Degrassi is a Canadian television franchise created by Kit Hood and Linda Schuyler. Originating as a children's television series in 1979, Degrassi is best-known as a long-running and interconnected teen-oriented drama series that has spanned multiple generations since the late 1980s, starting with Degrassi Junior High in 1987 and continuing through Degrassi: Next Class in 2017. In addition to the series and several television movies, the franchise encompasses a variety of supplementary media, including companion novels, graphic novels, documentaries, soundtracks, and non-fiction. The first three series in the Degrassi franchise were produced by Hood and Schuyler's company Playing With Time and broadcast on the CBC. The Kids of Degrassi Street (1979–86) was initially a collection of standalone short films before it was turned into a series. It evolved into a teen drama starting with Degrassi Junior High (1987–89), which, along with its successor Degrassi High (1989–91), aired to great critical and commercial fanfare on the CBC for its realistic and diverse portrayal of teenage issues. Degrassi High concluded in 1992 with the controversial television film School's Out, which received a mixed reception from fans and critics alike and also featured the first use of the word "fuck" on Canadian television. A six-part non-fiction docuseries titled Degrassi Talks, which featured actors from the show interviewing teenagers across the country about their issues, followed a month after School's Out. Hood was not involved in future Degrassi series, which would be produced by Schuyler and Stephen Stohn through Epitome Pictures. Degrassi endured in re-runs during the 1990s, culminating in its revival in 2001 as Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001-15). The revival aired on CTV in Canada and Noggin's teen block, The N, in the United States. It focused on a new generation of teenagers, including the daughter of original character Spike (Amanda Stepto), while featuring Spike and other previous characters as adults. It received rave reviews and was particularly successful in the United States. CTV cancelled the series in 2009, before it was saved via a deal with TeenNick. At this time, the format was changed to a telenovela style and the title was shortened to Degrassi. After five more seasons, it was cancelled in 2015. Degrassi: Next Class, a direct follow-up and soft reboot aimed at Generation Z, released on Netflix in early 2016 and ran until 2017, with its cancellation only confirmed in 2019. In January 2022, a new series was