 |
  
 
 |
|
Rock Enroll -- Degrassi: The Next Generation
Posted by Rob Ortenzi on 22-Dec-05 @ 11:38 AM
If you're tired of waiting for Seth and Summer to get back together on The O.C., and if the mere sight of Casey on Laguna Beach makes you wanna hurl, sign up for Degrassi: The Next Generation. Sex? Yes. Drugs? Of course. Violence? You know it. Yeah, it goes there. STORY: Leslie Simon Degrassi: The Next Generation isn't just your run-of-the-mill teen soap. When you tune in, don't expect to see pretty people with petty problems (coughThe O.C.cough). For its loyal followers, Degrassi is more of a religion, and it even comes with its own mantra: "It goes there." So true. In five seasons, Degrassi has tackled everything from cutting to cheating, school shootings to car crashes, all with an honesty and realness not often seen on TV. "Two words you could use to describe Degrassi would be genuine and raw," explains Shane Kippel, who plays Gavin "Spinner" Mason, Degrassi's resident troublemaker, loudmouth and sometimes-misunderstood bad egg. "We're not trying to sugarcoat anything. We're not leaving out consequences. We're not downplaying issues. In a lot of cases, we're showing the worst outcome that can happen from situations. It's not trying to scare teens into doing the right thing; it's just showing them the truths of life. Not everything will always go your way. Not everything is in your hands. Parents and teachers can't solve everything. There's actually a rule on the show that parents and teachers are never, never allowed to solve the problems. They can give advice, but it always has to be solved between the kids. Lots of kids can't or don't feel like they can tell their parents or teachers everything. Most of the time, especially now, they have to rely on their friends for support." "All of the storylines featured in Degrassi depict real issues that teens face in their lives," adds Sarah Tomassi Lindman, vice president of production and programming at The N, the network that carries the Canadian-based Degrassi in the States. "It is unlikely that any one teen will face every issue, but they or the people they know likely will encounter many of them. And because we handle all issues in the show honestly and responsibly, we believe that the series provides a service to our audience." For the rest of the story, pick up AP 209 below... |
