Degrassi | Insecurities, Regrets & What I Wish I Knew

[@andrealewischannel]

Let me correct myself "being killed on a show" -- referring to the fact that her character was not coming back and they would not be continuing any stories with "Terri" regardless if Christina and her team wanted to come back or not. From industry standards this means your character is "dead", I also understand now, how confusing this could be for Degrassi fans, and yes, most of you in the comments are correct - "Terri went to another school after her Coma"

[@dominiqueg.7705]

I just finished Hazel’s episode in season 2! Your acting was amazing. I had tears by the end of it :’) you’re my favorite.

[@rzlsnc2712]

Dominique G. yeah me too , I cried w her in season 4 I think (but I won't spoil)

[@MiniMeags]

Lmao came to the comments to be like hold the phone 😂

[@nyila8164]

At least they didn't just ship you off to Africa lmaao

[@bobbylee8330]

Degrassi TNG should've ended when Emma graduated.

[@gullybear20]

I always said Degrassi did Terri and Hazel dirty. I remember the cultural episode where we found out Hazel was Muslim and from Somalia and I was like FINALLY we learn something about her other than being a friend of Paige.

[@sewgeekdesigns9113]

Laura Slack but they mentioned terry in the Netflix degrassi like the throwback episode she was supposed to be a speaker but they never showed her

[@Morganbmoney]

A great episode

[@midnightblackheart1821]

Terri and hazel weren't really main characters they only did a few episodes I noticed the show focused on other members alot more hazel and Terri were just more paiges friends that only got a few short lines they should've had more episodes with them but oh well

[@meemzing]

As a middle easterner I felt like they just wanted to throw Muslims in there somehow. Lol. Not to say it wasn't intriguing, however, the actress is actually Jamaican, and I would have liked for them to give black Caribbeans representation since you rarely see this demographic/nationality represented on TV. Overall interesting, yet it seemed like a plot line they rushed and it kinda came out of nowhere. I feel like if they did more with Hazel's character and developed her more like they did with other characters (ie like Marco when they introduced him as gay) it would have seemed less token. Especially since they eventually touched on Muslims in the later seasons and had lots of Muslim characters. I do realize that since it was around 2001 though, it was in context.

[@jinakaye]

@@midnightblackheart1821: Terri was the one of the characters that changed the whole scope of the show. It's a shame they rarely gave good story lines to Andrea and Christina. P.S. Terri was Ashley's friend.

[@FashionNdFilm]

I always HATED that they did nothing with Hazel's character. I remember the episode after Jimmy got shot and they had everyone explain how they were feeling and Hazel said NOTHING. I was so pissed off like her boyfriend literally just got shot and STILL y'all have nothing to give this character??

[@BriaBarrows]

King Scorpio same!!! I feel like everyone should have had a storyline. Well, at least the main ones.

[@SpinDoctor91]

Maybe she was still so in shock. But Degrassi always has those characters they put more focus on than others

[@alextroy9202]

Bruh I remember that. I was so traumatized as a child

[@jinakaye]

They could have taken Hazel in so many different directions after Jimmy got shot. She could have fallen into a deep depression, started using drugs, could have ditched Jimmy after finding out he was paralyzed, etc. It's so sad that the writers didn't explore her feelings...

[@azzz7279]

Omg I shipped Jimmy and Hazel so hard 💘 they were arguably one of the healthiest relationships on the show and they were underrated . I wish they worked things out and got back together , Jimmy got over his little crush on Ellie eventually

[@mrshoes3905]

Degrassi's 2000 era was waaaay better then any teen high school mellow drama I have ever seen here in the states.

[@latoyatv2030]

Completely

[@dasanisansbury1871]

I think euphoria is amazing I’m the states

[@donij9853]

Dasani Sansbury Euphoria is yasss. Degrassi is the best too 💗

[@dasanisansbury1871]

Doni J yes euphoria and degrassi is great

[@ceeset5472]

OMG! This is so true 🙂

[@Yodiene]

Maya’s boyfriend killed his self and it affected her for every season afterwards...Hazel’s boyfriend got shot and paralyzed in a school shooting...and she got nothing.

[@kambrierose9859]

Never even compared the two until now. This is very true smh

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Same after Drew’s brother Adam died .he wasn’t the same for awhile

[@Vicotinne]

Kambrie Rose jt was murdered.

[@kambrierose9859]

Vicky Casteel I’m aware

[@gabriellagroves469]

i completely agree with you they should have handled the situation better between hazel and jimmy. I think the reason why the sort of outcasted Hazel in a since that there is not as much trauma after the fact is because they intended on having Jimmy recover from the incident, hence thats why he was in a wheel chair, he still went to school, he even attended therapy or something to try and walk. With the Cam and Maya situation there is many people who struggle from having suicide thoughts and in the episode where Cam died you could really see that Cam was at a breaking point. I think they enhanced all of the emotions from that more into cams story, because cam wasn't coming back once he decided to kill himself he was dead- theres no stopping that. Each of the characters in that scenario all knew Cam was hurting and instead of helping like physically helping they degraded his feelings and made him more of an outcast as he struggled mentally with not fitting in and being an overly jealous boyfriend. He even tried to make it up to Maya in the best possible way (bringing her flowers and i forgot what else havent watched it in a fat minute) but eventually ZIG got into cams head and made him feel every bit of worthless which in turn made him commit suicide out of the fear that he would always be rejected by the people he cared about and loved. What i'm saying is that that brought alot of awarness and growth into the characters who didnt do anything for cam as they wished they could have done something to help him. Personally, i think Maya was not all that tramautized or affected by the situation. She really started dating other people including ZIG who literally tipped Cam to his breaking point, but I think she really liked Zig the most anyways and that was made her be able to cope with Cam's passing in a more humble way. Also, she continued doing something she loved (music) because it allowed her to block out. everything but in a way I still don't think she was mentally fucked after the situation. Anyways a good thing about this show is that they pick so many topics that are relatable, taboo, etc and turn it into all of these plotlines and such and it's really just like connect the dot with some of these characters.

