Degrassi announced the return of its interactive web series “Degrassi TV” by posting the series’ new intro on Facebook and soliciting for entries for its first episode.

Degrassi TV is a club within the Degrassi universe that was started by Imogen in Season 13, with Winston and Becky eventually joining her. Epitome’s DTV web series has the show’s actors discussing the topics in character, and Degrassi fans are encouraged to submit video responses that are edited into the episodes.

The first episode of  DTV for Next Class will tackle the topic of sexual consent. If you want to submit a video, the complete rules can be found below and on Degrassi’s Facebook page.

You saw Maya and Zig talk about it on Degrassi: Next Class, and now we’re talking about it. Is consent something you and your friends talk about? Is it an awkward conversation to have with a boyfriend or girlfriend? What’s the best way to start that conversation?

Send us your video and it may be included in an online episode of the web series Degrassi TV.

A lot of stuff happened on and off the set of  Degrassi this week, with one of the biggest being the show starting production on seasons 3 and 4 of Next Class:

Sometimes the cast and crew also post social media updates from the set…

On Set Recap Tuesday 5/17: http://wp.me/ph9H9-6×2

On Set Recap Wednesday 5/18: http://wp.me/ph9H9-6xj

Even bigger than that was Australian network ABC3 having revealed the first 5 episode titles and descriptions for season 2 throughout the week.

Australia is currently in the middle of broadcasting Next Class Season 1. Episodes 106-110 will air next week with Season 2 supposedly airing down under beginning May 30th, but I won’t believe the latter until it actually happens:

Today is the final day to submit your video entries for the first episode of Degrassi TV.

Speaking of videos…

The Dot TV rolled out another episode of “Connecting The Dots,” with this episode discussing Feminism:

And the latest Degrassi Vlog had Amir Bageria reviewing Captain America: Civil War.

Lux (Lyle) and Babe (Olivia), who perform as the duo Cute Whore, released the music video for their song “Cult Leader:”

If you’re confused by the vast difference between this and the image they present on Degrassi, they discuss that here.

A new teaser trailer for Eric Osborne’s movie Crazy House was released, and I’m still waiting on Miles to drop that word on Degrassi. ;)

Not only did Richard Walters release a remastered version of his song “Neverland,” but it was announced he’ll be performing at Acoustic Bash this summer in Toronto. Tickets are on sale now.

And this is a reminder that on June 6, Ehren, Eric and their band Eleanor Shore will be performing live at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto. Event details are here.

This week (5/22-5/29) is the final week of a play Adamo Ruggiero is co-producing called Sheets. Show and ticket info are here.

Season 2 of Justin Kelly’s series Between will arrive on Netflix July 1st.

–

And congratulations to Soma Bhatia, who snagged a role in the upcoming animated movie, The Breadwinner.

Over the past week Australia has been revealing the episode descriptions for season 2 of Next Class, so it’s only appropriate that they also reveal some images from the new season.

I dug my “Australia isn’t really going to air season 2 on May 30th that makes no sense” grave, but the way this Aussie train is furiously plowing forward I’ve also accepted that I might have to lie in it. Netflix still plans on releasing the episodes worldwide on July 22, with Family Channel’s return date still unknown.

Technically it’s been confirmed for a while, but this whole situation has been so out of the ordinary it was hard to believe it was actually happening. Australia will be the first in the world to broadcast Degrassi: Next Class Season 2 on Monday, May 30 (Memorial Day here in the U.S.). And for the first time ever, Australia is the largest blip on the Degrassi fandom’s radar.

The hope is that Australia will release a Season 2 promo at some point between now and Monday’s broadcast, but as of now it seems unlikely according to a response on their Facebook page:

So what in the hell has been happening?

*Australian network ABC3 started airing Season 1 of Next Class on Monday, May 16.

*A couple of days later, Degrassi Source broke the news that both ABC3 and service provider Foxtel were posting Season 2 episode descriptions (all 10 are now available). They also started listing their broadcast schedule for Season 2, with the premiere date set for Monday, May 30.

*Episode stills from Season 2 also started finding their way onto ABC3’s site.

If you’ve been a member of fandom for a lengthy period of time then you know networks eventually find a way to accidentally leak Degrassi stuff, so of course that was the first assumption here. There’s also the fact Family Channel has first-run rights for the series in some capacity…so that should apply worldwide, right?

