noted that most of the cast were occupied with post-secondary education, and that she felt the show had already tackled what they had aimed to. In a 1998 web interview with fan site owner Natalie Earl, Hood elaborated: Schuyler informed CBC programming chief Ivan Fecan that they would not be able to produce any more of Degrassi High. Fecan enthusiastically accepted Schuyler's proposal to end the series with a feature-length film. Episodes Season 1 (1989–1990) Season 2 (1990–1991) Release First-run broadcast Degrassi High premiered on November 6, 1989, on CBC with the two-part episode "A New Start", a week following the documentary Degrassi Between Takes. In the United States, the series debuted on January 14, 1990, on PBS. In Australia, it debuted on ABC TV on September 2, 1990. On the ABC, broadcasts of the series were preceded with a disclaimer that read: "Viewer Advice: The following episode of Degrassi High contains themes appropriate to a teenage audience. Some parents may consider it inappropriate for younger children". Re-runs aired on ABC-TV until 1995. Post-broadcast distribution The series continued in re-runs on CBC during the late 1990s. On September 1, 1997, the series debuted on Showcase, where it aired back-to-back with Degrassi Junior High. Home media The series was released on VHS by WGBH-TV Boston Home Video in the United States on March 7, 2000, both as separate tapes containing two episodes each and a full box set. It was later released as part of the Degrassi High: The Complete Collection DVD box set by WGBH on October 9, 2007, and the Degrassi High Collection set by Force Entertainment in Australia on March 12, 2008. Reception and impact Critical reception The series received a similar positive critical reaction to its predecessor for its realism and sincerity in dealing with adolescent issues, with many critics in particular acclaiming its premiere episode, A New Start, which centres on a student becoming pregnant and deciding to have an abortion. Writing for The Toronto Star, Antonia Zerbisias acclaimed the series premiere, asserting that it was "a gutsy show, particularly in the light of the current political and emotional climate [of the 1980s]", and singled out the exploration of both sides of the abortion topic. Furthermore, she quipped that if the show was an American prime time show, "the whole thing would turn out to be a hilarious mix-up. We'd have lots of eye-rolling, sophomoric one-liners