music video, with lots of hints and clues about the forthcoming story lines.  It’s like a magic eye with pretty people.  (I can say teens are pretty…right?)

I will say, the trailer isn’t as exciting as last year’s carnival themed trailer, but this one has its moments too.  The young love! The fighting…oh and a gun!  It really does feel like a new season of The O.C, doesn’t it?

Take a look at the  trailer, featuring Augustana’s newest single “Steal Your Heart.”

The new season of Degrassi premieres on July 18th on MuchMusic, with four episodes a week for seven weeks.  Now that’s what I call a great summer vacation!

First Look: Degressi and The Jurassic Park!

Usually when someone leaves a successful show, their path can be well…uncertain. Just ask whatshername (Shelly Long) and hopefully and most likely, Charlie Sheen

So when it was announced that Landon Liboiron would be leaving Degrassi for a new show on Fox, it was a bit of a risky move.  Sure Terra Nova is executive produced by Steven Spielberg and the network is already putting a ton of money behind the project, but that doesn’t always guarantee success.

But luckily for Landon, given how great the just released trailer for Terra Nova looks, I think he’ll be just fine leaving behind the kids of Degrassi!

Seriously, how awesome does that show look? Since it doesn’t look like we’re getting a Jurassic Park 4 anytime soon, Terra Nova will happily tide me over.

Degrassi gets Peabody’d!

I always knew watching Degrassi made me feel smarter and now I have proof!

The Canadian classic has just been awarded the very distinguished Peabody Award!  The award, which recognizes the “distinguished achievement by broadcasters, cable and Webcasters, producing organizations, and individuals,” was given to Degrassi for its groundbreaking episodes about Adam, Degrassi’s first transgendered student. In honouring the show, the committee said: “True to its history, the durable high-school serial’s two-parter about a transgender teen neither trivializes nor overdramatizes its subject.”

Other 2011 winners include Justified, Men of a Certain Age and The Good Wife.

The Peabody Awards, hosted by Larry King, will be held May 23.

Degrassi gets nominated!

Big news for the cast and crew of Degrassi!  The teen show has just been nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama!  (In case you don’t know, GLAAD is the The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.)

This is really big news considering the the show has huge competition in the category including Grey’s Anatomy, True Blood, Brothers and Sisters and Pretty Little Liars.

Here’s a list of all the GLAAD Media Award Nominees! Other nominees include the Toronto-filmed Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

Speaking of Degrassi, the show will return in a few weeks, if you’re like me and you can’t wait, here are two different promos to tide you over!

Best of 2010: Degrassi

I spent most of 2010 defending my enjoyment of Degrassi but this time, I’ll let the numbers speak for itself.

In it’s tenth season, the show swtiched networks, produced more than 48 episodes and reached a huge milestone: more than  220 episodes since the show premiered in 2001!  Not bad for something that used to be called “The Next Generation”.  2010 was also the year that Degrassi was named Canada’s Favourite TV Show at this year’s Geminis.  Whether you like it or not, the show doesn’t seem to be going anywhere….thankfully.

In a matter of weeks the show;s twenty-two member cast tackled subjects like abuse, teen pregnancy, stabbings, coming-out, alcoholism, hoarding, school-uniforms,  lock-downs and most importantly, introduced Adam, Degrassi’s first transgendered student.   All of this was promoted in what I’m choosing as the coolest promo of the year:

This was also the year that I got the chance to visit the Degrassi set.  It was amazing to see that the entire set is basically a city block with real stores, cafes, schools and it’s all staged in and around the show’s production offices.  The show’s current cast is extremely strong and are proof that show’s can evolve and morph and not hurt the quality of the end result. Show’s like Glee should definitely take note and copy Degrassi’s model.

For a show that has already produced stars like Drake, Shanae Grimes and Nina Dobrev, it’s exciting to know that the stars are probably giong to keep coming. By doing the name Degrassi proud, the show was definitely one of my favourites of 2010!

Degrassi is India bound!

First, a question: Do you guys think it’s weird that I write about Degrassi so much?  Actually…wait.  Don’t answer that.

Second, an announcement:  If you are Degrassi fan like me, you’ve probably been losing sleep and booking extra “appointments” due to the stress of there not being any new episodes until the new year.  Well, rejoice.  Degrassi is coming back sooner than you think and this time, they’re going to India!

Not that I’m trying to make light of the situation in India but it looks like there might be a whole lotta crying men in this special that airs on Christmas Eve. Which makes me think of only one thing: DRINKING GAME! So here’s what I’ve come up with, every time you see a guy cry, take a drink. And to keep it fair, every time you see a girl that plays a guy on TV cry, take two! How’s that sound to everyone? What’s that you say, you shouldn’t play a drinking game on Christmas eve? Well, that’s why we aren’t related!

Three cheers for even more Degrassi!

(Oh and don’t forget to enter my Giveaway of the Degrassi Super Prize Pack including a signed script of the tenth season’s premiere!)

Degrassi Alumni joins Arrested Development!

Soooooooooo…..you if you are a fan of Arrested Development and/or Degrassi, you may want to have a seat.  I mean, that is if you are one of those weird people who stand up while reading your computer screen.

The other day when I was researching this story, (yes, I research things.)  I happened to against myself, “What ever happened to Miriam McDonald?”  I used this cool tool called Google and discovered something shocking.  Seriously, shocking.  Are you ready for it?

Miriam McDonald has been cast in the Arrested Development movie.

Take a moment.
Now take another one.

There are absolutely zero details about what her role will be, but still, even you have to admit that it is pretty cool!  I’m hoping she’ll be crushing on Michael Cera‘s George-Michael or maybe Gob.  Ohhhhh Ann Veal is not going to like this one single bit.

So what do you think?  It’s not being nominated for three Grammys but has another Degrassi alumni gotten her big break?

Degrassi’s Back! (Again…)

There are few days that get me excited as today:  My birthday, visits to the SPCA, WestJet seat sales and any day that has new episodes of Degrassi!!!

After taking the last month off, my favourite Canadian teens are returning to the Muchmusic airwaves today!  (Don’t worry, I’ve already told my parole officer and he said that as long as I watch the show in the safety of my own home, I should be okay.)

When the show was last on the air, Much was airing new episodes four nights a week.  Now, fans (me) will have to wait until every Friday to see what’s going on post-Lockdown.  I think the network chose wisely, most twenty-somethings that still watch this show would probably be home on a Friday night anyway!

There will be a new episode every week, with tonight’s double-header being the exception. Tonight’s episode is all about Degrassi’s new rules.  It seems people finally caught on to the fact that that much bad stuff is not supposed to happen to one school and now there are new rules like no cell phones and school uniforms. (So basically they just made school what it was like for the rest of us?)

Welcome back Degrassi, we’ve missed you!

Can’t wait for tonight?

Here’s promo for the second half of the tenth season:

But if you ask me, Teen Nick has a much more exciting preview: