Mike's Bloggity Blog

If you’re like me and you’ve been a fan of Degrassi your whole life, you’ve always wondered what happened to the characters after they graduated?  Fans of the original series got a taste of life after Degrassi when the still controversial movie School’s Out premiered in 1992.  And, while it was never declared a Degrassi spin-off, the long forgotten Liberty Village featured a grown up Pat Mastroianni continuing to figure out life in Toronto.

Tonight, in a dual broadcast with CTV and Much, The L.A Complex will look to tell the stories of characters so similar to those we’ve grown to love in Degrassi, it’s hard to believe that it too is not a spin-off.

When I started to write this blog post, I didn’t want to mention Degrassi. It’s not really fair to compare the shows, because they aren’t even about the same thing.  But since both shows are produced by the same production company, use some of the same sets (I’d recognize The Dot coffee shop anywhere) and even feature a Degrassi alumni (Cassie Steel), there are bound to be some similarities.  Luckily, all the things that Degrassi does well, The L.A Complex does almost better at. The show follows a wide ranging group of aspiring performers pursuing stardom in Hollywood, who all happen to live in a Melrose Place-esque complex, no doubt making it easier for the show’s writers to find ways of keeping the actors, dancers and comedians tangled in the The L.A Complex’s deliciously twisty story lines. Another benefit of not being a Degrassi spin0ff is that the show doesn’t haven’t to appeal to the Teen Nick demographic, nope, this show oozes sex ans sunshine, which is never a bad thing.

The creators of Degrassi have always been applauded with pushing limits and with The LA Complex, they are given a whole new palatte in which to play with.  Compared to Toronto, Los Angeles is darker, it’s dangerous and it offers up limitless problems for our little Canadian actors. Cassie Steele, who we all grew to love as the sweet Manny Santos on Degrassi, essentially curb stomps that character to death with her new role as Abby Vargas, the stripping, esctasy taking, cheating, unprotected sex having and not to mention homeless actress, who can’t seem to catch break.  It’d be easy to not like her character, because seriously who would, but Steele is able to give the character a breath of sincerity and honesty, which makes you want to root for her, even though you know, as a person with a moral code, you probably shouldn’t.

In the first two episodes, there are a whole lot of characters to digest, but one that stuck out for me was Raquel, who’s played by Vancouver native Jewel Staite.  Sci-fi fans will recognize the actress from Firefly and Stargate:Atlantis.  As the veteran actress in the resident, Raquel is a formidable foe for Cassie Steele’s Abby, who unbeknownst to her, does not always have her best interests at heart. And why should she, after all they’re already competing for the same roles and men. It will be interesting to see the tension between the two grow until the inevitable all out, fall into the pool cat fight.

And a just to tease you a little bit, the last thirty seconds of the second episode offers a shock so big, I let out a whoop and then a holler.

The current state of Canadian television is dreary, but The L.A Complex is not. It’s bright, fun, energetic and while I’ve never been a struggling actor in LA, seems to come from a real place. The first season will offer up only six episodes, and I’m hoping that this fantastic show quickly finds an audience, so we can continue to see what happens to the kids of Degrassi, when the city of L.A gets ahold of them.

The L.A. Complex premieres tonight at 9PM ET/PT on MuchMusic.

The LA Complex, CTV’s newest series, hasn’t even debuted in Canada yet and the show is already picking up steam in the states. Reports surfaced all over the place today that the CW is thisclose to signing a deal to bring the series to the Vampire Diaries network.  The show is about a no-holds-barred, character-driven relationship drama that follows the exploits of six attractive, young hopefuls in search of stardom in Hollywood. Basically it’s if the kids of Degrassi lived in Melrose Place.  Actually, it even features one of Degrassi’s alumni Cassie Steele as a Toronto girl who thinks she has what it takes to make it in Hollywood. Don’t we all.

There’s a joke about a Canadian show, about an American city, that’s shot in Canada, being picked up in the States…but I can’t seem to put my finger on it.

While it’s always good news when an American network picks up a Canadian show, it doesn’t always mean success. The last show that the CW picked up was 18 to Life and it was promptly canceled after only three episodes. Admitidly, The LA Complex oozes sex, which is what The CW is all about, so hopefully they’ll find some success this time around, especially if Degrassi’s rabid fan base (myself included) warms up to the series.

THE L.A. COMPLEX will have a special simulcast premiere on MuchMusic and CTV on January 10th and the series will likely air this summer on The CW.

This blog post is also available on Huffington Post.

As I get ready to enter my third decade on this earth, I realize now that I’m genetically disposed to hate teenagers. With the confidence of my 20s fading, I feel an awkward amount of jealously towards those who don’t know about hair-loss and car insurance. Yet for some reason, maybe because I’ve always wanted to be friends with the popular kids, I can’t bring myself to hate the kids of Degrassi and sometimes, I have to work even harder to not love them.

After watching nearly 11 seasons of the Canadian teen drama, I’ve decided to give up defending why I’m hooked, and instead I’m devoting my energy trying to figure out why you’re not.

I can’t emphasize enough how awesome this show continues to be. Almost halfway through its seven-week summer run, we’ve already seen a murder, cocaine use, a student stealing his teacher’s underwear, liver failure, a stalker, bed bugs, secret adoptions and a transgendered student accidentally peeing on another kid at the urinals. Seriously folks, I couldn’t make this stuff up… luckily the writers of Degrassi can.

