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LONG BEFORE our televisions sets played host to channels like Nickelodeon, we got our fill of teen drama from something called The Children’s Channel, also known as TCC.
With years to go before we’d be introduced to presenters, Moonya and Yolanda, and long before Sister Sister and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch entered our lives, we binge-watched a variety of oft-forgotten teen programmes.
Arguably edgier and slightly more controversial than their successors, these shows gave 90s kids in Ireland an insight into teen life in places as far-flung as Australia and Canada, and we couldn’t get enough.
Here are just a handful…
1. Heartbreak High
Set in Sydney in the mid 90s, Heartbreak High followed the exploits of a group of teenagers attending Hartley High.
A departure from some of the more saccharine shows aimed at adolescents, Heartbreak High was a grittier, arguably more realistic depiction of teenage life.
Madison was where we were first introduced to Michelle Beaudoin, who would go on to play Sabrina’s best friend, Jenny, in the first season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Set in a Canadian high school, the show ran from 1993 to 1997, and followed the characters even after their graduation from high school.
4. Degrassi Junior High
From child abuse to teen pregnancy, this Canadian offering didn’t shy away from topics affecting teens.
Given the fact the show originally aired between 1987 and 1989, its aesthetic seemed relatively dated to many 90s viewers, but the storylines had us on the edge of our seats.
Easily the tamest of teen offerings on TCC, Pugwall followed Peter Unwin George Wall as he navigated teen life as the frontman of a neighbourhood band.
Mad about bandmate Jennie and repulsed by sister Marmaloid, life is a series of ups and downs for good ol’ Pugwall.
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Sunday 29 December, 2024
Sunday 29 December, 2024
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5 teen dramas you watched on TCC long before Nickelodeon landed on these shores
LONG BEFORE our televisions sets played host to channels like Nickelodeon, we got our fill of teen drama from something called The Children’s Channel, also known as TCC.
With years to go before we’d be introduced to presenters, Moonya and Yolanda, and long before Sister Sister and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch entered our lives, we binge-watched a variety of oft-forgotten teen programmes.
Arguably edgier and slightly more controversial than their successors, these shows gave 90s kids in Ireland an insight into teen life in places as far-flung as Australia and Canada, and we couldn’t get enough.
Here are just a handful…
1. Heartbreak High
Set in Sydney in the mid 90s, Heartbreak High followed the exploits of a group of teenagers attending Hartley High.
A departure from some of the more saccharine shows aimed at adolescents, Heartbreak High was a grittier, arguably more realistic depiction of teenage life.
2. Ready or Not
Following the exploits of best friends Busy and Amanda, this Toronto-based teen drama covered a variety of topics; from body-shaming to miscarriage.
Running between 1993 and 1997, the show’s arc ended when Amanda moved and left her best friend to navigate teen life without her.
3. Madison
Madison was where we were first introduced to Michelle Beaudoin, who would go on to play Sabrina’s best friend, Jenny, in the first season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Set in a Canadian high school, the show ran from 1993 to 1997, and followed the characters even after their graduation from high school.
4. Degrassi Junior High
From child abuse to teen pregnancy, this Canadian offering didn’t shy away from topics affecting teens.
Given the fact the show originally aired between 1987 and 1989, its aesthetic seemed relatively dated to many 90s viewers, but the storylines had us on the edge of our seats.
5. Pugwall
Easily the tamest of teen offerings on TCC, Pugwall followed Peter Unwin George Wall as he navigated teen life as the frontman of a neighbourhood band.
Mad about bandmate Jennie and repulsed by sister Marmaloid, life is a series of ups and downs for good ol’ Pugwall.
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TCC Teen Dramz The Children's Channel