It’s the first day of August, but the last day ever on the set of Degrassi for the current crop of seniors.

Honestly, it’s time.  In an ideal world I would’ve liked to have seen them graduate at the end of season 13.  But at the same time it’s a bittersweet moment knowing these actors are moving on, some of whom we’ve seen grow up on TV over the past six years.

Season 14 doesn’t start until this October, so we won’t see their final episode until 2015.

https://twitter.com/AJSaudin/status/495391954889605121

Posted by Kary

31 Comments

  1. Wasn’t it last year at this time when they gave extended contracts out to 4 of the “graduating seniors” from Series 12? I guess only one of them actually got any meaningful screen-time, but a contracts a contract, whether you do anything or not. I guess it will be very interesting to see if they are actually ready to bury these actors and their story lines for good or not.

    If so, it’s really the end of an era for DeGrassi. These 4 are the last actors to bridge the gap. Aislinn has had a particularly long run. I always figured they’d have to drag her from the set, kicking and screaming, when it was her time to go. Guess I was wrong….

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    1. Degrassi actors sign contracts that commit them for two year increments. Munro, Demetrius, Luke (Eli, Dallas, Drew) were all already under contract for Season 13. Cristine (Imogen) was the only Season 12 senior who received a new contract.

      Drew was used the most by far in Season 13, but it’s not like Imogen and Dallas weren’t used a fair amount through out the season. The only character I would consider having little meaningful screen-time would be Eli, but they compensated that with Dorm Life.

      To Kary: In the past you have posted charts detailing which characters appeared in each episode for a season, and the number of episodes each character appeared in per season. I was wondering if you would be doing a chart like that for Season 13?

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      1. Your partially correct, but these 3, were the actual graduates,( in the show), that were given contract extensions. (I thought there were 4)

        Alicia Josipovic as Bianca DeSousa,
        Munro Chambers as Eli Goldsworthy,
        Chloe Rose as Katie Matlin,
        They all appeared in a few episodes in Series 13. Murro’s contract was up, (it was a 3 year) The others were, held back, (in the show), but actually were awarded contracts earlier in 2013.

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      2. klb9037, I feel that you have been misinformed on a few things, so I’m going to break everything down to help you better understand:

        1) Only actors who are part of the “Main Cast” are offered contracts that commit them for a full year (filming + press/appearances). In the past, it was easy to tell which actors were part of the “Main Cast” by using the opening credits. Unfortunately, this year’s new opening credit style has made it a little more difficult to tell who is part of the main cast and who is recurring. But, if there is one thing we have learned from the past few years, it is that we can use the promotional pictures to tell who is in the main cast. Everyone featured in the promotional pictures (http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130612225421/degrassi/images/thumb/4/4d/Casthjg.jpg/500px-Casthjg.jpg) is considered “Main Cast” in Season 13 (except Adam).

        2) So you’re probably wondering about Bianca and Katie. Just because Bianca and Katie were listed under “Starring” does not mean they were part of the main cast for Season 13. Take a look at the Season 7 episode “Standing in the Dark” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq_Rx3AaiqQ). After the opening credits finish, the episode bills Jake Goldsbie, Raymond Ablack and Samantha Munroe as “Starring,” despite the fact they all played recurring characters in that season. It is evident by their small number of appearances that Alicia Josipovic and Chloe Rose weren’t contracted for the whole year. Unlike every single member in the main cast, Alicia and Chloe did not make any appearances in press, did not give any interviews for Season 13, and did not take any promotional photos. Bianca and Katie were recurring characters this season. The actresses were not committed to the show after Season 12. It doesn’t make logical sense for Epitome to pay Alicia and Chloe for the whole year and just have them appear in two episodes, give no interviews, make no appearances and take no promotional photos.

        3) Katie, Bianca, Dave and Luke were all recurring characters this season. During filming of Season 13, Jahmill French sounded surprised on twitter that he had been asked back to reprise Dave in “Young Forever.” None of the actors signed season-long contracts committing them and paying them for the full year. This is similar to how Sav, Anya, Johnny and Bruce were recurring in Season 7 but were listed under starring.