Thanks to a Degrassi fan (who wanted to stay anonymous) for providing an e-mail from ABCTV:

So, unlike the rest of the world, Australia decided to air all 20 episodes at once. This is pretty wild, and I’m not sure what to tell ya. Netflix will still stream Season 2 worldwide for every country under their deal on Friday, July 22.

We still haven’t heard anything about when Season 2 will be released on Family Channel in Canada (still assume that it will air on Family at some point before the season is released on Netflix, with a likely date being Monday, July 11).

Here is Australia’s broadcast schedule. These episodes will air at 8:30pm Sydney time (some of the correlating times for other time zones can be found here):

Monday, May 30: Ep 201, #SquadGoals
Tuesday, May 31: Ep 202, #TurnItUp
Wednesday, June 1: Ep 203, #CheckYourPrivilege
Thursday, June 2: Ep 204, #BuyMePizza
Friday, June 3: Ep 205, #ThrowbackThursday

Monday, June 6: Ep 206, #ToMyFutureSelf
Tuesday, June 7: Ep 207, #ThatAwkwardMomentWhen
Wednesday, June 8: Ep 208, #RiseAndGrind
Thursday, June 9: Ep 209, #TheseAreMyConfessions
Friday, June 10: Ep 210, #OMFG

Will there be livestreams?

As much as I want to I can’t destroy my sleep schedule for 2 solid weeks, but for you brave souls in the Western hemisphere if you go to Tumblr you can find them they will find you (If you’re a non-Australian fan planning on watching streams, for the love of God please also support the show by watching it on Family Channel/Netflix this summer, where your viewership actually counts toward determining the show’s future.).

What about promos for the next two weeks?

According to Degrassi Source’s Australian sources, they tend not to air episodic promos down under.

Will you review the episodes?

Not now…I’m not going to discuss season 2 episode details or post episode reviews until Family/Netflix roll out the episodes this summer.

Australia literally went from “Nah, we’re not gonna post a promo” to “Here ya go!”

Thank you to Australian fan Degraussie for uploading the promo! Because ABC3 is airing Seasons 1 and 2 together, the promo contains clips from both. Season 2 begins airing in Australia on Monday, May 30, with the season arriving elsewhere later this summer (Netflix – July 22, Family Channel – TBA).

*Season 2 episode descriptions

*Season 2 episode stills

Can’t see the promo? Watch it here.

The first episode of this new season of Degrassi TV tackles consent, and I love how it features several characters who’ve had their own consent storylines over the past few seasons. For more on those storylines:

Zoë’s sexual assault in season 13: Unbelivable | Sparks Will Fly | Believe

Tristan’s student-teacher relationship in season 13: Hypnotize | Out Of My Head

Zig & Maya deal with consent in Next Class season 1: #YesMeansYes

Degrassi’s lifestyle series “Connecting The Dots” has also had an in-depth discussion on consent.

This series also features opinions from Degrassi fans on the subject matter. Check it out below:

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

Be on the lookout for more Degrassi TV episodes as they’ll be asking for more fan videos for each episode! Details will be posted on their Facebook page.

While Australia’s down there airing Degrassi however it wants, Canada’s sneaky tail has been doing things right under our nose!

Thanks to that massive Season 2 Australia news weeks ago serving as the distraction of all distractions, multiple reports in between then and now have announced Degrassi: Next Class Season 1 will finally be released on Netflix Canada on Saturday, June 11.

Sources: The TV Addict, Vancouver Sun, ANDPOP, Huffpost Canada

As for now, we’re waiting for more info regarding this monthly promo posted by Netflix Canada, which references season 2 as opposed to season 1.

Can’t see the promo? Watch it here.

It doesn’t matter who you are, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve been bullied online at some point in your life. For the most part, I try to ignore online hate; I have too many other things to worry about, I’m tired in general and I’m just too old to allow myself to get sucked into the trap of a troll looking for attention.

I’m in my early 30’s, but it hasn’t been until the past several years that I’ve finally reached a zone where I feel comfortable and confident in who I am as a person to do things like take a verbal beating from an anonymous stranger online without it destroying my self esteem.

True. How many instances have you seen where Degrassi tackles bullying, the cast participates in anti-bullying campaigns, and then you see fans of the show still trashing each other?