[@Loveleighlawson]

When people say Degrassi legitimately change their lives, it really did! SO many life lessons were learned through that show. I still watch it as an adult lol

[@elisangelaqueiroz548]

Me too! I've watched the entire series like 3 or 4 times already LOL

[@latoyatv2030]

Me too

[@baebravo2098]

Me too🙂

[@Monicaizpeace]

Same

[@catieq5270]

Elisângela Queiróz how are you watching it? Like what streaming network has it?

[@marhabamango3696]

At the time I didn’t even notice that Hazel had a limited story line smh. I was just so happy to see a black girl on screen. You had a prominent role in my head. They should’ve definitely done more with your character.

[@arellaswan2057]

Exactly. It was just so exciting. But hearing the back story was like damn..😓

[@clarissathelisme]

same, they could have added many black characters during her time and made it more diverse where black men were not always the jocks or the thugs. I started watching it in 2010 where most of the black actors storylines was not heavy, but they were often portrayed as thugs or gangstas.

[@bobbylee8330]

I remember people making jokes about Hazel being a "minor" main character.

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Clarissa Thelisme facts like liberty had a storyline same with Conner and Dave

[@lindsey7877]

Right ugh. And Andrea grew up to be gorgeous. Terri too.

[@bredrew1990]

I always wanted Terri & Spinner to become a couple. I always thought Christina and Shane Kippel had sweet chemistry with one another.

[@paulae4033]

I forgot about their crush on each other, freaken Paige ruining it for both of them.

[@SpinDoctor91]

I did too I think that would have worked

[@SpinDoctor91]

@@paulae4033 Paige messed up everything loool

[@midnightblackheart1821]

I don't think that would've worked out spinner wasn't a very good boyfriend on the show to Paige or Manny Terri is a nice girl and she deserves better

[@midnightblackheart1821]

@corn no way they weren't good together Paige treated alex like shit and was also unsure of her sexuality I wasn't a big fan of alex but I don't think her and Paige were ever a good match Paige is conceited, selfish and never cared about the feeling of others.

[@marzblaq7267]

Anyone else get teary eyed when seeing Degrassi cast members reunited? Btw Justice for Hazel and Terri! 👏🏾

[@nonaperry5403]

Terri❤

[@lightskinnyyorker]

Yes that was my favorite show...💯

[@texasbelle333]

I wish the writers did more with their characters than introducing Darcy🤦🏾‍♀️

[@chamberskiddos5410]

No body’s talking about how pretty Terri is

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Facts 🥰🥰😍

[@janaeelder7741]

She was always pretty af tbh 😊

[@bellezaxglam9727]

Christina 🥰*

[@teemack9530]

She’s been pretty!!!

[@bellezaxglam9727]

UTubeCorruptAntiFreeSpeechLiberalCo ok and? she’s still beautiful

[@rachelv5338]

I hate how it seems like Hazel and Terri were just there for diversity points (I don't remember ANY other plus sized characters on the show). It feels like the writers didn't actually care about developing either one, yet shitty characters like Peter got to be main characters for SEVERAL seasons

[@alexiskimberly]

I couldn't stand Peter and his shitty acting skills!!

[@mariethebest09]

The only person I can think of that had curves was Manny and Fiona, but they were both still thin. You’re right, they didn’t have other plus girls.

[@mariethebest09]

AlexisLugosi YES 🙄 I always hated him. He was boring and annoying.

[@kambrierose9859]

Yes I really wish there was more than just one plus size girl throughout 15 seasons

[@tniyacollins5790]

mariethebest09 jenna & chantay was prolly the closest to plus size bc they had some curves

[@madamepaka]

I'm 100% certain they gave Ashley the storyline that should've been between Hazel and Jimmy in their final/senior year.

[@shelbyw5588]

They could've have let Ashley stay in London, they didn't have to bring her back. No one really liked her character. Hazel was actually a good character, that deserved to be developed.

[@jessicacurbeam2990]

@@shelbyw5588 Ashley and Emma are thing 1 & thing 2 tho they never was close their character is really annoying and they're judgemental for no reason

[@SMP2390]

To be honest, looking at the series again they didn't do anything with Ashley after she returned she dated Jimmy a bit introduced wheelchair Drake and then left to tour after they Jimmy and her broke up.

[@jornayrooks3724]

That might be who she’s talking about in the video

[@jasperwellington11]

Um excuse me I LOVED Ashley she was/is my favorite Degrassi character. Especially when they made her goth

[@jadam5414]

youtuber amandabb just did a video on her feelings after watching degrassi seasons 1-8 for the first time and one of the things she talked about was how hazel’s character was pushed to the side and often seemed like an after thought! she made a lot of good points lol

[@jadam5414]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/gn68inqmiaadjJY i forgot to link her video

[@klpowell12]

I am subbed to her and watching her recap made me want to watch the show again.They really did do Hazel,Terri,Liberty and JT wrong.

