“Whatever it takes/ I know I can make it through,” the opening lyrics from Degrassi: The Next Generation live rent-free in the minds of a certain generation, but the phrase, “Whatever it takes,” is about to take on a whole new meaning as the cast and crew open up about the highs and lows of the beloved franchise.
Aubrey “Drake” Graham stars alongside Amanda Stepto, Stefan Brogren, Shenae Grimes-Beech, Jake Epstein, Miriam McDonald, and more in the new documentary, Degrassi: Whatever It Takes.
The franchise started with Kids of Degrassi Street, which aired from 1979 to 1986. Its spinoff, Degrassi Junior High, lasted two years from 1987 through 1989, along with Degrassi High (1989-1991). The franchise attracted a slew of new viewers when Degrassi: The Next Generation premiered in 2001. The lead cast included McDonald, Drake, Grimes-Beech, Epstein, Cassie Steele, and Nina Dobrev. This iteration was the franchise’s longest, running from 2001 to 2015. The latest installment, Degrassi: Next Class, aired on Netflix from 2016 to 2017.
“Degrassi changed the landscape of television with real, unvarnished storytelling and did it unapologetically from a teenage perspective,” said the film’s director, Lisa Rideout. “I was inspired by how fearless the series was in tackling issues that others wouldn’t touch. This documentary celebrates the iconic Canadian franchise while revealing the impact it had on the people who made it and the audiences who loved it.”
Carrie Mudd, executive producer for Peacock Alley, added, “Degrassi is more than a TV show. It’s a time capsule of growing up, full of heart, honesty, and every ‘first’ experience you can think of. Nothing then, or now, has captured the teenage experience in a more raw, authentic, or unfiltered way. Degrassi is one of Canada’s most significant cultural exports, having helped shape four decades of TV and touched multiple generations of kids around the world. Telling its story felt like honoring a piece of the Canadian identity.”
The trailer for the documentary was released on Wednesday (Aug. 27) with Drake detailing how he wound up landing his breakout role as Jimmy Brooks.
Franchise creator Linda Schyuler also appears in the trailer, noting, “Have we always gotten it right? Probably not. Have we told our stories with the best of intentions? Yes, we have.”
Dawson’s Creek alum Joshua Jackson described Degrassi as the “big grandaddy” to coming-of-age shows, including his own and Beverly Hills, 90210.
Degrassi: Whatever It Takes will premiere on Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Toronto International Film Festival as a TIFF 50 Official Selection. Watch the trailer above.