Kindness and respect are so valuable, but one of the most important things you can do in life for yourself is to know your value. It took me a long time to figure it out, but you owe it to yourself to realize that you are important, regardless of what some dummy with a keyboard says.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

While you’re here…

Degrassi’s lifestyle channel The Dot TV also tackled the topic of online bullying…you can watch the video and read the piece I wrote about it here.

On the next episode of Degrassi TV…

Degrassi wants your opinions on Feminism! Details on how to submit your video are below, and on Degrassi’s Facebook page.

Are you a Feminist? What does the word Feminism mean to you? Why do you think it’s often seen negatively?

Goldi started a Feminist Club at Degrassi and next on DTV, we’re talking all things Feminism.

Send us a video with your thoughts and it could be in next week’s Degrassi TV!

Submit to: dtvsubmissions@gmail.com

Please film your video HORIZONTALLY (phone sideways) and ensure videos are between 30 seconds and one minute in length.
The submission period begins June 8th, 2016 and ends June 12th, 2016.
You must be over 13 years old to submit a video.
Video selection will be at the producer’s discretion.
*Please note that by submitting your video you consent to your likeness being used for the purposes of Degrassi TV.

With Degrassi: Next Class Season 1 FINALLY arriving on Netflix Canada on June 11, they’ve teamed up with ANDPOP to provide Canadian fans with a pretty cool prize.

FULL CONTEST INFO HERE: http://www.andpop.com/2016/06/10/tweet-win-degrassi-netflix-prize-pack/

Not only can you win a Degrassi: Next Class jean jacket from Netflix, but you’ll also get a free 6-month subscription to Netflix Canada.

All you have to do is head over to Twitter and retweet this tweet from ANDPOP:

The rules for this contest:

1. All contestants must be 13 years old or older.

2. Contestants must be residents of Canada (excluding Québec).

3. Contestants must be following @ANDPOP on Twitter!

The contest ends on Thursday, June 16 at 11:45pm ET. The winner will be selected on Friday, June 17. Complete contest rules can be found here.

If you’ve been wondering why Degrassi: The Next Generation isn’t on Netflix, it’s because DHX Media has other plans.

In October of 2015 we learned that DHX had uploaded Season 1 of Degrassi: The Next Generation to Degrassi’s official Youtube channel. They’ve now uploaded all 22 episodes from Season 2 to the channel!

TNG Season 2 Playlist

A rep from DHX confirmed that the first 10 seasons of Degrassi will eventually be uploaded to the channel. The episodes are currently available to watch worldwide, excluding Canada and Africa.

Degrassi has received many awards over the past few decades, and so has co-creator Linda Schuyler. She’s more than just the co-creator of this series; her involvement in Canadian media since long before many of us were even born has led her to receive some of the highest awards in the country, including being named to the Order of Canada and the Order of Ontario.

Schuyler, a graduate of U of T, received a B.A. from Innis College in 1974 before going on to produce Degrassi. Yesterday, U of T recognized her with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa at her alma mater’s convocation ceremony.

Some current Degrassians were also in the house to watch Linda receive her honorary degree.

U of T interviewed Schuyler as she talked about her time as a student at Innis College, Degrassi’s longevity and of course, Drake. Read the full interview here:

#UofTGrad16: Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler

You can also watch Linda’s speech below!

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

Feminism – the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

It’s sounds pretty simple to be honest, and it’s something we should all be for. So why is the word itself so polarizing?

As a teen/young adult, my thoughts on Feminism were similar to Zig and Tiny’s in #ButThatsNoneOfMyBusiness: not hostile, just dismissive. Recently Degrassi’s lifestyle channel The Dot TV talked about feminism, and I wrote up a lengthy post about how my views on it have shifted over the years. An excerpt:

*********
It took finding myself in a TV show fandom, surrounded by female friends who identify as Feminists, to fully realize and experience that there’s more to this movement than complaining and hating every male in existence. These are women I admire and respect. They convey their beliefs and opinions in a sensible, intelligent matter, and over the years they’ve forced me to challenge not only what I think, but how I think. That isn’t to say hateful, destructive voices within the Feminist community don’t exist. Every group, and every side of every topic in existence has that loud, irrational type who wants to shut down opposing viewpoints while beating us over the head with their own opinion. Their nonsense tends to dominate the spotlight, but they don’t speak for everyone.