[@anngelllll]

@@jadam5414 yesssss she's one of my faves

[@veebee7706]

HappyNappy AndThriving the whole JT thing is so depressing

[@LE-zy2od]

​@@klpowell12how did they do JT wrong? The actor wanted to go out with a bang

[@KieKardash415]

I never really liked Hazel as a character, she was mean and superficial sometimes. But regardless I still liked her on the show because she was a black girl. I liked seeing her date Jimmy, seeing that black couple. She was the representation I needed at that age. I do agree they didn’t do enough with her character, they could’ve made her evolve in so many different ways. Even that significant episode they had where she revealed she was Muslim, I’m sure some girls felt that way at the time. They could’ve really gave us a story where Hazel came into her own. But I hope you know, you were and still are a important part of Degrassi and our childhood for young black girls! We love you Andrea, and I have been following you ever since! ☺️

[@kambrierose9859]

They made EVERY black girl in the show mean and superficial as well as being just a side character. Hazel, Chantay, and marisol 🤦‍♀️ Did not like any of them, but they all deserved better

[@Briannainez]

It makes so much sense. I can remember not feeling as connected to Hazel but looking back, it’s because she didn’t do much! You deserved so much more character development. + I’m very triggered by the fact that, even on one of my favorite shows ever, black girls are treated differently. There are so many spaces were we are made to feel invisible. I see you, Andrea ❤️

[@Theye101499]

The only impactful storyline, was in the ONE episode when she comes out as Muslim. They don't expand on it at all.

[@morganwhite4420]

Reboot: I feel like Spinner and Emma should be divorced but best friends and running The Dot together. Sean came back and him and Emma are married with kids. Spinner gave Jane another chance. Jimmy is a rapper and Hazel is his manager that he’s in love with. Craig and Ashley had a few hit songs together and retired, they have kids. Liberty is in politics and her and Toby have lunch every Wednesday. Manny is still acting and Jay is a stay at home dad who does custom car things. Paige, Ellie, and Marco are all famous and are taking some time off to travel with one another. Terri runs her own modeling company.

[@andrealewischannel]

love!

[@morganwhite4420]

Andrea Lewis Glad you liked it lol:) You made my day!

[@midnightblackheart1821]

After the original characters left the show really went down hill acting wise and the storylines I'm honestly glad it was cancelled lol

[@chadlarsen8618]

I honestly feel that Sean would have died while he was in the military

[@liplock000]

Toby & liberty have lunch every Wednesday 🤣🤣🤣

[@lh9591]

Even Christina acknowledges her stunt double was ridiculous with the legs up in the air with that Rick push lol

[@BriaBarrows]

lh9591 lmao the fall was memorable

[@pinkbluntsmoke3569]

😂😂😂😂😂omg

[@kaayc9459]

😂😂

[@autumnasters]

Wasn't the stunt double noticeably thinner as well?

[@marhabamango3696]

The way terry’s story ended was so depressing and dissatisfying!!! Wth happened?!?

[@heeyyyricky]

They said she transferred to a private school at the beginning of S4 I think

[@chauritaannettedavis8953]

@@heeyyyricky oh ok because she was there, then all of a sudden she was never heard of again

[@madalyn7353]

@Lyndsey Davis i thought she died cause wasn’t she in a coma.

[@kamfrusciante]

that directioner she woke up

[@madalyn7353]

@kam that show was so long that i forgot half the plot

[@CordellPonton]

I never understood this concept of having one black girl on the show and the black girl being JUST the best friend of the popular white girl. Hazel has one of the best episodes and its the heritage episode. They could of given her so much more. Liberty even did not have much at all unless it involved JT. Marisol was just the best friend of Katie and Chantay really did not get much at all. Shay was starting to get more story lines and they were doing right by her and now it is gone.

[@KingChiJay91]

Damon Cordell Liberty got more storylines out of all the black girls combined. Of course the writers gave her the pregnant teen storyline only for her baby daddy to be stabbed to death smh

[@CordellPonton]

@@KingChiJay91 She did and it only involved JT! Liberty season 1 and 2 was featured more and once 3 and 4 came around she got forgotten just like Toby did. Toby really got the short end of the stick even though he not black. Even Marisol was on the show first and was popular but then took a backseat the next season once they created and introduced her best friend Katie??? It's like they didn't think she could be cool on her own or run things?

[@thaddaeuselliott3884]

@@KingChiJay91 But even with the pregnancy storyline, JT had the POV in the episodes that dealt with it, her giving birth was the B plot to Craig's dumb early departure storyline of "let me drop out of school like a couple months before graduation to take a record deal" and again only gets perspective regarding giving her baby up for adoption again in a B-plot of a filler episode. She still doesn't even have POV in Season 6 when JT dies, it's a lot of the other characters just talking about her and some crying shots.

[@thaddaeuselliott3884]

@@CordellPonton The Marisol bit was when I really saw the bias on the show towards the POC characters because she had more of the Queen Bee type personality to follow in the Paige/Holly J footsteps than Katie did and she was able to show her acting chops despite the scraps she was given so fans couldn't even try to fall back on "bad acting" as the reason why she didn't have the lead in a lot of storylines. I still love Degrassi and think it did have a lot of strong points, but there was definitely a bias in how much they focused on the white characters for most of the run often at the expense of the characters that brought the diversity to the show and were relegated a lot of the time to being tokens.

[@CordellPonton]

@@thaddaeuselliott3884 Exactly! Marisol was their first and it's like they were saying "yeahhhhh thought about it and no we need a white girl to be the popular one" . Chantay probably got done the worst! She was up their for shit idk how long and didn't get storylines until her graduating season??? Lol idk how Manny was able to get so lucky and even Drake got lucky to be in so much!

[@piggylovers1016]

I still watch Degrassi as a 30 year old mom ☺️ I PERFORM the theme song and all, good ol days

[@ItsLaurenE]

I'm turning 40 in August and loved the 80's degrassi but i lived for Next generation through seasons 8ish.

[@regullerr203]

Same I be crying I can’t keep it together so sad 😭

[@kambrierose9859]

It bothers me that Terri was the ONLY plus size girl on the show throughout all 15 seasons and she wasn’t even able to be on it for long. Being plus size myself, I would’ve like to see at least one bigger girl to relate to.

