Customer Reviews

Degrassi: The Next Generation - Season Two

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Episodes
Season 2 is when all of the episodes began being named after songs from the 80's. The action intensified during the second season. New characters were introduced. Craig Manning was the first new character introduced in a major way during season 2. Craig's father was extremely abusive. Craig is the half brother to Joey Jeremiah's daughter Angela. Joey eventually takes Craig under his roof. Craig had a lot of storylines during season 2. Two new characters who were introduced that had connected stories were Ellie and Marco. Ellie is a different girl. She isn't quite as Goth as Ashley becomes but she has piercings and a very unique look. Marco questions his sexuality. He and Ellie form a close bond during season 2.

The most disturbing storyline of season 2 might be the date rape young Paige experiences. She was not a favorite with fans always because of her attitude, but her rape brought sympathy to her character. Paige also had to deal with the after burden of the rape when her attacker comes to Degrassi for a sports event.

Little Emma is still cute and sweet during season two and her best friend Manny is still a bit innocent, although she does have a major crush on Craig. During season 2, Craig and Manny don't get very far in their relationship. Emma's mother Spike marries her teacher Archie, Mr. Simpson. The wedding brings back several cast members from Degrassi Junior High as Caitlin and Lucy show up to offer Spike support on her big day.

Ashley deals with esteem issues. She feels like she needs to be a certain way to be friends with Ellie. Ellie explains to her that she doesn't have to get a piercing just to be her friend. Ashley also isn't sure if she wants to stay Goth or go back to her old look. When her and Jimmy reunite, it takes performing in a school play with Craig for her to realize what she really wants to do.

Overall, Season 2 was quite enjoyable. The episodes on the DVD are the director's cut which differ from the one's that air on "The N."

Episode List
201-When Doves Cry
202-When Doves Cry
203-Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
204-Karma Chameleon
205-Wierd Science
206-Drive
207-Shout
208-Shout Part 2
209-Mirror In the Bathroom
210-Take My Breath Away
211-Don't Believe The Hype
212-White Wedding
213-White Wedding part 2
214-Careless Whisper
215-Hot for Teacher
216-Message in a Bottle
217-Relax
218-Dressed in Black
219-Fight For Your Right
220-How Soon is Now?
221-Tears are Not Enough
222-Tears are Not Enough part 2

Extras
The extras are really neat. The photo albums are easy to navigate. You just click the arrow to go to the next photo. The photos are stills from the season. The gallery's include The Degrassi Yearbook and Spike and Snake's Wedding Album. The Ultimate fan quiz is a must for the die hard Degrassi fan. Another cool extra is the cast biographies. It includes details about the character, like what grade they are in, and it also includes a bio about the actor who plays the role.

The extras are plentiful. The set includes auditions and call back readings. In one reading you can watch Ellie reading lines with Paige. The young woman who plays Ellie is a really great actress. You can also spy an audition of the character that plays Sean auditioning for the role of Jimmy.

The DVD includes a ton of bloopers and deleted/extended scenes.

I am currently 25 years old, and yes...I am a big fan of Degrassi: The Next Generation. I remember years ago hearing about Degrassi this and Degrassi that, all of it concerning "The Next Generation" cast of kids. Little did I know that I was missing out on a terrific show that is so much more than pretty faces trying to pull off a soap opera. This show puts to sleep all those fake shows and opens our eyes to pretty much the real deal of current times that kids face in public junior high & high schools. Characters like Ellie and Craig (portrayed beautifully by Stacey Farber & Jake Epstein) show controversial situations that kids sometimes face and deal with on their own. There are issues that arise in the show that are all too hauntingly common with the real deal. Canada really has a brilliant show in their grasp and it is one I will stick with, as long as the dvds keep on coming out. The dvds offer everything a Degrassi fan could hope for. The blooper reels are always funny, the rehearsals are interesting (seeing in how that person was cast as their particular character)...and of course so much more. Plus Season 2 is when the action really starts to come into play. So what are you waiting for? Join in on the Degrassi sensation and get better acquainted with a loveable cast that will suck you in and won't let go anytime soon.

While season 1 of Degrassi: The Next Generation, was okay, this season is of no comparison. If you saw season 1 and hated it you have to give Degrassi a second chance and purchase season 2. The plotlines are more mature, and they actually have some depth to them. While I am a big fan of season 1, I absolutely LOVE the second season. And you dont have to worry about not getting your money's worth, you will, and trust me it is so worth it! One hint though; the first episode, When Dove's Cry, is a two-parter. However, the second part is not included as another episode but is at the very end of the first part. So after watching part 1 of When Dove's Cry wait through the credits for the second part. This is the best show ever!

