Ahonaho High

Ahonaho High, known as Ahonaho Junior High for the first two seasons and seasons five and six, is an Arolan teen drama series that premiered on CTV on October 23, 2015 and concluded on June 13, 2022.

The series revolves around a group of middle and high school students in the fictional Ahonaho suburb. The series takes place in two schools in the suburb, Koivupelto Junior High School and Haisulehto High School. Each episode tackles school events and issues such as bullying, crushes, friendship and backstabbing.

Ahonaho High is the most successful drama series for CTV since the channel’s flagship soap opera, Glory in our Fatherland, ended in 2009. The series has spawned a feature-length film on and a sequel television series, Ahonaho University.

Premise
The first two seasons of Ahonaho High revolves a middle school student Cerise Salmela (Aria Gurtchev) and her friends, as they navigate major challenges in the way and learn how to move on and grow up. However, things take a turn as they start high school in Haisulehto (season 3) and the events they face get more climatic and dramatic as they advance into graduation and part ways.

In season 5, Cerise’s younger sister Lani (Scarlett Gurtchev) starts junior high school at Koivupelto and has formed a squad of newfound friends.

Main

 * Aria Gurtchev as Cerise Salmela (seasons 1-4, recurring seasons 5-6): The main protagonist in the first four seasons, who attends Koivupelto Junior High and Haisulehto High with her friends Jeremy and Ava.
 * Scarlett Gurtchev as Lani Salmela (recurring season 2-4, seasons 5-8): Cerise’s younger sister. She takes over as series lead in season 5 and carries on her sister’s legacy.
 * Anttoni Honkanen as Jeremy Olausson (seasons 1-4): Cerise’s childhood friend from elementary school
 * Rachel Waris as Ava Laitinen (seasons 1-4, recurring season 7): Cerise’s new friend who moved from Uilo and member of the school’s dance club
 * Elina Koponen as Kyra Kokko (seasons 5-8): Lani’s overachieving friend and one-time student leader
 * Alex Kivi as Chandler Siltala (seasons 5-8): Lani’s good friend and social media influencer
 * Nicole Gonzales as Elise Chavez (recurring season 6, seasons 7-8): A transfer student who aspires to be a Eurodance singer whom Lani befriends

Adults

 * Stanford Saarela-Jenson as Arnold Somerkoski (seasons 1-2, recurring season 4): Cerise and her friends’ teacher at Koivupelto Junior High who gives them life lessons
 * Nina Kapanen as Michelle Hakala (seasons 3-4, recurring seasons 6-8): A witty but thoughtful English teacher who Cerise befriends. In later seasons, Hakala becomes a counsellor in the After-School Program by guiding Lani.
 * Peter Lloyd as Horace Laurila (season 1, recurring seasons 2, 5-7): The authoritarian principal of Koivupelto Junior High who dislikes parties. In season 5, Laurila becomes the superintendent of the Ahonaho School Board.

Production
Ahonaho High was conceived in late 2013 by Ralf Ikonen, recalling shared past experiences of his adult daughter and with some inspiration from the Canadian teen drama franchise. Production commenced in May 2014 and season one was officially completed and wrapped up in March the following year. The first season of Ahonaho High premiered on Friday, October 23, 2015 on CTV at 4.00pm. Subsequent episodes would premiere on select Fridays at 4.30pm thereafter.

After the first four seasons were broadcast, CTV moved the series to CTV All Access (now Paramount+) for the next few seasons. All 12 season five episodes premiered on February 4, 2019. Production on the seventh and eighth seasons were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Arola, which impacted principal photography. In August 2020, after filming wrapped on the seventh season, creator Ralf Ikonen affirmed that the eighth season would be the last, which premiered on June 13, 2022. The eighth season was also the first to premiere on CTV's new sister channel CTV2.

Ahonaho High was made available on CTV.com a day after each episode premiered from October 24, 2015. The first four seasons, subtitled Arc 1 in international markets, were made available on Netflix worldwide on October 29, 2018.

Sequels
On August 19, 2022, following the release of the eighth and final season, Ralf Ikonen announced via his Twitter account that a sequel feature-length film and spin-off television series for were in development.

Film
In January 2023, Ahonaho High: The Movie was revealed as a musical film. It was released on June 30, 2023 on Paramount+. The film takes place immediately after the eighth season of Ahonaho High, where Cerise and Lani attempt to launch Elise Chavez’s career in the United States.

Spin-off series
A spin-off streaming television series titled Ahonaho University premiered on Paramount+ on December 15, 2023. The series takes place after the events of Ahonaho High: The Movie and follows Lani’s university life and Cerise’s new relationship with Ryan Mattila.