There was never a light-bulb moment for me, instead it was a gradual shift in thinking that should come with growing as an adult. Whether it’s dealing with the distraction of a hostile opposing viewpoint or trying to present your own, your mindset always matters.
*********

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

On the next Degrassi TV…

Degrassi wants your opinions on Feminism! Details on how to submit your video are below, and on Degrassi’s Facebook page.

FaceTune. Perfect 365. YouCam. They’re all selfie surgery apps that can do anything from whiten your teeth to change your hair colour. Let’s be real: A lot of us have used them.

Have you used the selfie surgery apps? Are you pro (“If I can get rid of that zit, hell yeah!”) or against (“Why change who you are?!”) them? And how far is too far? Shay might argue that enlarging her butt was too far…

Send us a video with your Selfie Surgery thoughts and it could be in next week’s Degrassi TV!

Submit to: dtvsubmissions@gmail.com

Please film your video HORIZONTALLY (phone sideways) and ensure videos are between 30 seconds and one minute in length.
The submission period begins June 15th, 2016 and ends June 19th, 2016.

You must be over 13 years old to submit a video.

Video selection will be at the producer’s discretion.

*Please note that by submitting your video you consent to your likeness being used for the purposes of Degrassi TV.

The countdown to the #SummerOfDegrassi has begun in Canada.

F2N, Family Channel’s teen block, announced that Degrassi: Next Class Season 2 will premiere on Family Channel on Tuesday, July 19 at 9:45pm ET.

Not only is Family Channel flipping back to the weekly broadcast format for season 2, on the digital front they’ll be releasing all 10 episodes in the new Family Channel App on Friday, July 22, the same day as Netflix’s worldwide release date for Season 2.

For the free app (available through iTunes and Google Play), you must already be a Family Channel subscriber in order to sign in and access the episodes.

According to the press release from Canada NewsWire, prizes will be given away throughout F2N’s 10-week broadcast schedule:

As new episodes continue to air weekly on Tuesdays at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT, fans will want to tune-in for the weekly watch and win contest. Each week, a lucky winner will be selected to receive Degrassi swag, including props, scripts, autographed merchandise and more!

Season 2 not only continues the drama from Season 1, but we’ll also witness the return of former Degrassi: TNG cast members as the Degrassi franchise celebrates its 500th episode.

The release also confirmed that Seasons 3 and 4 will air in 2017. These two seasons are currently being filmed now, and you can find more info on them here.

The latest episode of Degrassi TV discusses whether or not one should alter their appearance in photos, or “selfie surgery.”

Is it okay? For the most part I think it’s fine as long as you’re not going to extreme measures to drastically alter your appearance for the sake of pleasing others. I’ve put thought into how I present myself in pictures a lot as have so many others, and it’s not just about using Photoshop to hide blemishes or using the “liquify” feature to tighten up curves. It could be as simple as using an Instagram filter, or angling the camera and framing one’s face/body a certain way in order to present yourself in what you consider to be an optimal position.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

Degrassi’s lifestyle channel The Dot TV also talked about altering your appearance for photos being posted online…you can watch a group of young adults discuss below.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

On the next Degrassi TV…

They want to know your opinions on divorce! Details on how to submit your video are below and on Degrassi’s Facebook page.

Divorce: 40-50% of families go through it and it can be tough.

We all cope differently – Has your family been through divorce? How did you handle it? What were the best ways you learned to get through it?

Send us a video with your thoughts and it could be in next week’s Degrassi TV!

Degrassi: Next Class hasn’t even been on the air six months yet and it’s already receiving award nominations.

The noms for the 2016 Director’s Guild of Canada Awards have been announced, and congratulations to both DNC Directors Stefan Brogren and Eleanore Lindo for receiving nominations for OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FAMILY SERIES.

Brogren received 2 nominations for the episodes #BootyCall and #SorryNotSorry, while Lindo was nominated for #ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlayin.

Degrassi: Next Class has a rotating slate of Directors including RT! Thorne and longtime Degrassi Director Phil Earnshaw, but Brogren and Lindo handled all of the directing duties for Season 1.

The #DGCAwards ceremony will be on Saturday, October 22 in Toronto.

F2N has finally released its trailer for Season 2 of Degrassi: Next Class!