[@tniyacollins5790]

the closest we had to another plus size girl was jenna middleton & chantay black & maybe manny at the end of season 9 . they were only curvey tho not really plus size .

[@kambrierose9859]

Tniya Collins yeah out of everyone you listed Jenna was probably the biggest but even then she only had a small bit of chub and I would not consider plus size 😔

[@tniyacollins5790]

Kambrie Rose yea ur right she isn’t really plus size at all but in her head she thought she was

[@scottmcneely1927]

Claire put on a lot of weight over the course of the show. She was at least approaching plus size and was bigger than Jenna.

[@skyemadisyn163]

@@tniyacollins5790 yea jenna was mainly because she had a large chest compared to all the rest of the girl. Claire was close to being plus size in the end

[@Kirstiecheree]

Andrea your character on cadet Kelley was more lovable then how the writers wrote hazel. They did you so wrong.

[@jackie9397]

OH MY GOD THAT WAS HER HOLY CRAP! You just threw me back lol

[@nickortiz2898]

SquirrelGirl Bubbletea jj

[@9124Nove]

Oh my God!!! I knew I remembered her from somewhere else.

[@Kirstiecheree]

Lol

[@regullerr203]

Wow that was her omg I watched that before with Hilary duff

[@kadeen876]

They did Hazel dirty... she was the token black friend.. her breakup with Jimmy also came out of nowhere because we never saw them develop as a couple.

[@zanamusic8969]

Especially because there was such a big opportunity for them to show their relationship after the shooting. All we saw was her react to him being shot, then next thing you know they break up? Degrassi wtf??? It would’ve been amazing to see how their relationship was affected after discovering he was paralyzed , and how she was affected after seeing her boyfriend almost die.

[@liah724]

every black girl on the show was 😭

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Zana Music that would be nice

[@egyptianqueen4007]

And the irony of that is they were a couple in real life.

[@njyawndra8609]

Let's be honest. They only paired them up because they were bored and didn't know who else they could be in a relationship with.

[@yomamasbackhand]

Terri and Hazel being written off the show changed the whole vibe for me. The show started with them as main characters! How dare they?! Also, sending Terri off on a different path and allowing Rick to come back to Degrassi only to cause more damage and to make us sympathetic to him being bullied, sent a message to the audience that victims dealing with abuse aren't valued, which is a repeated storyline in life itself! I felt like Hazels character deserved more development, rather than that random Muslim episode. It was almost like " Here damn! " I only kept watching for the existing characters but even then you could tell they weren't feeling it

[@elizabethascherl5734]

As a LONNNNNNG TIME Degrassi fan, I was always very disappointed that we didn't get more plot and storylines with Hazels character and Terris as well. I love hearing your perspective on the show

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Facts cuz Andrea Lewis (Hazel Aden )only had one episode that revolved around her

[@TheLeah2344]

I went back and rewatched Degrassi and I was so mad how they did the black characters. Hazel was not developed as a character at all and she was the token black friend to Paige and Liberty and Jimmy were stereotyped. Jimmy was the basketball jock and Liberty got pregnant. Then Jimmy gets shot. They even did Manny wrong who was a woman of color. Manny had an abortion and she was constantly slut shamed by her own best friend. I also didn’t know that they let Christina go. I thought she chose to leave because they just suddenly cut Terri’s storyline.

[@denanewton1518]

TheLeah2344 your right! All the black and POC characters were done so dirty like just the worst of the worst

[@shakira9945]

I assumed she wanted to leave the show too because the whole changing schools thing seemed so unnecessary. They could’ve brought her back after the coma.

[@champhall1448]

TheLeah2344 I agree with that, even Chris-Emma’s 1 minute boyfriend. The one black guy that hung out with jay, Shawn. Others like chantay, Danny, Dave, Connor, and Damian

[@lisah8438]

That was the point of the show. The show was trying to portray what was happening to girls in real life. And in real life girls get slut shamed. I don't understand why you criticized Manny's story line. I though that was a good story line. It would have been cool to have a peson who stayed a virgin on the show

[@pittypop236]

I agree idk remember when they did that dude who was colored they made him have HIV and then connor had autism and i just feel like all the the color people who was on degrassi had been played

[@Laura-mc92]

Neither of you have aged a second since Degrassi.

[@mollyshaj.3888]

They could've done so much more with Hazel's character especially after Jimmy got shot.

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Just like they did with Maya after cam died

[@cheytaylor2114]

I am so glad you address how they treated you, in the sense of race. I remember having a strong distaste for Hazel because I wanted so much more for her and every season I got nothing... Like come on Linda! And even after you left, the black characters really struggle. Also, I love your hair sis!

[@jaleenmorris9221]

Chey Taylor yeah, it’s so unfair...

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Same in movies black people have the worst death

[@LEXI-vv4bj]

In the first few seasons Hazel was one of the only black characters and Terri was one of the only characters who wasn’t supper thin. And those characters got no screen time. Makes you wonder if that’s why.

[@KingChiJay91]

LEX ! Liberty was there as one of the original characters

[@TheInsaneBEAST1]

@@KingChiJay91 and she gets knocked up

[@destinyreid7342]

TheInsaneBEAST1 you people need to see that all the kids went through something that was the point of degrassi to show real teen lives 2000 liberty pregnant paige rape and struggle sexuality manny dealing with identity and boy crazed growing up same with emma and her gonorrhea situation

[@zanamusic8969]

destiny reid yes , but she was turned around and casted into a stereotype of a black girl getting knocked up. Completely disrespectful to her character in general.

