Degrassi: TNG Cast Talks Reboot, Craig’s Toxic Relationships at 20th Anniversary Reunion Panel
It’s been 20 years since Degrassi: The Next Generation premiered, reviving the beloved ’80s teen drama for a new audience.
In honor of the hallmark anniversary, members of the cast and crew gathered Friday for the opening night of this year’s ATX Television Festival to reflect on the groundbreaking show that gave us so many memorable moments — Emma’s encounter with an internet predator, Manny’s defiant thong display and Craig’s bipolar diagnosis, to name a few.
The hour-long panel included series co-creator and executive producer Linda Schuyler, executive producer Aaron Martin, executive producer Stephen Stohn, actor/producer/director Stefan Brogren (Snake) and cast members including Jake Epstein (Craig), Aislinn Paul (Claire), Shane Kippel (Spinner), Luke Bilyk (Drew), Lauren Collins (Paige), Munro Chambers (Eli), Daniel Clark (Sean), Andrea Lewis (Hazel) and Christina Schmidt (Terri).
See below for highlights from their conversation.
* Stohn hopes there is another Degrassi reboot to address Emma marrying Spinner in Degrassi Takes Manhattan. “That was one storyline that I just never quite got,” he said, adding that he wanted to bring back Emma, Sean and Spinner back to revisit that story.
* Clark hoped his character hadn’t died while serving in the military. As you’ll recall, Sean last appeared in Season 7 when he left to serve in the military in Afghanistan. He was never seen or heard from after that, leaving many fans wondering if he was killed in action while overseas: “I doubt it. I don’t think he did. [I’m sure] he’s home safe,” Clark said.
* If you’re still wondering whatever happened to Spinner’s sister Kendra, who mysteriously disappeared after Season 3, you’re not the only one. “I don’t know,” Kippel joked. “We’re more like pen pals now. My mom never told me. She just never came home from school one day, but she’s safe.”
* Aaron Martin weighed in on the possibility of Craig being bisexual after Marco kissed him. “Craig was just such a good friend to Marco, he didn’t care what Marco did,” he explained. “He wasn’t attracted to Marco, he was just there to support him.”
* Epstein doesn’t think Craig’s relationships on the show have aged well. “Looking back at some of the episodes, part of the reason why I sometimes find it hard to watch is that there’s a lot of toxicity, you know, the way that Craig treats women,” he said. He also wondered if Craig would face higher consequences if they were to redo that story in the present day.
* Brogren weighed in on Degrassi’s ability to adapt with the times, like Next Class revisiting a Next Generation story in which Manny was slut-shamed for showing off her body. “If you look back to Manny flashing her boobs and Peter [posting it on the] internet and how she was chastised for it, she was dealing with the slut-shaming,” he said.
“Ten years later, and we’re dealing with how a high school kid deals with selfies, nudity and d–k pics and how we had to look at how a generation growing up with social media has now. We had to treat it with a sensitivity that didn’t exist when Manny got in trouble. We’re dealing with a whole generation that probably have done this. I think that shows how well Degrassi changes with the times yet keeps true to its center.”
* Paul said she was proud of how the show handled sensitive storylines for its young audience: “It’s a huge responsibility on our shoulders, making the show and making it honest but also not dangerous. I was very vocal when 13 Reasons Why came out because I felt like they did not carry that responsibility the way Degrassi did, and that’s something that I’ve always been really proud of, the way that the show took its time and was very thoughtful with our stories.”
* Collins wants to see the show rebooted for her son to enjoy. “I hope the show gets another reboot for him to watch,” she shared. “So many teen shows feel so aggressive, and Degrassi doesn’t feel like that.”
Do you want to see Degrassi rebooted again? Which storylines would you want to revisit? (And yes, there’s a correct answer here: Paige and Marco never resolving their big fight.) Share your thoughts in the comments below!
I would love a reboot to see where everyone is. The characters in the photo are the ones I care about though. Leave out the later characters. Oh, and I do think Craig was straight and that Jake Epstein was right about his character’s relationships not aging well, but I’d love for him to reunite with Ellie.
Degrassi was so important to me growing up, the character of Marco was going through exactly what I was at the time and I honestly don’t know where I’d be today if it weren’t for this show. The issues they tackled just weren’t being addressed on other shows, and if they were they weren’t handled nearly as well.
Emma & Sean forever.
Emma & Spinner knew each other all those years and never had so much as a friendship or even acquaintanceship . Most ridiculous storyline ever. They thought they could cover not knowing what to do to send the characters off by doing something so random and acting like it was clever / fun / interesting / shocking. Backfired big time.
How is it ridiculous? There’s plenty of true stories of people from the same high school that end up getting married even if they weren’t friends in HS. I know of at least 1 case from my class.
I would like a reboot that retcons JT’s death.
facts i hated his death epsiode so much he was a great guy.
I want to see a reboot of The Beverly Hillbillies.
Lauren disregarding the movies speaks to the quality decline with Degrassi. The series for me truly ended in S6, but afterwards it spirals into nonsense. I’m honestly open to a new series that focuses on the originals as 30somethings.
Some of the movies were not great. The Hollywood thing was really bad and unnecessary.
Agree that a reboot with them in their 30’s could be some compelling television.
” a reboot with them in their 30’s”
As an OLD SCHOOL (Kids of Degrassi Street viewer) fan, I honestly thought that D:TNG was going to be a reboot/ revisit to the lives of the 80’s characters – Snake, Wheels, Joey, Kaitlyn, Spike, Michelle, BLT, etc.
The pilot touched upon this, a bit – and the early years did indeed show the trials of the 30somethings, as they dealt with parenthood, health crisis, marriage strife, and other things.
However, at the same time, we had stories of the kids – a new group of teens, who had new challenges. (I started to watch the show, as a way to relate to the teens I was working with at In-Patient facilities and out patient teen outreach programs. However, I got hooked and enjoyed the show).
To see a reboot would be great – however, at the heart of things, Degrassi is about teens and tweens. The stories they would have would be school shooting (but with a target of group), BLM, Asian Hate, Us vs Them, etc. Maybe even a start of the series with a series of Zoom chats, between new characters, during the Global Pandemic – something to introduce new characters in their own words
I agree, that would be awesome
I sincerely hope there is a follow up on everyone’s stories there are too many un answered questions from my childhood. Please reboot degrading bring back my childhood 🤍
yes reboot please they already left us hanging on the next class degrassi so just give me a reboot i miss degrassi🥲.
I would love to see a reboot since the last Degrassi ended with no warning and I miss it and you can see how much people love it since it has its own channel on pluto. I would love to see some couples reunions in the new reboot
Would love to see a reboot, though the new show should mostly use past characters for resolution/closure and as a springboard for a school-based series. A great idea would be to create a grades 6-12 Degrassi school, cast kids in the grade 6 age range, then follow them for the next six years, which can be done without having 20 year-olds playing 16 year-olds or stretching high school out to five or six years for some characters.
I would most like to see Sarah Barrable-Tishauer, Stacie Mistysyn, Amanda Stepto, Pat Mastroianni, and Stefan Brogren return from the previous show.
yesi grow up on watching this show i love the cast.
i was so well written and i missed them after they all left.
im gone watch all over now degrassi please reboot this show with the OGs. do stroy lines with they kids or something. i always wanted to know what become of liberty and Jay T York baby.
I really need more Degrassi. drake can fund a kickstarter !!
Stick Drake back in his wheelchair!
I would like to see eli and claire after high school.