        4) Degrassi actors sign contracts for two years at a time. This is actually a fact, as many of the actors have confirmed this. In an interview last summer, Luke Bilyk and Munro Chambers stated that one of the reasons they came back for Season 13 was because they were both already under contract. It wasn’t really a choice for them. In another interview in early 2013, Demetrius Joyette stated that he had signed a two year contract when joining the show. It also makes sense when you think about all of the actors who played important characters over the years and were able to walk away from the show when a new opportunity arose, such as Shenae Grimes, Nina Dobrev and Alex Steele. Their two years of commitment were done, they weren’t obligated to come back.

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      3. Adding to what I said in #4: The only actor who seemed to have had a different contract than the standard version was Jordy (Adam). Given the subjectivity of the character (it was Degrassi’s first time tackling the transgender issue) I could see them drafting up a different contract so that they were able to ensure that Adam was guranteed for a longer run (3 years rather than 2).

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      4. Thanks for your informed reply. But look, we’re not talking about the same thing. It’s really not all that important, and in order to substantiate my comments, I’d have to spend time that I don’t have. But I appreciate your taking the time to respond and I do understand your take on this situation. Enjoy the 14th Series!

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      5. klb9037: If we aren’t talking about the same things, please elaborate what exactly you are trying to say. The entire year you have been talking about Chloe, Alicia and Munro having these “extended contracts,” but there is much evidence that goes against your claims. I have seen you post about these “extended contracts” regarding the graduated seniors at least six times in the past year, so it would help if you further explained to everyone what you mean. This isn’t a personal attack or anything, rather an informed conversation.

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  2. Your right Kary it is time for them to go but its weird because personally I grew up with this class. I started watching degrassi in season 9 when I was a in eighth grade. I wonder who will be the valedictorian or if they will do a tribute to Adam at graduation like Emma’s class did with Jt. that would be cool by the way, what do you think Kary? Whatever they do for their grad I just hope its meaningful and watchable.

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    1. I REALLY want Connor to be valedictorian. If not him, then Alli. Unfortunately, we all know that a certain writers’ pet will get it.

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      1. Is it bad that I almost want it to go to Becky or Imogen? Partially because I’m biased, but Imogen and Becky, maybe even Jenna, have as much right to it as the others do. For Imogen, she’d be following in Fiona’s footsteps, or for both Becky and Jenna, they’ve had their fair share of struggles. I really don’t like Jenna as a character, but I just feel for some reason, that they’re going to give it to her.

