Okay, Whitney, this is for you. Let's talk about Degrassi Junior High! Long before college at Western, when, for some of us, our exposure to Canada became (sadly) mostly about stumbling towards sticky-floored border bars with names like "China Beach " and "Cheers;" real, authentic Canadian life came to us via this serious teenage drama. And when I say "serious," I mean serious. It was like a series made up entirely of after-school-specials. Those kids barely made it out of there alive. No serious issue went untouched. While our beloved Saved By the Bell did deal with its oil spills and drug addiction, it was just no contest when it came to the seriousness that was Degrassi. At Degrassi, the bully got AIDS! Becky the duck wouldn't last five minutes in those hallways.

What I remember most is Stephanie Kaye, the girl who comes to school every morning in a preppy, wholesome outfit and then sneaks into the bathroom to change into some sort of Jem and the Holograms get-up before class. I also loved, "Spike," a girl with amazing hair who becomes pregnant at 14. She was really strong, but the dad, Shane, was constantly strugggling with his new responsibility. I found this great quote on a website called, Degrassi Online that synopsized: "When Emma was born, Spike had to find the time to juggle school and take care of her baby. Shane wanted to be involved, and asked if he could help out with child support. He later missed out in payments to go see the Gourmet Scum concert, and later took acid, and jumped off a bridge, leaving permanent head injuries." Classic Degrassi. The kid can't just like, drink and drive. He has to launch himself off a bridge.

I was also amazed by the fact that there was a character with the name "Caitlin" on the show, because I grew up not knowing anyone with my name. That was before the country became overrun with Caitlins; I mean, you can't swing a bat in an elementary school without knocking over fifteen. By the way, what are you doing bringing a bat in there? Wait, are you on acid, like Shane?

That brings us to Joey Jeremiah. The kid in the hat. Who, by the way, is on Degrassi: The Next Generation. My favorite part is that the show is all about Emma, Spike's baby! The circle is complete.