Skins
By Melissa Camacho,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Provocative, unflinching portrait of teen life.
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Based on 39 parent reviews
Let's see..uhh...STUPID!
What's the Story?
The American adaptation of SKINS highlights how a group of contemporary teens in Baltimore live their lives in a complicated world. It stars James Newman as Tony, an overly self-confident teen, and his group of friends -- including geeky Stanley (Daniel Flaherty); Tony's girlfriend, Michelle (Rachel Thevenard); free spirit Chris (Jesse Carere); and the rather sex-crazed Abbud (Ron Mustapha). Adding to the fray are straight-laced Daisy (Camille Crescencia-Mills), cheerleader Tea (Sofia Black D'Elia), and the troubled Cadie (Britne Oldford). Tony's younger sister, Eura (Eleanor Zichy), occasionally joins in, too. From crazy antics to difficult personal problems, the teens slowly shed their skins as they come into themselves and move toward adulthood while having lots of fun.
Is It Any Good?
The stateside version of the popular British series recreates the edgy show's original cast of characters and some of the its storylines in a way that successfully combines humor and irreverence with serious topics like child abandonment, peer pressure, divorce, eating disorders, and relationships.
Like its U.K. counterpart, Skins has a lot of heart and attempts to tell an honest story about today's teens. It also presents things like promiscuity, underage drinking, drug abuse, and other inappropriate behavior as normal and, to an extent, acceptable ways of having fun without having to face any real consequences. As a result, it's a show that's best left to older teens who are mature enough to look past the wild antics and sexed-up images presented here and can appreciate the show's deeper messages surrounding friendship, self-image, facing challenges, and the path toward maturity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether Skins offers a realistic view of teen life. Do you think the behavior on display here -- including sex, drinking, and drugs -- is accurate, or is it exaggerated for entertainment? Parents, talk to your teens about the real-life consequences of all of this stuff.
Parents: What surprises you about this show? What makes you uncomfortable? Does it challenge any of your values? How can you use the show as an opportunity to discuss your own values with your teen? Teens: What appeals to you about the show? Do you relate to any of the characters? Have you or anyone you know done the things shown here? What happened?
Teens: Does the fact that the show is controversial make it more appealing? What do you think about parent and media reactions to this show?
Teens: What's the difference between hooking up and having a relationship? What are the potential consequences of hooking up? Are these consequences portrayed on the show? Do you think the show should take a more "responsible" approach to portraying teen sexuality?
Are there any role models in this series? If so, who are they, and what makes them role models? Do you think it's important for TV shows to feature positive role models? Do you recognize any teen stereotypes?
TV Details
- Premiere date: August 17, 2008
- Cast: Daniel Flaherty , James Newman , Rachel Thevenard
- Network: MTV
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: December 11, 2022
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