American-adapted series catches heat for content, fails to live up to original
MTV has a reputation of airing shows that deal with teen extremes.
With an American adaptation of “Skins,” the network has achieved another extreme: serving up the worst teen show on television.
It’s not like MTV doesn’t already have plenty of crappy shows on air. Or, maybe MTV is so desperate for attention that it decided to broadcast a show with sex and drug-crazed teenagers. Well, it just might have gotten the attention it were looking for, with reports of the network breaking child pornography laws.
For those who don’t know, “Skins” started as somewhat of an experimental show created by father and son television writers, Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain. The British show was bolstered by young writers about the same age as the inexperienced teenagers who act in the show. Since the first season, the show gained considerable controversy for scenes tied to sex and substance abuse. Now, the show has been Americanized, inadequately carried out and filled with terrible acting, embellished dialogue and lifeless characters.
The premiere episode introduces one of the show’s main characters Tony (James Newman), a cocky teenager who promenades around manipulating situations. In others words, he is the kind who unrealistically gets away with way too much. He focuses on helping his luckless, stoned friend Stanley (Daniel Flaherty) lose his virginity. Stanley secretly has a crush on the melancholy Michelle (Rachel Thevenard), Tony’s girlfriend. Unfortunately, Tony offers up the troubled, drug-abusing Cadie (Britne Oldford), who has so little self-respect that she is willing to do anything.
The original British version of “Skins” has a certain grit and charm that is viewable, but it’s almost like the show hit an iceberg while traveling across the Atlantic. Considering Americans are very straitlaced when it comes to television, it probably would have been better for the entire show to sink along with the charm and grit. While the original comes off as comical and full of likable talent, it looks more like “Gossip Girl” on cocaine here in America.
The script of the American “Skins” is copied line-for-line from the British version. However, the dialogue only pushes every scene further over-the-top.
What’s even worse about this show is the poorly written characters. Every girl has the “I Love You, Beth Cooper” (2009) problem: They act completely promiscuous throughout the entire show and are either drunk or hopped up on pills half of each episode. The male characters behave as if they are completely stoned or drunk most of the time as well. Also, the adults in this show are moronic and show very little control over their kids. In fact, the adults are so caricatured you’d think that this was a live-action Charlie Brown show.
It’s like the result of teens being left alone for a weekend.
This show could have been less of a nightmare if MTV had gone with the usual routine of hiring experienced young actors to play even younger characters. The creators should have thought about all of those classic American teen films like “The Breakfast Club” (1985) and “American Pie” (1999), when teen stories were presented more skillfully.
Creating an Americanized version of “Skins” was a horrific idea before MTV even picked up the suggestion. Absolutely horrible teen shows like this make me yearn for John Hughes to rise from the dead. “Skins” officially exceeds shows like “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “Jersey Shore” at being the worst currently on television.
Despite all of this, the show will disappointingly become a hit based on what today’s generation of teenagers prefer to watch.
