The entire cast of Degrassi High, on the last day of shooting
Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High are rife with characters. While an ensemble cast is a standard part of most dramas, the way in which Degrassi handled its own was, to say the least, unconventional. Playing With Time, Degrassis original production company, had its own repertory company, which employed around 50 child actors. Productions by Playing With Time, including Degrassi, drew from this same roster.In addition, Degrassi did away with your typical cast billing at this stage; instead, the opening credits are a montage of random scenes from the show, and the ending credits change each episode to list the actors in order of relevance to that particular episode.
The following list is just of the characters who at least have a name and a line at some point; there are many background characters and extras that never get A Day in the Limelight.
WARNING! Spoilers abound!
...but if that's not spoilerrific enough, here's this Next Generation character sheet has info on Snake, Spike, Joey, and Caitlin as adults.
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Students
Michelle Accette
Played by Maureen McKay
Originally a background student, but slowly evolving into a major character in later seasons, Michelle is a sweet and shy girl who later starts a relationship with a black guy, getting in trouble with her racist parents. In Degrassi High, she has a major story arc where she tires of her father and moves out.
- Ascended Extra: She is a background student in season 1, has just one A Day in the Limelight in season 2, and gets her own romantic subplot in season 3 of DJH. She eventually becomes a major character in DH.
- Beware the Nice Ones: She's meek and shy, but as BLT finds out, she can get really mad.
- Break the Cutie: She has to deal with her father's racism, the divorce of her parents, moving out of her parents's house, and her boyfriend cheating on her.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: Her parents don't approve of her relationship with B.L.T., because he is black.
- Iconic Sequel Character: Downplayed. In the first season, she's only seen in the background, but she has no lines and no name. She becomes an actual character in season 2, and grows more and more prominent in the series, especially in DH.
- Naïve Everygirl: She is a naive, innocent, and romantic girl. In early episodes she was picked on because of her lack of confidence.
- Plucky Girl: Becomes more strong-willed and less insecure over the years.
- Prone to Tears: According to BLT, she "cries like Niagara Falls".
- Put on a Bus: In Degrassi High, she's probably the most prominent female character along with Caitlin and Lucy, and ends up with one of the male leads in the last episode. However, she doesn't appear in the final movie, with Snake mentioning they have broken up, and she's oddly absent even at Simon and Alexa's wedding, despite being Alexa's best friend.
- Shrinking Violet: Her first A Day in the Limelight episode deals with her shyness.
Melanie Brodie
Played by Sara Ballingall
Melanie was in grade 7 for DJH seasons 1 and 2, grade 8 for DJH season 3, grade 9 for DH season 1, and grade 10 for DH season 2.
- A-Cup Angst: A plot point in "The Great Race", where she's insecure about being flat-chested.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Don't make her angry. There are even moments when she snaps at Kathleen.
- Characterization Marches On: A very early episode of season 1 focuses on her being a talented swimmer and a close friend of LD. After that episode, she never mentions swimming anymore and never talks to LD again.
- The Cutie: Especially in DJH, where she's often cheerful and innocent comic relief, in contrast to her cranky best friend Kathleen.
- Drugs Are Bad: "Did you ever look at Kathleen's diary?"
- Endearingly Dorky: She's insecure and awkward but still a likable Naïve Everygirl. She attracts both Yick and Snake in DJH, though they are both as awkward as her.
- Genki Girl: Not always, but she can be very chipper and upbeat, especially in her Gleeful and Grumpy Pairing duo with Kathleen.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: She's best friends with Kathleen in both DJH and DH.
- Innocent Beta Bitch: The closest friend to snooty Academic Alpha Bitch Kathleen, and much more sympathetic than her.
- Intoxication Ensues: She takes marijuana brought to a party by Kathleen. She ends up being the one most effected by it.
- Naïve Everygirl: A textbook example. She's very gullible, insecure about typical teenage things, has a hopeless crush on an older guy, but she means means well and always keeps her positive attitude.
- Nice Girl: Despite being naive and awkward, she's one of the nicest characters on the show, even if ironically her best friend is one of the meanest.
- Out of Focus: She gets quite a few storylines in DJH, also about her Will They or Won't They? with Snake. In Degrassi High she becomes a Satellite Character who does nothing other than hanging out with Kathleen.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Despite really liking each other, every attempt she and Snake make to date ends up in a disaster in multiple episodes. They actually go the school dance together in the last episode of DJH...and then in DH they forget about each other's existence and never interact.
- Those Two Girls: With Kathleen. Even when their friendship is not the focus of the episode, they often make cameo appearances as a duo or are seen together in the background. Later with Diana, but mostly in DH where she's more Out of Focus.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Again, with Kathleen, though much more so in DJH than DH.
- You Go, Girl!: In "The Great Race" she proved to be the best school swimmer, beating Jason, the resident Jerk Jock.
Tessa Campanelli
Played by Kirsten Bourne
Tessa was in grade 7 in DJH season 3, grade 9 (thanks to a random retcon by the writers) in DH season 1, and grade 10 in DH season 2.
You were fucking Tessa Tropeanelli?:
- Ascended Extra: An extra in Degrassi Junior High, ascended that status to become a recurring character in Degrassi High, and then eventually became a major character in The Movie.
- Good Bad Girl: She actually seemed like a decent person until it came to relationships and sex.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Averted. She never tells Joey she was pregnant.
- Iconic Sequel Character: She's introduced in season 3 of DJH, then becomes a recurring character in DH, and eventually one of the main protagonists in the final movie. Her role in the movie is so prominent that she's still mentioned a few times in Degrassi: The Next Generation.
- She's All Grown Up: In season 3 of DJH, she's sometimes seen as a background little girl hanging out with other kids. As she gets older, she attracts several boys in DH and the movie.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Zig-zagged. She's a minor character of the series as a whole, and only becomes a major character in the movie. However, her Romantic False Lead role in the movie is the reason why the main couple of the series breaks up.
Clutch
Played by Steve Bedernjak
Clutch was likely in grade 10 in DJH season 3, grade 11 in DH season 1, and grade 12 in DH season 2.
Tropes about Clutch:
- The Alleged Car: Despite attempts to make it seem like a Cool Car, his car really was a piece of junk.
- Groin Attack: Suffers one from Lucy.
- Jerkass: Most of it can be blamed on his drinking.
- Only One Name: "Clutch" is all we know about his name, and we can assume it's a nickname.
- Out of Focus: In the last season of Degrassi High, he is only seen in the background.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He does not believe in Bro Code since he dates Lucy who was his best friend's ex-girlfriend.
Lorraine "L.D." Delacorte
Played by Amanda Cook
LD is in grade 8 in DJH seasons 1 and 2, grade 9 in DJH season 3, and grade 10 in DH season 1.
Tropes of LD:
- Daddy's Girl: Since her mother is deceased, she grew up really close to her father.
- Only Known by Initials: LD for Lorraine Delacorte.
- Put on a Bus: Her last appearance is during the first season of DH, and after that it's said that she's off adventuring with her dad after her brush with Leukemia. Lucy makes several video diaries for her, up until the very last episode of DH. However, none of this is present, nor is she in fact anywhere to be seen in School's Out.
- Makeover Montage: Lucy gives her one and it makes her look much worse.
- Straw Feminist: In season 1 she is angry when she learns that the boys' soccer team is getting more attention then the girls' swim team. In season 2 she gets mad when when Joey puts posters of underdressed women in his locker.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: She's the tomboy to Lucy and most of her friends.
- Tomboyish Baseball Cap: She occasionally wears one in early seasons, fitting her tomboy status.
- Wrench Wench: She is mechanically-inclined and interested in fixing cars with his father, who is a car mechanic.
- You Go, Girl!: She's athletic and part of the swim team, and challenges Jerk Jock Jason for a match.
Simon Dexter
Played by Michael Carry
Introduced in season 2, Simon is an airheaded pretty boy who is mainly known for being Alexa's eternal boyfriend, although Alpha Bitch Stephanie also used to have a crush on him
- Beta Couple: He and Alexa are the most stable couple of the show, and both are usually satellite characters, especially Simon himself.
- Big Applesauce: He was said to be from New York, but the actor had as strong a Canadian accent as the other cast members.
- Chick Magnet: Initially, because he was a teen model and had a few fangirls, including Alpha Bitch Stephanie.
- The Ditz: He's dimwitted just like his girlfriend Alexa.
- Dumb Blonde: He's blonde but easily confused and not very bright.
- Happily Married: With Alexa, after the movie. They are apparently still a couple in TNG.
- Pretty Boy: Both the character and the actor playing him were models.
- Satellite Love Interest: Unlike every other character in DJH and DH, he never gets a plot built around his character. He basically exists to hover around Alexa.
- Unwanted Harem: After appearing in a commercial/magazine, he quickly (and only temporarily) gains a group of fangirls which follow him around.
Diana Economopoulos
Chrissa Erodotou
A geeky but secretly rebellious girl who is one of Melanie's closest friends in Degrassi High.
- Ascended Extra: In DJH, she's mostly in the background. In DH, she's part of Melanie and Kathleen's circle and gets a few spotlight episodes along with her friends.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Yick, of all people.
- Fangirl: Of S.E Hinton's The Outsiders.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: the foolish sibling to her strict older brother's responsible sibling.
- Practically Different Generations: her older brother is a good decade older than her, and has been Promoted to Parent after her father's death.
- Smoking Is Cool: She has a smoking addiction in one episode.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: She resembles Voula. A Greek black-haired girl who has strict parents and serves as a geeky sidekick.
Heather and Erica Farrell
Played by Angela and Maureen Deiseach
Two twins who are almost always seen together, usually hanging out with Stephanie in early seasons, or with Lucy and L.D. in later seasons. Erica is very boy-crazy, while Heather tends to be the voice of reason.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: Erica is slightly more rebellious and Heather is responsible.
- Girl Posse: To Alpha Bitch Stephanie in the first two seasons. They are usually seen following her around.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Averted. Although it haunts Erica for the rest of the series.
- Innocent Beta Bitch: Both serve as the Girl Posse to Stephanie in early seasons, but they are nicer than her, especially Heather who disapproves of Stephanie's Operation: Jealousy plan in "Revolution!".
- Satellite Character: They get a few A Day in the Limelight but most of the time they are just the twins who hang out with Stephanie in early episodes, or with Lucy in later episodes. They are sometimes also seen around Spike.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Erica was the wild one while Heather was the good girl.
- Those Two Girls: As seen in Satellite Character, most of the time, they are "those two twins".
- Twin Switch: They pull one off during a date with Clutch. It backfires when Clutch ignores them and falls for Lucy.
Lucy Fernandez
Played by Anais Granofsky
A popular girl whose parents are never around, and is known for giving a lot of parties. She starts off as a rebellious underachiever, though later seasons portray her as a smart and outspoken Go-Getter Girl.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: She dated Paul, who was only interested in sex, and then the typical "bad boy" Clutch who was an alcoholic.
- Broken Bird: Initially, in the first 2 seasons of Degrassi Junior High.
- Character Development: Originally a moody, troubled and rebellious Broken Bird, she turns into a charismatic and confident overachiever in DH. She also goes from Book Dumb in the first season to class valedictorian in the final movie.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Starts of kind of bitchy (though not without good reason), but is pretty mellowed out by the time Degrassi High rolls around.
- Dude Magnet: She attracts Paul, Clutch, Bronco, and her creepy teacher in season 2. There's also Luke, according to the episode "The All Nighter".
- Huge Schoolgirl: She is at least a foot taller than the other girls.
- Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: Paul and Clutch were wrong for her but eventually ends up finding a stable boyfriend in Bronco during the final season.
- Lonely Rich Kid: It's sad when she all but begs Voula to stay with her when her parents leave her alone again.
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: She's a popular party girl who initially has spoiled Rich Bitch tendencies, but becomes more sympathetic and likable over the years.
- She Is All Grown Up: She becomes quite attractive when she gets older.
- Soapbox Sadie: In later years, she gets a few plots that revolve around some cause.
- Statuesque Stunner: She's much taller than all the other girls in the series, and also a Dude Magnet who is considered very attractive by the boys at Degrassi. In later seasons, she's possibly the most popular girl in the school.
- Straw Feminist: Again, she became this in Degrassi High, particularly in the episode where she takes a stand on behalf of the girls' volleyball team.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Girly girl to LD's tomboy. She's the rich party girl, while her best friend LD is probably the most openly tomboyish girl in the school. In one episode Lucy tries to give her a makeover.
- Troperiffic: Her horror film.
Maya Goldberg
Played by Kyra Levy
Caitlin's best friend in Degrassi High who uses a wheelchair. While she doesn't get much development, she does get a focus novel that explains her character much more.
- Ascended Extra: In DJH, she's often seen in the background but never really has any significant lines. In DH, she is Caitlin's best friend.
- The Conscience: Sometimes acts as the voice of reason for Caitlin.
- Disabled Means Helpless: At some point she's excluded by her friends because she is in a wheelchair and they can't take care of her. She doesn't take it well and tells them that just because she is in a wheelchair doesn't mean she's incapable.
- Nice Girl: She's a very sweet and good friend.
- Satellite Character: "Just Friends" is her only A Day in the Limelight episode where she's seen without Caitlin.
Voula Grivogiannis
Played by Niki Kemeny
A nerdy girl with strict parents who was Stephanie's best friend in the pilot. She later starts hanging out with Lucy, but is Put on a Bus after she moves to another school after the first season.
- Bespectacled Cutie: She looks cute and is rarely seen without glasses.
- Brainy Brunette: A dark-haired girl who is also organized and book smart.
- Innocent Beta Bitch: She was this to Stephanie in the first episode. As a wholesome and reasonable girl, she's the opposite of manipulative Attention Whore Stephanie, and in fact she ends their friendship at the end of the pilot.
- Put on a Bus: Despite her relatively prominent role in season 1, she leaves the show in season 2 to move out to the suburbs.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: After the pilot, she becomes increasingly resentful towards Stephanie. However she doesn't become this to everyone.
- We Used to Be Friends: She was Stephanie's best friend but they had a falling out in the pilot. She refuses to forgive her for the rest of the season.
Amy Holmes & Alison Hunter
Jacy Hunter & Sara Holmes
Two attractive, shallow, one-dimensional girls who are best friends. They hardly ever get a major storyline or interactions with other characters.
- Alpha Bitch: Both are pretty, stuck-up, and snobby Valley Girls.
- The Dividual: never seen apart.
- '80s Hair: Amy's. Alison's is a lot more reasonable.
- Flat Character: We hardly know anything about them and they never get any significant storyline.
- Those Two Girls: Two minor characters who almost always appear together.
Joey Jeremiah
Played by Pat Mastroianni
"Trust me!"
The closest thing to a main character of the series, playing a major role in most episodes of DJH, DH, and the movie. He's an egotistical schemer and slacker who dreams of becoming a famous musician with his band, but is a very obvious case of Small Name, Big Ego. Behind his obnoxiouness, he has a good heart and is very close to his friends.
- Alliterative Name: Joey Jeremiah
- Book Dumb: Mostly because he's a slacker who doesn't care about his studies. He ends up being Held Back in School.
- Breakout Character: The most well known character from early Degrassi.
- Break the Haughty: When he failed grade eight in Degrassi Junior High and again when he's diagnosed with dysgraphia in high school and is placed in a special education class.
- The Bully: A non-violent version of this in season 1, mostly to younger kids like Arthur, Yick, and Melanie. Averted afterwards, except in a season 2 episode where he picks on a classmate just because she's shy.
- Casanova Wannabe: He tries to get with everyone and fails before Caitlin takes an interest.
- Character Catchphrase:
- He always says "Trust me" when he's trying to convince his friends to do something stupid. In one episode, he says it so much that that's the title! This is finally lampshaded in the series finale when Joey is worried about his date with Caitlin.Wheels: Relax, everything will be fine. Trust me.
Joey: Don't say that! Every time we say that it's a disaster! - In the first season, he has the Mad Libs Catchphrase of repeating his full name, changing middle initial every time, and adding a "Metaphor" Is My Middle Name joke to explain the meaning of the middle initial.
- Almost every time he meets Caitlin in DJH (in the season 2 finale and then in season 3), they greet each other like this:Caitlin: Hi, Joey.Joey: Caitlin... Hi!
- He always says "Trust me" when he's trying to convince his friends to do something stupid. In one episode, he says it so much that that's the title! This is finally lampshaded in the series finale when Joey is worried about his date with Caitlin.
- Character Development: He's introduced in season 1 as an obnoxious, immature, egotistical jerk. While still keeping these traits, he becomes a more likable and good person as the seasons went on. This is sadly subverted in The Movie where he Took a Level in Jerkass again and he's actually worse than he ever was. Even in his early days, he was a good friend while in the film, he treats Snake like crap.
- Class Clown: Acts like a goof all the time, especially in DJH.
- Giftedly Bad: He really believes his band is great and destined for stardom, when they only had one song which is mediocre at best and ridiculous at worst.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Wheels since the beginning. Snake starts hanging out with them towards the end of season 1 and they are seen as an inseparable trio for the rest of the show.
- High-School Hustler: Tries to be one, but his schemes usually ends up blowing up in his face.
- Hopeless Suitor: To Stephanie, in season 1. To Liz, in season 2. The latter was initially slightly interested in him, until Joey starts hitting on her in a creepy way.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: When push comes to shove, Joey usually lets his better nature win out. Usually. Liz said it best: "Joey's okay. He just doesn't think sometimes."
- Keet: Especially in DJH, he is usally upbeat and fun-loving.
- Ladykiller in Love: He's a Casanova Wannabe but develops genuine feelings for Caitlin. His early interest in Liz also has shades of this, when he realizes he really likes her.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Very often. In the movie he ends up losing his girlfriend and his friends.
- "L" Is for "Dyslexia": Well, not exactly. He has Dysgraphia.
- Oblivious to Love: Had no clue that Caitlin liked him. Also, to Tessa in the episode "A Tangled Web", he doesn't even seem to notice her until the movie.
- Opposites Attract: Him and Caitlin. He's an immature slacker while Caitlin is a serious Go-Getter Girl.
- Plucky Comic Relief: Interestingly, since he also seems the main character.
- Secret-Keeper: When his bully Dwayne discovers he is HIV-positive, he agrees to keep his secret.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Manly man to Snake's sensitive guy. Ironically, he's short and skinny and Snake is a big Gentle Giant.
- The Slacker: He's shown to be this when it comes to his schoolwork.
- Small Name, Big Ego: He thinks of himself as a ladies man and the coolest guy around, when he's just an egotistical goofball and little else.
- Third-Person Person: In season 1. Occasionally, later on as well.
Stephanie Kaye
Played by Nicole Stoffman
"All the way with Stephanie Kaye!"
Arguably the main character in the first season, and quite unusually since she is the school's popular and ruthless Alpha Bitch. Due to character focus, Stephanie often shows her Hidden Depths and insecurities, making her quite different from the usual one-dimensional Alpha Bitch character, though she's hardly ever lovable. She's Put on a Bus after the second season.
- Alpha Bitch: Although a much more vulnerable one.
- Attention Whore: Wears a lot of makeup and provocative outfits to get noticed.
- Be a Whore to Get Your Man: The way she seeks value, in the first season at least, is by dressing provocatively and letting any boy kiss her that asks to. It is also implied that she's ready to sleep with Wheels just because their last date didn't go well and she wants him to like her.
- Big Sister Bully: A female example with the way she treats her brother Arthur.
- Break the Haughty:
- When everyone turns against her by the end of the first season.
- In season 2, her parents divorce and her lack of self worth leads her to consider suicide. She gets better.
- Date Rape Averted: Avoided this from an older soap star with a horrible mullet.
- Decoy Protagonist: She's clearly supposed to be the protagonist of the first season, but later the focus shifts to other characters, and there's not a real protagonist. The Zit Remedy trio, Caitlin, Lucy, and Spike are probably the most consistently prominent characters throughout both DJH and DH.
- Dude Magnet: In season 1, she's seen as the "hot" girl and becomes the school president by attracting all the boys.
- '80s Hair: Her hair might be the most dated element of the show.
- Expy: She was the first Degrassi girl to change into more revealing clothing in the girls' washroom beofre class, a trick later used by Manny Santos and Alli Bhandari.
- Funetik Aksent: Since her parents separated before season 1 began, she uses her mother's maiden name Kaye, and spells it out, K-A-Y-E. Calling her by her father's surname Kobalawski is just a Berserk Button.
- I Just Want to Be Special: At her core, this is pretty much how she feels.
- Informed Attractiveness: Once she cakes on the makeup, trashes up her clothes, and teases up her hair, she becomes the hottest 14-year-old in Canada. Or so we are told.
- Laser-Guided Karma: She pisses off everyone by the end of first season.
- Lovable Alpha Bitch: She has her moments of being decent and she was never as bad as Kathleen.
- Ms. Fanservice: Even In-Universe she and her provocative outfits get Head-Turning Beauty reactions.
- Out of Focus: She is the most prominent character during the first season of Degrassi Junior High and her story arc bookends the season. She's much less prominent in season 2. Afterwards she is...
- Put on a Bus: To a private school at the start of Junior High season 3.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Stoffman left the show and went on to star in the sitcom Learning The Ropes with former football star Lyle Alzado. This forced the writers to bring spotlight to other characters.
- Single Girl Seeks Most Popular Guy: Her crush on teen model Chick Magnet Simon, in season 2.
- We Used to Be Friends: Her best friend was originally Voula but they had a falling out in the pilot.
Arthur Kobalowski
Played by Duncan Waugh
Stephanie's younger brother. One of the main characters in the early episodes, he's better known for his numerous subplots with his inseparable friend Yick, who is just as dorky as him. His character loses importance as he grows up in Degrassi High, save for a couple of A Day in the Limelight episodes.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: He's seen this way by Stephanie, who tries to avoid him.
- The Artifact: Once Stephanie left, his character moved into the background. By Degrassi High, he was Demoted to Extra. Ironically this would also happen to Ashley and her brother Toby in Degrassi: The Next Generation. Their characters were very much based on Steph and Arthur.
- Butt-Monkey: He's often picked on, even in the pilot.
- Demoted to Extra: Along with Joey and Steph, he and Yick were the stars of Degrassi Junior High. But by Degrassi High, he is relegated to more of a background character.
- Dogged Nice Guy: He has a major crush on Caitlin, but she makes it clear she is not interested. Other than that the poor guy gets no other romantic subplot. Which is saying something for Degrassi.
- Height Angst: He hates being short initially. He gets much bigger in DH.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: He's best friends with Yick in DJH, but their friendship is strained in DH when Yick starts hanging out with other friends.
- Out of Focus: Along with Stephanie and Joey, he and his best friend Yick were the most prominent characters in DJH, and involved in a subplot in almost every episode. But by DH, he was no longer a cute little kid, and he was relegated to a minor background player.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: He was suppose to be part of a bullying plot during Degrassi High. But the actor had grown so large that it wasn't believable.
- Satellite Love Interest: Despite being a major character in DJH, his only major storyline in DH, was one episode dealing with his crush on Caitlin Ryan. Not even the end of his bromance with Yick was given much attention.
- Those Two Guys: With Yick, they usually get subplots together in DJH. They were the original Toby and JT.
- Two Lines, No Waiting: Arthur and Yick were usually part of the B-plot in every episode during Degrassi Junior High.
Nancy Kramer
Played by Arlene Lott
A background character who is still active in Degrassi's school life. Known to the fandom for being one of the few drama-less characters.
- Go-Getter Girl: One of Degrassi's Quest for the Best team members along with Caitlin and Kathleen, an editor of the school newspaper, and later President of the Student Council.
- Huge Schoolgirl: She's unusually huge compared to the other girls of the school.
- Recurring Extra: Despite appearing from the first season (where she was just a Living Prop) to the final movie, she never has her own A Day in the Limelight or any significant interaction with other characters.
Luke Matthews
Played by Andy Chambers
Luke is in grade 8 in DJH season 3, grade 9 in DH season 1, and grade 10 in DH season 2.
Tropes about Luke:
- The Aggressive Drug Dealer: Although not a dealer, he was responsible for making Shane try acid through peer pressure. It was the 80s.
- Functional Addict: Somewhat. He never really seems to act like a stereotypical drug addict.
- Karma Houdini: He escapes all the trouble he caused for Shane and pretty much spends Degrassi High like nothing ever happened.
- Small Role, Big Impact: He never plays a major role but he is the one who provided the drugs the caused Shane to have an accident and become brain-damaged.
- Toxic Friend Influence: To both Shane and later Yick.
- Villain by Default: The closest thing Degrassi had to a true villain.
Shane McKay
Played by Bill Parrott (DJH, DH), Jonathan Torrens (DTNG)
"Dumb jerk! You should be kicked in the head!"
Spike's boyfriend who becomes the father of their baby after having unprotected sex with her at Lucy's party in DJH season 1. Although he tries to make some sort of effort to be supportive, he is ultimately hindered by his fundamentalist parents, and loses Spike's trust. In DJH season 3, Luke Matthews gives him some acid, causing him to fall (or jump) off a bridge, leaving him permanently disabled.
Shane is in grade 8 in DJH seasons 1 and 2 and grade 9 in DJH season 3. He would have been in grade 10 in DH season 1, but he was likely in outpatient therapy.
You should be troped in the head!:
- The Bus Came Back: He went to visit Spike for the last time in DH, the year after the accident who left him mentally disabled. He seemed to be far higher-functioning in DH (when he was receiving intensive outpatient therapy while living at home with his family) than in TNG (after he had been warehoused in an institution his entire adult life).
- Catchphrase: Post-accident. "You should be kicked in the head!"
- Drugs Are Bad: This trope was taken up to 110% in the two-part episode "Taking Off" in which in a side-plot, after taking LSD at a concert, Shane immediately faces a Trauma Conga Line, falling off a bridge and being missing for days, being in a coma, only to return with a traumatic brain injury and mental handicap.
- Let's Just Be Friends: Spike and him attempt this after the pregnancy, but it doesn't work.
- Preacher's Kid: his father is a minister, which is a problem when he impregnates Spike.
- Put on a Bus to Hell: After his accident.
- Teen Pregnancy: Most of his plot deals with the problems he faces as a teenage dad. It ends after his drugged induced accident.
Kathleen Mead
Played by Rebecca Haines
Described by Caitlin as the "Wicked Witch of Degrassi", Kathleen is Melanie's best friend, despite being haughty, rude, and generally unpleasant. One of the most villainous characters in early episodes, but eventually gets a Trauma Conga Line and redemption arc, and finally becomes a bit more likable in high school.
Kathleen, you have anorexia, your boyfriend beat you up and your mom's a tropeholic!:
- Academic Alpha Bitch: She's a smart student and very arrogant and condescending. She's remembered as the original "mean girl" of this series.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: She went from disliking Rick to developing a crush on him.
- Break the Haughty: You can feel sorry for everything that happens to her on the show. She has a Domestic Abuse boyfriend in Degrassi High. While she could be a major Jerkass, this pushed her into sympathetic territory.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Like Lucy, she's considerably less snooty and bitchy by the time Degrassi High comes around.
- Evil Counterpart: She's a foil to Caitlin. Both are outspoken Extracurricular Enthusiast overachievers, they are rivals, and even have similar names. However Caitlin is more well-meaning and kind, Kathleen is more bitchy, spiteful, and hypocritical.
- Freudian Excuse: Her mother is an alcoholic, and in DJH she was also dealing with a physically abusive boyfriend.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Melanie is the only one who cares for her, but even she has her limits. All the other kids she hangs out with barely tolerate her, especially Caitlin who describe her as "the wicked witch of Degrassi".
- Heteronormative Crusader: is very homophobic in "Rumor Has It."
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: She's best friends with Melanie in both DJH and DH.
- Jerkass: In Degrassi Junior High more so. She only gets to Pet the Dog once, and one episode later, it turns out she's expecting a favor in return. She's much less mean in DH.
- Know-Nothing Know-It-All: She really does know more than the rest of the cast, but she's such a Control Freak that this knowledge is rarely relevant to anything. She drives Mr. Raditch crazy at the science fair by reciting every stack of facts she knows, never giving her partner Melanie a chance to talk, and is shocked when that doesn't earn her first prize.
- The Rival: Caitlin's rival, when it comes to academics.
- Sour Outside, Sad Inside: She's rude and harsh, but her life is such a wreck - alcoholic mom, absentee dad, abusive boyfriend, anorexia, which leaves her deeply hurt inside.
- Those Two Girls: With Melanie. Even when their friendship is not the focus of the episode, they often make cameo appearances as a duo or are seen together in the background.
- Took a Level in Kindness: In DH, she's not nearly as bitchy as she was in DJH.
- Tsundere: To Rick. She hates him in season 1, but in a season 2 episode it's implied she has a crush on him.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Melanie. They are best friends but fight often.
Rick Munro
Played by Craig Driscoll
A brooding loner with a bad home life and a Hidden Heart of Gold, as well as Caitlin's potential Love Interest in early episodes. He disappears in season 3.
- Abusive Parents: His abusive father.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Abruptly disappears after season two of DJH with only a passing mention by Caitlin in season three.
- Disproportionate Retribution: His father beats him for giving Joey a soda.
- Perpetual Frowner: One episode's subplot has Caitlin and Susie trying to make him laugh because he never smiles.
- Smarter Than You Look: Caitlin finds this out during the episode Smokescreen.
- Troubled, but Cute: The first of Degrassi's troubled cute boys that would continue with his Expy Sean Cameron in TNG.
Dwayne Myers
Played by Darrin Brown
Originally a One-Shot Character in Degrassi Junior High, before becoming a recurring character in Degrassi High, Dwayne is introduced as a violent bully. Later on, he gets his own Trauma Conga Line after he's diagnosed as HIV-positive, which starts his gradual Heel–Face Turn.
- Arch-Enemy: To Joey, but they reconcile after Dwayne discovers he is HIV-positive and Joey agrees to keep his secret.
- Ascended Extra: Is a seemingly one-shot character in DJH, only to get full blown main character status in Degrassi High.
- Break the Haughty: His entire plot took over season two of Degrassi High. It was the early 90s and AIDS was just starting to be talked about.
- Bruiser with a Soft Center: Deconstructed in Fight! Transfer student Scooter befriends Dwayne after he gets Scooter's locker open and lifts him up off the ground to get snacks just out of reach. Scooter and Dwayne become fast friends until Scooter learns about the fight between his new friend and Joey. In spite of trying to reason with Dwayne, the fight goes ahead and Scooter breaks off his friendship with Dwayne the following day.
- The Bully: THE bully, starting from the Junior High season 2 episode Fight!, and then recurring from the beginning of Degrassi High, although he and his cronies usually look down on the grades below them (as they are seen friendly or indifferent to the grade 10s or grade 11s).
- Fat Bastard: As a big, overweight bully.
- Fire-Forged Friends: He started an Odd Friendship with Joey in the second season of Degrassi High.
- Heel–Face Turn: Sort of. He becomes nicer after his Very Special Episode about AIDS.
- Iconic Sequel Character: Has only one appearance in season 2 of DJH, but he's one of the protagonists of DH and even the final episode is about him.
- Pet the Dog: Even in his bully days, he shows a nice side around Scooter. Post-HIV, he helps fix Joey's car.
- Terrible Trio: Tabi, Nick, and Dwayne. The least threatening trio of bullies ever.
- Took a Level in Kindness: after his AIDS diagnosis.
Christine "Spike" Nelson
Played by Amanda Stepto
One of the better-known characters, Spike is an eighth grade student at the beginning of Degrassi Junior High, who is infamous for getting pregnant at fourteen years old, after doing it with Shane at Lucy's party. Her storylines mostly focus on the trials and tribulations of being a teen mother, and as a result, she doesn't get much plot or development outside of this, save for a few episodes in Degrassi High in which she tries to pursue another relationship, but ultimately can't because of the baby. Personality-wise, Spike is polite and well-mannered and also very non-judgmental, although she has difficulty trusting boys, especially Shane.
Tropes about a girl named Spike:
- '80s Hair: Probably one of the wildest examples to ever grace prime-time television.
- AM/FM Characterization: Apart from her hairstyle, Spike's punk tastes are often displayed via, her clothing, wearing shirts of bands like the Sex Pistols, Billy Idol, The Smiths, Corrosion Of Confirmity and other punk/alternative bands, as well as her locker and bedroom walls.
- Ascended Extra: Spike was a background character with no speaking lines until eight episodes into Season 1. Three episodes after that she becomes a major character.
- Breakout Character: While not the most prominent character in the show and while Joey, Caitlin and Snake are usually the more "canonized" in the show's legacy, it's worth noting that the character and her actress generated quite a bit of buzz in the media while the show was on the air, getting multiple feature stories in newspapers as well as a decent amount of coverage of a sex education tour Amanda did after the show ended. As of recent she has become increasingly seen as one of the most important, if not THE most important character in Degrassi history for being the mother of Emma.
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin': Gets pregnant from her first time having sex. Gets swiftly kicked out by the school board. In the book centered around her character, there is a 300-signature petition to have her removed.
- Disappeared Dad: Her father is never seen and some of the comments her mother makes seem to hint at possible abandonment, which would also probably explain her unreceptive attitude to Shane.
- This is confirmed outright in the novel.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: The way she spikes her hair changes from season to season. In season 1, the hair is brown and spiked completely in all directions. In season 2, she spikes it in a way that sort of resembles a mohawk, but isn't. In season 3, it is dyed bleach blonde with black underneath. By Degrassi High, she adopts the "mall hair" style popular in the late 80s.
- Freaky Fashion, Mild Mind: She has an excessive punk look and wears shirts of various bands but there's nothing really punk about her behavior. She's a normal girl.
- Freudian Excuse: Her Disappeared Dad, as noted above. Fans consider her this to be one for her anger toward Shane.
- Generation Xerox: Gets pregnant and raises a baby as a teenager, copes with the stigma, and (as an adult) runs a hairdressing business. Just like her mother.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Sort of subverted. Spike is pro-choice, and doesn't believe in judging others for their decision.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: Liz. They become inseparable friends from season 2 onwards.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Only her mother and Patrick call her Christine. Raditch calls her Christine once in It's Late before calling her Spike the rest of the time.
- Open-Minded Parent: Her mom was surprisingly accepting of her situation given she went through the same thing with Spike. Spike became this herself with Emma in the succeeding series.
- Perky Goth: While more punk than goth, her appearance belied what a polite and sweet girl she could be.
- Perpetual Frowner: Not to the extent of Liz, but Spike's seemingly constant unhappiness was such that her actress even mentioned it in press interviews. She once expressed desire for an episode in which Spike smiles
. - Persona Non Grata: In season 2 of Junior High, the PTA decides to boot her out of Degrassi because of her pregnancy.
- Plucky Girl: Tries to remain strong-willed during her Teen Pregnancy despite nearly the entire universe being seemingly against her.
- Prom Baby: Went into labor during the prom.
- Rule-Abiding Rebel: Despite her spiked hair and punk fashion, we never ever see Spike indulge in any outwardly rebellious behavior. In fact, she's quite softly-spoken and even says a polite little "soary" when she arrives late in "It's Late".
- Spiky Hair: Where her nickname likely comes from.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: She can be moody and resentful of her situation but also very polite and soft-spoken.
- Teen Pregnancy: She became pregnant at 14. With Emma, future quasi-protagonist of Degrassi: The Next Generation
- Took a Level in Kindness: Whether you think Spike was a Jerkass in Junior High is a point of contention, but she does get visibly happier and less bitter by Degrassi High. She is also the one to approach Shane in Degrassi High when he briefly returns after his injury, despite Liz trying to push her away from him.
- Tsundere: Runs on a near constant "tsun" with Shane after the pregnancy. She is mostly angry at him because of his behavior early on, and the idea he could run away and sweep it under the rug, while she is stuck dealing with the baby inside her while facing scrutiny and humiliation over it, something which Shane (and his parents) inadvertently proved.
Liz O'Rourke
Played by Cathy Keenan
Tropes of Liz:
- Animal Wrongs Group: Hates Caitlin because she uses medicine tested on chimps for her seizures.
- Broken Bird: She was abused by her mother's boyfriend as a child.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Despite the fact she is meant to be introduced in Season 2, she can be clearly seen in the background during Season 1, including standing with Spike outside the school watching Stephanie's campaign speech during the first episode.
- Freaky Fashion, Mild Mind: Although she has the look and attitude, she cares about issues like abortion and animal rights.
- Freudian Excuse: She adopted her pro-life views because when her mother was pregnant with her, her mother's abusive boyfriend beat her and tried to force her into an abortion.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: That being said, many of the viewers think that while her backstory was horrible on it's own, it doesn't give Liz an excuse for her antagonistic, extreme opinions.
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Taken to an extreme when Liz harasses Erica in season 1 of Degrassi High when the latter has an abortion. This results in the show's first catfight.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: She befriends Spike in her debut episode and remain best friends for the rest of the show.
- Iconic Sequel Character: She's introduced in season 2. While not a popular character with viewers, she's still remembered for being Spike's best friend from season 2 onwards and having controversial looks and opinions.
- Jerkass: She is widely regarded to be one, with examples ranging from her harassment of Erica, to telling epileptic Caitlin that she'd rather have seizures then take medication that was tested on animals.
- Perpetual Frowner: Almost never seen smiling.
- Rape as Backstory: She was molested by her mother's ex-boyfriend as a young girl.
- Satellite Character: To Spike, most of the time. She has only a few storylines on her own but, most of the time, she is just Spike's best friend.
- Those Two Guys: With Spike occasionally.
- Soapbox Sadie: Anti-abortion and pro animal rights. She is one of the few characters on television who is portrayed as pro-life, but not for religious reasons. She abhors abortion because her mother nearly aborted her.
- Tsundere: To Joey early on, but after he tries to put the moves on her, goes to constant "tsun".
Alexa Pappodopoulos
Played by Irene Courakos
A ditzy girl who is mainly known for being Simon's girlfriend and Michelle's best friend.
- Ascended Extra: Sometimes in season 1, you can see her in the background but she didn't have a real part until season 2.
- Be a Whore to Get Your Man: Wore Stephanie's "sexy" clothes to go after Simon. Her mom made her give them back since it made her look like a hooker.
- Beta Couple: She and Simon are the most stable couple of the show, and both are usually satellite characters.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Constantly believes her relationship with Simon to be on the verge of implosion.
- The Ditz: To go along with Simon to form a Ditz Couple.
- Genki Girl: She has a bubbly personality, much more than Simon.
- Happily Married: With Simon, after The Movie. They are still married in TNG and Alexa is expecting a third child.
- Plucky Comic Relief: A lot of her focus scenes showcase her ditzy tendencies to comedic effect.
- Single Girl Seeks Most Popular Guy: And Simon actually picked her over Alpha Bitch Stephanie.
- Tsundere: More "dere" than "tsun", but because of her Clingy Jealous Girl nature, it zig-zags.
Patrick
Played by Vincent Walsh
Spike's Love Interest in Degrassi High. Portrayed as a Nice Guy with an acoustic guitar, he appears in a bunch of episodes in season one, and one in season two, when they break up off-screen and he begins to date Liz, Spike's best friend, angering Spike, in turn causing Liz to dump him, and in turn causing Patrick to confront her in the library with a significantly different demeanor to what he exhibited prior.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Is never seen again after "Body Politics"; his final appearance being to argue with Spike over him dating Liz which is never ever mentioned or given closure.
- Magical Negro: An Irishman variant. He comes off as a mild Spear Counterpart of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, encouraging Spike to enjoy life and writing a One-Woman Song about her. However, when Spike gets angry at him dating Liz after they break up, he pulls a Heel–Face Turn and acts almost threateningly towards her.
- Only One Name: His last name is never revealed.
- Satellite Love Interest: His only purpose is to serve as a Love Interest for Spike. When she breaks up with him, he only appears in one episode afterwards before disappearing forever.
- Singer-Songwriter: Writes a One-Woman Song about Spike. (not THAT song).
Paul
Played by Michael Blake
Clutch's friend and Lucy's first boyfriend.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: He acts nice to Lucy at first, but it turns out he is only interested in having sex, and gets mad at her after being rejected.
- Informed Attractiveness: He looks like a clone of Steve Urkel, but Lucy and her friends find him hot.
- Satellite Love Interest: Has no role outside of briefly dating Lucy. Unlike his friend Clutch, he disappears in DH.
Susie Rivera
Played by Sarah Charlesworth
Caitlin's best friend in the first two seasons.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears without explanation in the third season of DJH.
- Satellite Character: Most of the time she only serves as Caitlin's friend. She only gets a spotlight episode where she was being harassed by a pervert teacher.
- Token Black Friend: A black Satellite Character to Caitlin in the first two seasons before disappearing entirely.
Caitlin Ryan
Played by Stacie Mistysyn
Arguably the most well-known female character on the show, Caitlin is pretty, smart, and a strong social activist. Most of her storylines revolve around her being a Soapbox Sadie, though she also struggles with epilepsy in some episodes. Starting in season 3, she becomes the Love Interest to Joey Jeremiah, with whom she shares the most (in)famous Will They or Won't They? relationship on the show.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Her attraction to Troubled, but Cute Rick and immature jerk Joey.
- Brainy Brunette: For most of the show she has brown hair, and is very intelligent and good at school.
- Dude Magnet: In a DH episode, Joey, Claude, and Arthur were all interested in her. Rick, her potential love interent in early seasons, liked her as well.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Has Boyish Short Hair in the first two seasons, longer hair from season 3 onwards, and goes blonde towards the end, including the movie.
- Expy: The same basic character as Mystysyn's in The Kids of Degrassi Street (Lisa).
- Go-Getter Girl: She is a very driven overachiever and aspiring journalist.
- Granola Girl: She is passionate about environment and animal rights.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Susie in the first two seasons of DJH, and with Maya in DH. Oddly enough in the movie, she's seen hanging out and being best friends with Lucy, even if they almost never interact on the show. Similarly, in TNG she appears to be Spike's best friend, even if they almost never talked in the original series (and their only interaction wasn't friendly at all).
- He Who Fights Monsters: Tries to call attention to how the parents are treating Spike's pregnancy. She ends up hurting Spike.
- Ice Queen: Her portrayal after dumping Joey for Claude in Degrassi High. Joey even calls her an "Ice Maiden" at one point.
- I Can Change My Beloved: She sometimes sees boys as projects to fix. Rick and Joey call her out on this.
- Opposites Attract: With Joey. He's an immature Book Dumb slacker while Caitlin is a serious Go-Getter Girl.
- The Rival: With Kathleen, when it comes to academics.
- Soapbox Sadie: Before Emma, there was Caitlin. Most of her plots revolved around her and some cause. One time, when protesting Spike's removal, the latter calls her out for making her a charity case.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Joey. Even though they are madly in love, no matter how hard they try, it never seems to work.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: She's a serious girl at heart, to the point of being an Ice Queen sometimes, but she's also very sweet and loving towards the people she cares about.
- Tsundere: To Joey. While she likes him, she's not above getting angry when he does someting stupid.
- Uptight Loves Wild: A possible reason why uptight Caitlin starts liking Class Clown Joey.
Archibald "Snake" Simpson
Played by Stefan Brogren
Best friend of Joey and Wheels, he's the adorkable Gentle Giant of the Zit Remedy trio. Despite being far more reasonable than both his friends, he's often caught in the middle of their schemes.
- Badass Baritone: Even in the earliest days of Junior High, Snake spoke in a resonant baritone voice, a standout among the other male cast who still spoke with high, piping little-kid voices.
- Bad "Bad Acting": Snake cannot act to save his life. He can't even convincingly lie to his parents. His poor skills are mostly on display when he takes a roll in Lucy's film in "It Creeps".
- Breakout Character: In a way. Snake has been the most consistent character in the entire franchise, culminating in becoming the principal in Next Class.
- Chick Magnet: He has many girls crushing on him in both DJH and DH (Melanie, Spike, Michelle, Amy, Allison). Subverted in The Movie where, for some reason, he is unable to get any girl and even made fun of because of this.
- Endearingly Dorky: He's awkwardly tall and borders on Lovable Coward. Especially in his interactions with Melanie, as they are both equally awkward when it comes to their feelings for each other, making them a cute, dorky pairing. Besides Melanie, many other girls find him cute on the show.
- Foreshadowing:
- In his very first appearance, running for student council against Stephanie, we see him standing on the steps of the school talking about what he'd change if he were in charge. Almost certainly nobody in 1987 knew what his being on the show would lead to, but the "..you won't recognize this school at all" scene at the end of The Boiling Point might be a deliberate Call-Back.
- Spike's crush on him in the penultimate episode, though it comes out of nowhere and they hardly ever interacted before, is foreshadowing of what would become of the two in Next Generation.
- Gentle Giant: Extremely tall and an all-around friendly, good guy.
- Heroic BSoD: He is, unfortunately, the one to discover Claude's body in the bathroom. Though he bravely reports it, he is still very traumatized by it and drops out of school for a week or two to recover.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Joey and Wheels. He starts hanging out with them towards the end of season 1 and they are seen as an inseparable trio for the rest of the show.
- Ironic Nickname: Snake isn't the nickname you would expect from a dorky and lovable nice guy.
- Nice Guy: The nicest of his trio of friends, and the most morally conscious.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Is almost never called Archibald or Archie.
- Only Sane Man: When he is with Joey and Wheels. He's much more mature and reasonable than Joey, while Wheels Took a Level in Jerkass in later seasons.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Sensitive guy to Joey's manly man.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: With Melanie in DJH. Despite really liking each other, every attempt they make to date ends up in a disaster. By DH, they have stopped trying.
Claude Tanner
Played by David Armin-Parcells
A social activist who dates Caitlin in Degrassi High, but their relationship doesn't last. He is Driven to Suicide in the following year.
- Boom, Headshot!: though we don't actually see it, Snake mentions that upon discovering Claude's body, only half of his face was left.
- A Death in the Limelight: He only appeared in a few episodes in season one, before committing suicide near the end of season two.
- Dirty Coward: He doesn't even bother to help Caitlin when she's about to be caught by the police after spray painting a nuke building factory.
- Emo Teen: An over the top 80s version.
- He Who Fights Monsters: "Hey Caitlin! I have a great idea for a date. Let's go spray paint slogans on a nuclear weapon parts making facility! And then I'll run away when I might get caught, leaving you out to dry!"
- Iconic Sequel Character: He never appears in DJH, but he has two of the most famous storylines of DH: his Love Triangle with Caitlin and Joey, and later his shocking suicide.
- Romantic False Lead: Dates Caitlin for a while, but is very soon reaveled to be a Dirty Coward and break up after a few episodes.
Bryant Lester "B.L.T." Thomas
Played by Dayo Ade
Michelle's Love Interest for most of the show, until he breaks up with her in the final season.
- Ascended Extra: Starts out as a background character in the first two seasons of DJH. Along with his girlfriend Michelle, he has a more prominent role in season 3 and DH.
- First-Name Basis: Only Michelle ever calls him "Bryant".
- Only Known by Initials: His rarely used full name is Bryant Lester Thomas.
- Satellite Love Interest: Mostly exists for Michelle to date and have to deal with her parents's racism. Then he dumps her for a black girl.
- Token Black Friend: The only black guy in his circle of friends. Michelle's parents didn't like that.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: In season 3 and 4, he's a nice boyfriend who genuinely cares for Michelle. In season 5, he suddenly becomes a cheating jerk.
Scott "Scooter" Webster
Played by Christopher Charlesworth
A younger student introduced in season 2 and usually a minor character.
- Cousin Oliver: With Arthur and Yick getting older, Scooter and his friend Bartholomew Bond seemed cast to be DJH's new "cute kids" who get featured in B Plots. While they got a couple of background subplots, they were never prominently featured like Arthur and Yick. Ironically in DH, they also faded into the background like Arthur and Yick and were barely seen.
Derek "Wheels" Wheeler
Played by Neil Hope
Best friend of Joey and Snake, who arguably suffers the most tragic Trauma Conga Line out of all the characters on the show. All his troubles start in season 3, after his parents die which leads his character to go from lovable friend to selfish Anti-Hero. Aside from Shane, he also got the worst Downer Ending of everyone.
- The Alcoholic: In The Movie, to the point he becomes a drunk driver at the end.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: School's Out! features a big one.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: He has issues with his adoptive parents, and then they die.
- Book Dumb: Not as much as Joey, but he struggles academically in both DJH and DH.
- Break the Cutie: He starts out as a fun loving and all around good guy (in the first 2 seasons of Degrassi Junior High), then both his adoptive parents die and he gradually becomes more selfish and destructive. Then he is nearly molested by a traveling salesman, and his biological father rejects him and sends him back to his grandparents. His behavior only gets worse in Degrassi High, to the point that even his best friends couldn't stand him anymore and his grandparents kicked him out of the house. In School's Out, he becomes a Drunk Driver, kills a child and ends up in jail.
- Catchphrase: "My parents are dead."
- Celibate Hero: He never has a girlfriend on the show. Despite some Ship Tease with Stephanie and Heather, he eventually ends up rejecting both. The movie vaguely implies he lost his virginity to some unseen girl, but he is never seen dating anyone.
- Cerebus Syndrome: In fact, the guy who kills his parents could be considered a full-blown Knight of Cerebus.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: While his troubled behavior is understandable, he likes to remind the others about his freudian excuse (dead parents) every time he does something bad and is the reason of his Never My Fault tendencies in later seasons.
- The Friend Nobody Likes: Becomes this to Joey and Snake in later seasons. This is Played for Drama, as they both eventually start avoiding him after he Took a Level in Jerkass.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With Joey and Snake. Joey was his friend since the beginning, Snake starts hanging out with them towards the end of season 1 and they are seen as an inseparable trio for the rest of the show.
- Informed Attractiveness: Stephanie's belief that Wheels is the sexiest boy at Degrassi Junior High perplexed Albert of The Agony Booth. And probably everyone else.
- Ironic Nickname: "Wheels" becomes tragically ironic after his parents are killed by a drunk driver.
- It's All About Me: Becomes much more selfish after his parents's death.
- Laser-Guided Karma: School's Out ends with him in jail.
- Never My Fault: Blames all his bad behavior on the death of his parents. Wheels' inability to accept culpability angers and disgusts Snake who refuses to forgive him for twelve years.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: No one at school call him Derek, he's only called Derek by his family.
- Raised by Grandparents: After the death of his parents. Sadly, he ends up having a horrible attitude towards them and doesn't care about all his grandmother's efforts.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: After his horrible Downer Ending in School's Out, he appears ten years later in one episode of TNG, where he reconnects with his friends and even Snake forgives him.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Started very slowly after his parents died. He went full Jerkass in Degrassi High, but seemed to get better near the end. Only to have it horribly subverted in School's Out.
- Troubled, but Cute: One of the students with the most troubled life, and Heather and LD find him attractive in DH. So does Stephanie in season 1 of DJH, but he wasn't particularly troubled at that time.
Alex Yankou
Played by John Ioannou
A background nerd for most of the show, until he gets some Character Focus in the final season of Degrassi High.
- Ascended Extra: He is a Satellite Character in DJH, but finally got some plots of his own in DH. The actor had been part of the Degrassi cast since The Kids of Degrassi Street.
- Dogged Nice Guy: He actually succeeds in landing a girlfriend in Tessa. Before she dumps him for Yick.
Yick Yu
Played by Siluck Saysanasy
Arthur's original best friend, they are the most common male duo in early seasons. They drift apart a bit as they get older in Degrassi High and Yick starts hanging out with Luke.
- Alliterative Name: Yick Yu
- Asian and Nerdy: He's a dorky kid with glasses who's also Chinese. But not too nerdy, since he is an athlete and an average student.
- Demoted to Extra: No longer a cute kid, he find himself Out of Focus during Degrassi High.
- Height Angst: There's a subplot about him and Arthur who hate being short.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: He's best friends with Arthur in DJH, but their friendship is strained in DH when Yick starts hanging out with other friends.
- Hormone-Addled Teenager: He has dreams where he, you know, kinda, "leaks".
- Pass Fail: Though from Laos, he tries to pass as being from the Chinese upper class in order to make his family history "interesting".
- Those Two Guys: With Arthur, they usually get subplots together in DJH. In DH, he starts hanging out with Luke.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: He turns into a total jerk in Degrassi High. It coincides right with the breakup of the Arthur and Yick bromance.
Teachers
Daniel Raditch
- Cruel to Be Kind: His reasoning for holding Joey back a year. Joey technically passed, but Raditch does it anyway because he thinks it's in Joey's long term interest.
- Non-Giving-Up School Guy
- Pet the Dog
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Usually subverted. He tends to show how unreasonable adults can be, given how frequently he focuses on rules and regulations rather than care what his students are going through.
- Running Gag: him removing Joey's fedora. Eventually, Joey starts doing it himself.
- Sadistic Teacher: It's rare when Raditch isn't shown getting angry with a student over something, and usually becoming angry with the wrong student. For example, when a guy snap's Melanie's bra-strap in class and she reacts in pain, it is she that he gets angry at, when she's clearly the one in distress. He's also not above assigning insulting nicknames to his students, but at least he owns up to it when confronted, and tries to change.
- Stern Teacher
Karen Avery
- Cool Teacher
- Fired Teacher: Subverted. Caitlin thinks this has happened and kicks up a stink about it. Turns out she was offered another position at the school, but rejected it on principle.
- Hippie Teacher: Downplayed. She has long, hippie-ish hair and some left-wing political views, but that's about it. Unsurprisingly Caitlin adores her.
- Mistaken for Gay: "Rumor Has It" revolves around the rumour that she's a lesbian. She isn't.
- Stupid Sexy Flanders: Caitlin has a series of homoerotic dreams about her that cause her to question her sexuality.
- Ship Tease: the ending to "Rumor Has It" implies there may be something going on between her and Raditch. Nothing ever comes of this.