[@destinyreid7342]

Zana Music no. she was not. jenna got pregnant as well and claire

[@astoldbyivy]

Quarantine has me rewatching Degrassi on KZbin and just the other day i was talking to my friends about how Hazel’s only episode was when she pretended to be Jamaican. Ugh! i wonder what storyline was the one given to another character 🥵

[@SeyvonTheGenie]

Same!! I’m trying to think sooo hard what characters got her storyline lol. I wish she would’ve said it. But she probably didn’t wanna seem messy

[@feliciahorton2355]

I would like to know too.🤔

[@Solunatic02]

Allie Bandari (sp?) storyline could’ve been originally for Hazel. Just my theory.

[@SeyvonTheGenie]

Solunatic02 omggg that’s a good guess!!

[@Theye101499]

They predicted drake

[@carlaviz6605]

Omg I always thought that Christina chose to leave the show and that's why she didn't return, there was so much more that they could have done with her story! It's such a bummer that we never got to see Terri grow confidence and maybe have a better boyfriend. Hazel was also severely underused considering how long she was on the show, as far as I remember she only had one episode that focused on her where we learned that she was Muslim.

[@marhabamango3696]

Also, y’all are both so gorgeous‼️

[@jamestrickingtonIII]

I love how candid this is

[@abrown17]

Thanks for posting such a balanced conversation. I always thought Christina left the show on her own free will to pursue modeling. I didn't know they let her go.

[@midnightblackheart1821]

According to drake the characters on the show didn't make much money which suprises me because the show was so good and and had millions of viewers

[@keniabonano]

Aubrey

[@midnightblackheart1821]

@@keniabonano drake, Aubrey same person

[@liah724]

Kenia Bonano you know who they’re talking about so does it matter 😭😭

[@midnightblackheart1821]

@@liah724 exactly

[@dannigro8794]

Yeah didn’t make money in Canada it blew up when it aired in the US

[@ChryztinaWonderlandMusick]

This was so eye-opening. Especially because somehow i easily forget that as I was a kid watching the show,you guys were also just kids/teens. You guys had your own insecurities and struggles. But for some reason these characters seemed so real to us that we saw you literally as those characters. When i watched Degrassi i felt like i was watching friends,lol. Probably because the show had such a huge impact on my life and it has to be weird to hear people say that this show basically raised them and guided them. I am definitely one of those people hardcore,all of my "life lessons" came from this show. Hell, the storyline of Ellie helped me stopped cutting,Terri's storyline made me begin to stand up for myself,Paige's rape storyline came about just after i had experienced the same thing and it was astounding how much it helped me process it...and there are many more episodes that actually still stick in my mind as a 30yr old. I remember i even made my parents subscribe to satellite TV because that was the only way I could watch the show in the U.S after a while, lol. It's so beautiful how you guys have progressed and how much you have learned over the years. And it's great to hear that you did want more stories about Hazel,I remember hating that it felt like Hazel was an accessory for Paige. Especially, because as a young black girl that's the character I wanted to see the most,smh. Anyway,love you guys for this.

[@jazzm9334]

I just started watching Degrassi again, Season 1 Episode 1. 1 week later I am on Season 6. Literally Degrassi is that show. The show that not only entertains, but teaches life lessons for both Teens and Adults.

[@dominiquee901]

I always hated how they had an entire episode dedicated to Hazels religion and that was it. Only one episode and then we never heard about it again. I wish they expanded on that more. By that I just mean Hazel alone. I don’t think they had another storyline with Muslim character until the Next Class series or at least that group of kids. They really did not do enough with Hazels character. She really was always the one who was around just to push another characters story forward. Same with Terri she was always just Ashley’s sidekick and Ashley was an awful character lol

[@zaqueenzhane7744]

ally banadari

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Facts same with Terri’s toxic relationship with Rick

[@Serenitie3]

I remember getting glimpses of Terri and hazel's home life and literally dying to know more. We got Emma annoying nosey self. Craig and his weird 3 way and paige taking up space. Sorry not sorry.

[@kevinpham_]

I've always wanted to see their story as girl, Hazel and Terri should have had more time together. I liked Ashley but she became a FILLER and they spot lighted her to promote the Jimmy and MANNY story too much and EMMA and Manny was too promoted Degrassi needed better story writers and that whole Craig thing was just too much filler for me.

[@MiniMeags]

LEGIT

[@COURTNEYVCK]

Emma’s ass was SO nosey, we knew her whole family history and even the dog’s name. I remember Terri’s storyline being over so fast, I was sad when she left the show.

[@anthonyhenderson8371]

Kevin Pham facts

[@trinitydeleroso3510]

and ellies annoying cutting for no reason/obsession with craig. every other episode would switch back and forth between marco dealing with being gay and ellies weirdness to the point where i started skipping episodes.

[@Aster_Risk]

I love hearing you two talk about Degrassi without kid gloves. I have been a fan of this show for 17 years, but there is so much to criticize. I started watching this show at twelve, and the older I get, the more things start to stand out. Also, both Terri and Hazel were screwed over as characters.

[@khaniyah1494]

Y’all were the reasons why I watched Degrassi that whole cast was everything!!!! Next Generation Forever💕

[@MzAbstractMind]

I still get so annoyed how they did the character Hazel 😒 it felt like each time Hazel was in an episode, she was just a prop/token 🤦🏾‍♀️ But, they had that annoying Emma character everywhere, messing up everybody’s vibe 😂 lawd that character worked my last nerve! 😂

[@CordellPonton]

The black girls in the show are always someone sidekick or just friend of the show!!! Marisol character was on the show first and they made her take a backseat the next season to Katie???

[@marissar.359]

@@CordellPonton And let's also not forget Shante, Holly J's sidekick (if you can even remember her lol). Degrassi didn't even try to play off their careless lack of development for darker skinned black female characters.