I am currently 25 and I LOVE this show. This season really begins to deal with the more serious issues that so many teenagers in real life have to go through. While season 1 was good, this season is 10 times better. The extras are also a great bonus. There are bloopers, deleted scenes (from nearly every episode), auditon tapes, and a quiz. Highly recommended to any Degrassi fan, no matter if you are a fan of the original Degrassi: Junior High or a fan of Degrassi: TNG.

Degrassi: The Next Generation is a school-centered soap opera aimed at both teens and adults. It is a spinoff of the 80s TV show Degrassi Junior High and features a new group of students at Degrassi Community School as well as many characters from the original series that are now grown up and facing issues and problems of their own.

There are so many things that make this show a success. The cast is picture perfect. This is not the type of series that casts 25-year-olds to play someone in 9th grade. The team behind Degrassi goes for realism all the way. Because a they have a 14-year-old actor play a 14-year-old character, it packs a more dramatic punch when we see the sometimes very troublesome situations the characters get themselves in. This isn't a hilarious teen comedy show like Saved By the Bell. The characters are all three-dimensional and you won't find any stereotypes. The cast of young actors represents a true cross-section of the sort of kids you would see in real life.

As far as the storylines go, the superb first season dealt with many issues, such as teen drinking, internet stalkers, final exam stress, and in the season finale, the show became darker as one of the main characters, Ashley, overdosed on Ecstasy at a party.

Here, in the second season, the stories get even darker. Ashley spends the majority of this season dealing with how her behavior in the season one finale ruined her social life. Paige, the snobby rich girl with a heart of gold, learns the hard way that to some guys "no" doesn't always mean "no." Marco, a new character introduced this season, must deal with his sexuality. As for the adults, Emma's mother, Christine, decides to marry her boyfriend, science teacher Archie Simpson. On the eve of her wedding, she finds out she is pregnant. Archie has specifically told her he doesn't want kids so she freaks out...what should she do? Joey Jeremiah deals with his dead wife's son Craig after it is revealed that Craig's father has been SEVERELY beating him (in one of Degrassi's most painful-to-watch scenes ever). There are many more interesting stories weaving throughout this season and it never lets up. This is definitely indicative of the even greater stories to come in the later seasons!

On to the DVDs themselves. Degrassi: The Next Generation is filmed in widescreen, but for some reason, the powers-that-be have decided to release the show on DVD in fullscreen pan and scan. This is disappointing, because Degrassi is a bigger-budgeted show and every episode has a movie-like quality to it. The cropping of the picture is obvious and to have the episodes as they were originally shot would be nice. Otherwise, the picture quality is perfect, at least as good as originally broadcast.

There are three discs of episodes and then a fourth disc with a TON of special features. SuperFans of Degrassi (you know who you are) will eat this stuff up. There are over 130 deleted scenes, audition tapes, and much more.

All in all, Degrassi: The Next Generation is a wonderful series that anyone can enjoy. Even though there's the whole annoying no-widescreen issue, this is definitely a solid DVD set. Definitely buy this and the rest of the series! You won't be disappointed!

Can anyone answer my question, please!:

I'd like to ask if BOTH seasons ONE and TWO have subtitles(captions?). & if it's a Yes, what languages are provided?

Thanks<3

Season 1 does not have captions or subtitles. My mom just rented it off of netflix. I don't know yet about season 2.

Can anyone answer my question, please!:

I'd like to ask if BOTH seasons ONE and TWO have subtitles(captions?). & if it's a Yes, what languages are provided?

Thanks<3

Real kids, real issues, real people acting out true to life episodes.... just as good as the original series.

In my opinion, Degrassi is the best & most realistic show out there. Anyone who says it's not realistic apparently doesn't know what they are talking about. I'm 16 years old...& I can relate to EVERYTHING that happens on the show. In respone to another review, the idea of Terri being an overweight model is not telling us that it's morally right to be obese. It's telling us that we should be comfortable with our weight, not feel like we are worthless, which Terri experiences in the show. The show isn't boring just because the teens are getting caught in everything...they take ritalin, they get caught. It's supposed to teach us that when we do these things, we'll probably get caught...so DON'T do them. That's it. Normal teens can relate to everything in this show...these are everyday things that happen a lot...you just don't know about them. I can tell you, in my high school, I hear basically everyday abot someone either drinking, doing drugs, or having sex...so anyone who says it isn't realistic doesn't know what they're talking about!

I love the changes made from season one to season 2. For one, the characters such as Paige and Ashley go through some character development. It makes for a less stereotypical labeling. (i.e the cheerleader, the good girl, etc.) Also, the addition of alternative characters Marco, Ellie, and Craig bring a certain factor to the show that makes it less "After school special" than season 1.

Beautifully done.