The sheer volume of content Netflix provides for just a few dollars a month is staggering. But what makes Netflix truly unique is its commitment towards increasing an already extensive library of exclusive and compelling content. In addition to original shows like House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black, Netflix has also been known to revive cancelled shows, with Arrested Development being the most prominent example.
Looking ahead, Netflix’s stable of exclusive content is about to get that much bigger with news that the company picked up the recently cancelled Canadian teen drama Degrassi, itself a generational offshoot of the iconic Degrassi Junior High which had a successful run during the late 80s and early 90s.
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Under the Netflix umbrella, the series will be called Degrasi: Next Class, with the first block of new episodes slated to arrive in 2016.
But Netflix isn’t stopping there. The company also has plans to bolster its selection of children’s shows with four new animated series: Tarzan and Jane, An Army of Frogs, Puffin Rock, and Cirque du Soleil Luna Petunia.
Both Tarazan and Jane and An Army of Frogs will be action adventure shows targeted for older kids while the other two shows are geared more for pre-schoolers.
All together, it’s clear that Netflix has grand plans to get viewers in all age groups, from pre-schoolers to teens to adults, hooked on the Netflix ecosystem.
The plot synopses for the aforementioned shows, courtesy of Variety, reads as follows:
“Cirque du Soleil Luna Petunia” (to debut fall 2016): Preschool series from Saban Brands and Cirque du Soleil Média chronicles the adventures of Luna Petunia, a girl who lives in our world but plays in a dreamland where she learns how to make the impossible possible. The first season of 11 episodes will premiere worldwide exclusively on Netflix, kicking off a franchise rollout that will include a consumer products line, interactive digital content and a potential live tour.
“Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan and Jane” (second half of 2016): In modern-day remake of the classic characters, 16-year-old Tarzan returns from the African jungle to a London boarding school where he meets Jane, who helps him solve environmental injustice, crimes and mysteries. The eight-episode season comes from 41 Entertainment and executive producer Avi Arad (which are also developing “Kong – King of the Apes” original series and feature-length film for Netflix) with animation from ARC Prods.
“Kulipari: An Army of Frogs” (2016): Based on the trilogy of books by NFL star Trevor Pryce that were inspired by his childhood fear of frogs. The series targets grade-school boys and follows poisonous frogs, scorpions and spiders who must go to war to ensure their power and the survival of their entire world. The 13-episode season, produced by Splash Entertainment and Outlook Company, will premiere worldwide exclusively on Netflix in 2016.
“Puffin Rock” (Sept. 1, 2015, in major markets): Set on an island off the coast of Ireland, series revolves around charismatic and plucky young puffling Oona, who with her curious little brother Baba explores a diverse array of sea, sky, land and underground creatures. Actor Chris O’Dowd narrates the English-language version of the series, from Penguin Random House Children’s, Dog Ears and animation studio Cartoon Saloon. The 13-episode season premieres exclusively on Netflix in the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Benelux, France and Germany in September, and with other Netflix territories to follow at a later date.
And speaking of original Netflix content, be on the lookout for the July 17 premiere of Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, a series based off of the David Wain directed cult classic film of the same name.
