If your family has seen every episode of “Degrassi” multiple times, held “Degrassi”-themed birthday parties or owns band T-shirts prominently featuring the logos of Downtown Sasquatch, Zit Remedy and WhisperHug, you will fully embrace the nostalgic elements of “Degrassi: Whatever It Takes.” (Don’t ask me how I know.)
Should you have absolutely no idea what any of the above means, Lisa Rideout’s affectionate documentary will serve as a suitable gateway to what remains the longest-running teen television franchise in history. It was also among the first to openly address — for starters — adolescent sexuality, domestic violence, abortion, self-harm, gender identity and representation.
Which is quite the feat for a Canadian public TV experiment, eh?
Sorry. But really: If all you know about “Degrassi” is that it launched Drake’s career — or even if his stint as a beloved child star is brand-new information you need time to process — Rideout’s memory trip may well pull you in.
There is, however, no doubt that this one was made for the fans. And they will be delighted to find lots of familiar faces looking back on the experience, from “The Kids of Degrassi Street” (spotlighting insane 1980s outfits) to “Degrassi: The Next Generation” (centered on Millennial angst) and “Degrassi: Next Class” (slightly racier, for “Generation Zed”).
The center of the film is, to some extent, the brilliant center of the Degrassi universe: co-creator, writer, producer and director Linda Schuyler. She also turns out to be the most complex character, as tales from various productions unfurl.
Rideout focuses foremost on the early years, and original cast members like Stacie Mistysyn, Amanda Stepto, Stefan Brogren and Dayo Ade candidly share often-startling stories. They tell of how they barely got paid, worked as both actors and crew on a non-union set and had little emotional support to deal with their intense storylines and unexpected fame.
Rideout doesn’t push Schuyler on these troubling revelations, preferring instead to leave them hanging in uncomfortable silence. This subtler approach can be impactful — it’s hard to miss the fact that Schuyler’s intermittently defensive recollections are filmed in her extravagantly decorated office, while the actors’ quietly pensive interviews are more often shot in modest bedrooms or a stark school building.
What’s more, there’s been some additional drama offscreen: Despite Rideout’s light tread, the film’s TIFF premiere was briefly in question when Schuyler filed legal action claiming the film includes “defamatory statements,” though she later withdrew it upon promise that future versions of the film will provide her perspective. This is, of course, highly unlikely to soften the implication that she wielded an iron fist as “Degrassi’s” producer.
Regardless, when Rideout moves ahead to “The Next Generation,” actors like Shane Kippel, Miriam McDonald, Jake Epstein and, yes, a strikingly humble Drake, bring new and equally honest perspectives. Once again, there are some bombs dropped in among the many happier memories, but they don’t receive extensive exploration. By the time we get to “Degrassi: Next Class,” which arrived on Netflix in 2016, the movie is almost over.
It would have been nice to see additional members of the cast (a great many fan faves are noticeably missing), hear about other iconic moments and dig deeper into the immense complexities of this broadly beloved and perpetually controversial project, but we can also understand the inevitable constraints; there’s only so much room for a chronological exploration of a 40-year franchise, and it’s undeniably tricky to balance the ethics and outlooks of different generations.
There is some irony to the fact that “Whatever It Takes” — which borrows its title from the show’s intrepid theme song — doesn’t always hit hard enough. “Degrassi,” after all, is famous for addressing tough subjects with unflinching defiance.
Nevertheless, Rideout has given us a heartfelt and long-overdue tribute to a groundbreaking show, and it’s fun to see the enthusiasm of unabashed admirers like director Kevin Smith. Most impactful of all are the interviews with the actors cthemselves, each of whom is thoughtful and candid in ways that leave us wanting to know more.
And, as it happens, there is more: Kippel and his “Next Generation” co-star, Mike Lobel, recently started a podcast called “DeGrads,” which has already gone into more behind-the-scenes depth than Rideout is able to capture in her decades-spanning doc. Fans will love it. Ask me how I know.