[@CordellPonton]

@@marissar.359 Right! However actually she took a backseat multiple times!!! Darcy and Shante were on the show at the same time and Darcy became a lead and Shante was still never seen!!!

[@marissar.359]

@@CordellPonton I totally forgot about that! They did the black characters dirty.

[@Evoljahh]

Damon Cordell right I remember when she was just a extra on the show

[@hodonyassin9760]

I LOVE DEGRASSI!!!!!!

[@brendanpilgrim9851]

being from the bahamas, Degrassi show, changed my life...finally I saw real issues that affected teens...that was not on screen...especially in the Bahamas...where everything is so censored...Degrassi 80's, 90's ....thank you!!!!!!! Thank you for addressing topics that were taboo.....I felt like I belong for once....God given truth!

[@mandyhuey5810]

Both you ladies still look beautiful and young as ever. Christina, that dark hair on you is killer. It was definitely interesting to hear your take on things, and it is a bummer that neither of you got better and further plots. But I'm happy you both are still thriving towards your goals!

[@mariedesousa7948]

Love you guys. I'm so happy to see you two together like this

[@Brooke-qm6zp]

Yess Andrea ! They played you. You were AMAZING, & beautiful. It wasn’t fair how they did you. It disgusts me honestly. & I always personally felt attacked because you were the only character who looked like me & they just took you away.

[@SeyvonTheGenie]

I loved this! I wish they would’ve talked about the other characters/actors too. And I don’t mean that in a messy way. I just mean like how they brought up Adamo for a quick second. I wanted more on their perspective of Degrassi characters/actors and how they interacted with one another.

[@Iguessimhere2]

I literally binged Degrassi & was shocked at just how many seasons Hazel was in as I only remembered a handful of her episodes, they definitely dropped the ball in the development area. So sad to know that some of the actors didn't enjoy their time on the show cause it was a great show

[@leesa_lahui]

Lol I'm one of those "Degrassi changed my entire life" people . I can remember being like 6-7 , and by 12 It was my favorite and now I'm 23 and it's crazy thinking about how I literally grew up with the show.

[@simsrock9982]

A majority of the black female characters were either underused or a bit annoying i.e. Chante, Hazel, Marisol (annoyingg), Keisha. Shay might've been the only one who got a major role and she was a fairly interesting character.

[@midnightblackheart1821]

Marisol was very annoying so was shay, shante was ok but hazel was the only decent one

[@akhan4727]

I think Marisol was a good character... She was supposed to be a snob and mean. Chantay was so annoying.

[@Evoljahh]

Who is keisha I never seen her before

[@simsrock9982]

@@Evoljahh Frankie's original best friend who did the "let's get physical" dance with her and zoe for some talent show

[@kambrierose9859]

I actually enjoyed Shay. It’s too bad that they’re not continuing the next class after they finally cast a black girl that actually has a plot 🤦‍♀️

[@davontekh]

just want to say your work on Degrassi was and still is amazing...Seeing you and Aubrey Represent was empowering for me when i would watch.

[@hannahlowe5886]

In summer 2010 teen nick did this "every degrassi episode ever" thing to lead up to the new season, and I watched the first few episodes and I was sooo hooked. Got me through a rough summer giving me something to look forward to:) watching it is so nostalgic now

[@lemondrizzlecake7766]

I really appreciate you two for sharing this with us. Degrassi is so important to me, but that doesn't mean that it should be immune to criticism. I find it really interesting to get your side of the story, can totally understand the mixed feelings you two have. And above all, it's great to see you all grown up and being successful! Thanks for sharing :)

[@brittneybyrd8022]

Because we love Degrassi. It really did change a lot of lives. I myself learned a whole lot of lessons and being about the same age as you guys on screen I grew up with you. I always hated that Terri never came back and Hazel definitely never got the story lines she deserved. I’m 30 and currently binge watched Degrassi again right now.

[@nirabai2393]

I am binge watching to lol😭

[@sarmstrong2009]

I started degrassi over about 3 weeks ago (when they were in middle school) and its even better than when I was in high school! I love you guys !

[@beee___]

Oh I'm so here for this.. I just finished the show again.. even though I'm 32 now I still love it 🤣

[@BriaBarrows]

Smh the producers did them dirty. I’m happy they overcame those doubts.

[@jessidawn7786]

Thank you both for sitting down for this. 🙏🏻 Degrassi will always hold a special place in my heart. ♥️

[@edthebank4115]

Andrea It made me proud to here that you spoke up in wanting to do more with your character because I wanted to see more with hazel culture, relationship with jimmy and get to know hazel as an individual outside her friends. when they cut your character they didn't give an explanation to were the character went smh because you deserved more

[@frogwitch4329]

thank you girls for this!! i grew up watching degrassi, and had no idea that all this happened behind the scenes. you guys were both incredible. i’m sorry you had to question it during that time. please know that you’re both still so admired and loved!!

[@Kayhla]

I’m so glad this came up in my suggested videos!!!!! I didn’t know you had a KZbin channel! I waited for hours, in line at a mall in San Francisco to meet you and Adamo during the degrassi tours. I still have a picture of us together and an autograph!! You were so kind, thank you so much 💗💗💗

[@katelovesmakeup93]

Loved you two since Degrassi! I had no idea behind the scenes I would love my videos like this! You women are beautiful and don’t even age! Thank you posting this Andrea!

