Degrassi

Degrassi surpasses Beachcombers as longest-running Canadian drama

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From a media release:

DEGRASSI Becomes Longest-Running Canadian Drama Ever, as it Celebrates Milestone 300th Episode, This Friday on MuchMusic

MuchMusic’s iconic Canadian series DEGRASSI celebrates an impressive milestone this week when it airs its 300th episode this Friday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET. The episode also marks the 400th episode of the entire franchise since it first landed on the Canadian television landscape in 1980, making the series the longest-running English language drama in Canadian history, topping the long-standing title holder THE BEACHCOMBERS’ 387 episodes. For a detailed timeline of DEGRASSI click here.

“Very few television series have had an impact on multiple generations the way DEGRASSI has,” said Catherine MacLeod, Vice-President, Specialty Channels. “DEGRASSI is still as relevant today as it was thirty years ago, and we’re proud to be a part of this moment in television history.”

“How rare and wonderful it is to have an opportunity to tell 300-plus stories about teenage life,” said Linda Schuyler, Executive Producer, Epitome Pictures. “This is a testament to exceptional teamwork with our cast, crew, writers and our longstanding partnerships with CTV, MuchMusic and TeenNick.”

Friday’s episode marks the 300th episode since the revamped series was added to the CTV schedule in 2001. After nine seasons on CTV, DEGRASSI began broadcast of its 10th season on MuchMusic in 2010. Since its inception, DEGRASSI has been a groundbreaking series addressing the issues and circumstances of young people’s lives with honesty and frankness. Recognized for its willingness to discuss controversial topics such as teen pregnancy, drug use, bullying, sexuality, and sexual identity, DEGRASSI has managed to stay sharply relevant throughout its many seasons on the air.

The series’ impact has been recognized with a Peabody Award in 2011, seven Gemini Awards, and two Teen Choice Awards. DEGRASSI has also received nominations for some of the industry’s most coveted awards, including two Primetime EMMY® Award nominations, and four GLAAD Media Award nominations.

In Friday’s episode “Doll Parts” (Oct. 26 at 9 p.m. ET), Maya is not feeling very good about herself, so she allows Tori to give her a pageant-style makeover. Marisol suspects Mo of hiding something from her, and fears the worst. Is he in trouble? Meanwhile, Adam tries out for the boys volleyball team. The episode guest stars Ben Mulroney from CTV’s ETALK, who plays himself as the host of a beauty pageant.

To celebrate the 300th episode of DEGRASSI, Much’s 70,000 MuchCloser members have the chance to earn access to an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip. To claim this limited reward, MuchCloser members have to answer a trivia question about the 300th episode at muchmusic.com/degrassi, or they can check-in via the Degrassi Chat app. To sign up for a free MuchCloser account, visit MuchMusic.com/closer.

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One thought on “Degrassi surpasses Beachcombers as longest-running Canadian drama”

  1. Unfortunately longevity does not necessarily equate to quality.

    I loved the original Degrassi and even the early years of TNG but they lost me when every kid became so perfect and super talented – all of them headed to the bright lights of NY or LA because they were so gifted. As well, the melodramatics…. Not every thing in life is such a big deal. Whereas the original had nice subtleties, focusing on every day life as well as some bigger issues, trying to watch the newest episodes is like getting hit over the head with a hammer.

    I’ll stick with watching the DVDs of the original series.

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