The Skinny on "Skins"

The Skinny on "Skins"

I recall visiting England in 1978. Even then, although located only about 3,500 miles to our east, England was light years ahead of the United States in terms of its oh-so- advanced, progressive culture.

As “All in the Family,” based on a Brit sitcom, was nearing the end of its run here after years of controversy over the show’s then-shocking sex references and such never-before-heard sounds on television as Archie flushing an upstairs toilet, Britain’s BBC featured what would have shocked the socks off American TV censors, full-frontal nudity.

Today we have another export from across the Pond which is anything but a sitcom, the award-winning–in Britain which loves conferring awards–teen drama, ”Skins.” That telly gem gave birth this month to the Viacom-MTV series of the same name which deals with similar themes of teenage angst in the twenty-first century.

Both the Brit and American “Skins” are a far cry from “Ozzie and Harriet” or even “Friends.” The website for the U.S. version, http://www.skins.tv/, gives a bare inkling as to the essence of the show although it does clearly demonstrate the meaning of the title. “Skins” features lots of skin, teenage skin.

The 5 episodes of Series One include dysfunctional characters aged 15-19 involved with and engaged in everything from a few common and normal situations to significantly dysfunctional interests and activities.

Eating disorders, violence, illicit drugs, alcohol, hallucinations, abandonment, divorce, suicide, over-dosing, masturbation, sexual assault and seduction earned “Skins” an TV-MA rating. Dollops of underage nudity were added to insure that enough young people would ignore that restriction and tune in to make “Skins” a hit.

It’s that nudity, child pornography, set to air January 31st in the third episode, which will insure the show will bomb in its American venue. . .
(Read more at http://www.genelalor.com/blog1/?p=3482)