Last week, the Canadian network announced its summer broadcast plans: they’re airing a new episode every week at 9:45pm ET, but Family Channel subscribers will be able to watch all 10 episodes in the Family Channel App starting Friday, July 22.

Netflix’s worldwide release of Degrassi: Next Class will also be on July 22. You can watch F2N’s promo below.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

Toronto Guardian visited the set of Degrassi: Next Class, where they received a tour and talked with Reiya, Sara and Amanda as the series prepares to debut Season 2 in Canada and Netflix worldwide this July

FULL INTERVIEW: http://torontoguardian.com/2016/06/set-chatting-degrassis-next-class/

Not only that, but Toronto Guardian is also giving away a Degrassi: Next Class denim jacket! This social media contest has multiple ways for you to enter:

1 – Share this Facebook post and leave a comment telling them your favorite Degrassi character of all time.

–

2 – Share this tweet, tell them your favorite Degrassi character and tag @TORGuardian and @Degrassi

–

3 – Share a photo of your favourite Degrassi character and tog @TorontoGuardian and @Degrassi

For complete contest info, click here.

Divorce affects the people involved in the situation in different ways. It can be devastating, especially for children, because they feel like it’s their fault or that they’re being punished for some reason. I’m one of the lucky ones who didn’t feel that way.

For me, my parents separated the summer after I’d graduated from college. They’d been married for 20+ years.

It does kinda suck not having that “home” where the entire family can come together, but I get why it had to happen…in their case they were better off not being together forever, despite decades of time invested in loving each other through thick and thin.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

On the next Degrassi TV…

They want your advice on how to talk to your crush! Details on how to submit your video are below and on Degrassi’s Facebook page.

You’re crushing on him or her. Hard. Now what?

Degrassi fan Jordan asked, “You guys should make a DTV on how to talk to your crush because I’m struggling!”

So that’s exactly what we’re doing! What are your tips?! Do you have funny or cute stories about talking to your crush?!

Spencer is great at acting. Putting on makeup? Not so much. There’s no way Jamie volunteered for this…she should sue Degrassi for making her work under such harsh conditions.

Enjoy all of Degrassi’s laid back vlog series by checking out the playlist on Youtube! The most recent Degrassi Vlogs include Eric & Ehren’s Philosopher’s Corner, and Sara Talks Politics.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

The final episode of Degrassi TV (for now) involves one of the toughest topics of all: talking to your crush.

If you’re looking for advice from me that’ll have people throwing themselves at you… *insert shrug emoji*

I’m a socially awkward human being, and I’ve found that just talking to your crush (if they’re someone you already know) can be fairly easy. Finding something you two may have in common, or talking to them about something they’re interested in is a good way to start. So are the other ideas mentioned in the video below (except Baaz…for the love of God ignore his clueless self). But it’s the expression of romantic feelings, telling them that you feel a certain way about them, well that’s the second-most terrifying part.**

One thing I’ve discovered in all my years of being “too afraid to talk to the opposite sex” is that I’ve somehow managed to be bold enough to tell someone I like them almost every single time. Let’s just disregard the fact that I have a losing record, and it feels like you’re getting stabbed in the chest/stomach when you’re rejected…because when you come out the other side you should be a little smarter and stronger.

It may feel like it, but it’s most certainly not the end of the world if your crush doesn’t like you back. If they do? That’s great. If not? Move on…you should never have to convince someone to like you. Know your value.

**Telling someone you like them is the second-most terrifying part. The most terrifying part is being brutally honest with yourself, knowing your value and sorting through your feelings to figure out if what you’re feeling is legit. Do you know and like them for who they really are, or are you just enamored with an idea of them that you’ve built up in your head? Does any of it even matter? What is it that you’re truly looking for? You can’t expect others to keep it real with you if you can’t keep it real with yourself.

Can’t see the video? Watch it here.

The end of Degrassi TV means the new season of Degrassi: Next Class is rapidly approaching! Season 2 airs weekly starting Tuesday, July 19th on Family Channel (Canada only), and all 10 episodes will be available worldwide on Netflix (and the Family Channel app for Canadians) on Friday, July 22. Details here.

Until then, catch up on any Degrassi TV episodes you may have missed!

Episode 1: Sexual Consent
Episode 2: Online Hate
Episode 3: Feminism
Episode 4: #NoFilter
Episode 5: Divorce