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  3. Hmm… You know, it’s weird, this makes me happy because, frankly, it’s about damn time. I truly did love *most* of the senior characters in the past, but at this point I’m tired of them, and fully believe that the show will greatly benefit from finally letting them all go. I’ve been watching Degrassi since I was literally seven years old – and I remember that, after both of the initial graduations – Paige’s class and Emma’s class; ESPECIALLY Emma’s class – I didn’t have a computer of my own back then, and I remember prior to those graduation episodes getting anxious to see whether there would be a promo for a new season afterward or not, because I genuinely thought there was a large chance the show was over. However, they did indeed end up letting all of those characters back, and despite the rather rough transition period of Seasons 8-9, the show eventually bounced back in Season 10 after they fully dropped all of those characters. So, therefore, the show will thrive without this class as well. I truly think Season 13 should have been crafted in a way that would have ensured they graduate at the end of it, because, honestly, they’ve just been on too damn long at this point, nearly all of the characters have been totally derailed, and this whole “two seasons per school year” business needs to stop. It was a good concept in the beginning and it actually made sense with how things were going down creatively speaking, but each time they did it after that, it just seemed unnecessary. Anyways, I largely disliked Season 13, and I quit watching quite a few times, but kept going back, most recently when I caught up with the episodes I missed and watched Believe and Thunderstruck. Believe was REALLY good and Thunderstruck wasn’t anything extraordinary, but I enjoyed it as well. I do NOT approve of Drew and Becky at all nor do I ship them together; to me the whole thing is just wrong and I won’t even get into elaborating but that’s just my opinion. The whole Clare being pregnant, I… I have no comment… It’s hilarious, I will say that. I mean not for her. Her entire future is in danger, but creatively-speaking? It’s HILARIOUS. I mean, seriously. Come on. Lmao. I despised Zoe at the beginning of the season, but I’ve truly grown to like her and I love Maya and I’m really glad the two hashed things out, although I do think their make-up scene was a little… I don’t know what to call it. I actually enjoyed the part where they sang together, haha, but I mean the conversation itself was kind of faulty at points. I thought the whole thing where Zoe talked about how Maya stole Miles from her and it really hurt her was screwed up, considering it was Zoe who tormented Maya for literally no reason throughout nearly the whole first half of the season. I don’t know why people are saying they made up, though? They were never legitimate friends until now, lmao. They despised each other in the A block and it wasn’t a real friendship in the B block, though Maya believed it to be – and on that matter, I will say that while I enjoyed the episodes with the online bullying thing regarding Zoe and Maya, the rivalry should have never started back up. Also, it was weird to me how ever since Zoe’s assault Zoe and Maya have been cordial on a level of at least being acquaintances, but then all of a sudden in Thunderstruck they’re made out to still be enemies. I get that the information Maya learned in Believe (2) played a big role in that, but damn. I ship Miles and Tristan 100%, and I don’t care what anyone says, to each their own. The two are cute as fuck, and the way they seem to be going with this plot actually does make sense. Sometimes that’s how it happens. You start to question your sexuality seemingly out of nowhere, and it’s confusing. Miles could even possibly be heteroflexible, and maybe Tristan is the only guy he’s ever crushed on and… The only one he ever will crush on. There’s nothing unrealistic about it, and one of many reasons why I don’t involve myself in the fandom of this show or any other show anymore is because people just seem to want to complain about every little thing. Don’t get me wrong, I thought Season 13 for the most part sucked, and I even once made a post on my old Tumblr that Stephen Stohn saw explaining my frustration with the direction the show was heading in, but damn. To nitpick and bitch about how the story is not going the way you want is ridiculous. The writers don’t need to cater to the fans with their story. I’m glad they have the balls to choose their own vision for the show, no matter how skewed they may have been with the majority of their choices this year. You don’t need to give in to crazy fans who will never be pleased no matter what you do. Anyway, wrapping this up, I guess it comes down to that some part of me just isn’t willing to give the show up, which is understanding, considering how long I watched it and it being my favorite show. I will definitely be giving Season 14 a shot and sticking it through without walking away, as long as it’s not completely horrible, and I really do think Season 15 could save this show. Season 13 and Season 14 is like Season 8 and Season 9 all over again. The show has the potential to bounce back, we’ve seen it do so in the past, and I’m going to keep an optimistic mind moving forward.

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    1. Oh wait, I forgot to discuss the other half of my original purpose with the comment. The reason it’s weird is that despite the fact that I’m happy about this because it’s way overdue, I literally have grown up with this class of characters. Though I began watching the show in Season 3, I was never in the same age group as the original classes of characters. I’ve literally grown up with Clare’s class, due to this weird timeline. In Season 6, I was in 5th grade and Clare was in 8th. Now, I’m going to be graduating high school a year late due to varying circumstances, and so I’m going into my senior year (I repeated my junior year, not senior, so that’s why I worded it like that. This is my first – and last, I’m out that bitch next May – senior year, haha.) and I’ll be graduating with this class. Which is odd, I mean, if the timeline had been normal, they would have graduated when I was a sophomore, but anyways… The point is, this really is the end of an era for my Degrassi-viewing journey, and so there is at least a bit of sadness in this as I think back to when Season 8 was first starting and how this entire era of the show is coming to an end next year, but like I said, it really is time for the show to move on, and so I am glad about it.

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  4. so….. who do we think (if any) will get held back this year

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    1. i think Becky will

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    2. Oh HELL no. They’d better all graduate this season. Every last one of them. I was happy that a couple of the characters in past seasons ended up sticking around, but no. They need to leave.

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    3. I think everyone will graduate, because there are no juniors right now.

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      1. all of them need to go. Clares been on the show since like season 6, Dallas and imogen both got held back already, Drew’s basically the lead male character right now but shouldve left in season 12, Lets not even get started on Eli, Alli’s run her course, and the writers dont even care about Jonnor anymore. I would like to see them go further with Becky but she’s already gotten more development than Jake and Mo did so I’d be okay with seeing Sarah Fisher leave for bigger and better things.

        that being said, they either need to really develop the tenners, introduce some fresh, interesting characters in season 15/do a soft reboot like they did with season 10, or im probably done after this season. I pretty much hate all the tenners right now besides Zig and Zoe.

