Degrassi (Season 13)

Degrassi: The Next Generation									Degrassi
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The 13th season of Degrassi premiered on July 11, 2013, on MuchMusic in Canada and TeenNick in the United States. The first part of the season (13A) followed a weekly format for 7 weeks, depicting the summer of 2013. The second part of the season (13B) followed a weekly format for 8 weeks, depicting the fall of 2013. The rest of the season (13C and 13D) depicts the remaining parts of 2013-2014 school year. Since the premiere of 13B on October 3, 2013, episodes aired on MTV instead of MuchMusic in Canada.

Three actors were added to the main cast in the summer block: Andre Kim, Eric Osborne, and Ana Golja. Two more were introduced in the fall block: Sara Waisglass and Nikki Gould. Niamh Wilson was added to the main cast in the winter block. The producers have also added some new people to the recurring cast.

Production and casting for the season began on November 2012 through January 2013, with filming beginning in April 2013 and wrapping up on October 24, 2013, at Epitome Pictures studios in Toronto, Ontario.

This season marks the reform of the show, introducing a new logo and opening sequence to the series, improved cinematography and a complete overhaul to the cast's appearance and style. It is also referred to as "A Whole New Degrassi" as seen in the promotional videos for the season (13A).

Main Cast

Graduates (Class of 2013)

Alicia Josipovic as Bianca DeSousa, a former bad girl turned into a lovely lady who is at University. (1308-1316)
Munro Chambers as Eli Goldsworthy, a talented writer/director in NYU who struggled with bipolar disorder
Chloe Rose as Katie Matlin, Maya's fierce, rebellious, overachiever and soccer star sister who is away at Stanford. (1301-1302)

Seniors (Class of 2014)

Sarah Fisher as Becky Baker, a bubbly conservative Christian who is slowly opening up her mind.
Craig Arnold as Luke Baker, Becky's conservative and judgmental brother and Captain of the Hockey Team who is later convicted of raping Zoë Rivas.
Melinda Shankar as Alli Bhandari, a beautiful, intelligent and determined student overcoming her mistakes.
Demetrius Joyette as Mike Dallas, the multi-layered alpha-male and teen dad repeating Grade 12.
AJ Saudin as Connor DeLaurier, a gifted student with Asperger's Syndrome and technology skills learning to be social.
Aislinn Paul as Clare Edwards, the strong-willed, intellectual, compassionate, and sometimes sneaky Student Body VP who has beat cancer.
Jessica Tyler as Jenna Middleton, a talented musician, and bubbly girl who has turned over a new leaf.
Cristine Prosperi as Imogen Moreno, an artistic and eccentric outsider and second time senior.
Jordan Todosey as Adam Torres, a friendly and outgoing FTM transgender and gamer, who was known for his wisdom and wit, who dies after a texting while driving accident. (1301-1308)
Luke Bilyk as Drew Torres, the headstrong, popular Student Body President repeating his senior year.
Jahmil French as Dave Turner, a controversial athlete and ladies' man who is learning to be cooler. (1308)

Juniors (Class of 2015)

Niamh Wilson as Jack Jones, a posh girl who loves art and music. (New) (1326-1340)

Sophomores (Class of 2016)

Nikki Gould as Grace Cardinal, a spunky and helpful tech savvy with great tracking skills. (New) (1314-1340)
Andre Kim as Winston Chu, a smart and sarcastic wing-man who wants to be the big man on campus. (New)
Eric Osborne as Miles Hollingsworth III, a billionaire bad-boy with charisma who was expelled from boarding school for arson. (New)
Olivia Scriven as Maya Matlin, a young cello virtuoso who is undergoing a personality change while coping with her late boyfriend's suicide.
Lyle Lettau as Tristan Milligan, a loud-and-proud homosexual teen who is determined to meet his goals.
Ricardo Hoyos as Zig Novak, a good boy who turned bad living with his friend Maya.
Ana Golja as Zoë Rivas, a former West Drive star with a passion for fashion who uses looks, charm, and deviousness to get her way. (New)

Freshmen (Class of 2017)

Sara Waisglass as Frankie Hollingsworth, a sweet and sassy freshman and Miles' younger sister. (New) (1310-1340)

Degrassi Staff

Stefan Brogren as Archie Simpson, the school's fair and understanding principal and an alumnus of Degrassi.
Cory Lee as Winnie Oh, the strict-yet-attractive media immersions and band teacher.

