An article in the Thursday, October 2, 2025 edition of the Williams Lake Tribune offers a reminder of just how dominant Degrassi was in the Canadian television landscape of the 1990s—while also revealing a direct connection to the Next Generation era.
The feature profiles Indigenous filmmaker and actor Darrell Dennis in connection with his film Sweet Summer Pow Wow. While discussing his early career, the article references his breakout role in the ’90s CBC teen drama Northwood, defining that series explicitly through its competitive relationship with Degrassi:
“At 17 years old, Dennis was cast as Brian Potter in the ’90s CBC teen drama Northwood, which took the original time slot for Degrassi.”
From Rival to Guest Star
For historians of Canadian television, the quote highlights the period following the end of Degrassi High in 1991, when CBC attempted to capture the same youth audience with Northwood. Though positioned as a competitor at the time, Darrell Dennis would later become part of the Degrassi universe himself.
Dennis guest-starred in Degrassi: The Next Generation during Season 8, appearing as a Detective in the episode “Heat of the Moment” (S08E12). His appearance occurred during the storyline in which Peter Stone forms a hate group targeting Holly J. Sinclair—bringing Dennis full circle from filling Degrassi’s former time slot to appearing on the series itself.
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