Parents' Guide to

Skam (Shame)

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Edgy, thoughtful Norwegian teen drama has risky behaviors.

TV YouTube Drama 2015
Skam (Shame) Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

  • SKAM (Shame) TV Show: The girls at school
  • SKAM (Shame) TV Show: The guys checking out the girls
  • SKAM (Shame) TV Show: Romance
  • SKAM (Shame) TV Show: Girls walking and drinking
  • Isak and Even.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Emma L.
Emma L. Adult
November 15, 2020
age 15+

I like this show

I think it’s a pretty great show. I loved how a different character was the focus of every season. It also deals with a lot of issues like race, sexuality and stuff like that which I found interesting. But there is some sex, alcohol and drug use, that’s why I think 15+. But overall I think it has a good message.

This title has:

Great messages
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Lele760
Lele760 Adult
April 10, 2020
age 11+

Amazing

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

SKAM (which means "shame" in English), is an award-winning and internationally popular Norwegian series about the daily lives of high school students attending Oslo's prestigious Hartvig Nissen School. Each season of the series, which went viral in December 2016, follows a different main character, including Eva Kviig Mohn (Lisa Teige), Noora Amalie Saetre (Josefine Fria Pettersen), Isak Valtersen (Tarjei Sandvik Moe), and Sana Bakkoush (Iman Meskini), and weaves these individual stories through vignettes about the friends' and frenemies' lives. It explores a wide-range of social issues, including sexual assault, mental illness, cyberbullying, homosexuality, and religious tolerance. Adding to the fun are a wide range of popular songs in both English and Norwegian, as well as featured one-liners that sum up the overall tone of the episode.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (16 ):

This edgy Norwegian teen drama reflects the realities of modern adolescent life in a relatable and fun way. Like many of its European counterparts, it pushes the envelope when it comes to showing risky behaviors like sex, drinking, and drug use. But it also offers an interesting glimpse into Norwegian life, and the way the culture handles the various issues addressed.

While some of the Norwegian slang doesn't translate well in the subtitles, conversations are about subjects that are easy enough for American teens to understand. Meanwhile, the show's overall themes, which include love, romance, and friendship, are universal. No doubt that teens looking for a fun and interesting series with some grit will find that Skam fits the bill.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about some of the issues addressed in Skam. How do discussions about issues like cyberbullying and Islamophobia in the series differ from what you see in U.S. TV shows? Are there similarities?

  • Is there anything about Norwegian culture and community that surprises you when you watch this show?

  • Shows from other countries, including Skam, often feature risky content that is more explicit than what is shown on U.S. television. Why? Is there any content that is featured stateside that other countries prefer not to show?

TV Details

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