Blueprint Entertainment hopes its college-set The Best Years – now underway in Toronto for Global and The N in the U.S. – will connect with viewers from different age groups, bringing in teens, twentysomethings and those of us for whom school is a distant memory. Something like The O.C.

‘So many people know what it was like to go to college, and if you didn’t go, you know some who did,’ says exec producer Noreen Halpern. ‘Best Years is about those influential years when you’re making decisions that will affect the rest of your life. I think that really appeals to 16-year-olds and 40-year-olds.’

The soapy 13 x 60 drama comes from creator Aaron Martin, the longtime writer of Degrassi: TNG.

He says the show differs from the Degrassi teen franchise – it does not have an ensemble cast and will not do ‘issue’ episodes – but will aim for the same truthfulness in its storytelling.

‘There are no easy answers,’ says Martin, describing the mood of the show. ‘If you do something wrong, terrible things can happen. And if you do them right, amazing things can happen.’

The action takes place in Boston, but is shot in Hamilton, ON, at Toronto Film Studios and at the University of Guelph. Martin exec produces with Halpern and John Morayniss of Blueprint, joined by producers Brenda Greenberg and Wendy Grean.

Grant Harvey, Don McBrearty, Chris Grismer and others have signed to direct. Charity Shea (Scarred) stars with Devon Sylver, Kathryn Klamer and Dawn Vargaz.

Halpern is optimistic the title will sell well overseas, and is looking for a distributor.

‘So much of the stories are about relationships… intrigues, love stories, breakups that appeal to any audience anywhere in the world.’

Blueprint, meanwhile, has begun work on a second season of Whistler and later this month will shoot its pilot for Nobody – a drama for ABC Family from Kevin Murphy (Desperate Housewives) – in Vancouver.