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Marco deals with his sexuality as early as the second season. But it is not until season three that his character discovers he has a crush on--and starts dating--one of his classmate's older brothers, Dylan. Ironically, Dylan is big hockey star; out, proud and ready to take on anyone that might try to mess with him.

“We wanted Dylan to be comfortable in his own skin,” says Hurst. “We wanted him to be a kind of role model for Marco, for gay kids in general.” Hurst understands that coming out in high school is “brutal” but sees Dylan as an emblem of what it can yield. “When you get through that you might come out the other side happier and more confident and fully formed,” says Hurst. “That's Dylan.”

Still, the character is far more than a poster boy. “He's not perfect, adds Hurst . “He's a big slob and a bit of a slut at heart, but he loves Marco and wants to make it work .”

And the work that they face isn't specific to gay couples. “A lot of the storylines involving the relationship of Marco and Dylan cover universal themes of heartbreak, jealousy, etc., that are present in any relationship,” says Yorke.

Dylan goes off to college and Marco discovers him making out with a classmate in the dorm, forcing the star-crossed lovers to realize love might not be enough. Indeed, they decide to split up. The show then segues into a larger discussion of non-monogamy with Marco and his friends.

“It's a relationship issue,” explains Yorke. “Not just a gay issue. When conceiving of a Marco/Dylan episode, we think of it in terms of any relationship. Obviously, there are some unique challenges, but at the core, love is love.”

As for the actors themselves, Ruggerio hasn't confirmed his sexuality one way or the other. But Bregar told The Advocate, “I'm a straight actor playing gay.” Most fans don't care one way or the other, although Ruggerio has been the target of some name-calling. When he does hear from viewers, however, it's positive far more often than not with his having received hundreds of letters from gay kids thrilled to see themselves represented on the television.

And, in season five, it's not only gay teenage boys who have seen themselves on Degrassi. Lesbians have avidly followed the burgeoning relationship between two girls, Paige and Alex. Unlike the sexual innuendos about Marco and Dylan's relationship, the Paige and Alex connection was a little fuzzy.

“It was more a matter of negotiating the murky waters of defining one's self in the high school jungle, rather than what goes on behind closed doors,” says Yorke.

“We didn't want to be too salacious,” agrees Hurst. “We wanted to let them be happy and do their thing. Alex is a confirmed lesbian and may have a new girlfriend down the line. Paige is, like most people, interested in love wherever she can find it.”

It's this sensibility that has won praise from critics and viewers, gay and straight, alike. Degrassi has received nods from the GLAAD Media Awareness Awards as well as winning the award for Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming from the Television Critics Association in 2005.

SPOILER ALERT

Although season five (still airing on The N in the U.S.) has concluded in Canada, the Degrassi obsessed should stop reading here as there is this juicy spoiler ahead: Marco will reconnect with-you guessed it--Dylan, who has come back from being away at university. He admits that he is still in love with--and needs to be with--Marco.

Allowing Degrassi to again prove that gay teenagers are mostly just like their straight counterparts.

For more information on the show, visit The N

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