[@fxthomunknown7727]

On the degrassi fandom they tried to say Terri left after season to go to private school they said Christina wanted to pursue her modeling career🤧

[@kyamarie]

I love y’all!!!!! I’ve watched the series at least 6 times. Degrassi foreverrrr! 🥺

[@zariacannon96]

It’s crazy how much of a fan base Degrassi has because I never hear anyone talking about it but then I watch videos like these and look in the comments and ppl are saying it changed their lives. I mean honestly it changed mine too cuz I literally had my high school experience by living through each of these characters. The fact that they are still having Degrassi reunions each year and the fact that I would die if I got to go to Canada at the time of one of these reunions really says a lot

[@starchannel123]

I always wondered if the cast had the ability to make any decisions. I always felt like they made manny ugly in certain seasons and hazel had no stories. Yet, Emma was like the golden girl with all the stories and good outfits and hairstyles. I watched them on reruns tho

[@bestabothworldz2766]

Tried to make Manny ugly and failed....

[@Lala216]

As a plus size black girl growing up you two were my favorite characters because it felt like I was really seeing myself. They really did you both so dirty and it hurts feeling like stories to do with "these types" of women don't matter. However I am happy that you guys are still working and it was so great to hear how you as people learned from your experiences and characters.

[@jazzdaagreatestt3645]

Hazel wasn’t plus size on the show but i really wish they would’ve done better for her and the other black girls on the show

[@jmaldo92]

❤️❤️

[@Kassie446]

I love Degrassi! Hands down one of my favorite shows growing up!! I also loved you on Cadet Kelly!!! ❤️

[@ashleyedwards5682]

You ladies were two of my favorite characters. I'm sad the producers didn't give you and your characters a chance, but I'm happy to see how successful you've become!

[@heeyyyricky]

I just finished S5 (aka Hazel's senior year) and I remember just thinking about how she barely got to do anything. Like, her only real plotline was her Muslim one. Absolutely wack that she never got to do much.

[@heeyyyricky]

@Cooking with Black Baddie oh, same!

[@SavagexA]

I remember meeting you and Lauren when I was in 6th grade in Houston. I'm almost 30 now! So glad I found your channel!

[@ShanikaWSings]

I was annoyed when Terri left . It was dry the way they did it.

[@nonaperry5403]

Its so good to see you Ladies talk about your experience. I'm a Grandmom who watched the entire series during this quarantine and I didn't know my kids use to watch this..your show was hardcore.

[@chicojuanito395]

Degrassi should get rebooted with all the characters as adults. Spinner and Emma were never meant to be and they're going through a terrible divorce. Ashley married Craig but he grew up into a coked out washed up rock star, so she's stilled married to him, but also cheating with Jimmy, who is back walking with a cane. just ideas.

[@herroyalpeachness]

JarradKyle i love these ideas!!!!!!! that would be badass

[@baybeetricia]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 I actually visualized all of that and I'm done for it

[@LuisTorres-vn1ev]

If that were to happen, I just hope it happens in a more adult way/version. Degrassi was great during Its time at how mature it was for the audience and the ages they were but as adults, I wouldn't want everything to be a PG/TV-14 drama

[@TrueScandal]

They going to need some bomb ass funding to get drake to act again 😂

[@jenniejones3812]

I don't think it would happen the sets were sold oo

[@emilineonline]

I love this! You are seen Andrea! I really wish they did more with your character too. All these comments are on point!

[@shakira9945]

I’m so glad that this conversation was had. I definitely agree that Hazel should have had way more of a storyline!! I could see how these sorts of things could affect teenagers off the screen.

[@kaylakarrion9885]

I loved the original series and the Next Generation. I can see why people would say it changed their lives. Even today, even with all it’s flaws, it’s highly positive and nostalgic. I was being sexually and physically abused as a teen watching the original and it did show kids had real issues and they could get past them. It can help someone who went through what I did feel less ashamed and a little bit less alone. Same thing with Little House On The Prairie, being abused in reality I saw this perfect TV family full of love and you know it’s out there in your future if you get help. Not a perfect family but a healthy, safe and loving family.

[@SheneaTheBest]

I just want the original cast to come back for a reunion special/movie. Plot: the degrassi school is closing for good, getting tore down and the gang comes back together for the weekend to say their goodbyes and rehash old feelings, good and bad. Confront old conflicts and share good times and memories

[@elysiansolace3371]

THISSSSS

[@SheneaTheBest]

@@elysiansolace3371 I'm keeping hope alive that it will happen lol Drake having them all in a video was proof that it could happen! 🤞🏾

[@Alliecatastrophe]

rewatching degrassi now and it is such a damn shame what happened, i love terri and she was an amazing beautiful awesome lady and just hazel was so disappointing bc they never gave her anything, paiges friend, jimmys girlfriend, that one muslim episode, it's just. man. glad to see you guys speak up about it though and that you're friends, it's nice :)

[@itsjustmejenny3745]

I’ve been binge watching Degrassi during quarantine and have come across many of the cast KZbin channels but this is the first to keep it real...as a teen watching I never realized how ur Hazel character was just the token black girl despite the fact u were friends with major characters and the gf of one of the biggest characters (when he dated Ashley they had so many storylines) as an adult now and conscious of my skin and culture it was so frustrating that they didn’t do more with you when there could have been so many storylines with you. Even when they brought in the Shantay character played by Jajube Mandiela Ugh her character was so not relatable as a black girl and served no real purpose...anywho Just saying I enjoyed watching this video getting to know you and we appreciate ur honesty✊🏾

[@rachboudreau]

Christina (Terri) was and still is STUNNING

[@Paul-wu7xd]

What about Adamo (Marco), he watches the show, he's literally watched all the episodes and sounds like a bigger fan, then most of us...