The great thing about the show is that, while other teen dramas like Vampire Diaries wait three seasons for two of their characters to kiss, Degrassi moves at a Coronation Street-like speed, often starting and finishing story lines before you can say Joey Jeremiah. For example, at the beginning of a recent episode, Anya and Owen hated each other, the next scene they are sleeping together and by the end of the 30-minute show, they were already dealing with Facebook rumours about their now committed relationship. The long and drawn-out story lines of Gossip Girl should take note.

Another example this season was when Drew and Bianca killed a would be rapist, they literally glazed over it during the next episode with a blinked and you missed it comment, “Remember when we went to trial over spring break?” It was terrific and reminiscent of a forgotten murder story line during the second season of Friday Night Lights.

I’m also a fan of how this show gets rid of characters that they no longer have a need for, (or get jobs on American shows.) Love them or hate them, every character gets the same non-existent sendoff. Who cares if you’ve been on the show for seven years, unless your character dies, Degrassi simply doesn’t have time for a cheesy montage. At first it’s jarring to see your favourites just disappear, but at the same time it’s exciting… and I bet it keeps the actors on their toes too!

So how realistic is the show? Well it’s not a documentary. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Toronto but I’m fairly certain it has more than two restaurants. And the show’s writer in residence Eli can whip up a play in two days. It’s a feat that any writer, no matter the age, would be jealous of. But why let the unrealism bother you, I choose to think it all adds to the show’s charm.

Degrassi has turned itself into a solid series, while also being a breeding ground for the next generation of successful Canadian actors. What may have started out as a high school crush has now turned into something different. Simply put, it’s the best show on television this summer.

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!

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.

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!

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.

In the next few weeks, networks from above and below the border will be announcing their new Fall schedules. This also happens to be my favourite time of the year because we get a sneak peak at what we’ll be spending our night’s watching in just a few months. I’m not alone in that right? Other people get excited for new schedules too?

In anticipation of the new fall line-ups, I’ve sorta developed a wish list of shows I wish networks would bring back. Maybe it’s because my birthday is around the corner and I’m feeling nostalgic, but I’d love to see some shows return for fresh, new audiences.

Street Cents: How can any Canadian that grew up in the 90′s not remember and love Street Cents? Filmed in Halifax, the show about saving money, being a smart consumer and essentially knowing your shit, would be a perfect fit for the new and improved Muchmusic. The network has done an amazing job at bouncing back from being a bad Canadian VH1 and is now really appealing to an engaged and young demographic. The world is drastically different than it was ten years ago and a show like Street Cents could teach Canada’s youth about this big, bad scary country. And who would host? I just checked my scheduled and it’s free…painfully so.

1 Girl, 5 Gays: Celebrity Edition
I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory, but how fun would it be to watch five gay Canadian celebs sitting around, shouting the shit about being gay in Canada. Especially because we have so many that are regularly in the spotlight. Canada AM’s Seamus O’Regan, CBC’s Rick Mercer, musician Ashley McIsaac…wait…why are all our gay people from islands on the East Coast? Let’s throw in Degrassi’s Adamo Ruggiero and Olympian Mark Tewksbury just to get the cross-country perspective.

While the perspective of Toronto party boys are one thing, it would be cool to hear from some of this country’s biggest celebrities too!

The Rockets: The Next Generation

AS IF Glee is not a total rip-off of Canada’s favourite singing group, The Rockets. Not very many people remember this show, but hopefully this flashback will help.

How can you not instantly love a show where a character’s name is MUFFY?!? I love it. I think the advantage of not having a ton of memories of The Rockets, Canadians will feel more accepting of welcoming a new generation into their home. I don’t think the story lines have to stray to far from my Degrassi: TNG did, the Rockets are now parents (grandparents?) and their kids are equally as awkward and mildly adequate singers. Out of all of these shows, this is the one I want and need the most.

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.

Do you want to talk about Charlie Sheen?  I don’t really,  I mean what is there to say?  That man is a mess. But thankfully he has been fired and besides cheesy internet shows, I don’t think we’ll have to deal with him for a while.

So what happens to the show next?

Look, we all know that the show should 100% be canceled but money is money and if CBS can try to squeeze one more season out of it, you know that they will.  So the question then becomes, who can come somewhat close to playing a similar mess like Charlie Sheen’s character and more specifically, which Canadian?

Here’s a few possible suggestions:

Allan Hawco: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know he is on the very successful Republic of Doyle, which has already been renewed for a third season. BUT the seasons are only 13 episodes and I’m sure the females of North America would not mind the extra exposure. Hawco has the bad boy character down pat and his accent would add some edge to the very bland comedy.  After all, couldn’t all american shows do with a little more of the Newfoundland accent?

Pat Mastroianni: One question: How can this country’s most iconic actor not be a regular on network television?  I mean, surely one of the millions of Canadians that grew up watching him is a network exec by now and not one of them has felt the same urge to bring Pat back to TV? And what better place to land then a role that essentially brought Charlie back from the brink? I’m not too famliar with the plot of the show but I’m pretty sure people are always excited when a funny bald guy shows up…or at least that’s what I’m banking on…. for the rest of my life.

Robb Wells: Uhhhh do I really need explain this one? I mean, really, he is perfect! BUT only if he got to do the show as Ricky.  I’m sure the actor would love to get away from playing trailer park trash but I’m also pretty sure that the Hollywood sized paycheque might get him to think otherwise.

Almost made the list: Christopher Crabb (Danger Bay), Sebastian Pigott (Being Erica), Paul Gross (Due South)