All it took was one oddly-phrased sentence to cause confusion.
When Entertainment Weekly released the Next Class trailer in November, they followed it up with this line:
“school is back in session for Degrassi: Next Class with 20 episodes on Jan. 15.”
The phrasing of that sentence implies Netflix will air all 20 episodes on the 15th, right? Based on past info (Family Channel’s first-run deal, initial reports that the episodes would be split into two blocks and Degrassi having randomly tweeted about it) I was somewhat skeptical of EW saying that, but I went with it since they’re a solid source and plans can change.
Degrassi Source and I have been receiving a bunch of questions recently about whether Netflix is releasing 10 or 20 episodes next month, so we’ve been discussing this weirdness for a while…we’re pretty sure Netflix is only releasing the first 10 episodes worldwide on January 15th. The Degrassi Source team was able to confirm with their sources (“sourception”) that Netflix is currently set up for 10 episodes.
Stephen Stohn also said something about it the other day:
There’s also international voice actors randomly posting pictures from their voice over sessions:
The 20 episodes are classified as Next Class seasons 1 & 2 (10 eps per season), not Season 15 or Next Class season 1 w/20 total eps.
So the schedule goes…
*Family Channel airs a new Season 1 episode every weeknight at 9pm ET from Monday, January 4 through Friday, January 15
*Netflix releases all of season 1 on Friday, January 15
*Season 2 will be released at a later date
Next Class still won’t be immediately available on Netflix in Canada, France and Australia. When asked about a potential release date in Australia, the Stohn said the projected timeframe is May.
Kary's Degrassi Blog 
So will Family (F2N) also consider the second half season 2 or will they call it 1B?
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Yes, they’ll be calling it season 2 as well
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Ha, I’ve called this from the beginning. It just wouldn’t make sense for Netflix to release 20 episodes if Family Channel is only premiering 10. Now the big question is, when are we going to get the next 10 episodes for Season 2? I’m dreading that it will be in January 2017 (the horrors) but that’s the most probable scenario right now.
Slight correction, Kary: instead of “Next Class still won’t be immediately available in Canada, France and Australia” you can remove “Canada” from that sentence since F2N has our backs. ;-)
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I think he meant on Netflix lol. :P
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I think he meant on Netflix too. But at least the Canadians actually get to see it. I feel bad for Australia and France.
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Oops, I forgot to put Netflix in there :-p So sad for Australia and France though. Australia has been getting shafted on episodes for as long as I’ve been watching the show.
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I am wondering if F2N is waiting in how season 1 goes before deciding when and what format season 2 airs. but I am assuming summer or fall at the latest for season 2.
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Hey Kary, has there been any word on Seasons 1 and 2 timeline? Like is Season 1 the start of the school year until winter break and Season 2 picks up after etc…?
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It’s impossible to tell at the moment without any definitive reference points in the promos or descriptions.
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Season 1 is the start of the school year, as the first episode is the first day back (the 5 minute preview on F2N confirmed this). :)
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Hello Everyone, Family Channel is very known from other shows to air episodes in two blocks 1A and 1B, I think it would most likely be that format and DHX Media has even announced it earlier as that, however I just don’t remember the exact press release date. I think even the F2N twitter account has confirmed that.
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I found this;
http://www.dhxmedia.com/newsreleases/its-not-over/
This said that they are producing 20×30 min episodes for Family. So I am guessing that it will be the first season not two seasons. I will tweet F2N on Twitter in a bit about this.
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It’ll irk my nerves if they release it as 1A and 1B but Netflix releases it as 2 different seasons, throwing everything off. I’d rather the 1A and 1B thing.
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I am kind of happy about this, only because if they dropped all 20 at once, most would binge in a week or less then be without new Degrassi for a year or so. Given how we have been spoiled for the better part of the last 5 years (minus this year) with a steady diet of episodes I am all for them dragging it out. Hope it won’t be a full year later though. But don’t think they would sit on them that long, wouldn’t make sense.
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Knowing Family, if this is indeed a Season 1A+1B situation, which I think it is, they will probably release Season 1B in April/May 2016 and Season 2 in late 2016. However, I can see DHX Media really stepping their game up with competition from Corus Networks like the Disney Network they just lost and other Bell Media Network like Much and MTV and producing more episodes and creating new programs for this new F2N block.
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