[@Ripplerimmel]

I was a huge fan of Degrassi growing up, like huge!! its funny because I didn't even peep until years later that it was a Canadian show. However, its also crazy how I didn't pay much attention to the fact that Hazel barely had a story line. I think being a young black girl and just seeing you on the show, seeing you as one of the few main characters that was black on the show was enough for me. Or enough for me to not question it or have much awareness to how problematic it was. Either way your always someone that I loved on the show for what its worth and seeing your evolution as an artist and a woman is inspiring.

[@arellaswan2057]

When you first talked about the stuff that went on it made me furious because all of my friends and I really took to Hazel because we didn't see many Black Girls who were like us on tv. I think that's why we were so "attached" lol We literally have convos about it now over wine like can you believe how intense Degrassi was for our age group, it was wild. Also to see a black couple was rare also so when you and Aubrey were together we were like yassss! AND the fact that you all continued to be in the industry with all the other projects was so dope! But I see how as a actor you weren't watching the show like we were. 😂 As a creative it's hard to not second guess and think of everything you could've done differently especially when you knew you had so much more to offer. I'm here for all these new videos btw!

[@simsrock9982]

Hearing how you guys learned to speak up for yourself and still pursued your dreams wholeheartedly despite doubts is so inspiring to me. This was a video that I really needed thank you :)

[@itsbeelynn]

i feel like they kind of made hazel more of an “unlikable black girl” or like the “black girl with white friends” and didn’t really get into the nitty gritty of who she truly was and since (at the time) she was like the only physically looking black girl, that’s what i wanted. of course jimmy was black but he didn’t look it so we don’t know until his parents are shown. they could’ve had created so many plot lines with their relationship that black viewers could relate to but failed to do so

[@kambrierose9859]

They made all 3 black girls they casted throughout the 15 seasons the “unlikeable black girls”. Hazel, Chantay, and Marisol were all side characters with white friends and rude 🙄🙄

[@itsbeelynn]

Kambrie Rose exactly, 3 different chances for phenomenal plot lines for them, i still want them too 😭

[@petalchild]

@@kambrierose9859 yall forgetting about Liberty??

[@kambrierose9859]

petalchild one black girl out of how many white in the cast?

[@jazzdaagreatestt3645]

Jimmy looks black what are you talking about he don’t look it? Lol and I agree with everything else you said

[@MedusaxXx_]

if only you guy’s understood how many trials & tribulations y’all have helped me through , I found degrassi at a dark time in my teenage years & it helped me heal myself & understand why I was feeling so many things. I really appreciate degrassi & every single character on there 🙏🏾 I found it at 15 , now at 22 I still binge watch every month. I get urges to binge watch degrassi & I can’t explain it. it’s amazing. truly ❤️

[@roseheath693]

I love how honest and open you guys are ! And I love the vibesssssss ❤️❤️

[@alycat_52]

I didn't start watching Degrassi until I was 23 (so that was back in 2007) and I got so hooked on it. I went back and watched what I had missed up to that point and even kept watching for a few years after that. It was actually very healing for me because as a teen in middle/high school I went through a lot of the things that the characters on the show did. At the time, there weren't a lot of shows that delved that deeply into some of the issues, so I finally had some validation that the things that happened to me were more "normal" than I had thought. I had suppressed so much of that trauma and was numb for a long, long time. Watching the show, I started to accept and move on from my past and I'll always hold Degrassi in a special place in my heart 💕

[@azzz7279]

Degrassi was way ahead of its time still one of my favorites to this day 🙌🏻 i shipped Jimmy and Hazel so hard 💘 they were underrated & arguably one of the healthiest relationships on the show and they deserved endgame . I still wish terri and spinner dated on the show too

[@jfh-dr2xu]

I don't know if they were one of the healthiest. They didn't give them any problematic storylines in their relationship, but towards the end of it Hazel kept pushing Jimmy to be a basketball player, and convince him he's still the same person he was before he was shot if I'm remembering correctly. She just didnt really embrace that Jimmy felt changed, and was okay with that, and wanted to be an artist. She just didn't understand him, and they weren't clicking anymore. They could have worked through it but god forbid Degrassi gave Hazel any meaningful or connecting scenes besides her one episode lol. Their relationship was so flat after their initial episode of getting together because of the writers.

[@azzz7279]

@@jfh-dr2xu in “Redemption Song” when Jimmy and Ellie were talking about artsy stuff Hazel tried to join in and engage with the subject and try to understand Jimmy’s love for art . I think they could’ve worked things out if they were given another shot

[@thenFrankiesaid]

aww this is sad. this was a show that changed all of us who were old enough to watch and relate. i started watching because everyone at school swore i looked like Liberty lol. but to see you guys’ own perception of the show makes it sad. i loved Terri and Hazel and i wish they did more with Hazel for sure.

[@WanderlustIndie]

As a black girl I craved the writers would develop that character more...smh

[@MizzReed19]

TERRI I LOVE YOU!!! you were supposed to have come back in the show. Your BEAUTIFUL

[@sewgeekdesigns9113]

Terry being a model made me say hey there’s a company that celebrates our bodies ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@baileymcmillan2313]

I loved both of you on Degrassi and your characters (and y’all as human beings) deserved more than what they got! thank you for sharing your story with us!

[@bigmad3839]

Since being in quarantine I've binged watched every episode of degrassi on Tubi

[@trinigrl09]

I love that Christina convincingly played a character that was so opposite her true nature......that is what a true actress does....If you can only play characters that are like you, you're not really an actress.....kudos to you Christina......

[@karmen9514]

Degrassi talked about real issues. My mom called it a teenage soap 😂 😂. She'd always tell me to do my homework before I started watching my soaps.

[@horrormoviescreamqueen13]

Omg its Hazel! In quarentine im currently rewatching the show. I'm on season 6 and sadly JT just died. I forgot how crazy degrassi got at times... This show was so real and taught so many lessons!!! Thank you!!