Skins (U.K.)

Skins is an unflinching look at the complicated world of an upper-middle class British teenager's life. Each episode focuses on a single character and explores some of the issues that teens face as they approach adulthood -- like coping with intense peer pressure and dealing with feelings of inadequacy, abandonment, and betrayal. But in order to appreciate these themes, viewers must be able to look beyond the risky behavior that some of the young characters engage in. From sex to drug use, these activities are presented as both expected and accepted parts of their daily lives -- and most of them have few consequences. As a result, it's sometimes hard to tell whether the teens' actions complement the deeper and more meaningful storylines or are included gratuitously to entice would-be audiences. It also leaves you wondering whether you should be rooting for them or wishing that they'd get caught and ultimately learn some important lessons about growing up

Obviously, the show's mature content rules it out for kids and makes it pretty iffy even for teens. But for mature viewers, the series does offer well-written, often funny entertainment. Though not always likable, the characters are well developed and emotionally genuine. The storylines also cleverly blend the lives of various adult characters into the ongoing teen narratives, which often makes what some of these teens are going through more poignant, funny, and/or disturbing. And throughout it all, the teens characters remain close and loyal. If you're comfortable with (or can look beyond) the stronger content, this British import's focus on friendship certainly has something to say.