The drama lives on! Degrassi was canceled for five tragic days before finding a new home in Netflix on Tuesday, June 9.
News first broke on Thursday, June 4, that TeenNick was ending its relationship with Degrassi: The Next Generation after 14 seasons of the Canadian teen drama. Fans of the long-running show did not need to mourn long, however, as Netflix announced on Tuesday that it was scooping up the series.
New episodes of the show that once starred Drake as Jimmy Brooks will begin airing on the streaming service, as well as the Family Channel in the Degrassi and Aubrey Graham's native Canada, in the first half of 2016.
Degrassi graduates to Netflix. Meet the Next Class, coming in 2016 pic.twitter.com/FhUZJ3ZiiL
— Netflix US (@netflix) June 9, 2015
"We are energized and excited to work with Family Channel as we tell stories for the new post-millennial teen cohort known as Generation Z, most of whom weren’t even born when Degrassi returned in 2001," Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.
Netflix broke the news in a tweet, sharing a photo of two hands passing a note reading "Degrassi on Netflix." The rising TV provider added, Degrassi graduates to Netflix. Meet the Next Class, coming in 2016."
The show will continue its evolution from simply Degrassi to Degrassi: The Next Generation to Degrassi: The Next Class with the move to Netflix. Much of the show's expansive cast, including Nikki Gould, Amanda Arcuri, Ricardo Hoyos, and Reiya Downs, are expected to return for the latest iteration.
Degrassi: The Next Class follows decades of history for the ensemble series, which first premiered on CBC in 1979 as The Kids of Degrassi Street. The show continued on in the ensuing years as Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High.
Veteran Degrassi star Stefan Brogren celebrated the news of the deal via Instagram on Tuesday, sharing a photo of himself posing in front of show memorabilia and captioning the shot, "HAPPY. (finally) #DEGRASSI #NEXTCLASS #NETFLIX #FAMILYCHANNEL @degrassi"
