After all the hullabaloo with Skins on MTV in the United States, I was expecting the original British version to really shock me, considering that regulation of racy content in the UK is much more lax (though oddly much more detailed) than in the US. I had completed the entirety of Misfits since we watched it in class, and I thus knew how far programs could really go on shows aimed at youth (it is on E4, after all) and with young actors. Though the actual issues of the episodes of Skins we watched were more challenging and thought-provoking than those in the typical Misfits episode, I was surprised to find the show fairly tame otherwise. This could be mere desensitization, but especially since sponsors of the American version pulled their ads from the show, I thought I was in for some discomfort (and that’s admitting that as a 21-year-old college student). I reckon it gets more overt in its taboos in later episodes, but what I saw for this class didn’t leave me checking over my shoulder to see if my roommates thought I was watching porn or a how-to on drug soliciting. I wondered why the American version got so much flack when the British version seemed more sweet-natured than anything else.
It really seems to me after watching the British Skins that the American version was simply trying too hard to emulate what shock the original did have, sacrificing the integrity of the premise in the process. Thus, the overall effect of the show was lost, and it appeared to be “worse” than it actually was. The original did seem to strive to portray real kids (maybe ones who were a little more extreme than the average high school student, but not by too much). Though I haven’t seen the remake, I gather that it tried to use bad behavior as the main selling point. I remember a number of ads which took criticisms of the show from viewers and TV critics and put them front in center of a photo of cast members taking part in sex, drugs, and/or rock’n’roll. A la:
And just look at the casts.
British:
American:
The American cast photo looks overly stylized, with the characters appearing darker and dirtier, as well as more artificially posed than the British cast flung in a heap. It just seems like we’re trying too hard. Part of the appeal of the original program is how realistic it is with the situations it presents and its authentic portrayal teens. Though I didn’t grow up in the UK, I felt like I knew someone similar to each of the main characters. The American cast photo doesn’t exactly take me back to my high school days. It would have been interesting to see what the American version did with a long run and 22-episode seasons, but it seems best to leave the delicate quality Skins often has (particularly when Cassie is onscreen) to those who can pull it off meaningfully, even amidst binge drinking and the f-word.
I agree, Mary. I don’t know what the original promos for the show were like in the UK, but I doubt the show was pushed based on how edgy it was going to be the way it was in the US. I haven’t seen any of the American version, but I also hadn’t seen any of the UK version before we watched it for class. I had heard of both, however, and that’s where I think the biggest differences are highlighted. What I heard about the UK show was that it was great, tried to deal with real issues, and was just a really solid and entertaining show. What I heard about the US show was that it was shocking…that was about it. I think my first introduction through other people’s reactions really highlights what you’re saying here. The UK version tries, the US version tries too hard.
I think the pictures you put here are terrific because they really distinguish the tone of both shows, at least from a marketing standpoint. I haven’t seen the American version, but can gather from the two American photos here that it’s at least marketed in a much edgier way as you and Brenna both mention. It’s the shock and awe factor that American television often goes for and that’s why I think MTV found Skins to be such an intriguing show for them to remake. While the British version sets out to be both a public service as well as sensational, from what I gather about MTV’s take on the show, it’s all about being sensational. Now I haven’t seen it, so that may be a brash assumption. Nevertheless, while I wasn’t the biggest fan of Skins, I did appreciate the show’s effort to put issues at the forefront in an educational/informative way. I wish more American television would do this.
I really like your comparison of the two cast photos for the series. The American photo is clearly far more “sexy” and stylized than its British counterparts. This is not only in the way that the characters are posed and framed, but is also present in the lighting and make-up that is used to create this “picturesque” still that I could easily see hanging up at Abercrombie or some other teen designer clothes store. On the other hand, the British cast is completely devoid of any make-up, lighting, or even special setting and instead looks like some random picture that a few friends snapped and put on Facebook. I agree with your argument that this difference in advertising is just another extension of how MTV tried to capitalize on the edginess of the show instead of maintaining the honest, real tone of the British series.
Like everyone else has been saying, I really like your comparison of the two shows’ cast photos. The second photo looks like a really bizarre group of rich kids trying to seduce the camera while the first looks like a normal group of teens. I also think it’s interesting how the US advertising positioned the remake. I think there’s definitely a place for this type of show in America. Most “teen” shows consist of thirty year old models playing high schoolers and don’t seem to address many real issues. Like Mary said, