History Series / DegrassiJuniorHigh

* ACupAngst:
** G-rated version: Yick and Arthur are jealous of Snake's height.
** Melanie also had an episode on the subject.

* HeightAngst: Episode five, "The Great Race." The B-plot was Arthur and Yick being jealous of how tall Snake was, while he found his height made him unable to play soccer. It's currently listed on the show's page as a G-rated version of ACupAngst. However, the A plot that episode involved Melanie's actual ACupAngst...and some scheming kids trying to get Snake on the soccer team so he can qualify for an event against Melanie.

* AnimeHair: Spike's hair was crazy even for the 80s.

When it first aired, the show was ground-breaking for dealing with these hot topics without censorship or neat happy endings; it became a cult hit in America via Creator/{{PBS}}. The most notable American fan was one KevinSmith, who later achieved his life's dream of romancing the character Caitlin (the same character he named Caitlin Bree in ''{{Clerks}}'' after) in ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration''. (There are persistent rumors that AaronSpelling wanted to license an American version of ''Degrassi'', but couldn't get the rights, so he created ''BeverlyHills90210'' instead.) After all the shows that have come since, it doesn't look very daring. Most notably, it treats gays sympathetically, but doesn't dare have a gay main character or even a gay recurring character; guest stars have to do. (''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', as of Season 12, has had multiple gay, lesbian, and bi main characters and even a trans main character.) There are also several dated moments that were plausible for 1980s teens, but are bizarre now, like when TheDitz hears about anorexia for the first time and wishes she had it.

* IdiotOfTheWeek: Take your pick.

* CanadaEh: Somewhat subverted. While the [[CanadianAccents accents and some of the language]] used were a dead giveaway, there was nothing really stereotypical Canadian about the show. It really demonstrated just how Rust Belt {{Toronto}} in the '80s was.

* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: Early on, they referred to the setting as a "hick town" and characters exchanged U.S. currency. Contrast with recent seasons of ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' where both the Canadian and [[{{Toronto}} city]] flags fly from the school building and the LocalHangout's name comes from a nickname of Toronto.

The second series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise (third if you count the half-hour film ''Ida Makes a Movie'' as freestanding, as it originally had been intended), and the one that put ''Franchise/{{Degrassi}}'' on the map for good. It re-used some of the actors from ''TheKidsOfDegrassiStreet'', but playing different characters. The series lasted from January, 1987 to March, 1989. A total of 42 episodes in three seasons.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Typical ''KidsOfDegrassiStreet'' plot - Kid goes downtown to buy clothes on his own for the first time. First major DJH plot - TeenPregnancy.

The series was created by {{CBC}} as an educational tool for teens, to teach them about "hot button" topics like eating disorders, teen pregnancy, losing parents, etc. Most episodes followed a fairly standard formula: one of the kids has ADayInTheLimelight where they deal with some nightmarish problem. At the same time, another kid has a comic adventure that mirrors the main A plot (TwoLinesNoWaiting). At the same time, several arc plots floated around the show, and each episode would move the arc forward a bit (often serving as {{Foreshadowing}} for the A and B plots of later episodes).

When it first aired, the show was ground-breaking for dealing with these hot topics without censorship or neat happy endings; it became a cult hit in America via Creator/{{PBS}}. The most notable American fan was one KevinSmith, who later achieved his life's dream of romancing the character Caitlin (the same character he named Caitlin Bree in ''{{Clerks}}'' after) in ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration''. (There are persistent rumors that AaronSpelling wanted to license an American version of ''Degrassi'', but couldn't get the rights, so he created ''BeverlyHills90210'' instead.) After all the shows that have come since, it doesn't look very daring. Most notably, it treats gays sympathetically, but doesn't dare have a gay main character or even a gay recurring character; guest stars have to do. (''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'', as of Season 12, has had multiple gay, lesbian, and bi main characters and even a trans main character.) There are also several dated moments that were plausible for 1980s teens, but are bizarre now, like when TheDitz hears about anorexia for the first time and wishes she had it.

Fans of ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' will be surprised at how more conventional the show is. Adults are right more often in ''DegrassiJuniorHigh'' (it tends to use ParentExMachina instead of AdultsAreUseless). But the biggest difference is that the entire cast of the older show are naive, frightened kids at heart. Even [[HighSchoolHustler The High School Hustler]] and the AlphaBitch turn out to be insecure and uncertain when the mask is removed. This sets it apart far more than the omnipresent EightiesHair -- modern shows tend to have teens who are far more crafty. (Compare the AlphaBitch on both shows. Stephanie, in the older show, bullies people because she's in deep denial about how needy, insecure, and naive she is. Paige, on the new show, is a ruthless shark with no fear and no weaknesses.)

* NoCommunitiesWereHarmed: Early on, they referred to the setting as a "hick town" and characters exchanged U.S. currency. Contrast with recent seasons of ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' where both the Canadian and [[{{Toronto}} city]] flags fly from the school building and the LocalHangout's name comes from a nickname of Toronto.

Followed by the sequel series DegrassiHigh.

** And probably a lot more, and even in ''DegrassiHigh'' there are several examples too.

When it first aired, the show was ground-breaking for dealing with these hot topics without censorship or neat happy endings; it became a cult hit in America via Creator/{{PBS}}. The most notable American fan was one KevinSmith, who later achieved his life's dream of romancing the character Caitlin (the same character he named Caitlin Bree in ''{{Clerks}}'' after) in ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration''. (There are persistent rumors that AaronSpelling wanted to license an American version of ''Degrassi'', but couldn't get the rights, so he created ''BeverlyHills90210'' instead.) After all the shows that have come since, it doesn't look very daring. Most notably, it treats gays sympathetically, but doesn't dare have a gay main character or even a gay recurring character; guest stars have to do. (''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' does have a main gay character.) There are also several dated moments that were plausible for 1980s teens, but are bizarre now, like when TheDitz hears about anorexia for the first time and wishes she had it.

* AllLoveIsUnriquited: Degrassi ''loves'' this trope

* {{Adorkable}}: Arthur, Yick, Melanie and to some extent, Joey.

* HoYay: Arthur and Yick with their long running bromance. Joey and Wheels.

* LesYay: Voula takes Stephanie's rejection of their friendship a little too hard.
-->'''Steph'''(justifying [[BeAWhoreToGetYourMan her behavior]] to win school president): "Boys like that sort of thing!"
-->'''Voula''': "So do girls!"

* TheDitz: Alexa.

* TedBaxter: Joey

The second series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise (third if you count the half-hour film ''Ida Makes a Movie'' as freestanding, as it originally had been intended), and the one that put ''Franchise/{{Degrassi}}'' on the map for good. It re-used some of the actors from ''TheKidsOfDegrassiStreet'', but playing different characters. The series lasted from January, 1987 to March, 1989. A total of 42 episodes in three seasons.

Described like that, it sounds like a crappy VerySpecialEpisode. What made it more than that was the willingness to (sometimes) have unhappy endings, and for the consequences to last more than an episode -- when a character fails a grade, the whole next season shows him struggling with the stigma.

When it first aired, the show was ground-breaking for dealing with these hot topics without censorship or neat happy endings; it became a cult hit in America via {{PBS}}. The most notable American fan was one KevinSmith, who later achieved his life's dream of romancing the character Caitlin (the same character he named Caitlin Bree in ''{{Clerks}}'' after) in ''DegrassiTheNextGeneration''. (There are persistent rumors that AaronSpelling wanted to license an American version of ''Degrassi'', but couldn't get the rights, so he created ''BeverlyHills90210'' instead.) After all the shows that have come since, it doesn't look very daring. Most notably, it treats gays sympathetically, but doesn't dare have a gay main character or even a gay recurring character; guest stars have to do. (''DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' does have a main gay character.) There are also several dated moments that were plausible for 1980s teens, but are bizarre now, like when TheDitz hears about anorexia for the first time and wishes she had it.

** Originally going to be played straight, but the actor thought it was too stereotypical.

* BrotherChuck: Voula, Caitlin's best friend Susie, Rick and many others.
** The very first episode brings us Joey's best friend Hank. It seems like he will be a major character and will get into all sorts of mischief with Joey over the years. You'll never see him again.
* TheBully: Dwayne and his two minions. Don't get too attached to the minions. They appear in only one episode.

* ComicTrio: Stephanie and the twins Heather and Erica. Joey, Snake, and Wheels.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Typical ''KidsOfDegrassiStreet'' plot - Kid goes downtown to buy clothes on his own for the first time. First major DJH plot - TeenPregnancy.
* DateRapeAverted: Happened to Steph in one episode. And Wheels in another infamous Degrassi episode. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGQIBQcTWtk Watch here and try not to be creeped out]].

* TheEighties

-->-Have you ever been to a party where something '''didn't''' get broken?

* GratuitousRap: Caitlin and Rick's environmental rap. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEShF34ImgI So bad it must be seen]].
* HeWhoMustNotBeSeen: Lucy's parents. Caitlin's brother.

* IdiotOfTheWeek: Take your pick.

* LesYay: Voula takes Stephanie's rejection of their friendship a little too hard.

* TheQuincyPunk: Averted with Liz. A socially conscious punk.
* RagsToRiches

* TrojanGauntlet: Twice. Once with Wheels and later with Joey.

* ZanyScheme

* DarkerAndEdgier: Typical ''Kids of Degrassi Street'' plot - Kid goes downtown to buy clothes on his own for the first time. First major DJH plot - TeenPregnancy.

The second series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise (third if you count the half-hour film ''Ida Makes a Movie'' as freestanding, as it originally had been intended), and the one that put ''[[Franchise/{{Degrassi}}'' on the map for good. It re-used some of the actors from ''TheKidsOfDegrassiStreet'', but playing different characters. The series lasted from January, 1987 to March, 1989. A total of 42 episodes in three seasons.

The second series in the ''Degrassi'' franchise (third if you count the half-hour film ''Ida Makes a Movie'' as freestanding, as it originally had been intended), and the one that put ''Degrassi'' on the map for good. It re-used some of the actors from ''The Kids of Degrassi Street'', but playing different characters. The series lasted from January, 1987 to March, 1989. A total of 42 episodes in three seasons.

* ADayInTheLimelight: Pretty much every got gets the spotlight at some point.* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: The last episode ends with the school burning to the ground.]]

* NoDressCode: And in the early seasons, No Wardrobe Department.