Recurring Cast

Students

Liam Green as Damon Carter, a wise and outspoken student with a sense of humor. (Grade 10)
Samantha Helt as Christie, a steady girl who hooks up with Dallas. (New) (Grade 12)
Dale Whibley as Neil Martin, a sexist basketball player. (New) (Grade 11)
Richard Walters as Tiny Bell, Zig's wing-man who's also in the rubber room. (New) (Grade 10)
Spencer MacPherson as Hunter Hollingsworth, Miles III and Frankie's brother. (New) (Grade 9)
Latoya Webb as Keisha, Frankie and Zoë's best friend. (New) (Grade 9)
Amy Forsyth as Eden, a sweet, young senior. (New) (Grade 12)

Other

Justice James as Rock Dallas, the toddler son of Vanessa and Dallas.
Alex Harrouch as Leo Lauzon, Alli's French romantic interest who turns out to be abusive. (New)
Sydney Meyer as Paula, a cancer patient at Toronto Civic Children's Hospital. Dies of her cancer. (New)
Nick Goluza as Todd, a surfer from Florida who is a friend of Becky. (New)
Richie Lawrence as Colton, a camper at the Degrassi Panther Summer Camp. (New)
Saara Chaudry as Madison Grant, a camper at the Degrassi Panther Summer Camp. (New)
Marc-Anthony Sarria as Oliver Dean, Zoë's co-star on West-Drive (New)

Adults

Marvin L. Ishmael as Mr. Bhandari, Alli's strict Muslim father who sets high expectations for his daughter.
Mishu Vellani as Mrs. Bhandari, Alli's strict Muslim mother who sets high expectations for her daughter.
Ruth Marshall as Helen Martin, Clare's religious mother who married Jake's father.
Ramona Milano as Audra Torres, Drew and Adam's overprotective mother.
Edward Jaunz as Omar Torres, Drew and Adam's soothed father.
John Ralston as Miles Hollingsworth II, Miles III, Frankie, and Hunter's lenient, yet abusive father who is running for Mayor. (New)
Stephanie Moore as Mrs. Hollingsworth, Miles III, Frankie, and Hunter's mother (New)
Cindy Sampson as Andrea Miles II's campaign manager and affair. (New)
Imali Perera as Marielle, Clare's nurse during her stay at the hospital. (New)
America Olivo as Mrs. Rivas, Zoë's mother. (New)
Rebecca Dalton as Lenore Mantino, Eli's ex-roommate of the same major whom he cheats on Clare with. (New, Mini Exclusive)
Rhys Ward as J.J., Eli's former roommate that is very kinky. (New, Mini Exclusive)
Brendan Jeffers as Vince Bell, the leader of Zig's gang who has an unresolved conflict with Drew.

Degrassi Staff

Tom Melissis as Dom Perino, the strict history teacher.
Michael Kinney as Darryl Armstrong, the reasonable math and gym teacher.
Janick Hébert as Madame Jean-Aux, the serious French teacher.
Randal Edwards as Mr. Townsend, the English teacher who also runs Bright Sparks.
Aisha Alfa as Ms. Grell, the Remedial Room teacher. (New)
Marc Bendavid as Grant Yates, a new teacher who runs a collective club. (New)

Character Descriptions

Winston Chu, Grade 11

Smart and sarcastic, yet best friends with the popular Miles Hollingsworth III, he successfully masks his insecurity with a funny, pessimistic attitude that protects him from taking risks and possible disappointments. He's often the voice of reason and a reluctant co-conspirator in hijinks.