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      2. also im still pissed that they wrote off KC. they claimed they couldnt find anything more to do with them, yet they kept Eli way too long.

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  5. I totally ship Miles and Tristan. It’d be so interesting to see Miles, one of the show’s “heartthrobs”, enter a relationship with a guy.

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  6. Hey Kary, I think I figured out the time line. 13A June – Aug ~ 13B Sept – Oct ~ 13C Jan – Feb ~ And last 13D Mar-Apr. Clues.. Alli mentioned her birthstone is Garnet (Jan Birthstone) when they planned to get married. The Valentines dance was 13C. And the first EP in 13D Miles mentioned it was spring time. So if Clare got pregnant by Eli in Oct she would be showing at 5 months.. If it happened in Basket Case she would be 2 months and starting to show a small baby bump. The reason i know is because I did start showing at 2 months when I was pregnant. Also I read that women can find out they are pregnant between 2 to 4 weeks after conception. Lots of interesting things on the Web.

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  7. Fallfromthesky August 3, 2014 at 2:14 pm

    Nikki, I think you might have put more thought in that time line than the writers did.

    Stohn did confirm that there’s still more of Season 14 left to film, but that they’re on a hiatus for now. My guess is they’re come back some time in September to film the rest of the season. I’m assuming they’ll be a new batch of cast members being introduced then ala what they did with the Zig/Tori/Tristan/Maya crew. I wonder when and if we’re start to hear about that group?

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    1. I know that… For now they are on Spring break which is usually March/Apr. The we will have S14 which maybe April-June. i was giving an time frame I do know that some EPs were the next day and some were for a week. They will drag it on some more for S14 which is 28 ep’s. no need to be rude.. i was trying to be nice.

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      1. I don’t believe anyone was intending to be rude? I apologize if that’s how it came off, but I most definitely wasn’t trying to be rude, I was just making a statement, and I also don’t believe Fallfromthesky was trying to say it in a mean way, but, then, I guess I should only speak for myself. People can easily be misconstrued on the internet, but I assure you I wasn’t intending to be disrespectful, so again, sorry if that’s how you interpreted it.

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  8. Nikki, with all due respect, I think one should just not even bother trying to make sense of the Degrassi timeline, because it’s very clear that the writers just aren’t even aware of how screwed up it is. If you pay close attention to the summer block of the season, there are several things said that indicate that those first several episodes take place over the course of a mere several days, back-to-back, yet all of a sudden in Honey and Young Forever it’s the end of the summer when the Paris trip was supposed to last two months. They literally skipped two months with their narrative despite the fact that on the show, two months couldn’t have logically passed throughout those 8 episodes. Then, it’s Thanksgiving in the 16th episode, which in Canada is in early October, but all of a sudden when Maya returns from suspension, they’re acting like it’s been a good two months since the 16th episode when that’s really not possible at all, when it comes to all of the plots. It just doesn’t connect. Then just a few episodes later, they’re talking about prom coming up soon? Lmao. They just have no idea what they’re doing with that hot mess of a timeline.

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  9. Albert Smarowsky August 3, 2014 at 10:48 pm

    I’m curious, out of the Seniors, who would you say has changed the most since they first appeared? For me, it’s easily Claire.

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    1. It’s just too funny.

      Season 8 episode 2 – ‘I’m not here for boys.’

      Season 13 episode 40 – *Everything looks A-OK for you and your baby.*

      like.. wut. Hahaha.

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    2. Also, in the Degrassi universe Toronto, it’s apparently never winter anymore. The Hollingsworths can use their outdoor pool all the time.

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      1. Sorry, replied on the wrong comment there. Definitely Clare changed the most. Agree that I would have loved to have seen more of KC as he was appearing to mature as he left.

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  10. I hope KC makes an appearance at this year’s graduation!

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  11. I’ll be so glad not to see alli and Claire and move on with new people. Hopefully there are some new and more interesting people added and hotter girls also.

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