The 13 Most Iconic Moments in Degrassi History
Before you handcuff yourself to your streaming device sit down to binge-watch Netflix’s new series Degrassi: The Next Class, you gotta know what you’re getting into. We mean, would you go back to school without doing the summer reading? Okay, maybe you would. But before you head to the halls of the hallowed Degrassi High School, you need to do your homework. Degrassi has been iconic for literal generations, and one of them was the series that brought us the icon Aubrey Graham, a.k.a. Young Would-Def-Buy-You-Mad-Snacks, a.k.a. Drake himself: Degrassi: the Next Generation. So grab your notebook and get ready to study the art of going there. Here are the most next-level iconic moments from Degrassi’s wild past.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY1/13When
DrakeJimmy got shot.Oh, Jimmy. You were so much more than Drake’s warm-up act. In fact, Jimmy was a sweet guy and an athlete, making it even harder to watch when he lost the use of his legs after he was shot by Rick in the heartbreaking school shooting episode. Of course, Jimmy made it through in classic Degrassi style after the shooting, turning to painting and becoming the renaissance man about town. Drake truly can do it all.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY2/13When Craig was the original hot Canadian musician.
Speaking of Canadians who can do it all, we must never forget Craig, Degrassi's resident guitar-strumming hottie. He was basically the worst and dated and cheated on everyone, but he looked and sounded great doing it. He was also incredibly troubled, which is exactly what you want in a brooding boy. We just couldn’t quit him.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY3/13When the girls formed a band to compete with Craig.
...Well, not everyone felt that way about Craig. After he spurned basically every girl on the show and two-timed Ashley and Manny, Ashley and her friends decided to form their own musical tribute: an all-girl band called Hell Hath No Fury that would, well, have no fury like a woman scorned. Girl power.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY4/13When Liberty had nerdy J.T.’s baby...and gave it up for adoption
Liberty and J.T. were both huge nerds, but J.T. was always somehow cooler (which was totally unfair, because Liberty was genius status). While her crush had absolutely no chill, it eventually worked out and the two fell in puppy love. Their youth and naïveté led to a pregnancy, which Liberty decided to go through with and give up for adoption. While it was sad to watch, it was pretty wild — and educational — to watch two teens in that situation do such a difficult thing.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY5/13When Marco came out.
Marco was the best. Period. He was one of the many LGBTQ characters on the show, but he was the first one of the Next Generation series to come out. His coming out was especially hard, as his friends weren’t totally receptive in the way other TV shows depict friends of LGBTQ characters to be. He had to deal with their ignorance and educate them, and watching him go through it probably helped a lot of kids get the confidence to come out as well.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY6/13When Paige was the most popular girl in school.
Paige was the girl you loved to hate. She had like, hundreds of great one liners, but you can never forget the moment she basically decided to go off the rails and go full mean-girl status — in rhinestone sunglasses, no less.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY7/13When Emma told Jay about himself.
After Jay gave Emma an STD, she was, uh, understandably upset. Her one-liner after the fact was iconic, and for some reason every time I catch the flu, I think of this moment, even though it’s, uh, not the same thing at all.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY8/13When Jimmy was way harsh.
After his girlfriend Ashley took drugs and cheated on him, Jimmy was kind of upset. (But like, understandable, my dude.) However, he took it a little far when he delivered this insult, which will live in GIF-dom forever. Perhaps she was the one who started wearing less and going out more?
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY9/13When Alex and Paige kissed at a college fair.
Degrassi had plenty of story lines that involved teachable moments about drugs, but this one was one of the most memorable. Paige and her future girlfriend Alex decided to get high after Paige’s ex-boyfriend dumped her and gave her a joint, but they did so riiiiight before a fair for prospective college students. Paige almost screwed up her entire college career and watching that happen was, well, sobering.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY10/13When Manny literally kicked Paige’s butt.
This moment doesn’t require much explanation: Paige and Manny were cool girls in competition, and their hijinks were both super rude and super hilarious. Here, we see Manny literally kicking Paige’s butt after Manny gave Paige a verbal lashing. Heavy is the head that wears the velour sweatsuit, right?
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY11/13When Jimmy was there for Marco.
Jimmy and Marco’s friendship transcended their bad musical ventures — they were part of Craig’s failed band ‘Downtown Sasquatch’ — and different personalities. When Marco was assaulted by some homophobic guys, Jimmy was there to hold him and tell him it would be okay. Their bromance was one for the ages.
GIF: Courtesy of GIPHY12/13When Manny decided wearing a thong meant she was a woman.
Real talk: this was pretty much the biggest moment in Degrassi history. Manny decided that she wanted to be hot: “not cute, not adorable. Hot.” She succeeded by showing everyone her underwear, at a time in the 2000s when thongs were low-key risque. This was basically a Miley Cyrus move for its time. Iconic indeed.
13/13When that theme song played and everything just felt right with the world.
Repeat after me: “Whatever it takes, I know I can make it through!” Bless you, Degrassi. Your cheesy intro will be with us for decades to come, helping us make it through every time we decide to truly go there. Cheers to you, Degrassi — or uh, whatever they say in Canada, eh.