Miles Hollingsworth III, Grade 10

Girls want him, guys want to be him. He's naturally athletic, and preternaturally good-looking. He just seems to breeze through life. Miles is just a kid looking for love and acceptance from his father after getting kicked out of boarding school. His father, Mr. Hollingsworth (the Second) is a popular business man about to run for mayor, and won't let his reckless son get in the way. Miles loves milking his rep as a troublemaker and arrives at Degrassi ready to stir things up.

Zoe Rivas, Grade 10

She is fierce and fashion-forward. She is a former television star best known for her role as Gatsby Garcia on West Drive. Having spent her formative years as mean girl Gatsby Garcia, Zoë was dumped and her character killed off. Intent on a fresh start, Zoë's excited to make new friends and date cute boys, having never really learned how to be anything but a mean girl, and uses her looks to get what she wants (a trick she learned from her overbearing stage-mom), Zoë's also desperate to hide a secret.

Trivia

It was originally confirmed by Linda Schuyler that one or two seniors would be held back for this season. However, three were actually held back — Drew Torres, Mike Dallas & Imogen Moreno.
- Dallas, however, wasn't held back, he simply took a victory lap.
Casting/Auditions for new characters were held until December 17th, 2012. Source
Alex Steele confirmed that she would not return for this season, although there was a possibility she may return in the future, but she never did.
This is the tenth school year featured in the series, also the third school year in the new Degrassi Era.
All episodes are still two parters, but some episodes are given a different name.
Episodes no longer air simultaneously in Canada and the US for 13A. They still air on the same day, except an hour later in the US.
The theme song, Whatever It Takes, is still performed by Alexz Johnson like Season 11 and Season 12, however, the audio is shortened. The visuals of the opening credits are also revamped, with vibrant colors and clips of episodes from the season.
Second time the show has introduced a new logo, the first being Season 6.
This is the first season with:
- No use of a summer telenovela format since Season 9.
- Graduates in the main cast since Season 10.
- More than one episode depicting summer vacation.
- The lead actors being only credited for the episodes they appear.
- A student having cancer since Season 7.
- A student sneaking out of a hospital with the assistance of a friend since Season 4.
- Two deaths occurring.
  - Paula was mentioned to have passed away in My Own Worst Enemy.
  - Adam Torres passed away in Honey.
- A character dying from the result of a car accident since Season 2.
- Rape since Season 7.
- A Degrassi Minis/minisode connected to it since Season 11.
- An abu sive relationship since Season 11.
- False drug dealing since DJH Season 1.
- Cyberbullying being dealt with since Season 8.
- A student-teacher relationship since Season 11.
  - This being the first same-sex student-teacher relationship in the franchise.
- Gangs since Season 11.
- Featured regulars from five different classes.
- A teen pregnancy since Season 10.
- Two rapes being featured.
This season has covered the consequences and real-life issues of texting and driving.
The TeenNick slogans for the first block of the season are, "A Whole New Degrassi" and "We Are Degrassi", while the slogan for the second block is, "Are You Ready To Get Schooled? The slogan for the third block of the season is "More secrets. More betrayals. More scandals. More Degrassi."
Brainstorming took place on December 3rd, 2012, while casting ended on December 17th, 2012.
Filming for Season 13 began in early April of 2013.
It's been confirmed by Stephen Stohn that another new character coming this season will be related to either a past or current character. Source
When Stephan Stohn tweeted a character would come related to a current character. He meant Frankie.
There have been a total of three arrests this season.
The school will be fully or partially damaged and in need of repair during this season due to a thunderstorm, as the script for the first episode of season 14 mentions the Hollingsworth's donating money to rebuild the school.
This is the third season to have clips from the actual show used in the opening sequence. The first was in season 6. The second was season 7. Counting Degrassi only (excluding The Next Generation), this is the first season to do this.
Season 13 marks the second season with at least one regular cast member in each grade.
This season marks the final appearances of Bianca DeSousa, Adam Torres, Winnie Oh and Dave Turner.

