What is it about Degrassi that doesn't quite seem right?

I'm a writer working on a pitch and pilot script for a more realistic, down-to-earth teen drama, and the inevitable comparisons to the Degrassi series keep coming up. Now, I've viewed a handful of episodes from different eras of the franchise, and there's some quality about it, that I can't seem to put my finger on, that doesn't ring true. I don't think it's the fact that it's Canadian. The actors don't all seem "too pretty," I wouldn't call the show overly melodramatic, and the show is certainly bolder at tackling issues than the common WB/Fox teen sudser. So, on paper, that's what my partners and I are trying to do (other than the Canadian part). But still, there's something "afterschoolspecialey" about it that I'm trying to avoid for my project, and if I could just articulate what it is, I could make a better case for how and why the show I'm working on would be different. Anyone know what I'm talking about and have some insight as to what's unappealing about Degrassi?