Episodes

Main article: Episode Guide

Episode #	Title	Canadian Airdate	U.S. Airdate	Production#	Series #
1-8 (13A)	It's a Whole New Degrassi	July 11, 2013	July 11, 2013	1301-1308	318-325
1-2	Summertime	July 11, 2013	July 11, 2013	1301-1302	318-319
3	All I Wanna Do	July 18, 2013	July 18, 2013	1303	320
4	My Own Worst Enemy	July 25, 2013	July 25, 2013	1304	321
5	About a Girl	August 1, 2013	August 1, 2013	1305	322
6	Cannonball	August 8, 2013	August 8, 2013	1306	323
7	Honey	August 15, 2013	August 15, 2013	1307	324
8	Young Forever	August 22, 2013	August 22, 2013	1308	325
9-16 (13B)	Are You Ready to Get Schooled	October 3, 2013	October 3, 2013	1309-1316	326-333
9	This Is How We Do It	October 3, 2013	October 3, 2013	1309	326
10	You Got Me	October 10, 2013	October 10, 2013	1310	327
11	You Oughta Know	October 17, 2013	October 17, 2013	1311	328
12	Everything You've Done Wrong	October 24, 2013	October 24, 2013	1312	329
13	Who Do You Think You Are	October 31, 2013	October 31, 2013	1313	330
14	Barely Breathing	November 7, 2013	November 7, 2013	1314	331
15	Black Or White	November 14, 2013	November 14, 2013	1315	332
16	Spiderwebs	November 21, 2013	November 21, 2013	1316	333
17-30 (13C)	More Secrets More Betrayals More Scandals More Degrassi	January 28, 2014	January 28, 2014	1317-1330	334-347
17	The World I Know	January 28, 2014	January 28, 2014	1317	334
18	Better Man	February 4, 2014	February 4, 2014	1318	335
19	Dig Me Out	February 11, 2014	February 11, 2014	1319	336
20	Power to the People	February 18, 2014	February 18, 2014	1320	337
21	No Surprises	February 25, 2014	February 25, 2014	1321	338
22	Basket Case	March 4, 2014	March 4, 2014	1322	339
23-24	Unbelievable	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2014	1323-1324	340-341
25	What It's Like	March 18, 2014	March 18, 2014	1325	342
26	Close to Me	March 25, 2014	March 25, 2014	1326	343
27	Army of Me	April 1, 2014	April 1, 2014	1327	344
28	Everything Is Everything	April 8, 2014	April 8, 2014	1328	345
29	Sparks Will Fly (1)	April 15, 2014	April 15, 2014	1329	346
30	Sparks Will Fly (2)	April 22, 2014	April 22, 2014	1330	347
31-40 (13D)	Heartbreaks & Broken Promises	June 3, 2014	June 3, 2014	1331-1340	348-357
31	You Are Not Alone	June 3, 2014	June 3, 2014	1331	348
32	Enjoy the Silence	June 10, 2014	June 10, 2014	1332	349
33	How Bizarre	June 17, 2014	June 17, 2014	1333	350
34	My Hero	June 24, 2014	June 24, 2014	1334	351
35	Hypnotize	July 1, 2014	July 1, 2014	1335	352
36	Out of My Head	July 8, 2014	July 8, 2014	1336	353
37	Believe (1)	July 15, 2014	July 15, 2014	1337	354
38	Believe (2)	July 22, 2014	July 22, 2014	1338	355
39-40	Thunderstruck	July 29, 2014	July 29, 2014	1339-1340	356-357

Degrassi Minis

Episode #	Title	Release Date	Mini #
1	Eli: Dorm Life: Meet the Roommate	September 26, 2013	84
2	Eli: Dorm Life: J'adore Lenore	December 5, 2013	85
3	Dress You Up (1)	March 18, 2014	86
4	Dress You Up (2)	March 18, 2014	87
5	Dress You Up (3)	March 21, 2014	88
6	Dress You Up (4)	March 26, 2014	89
7	Eli: Dorm Life: Moving On	April 29, 2014	90
8	Eli: Dorm Life: Rewrites	July 25, 2014	91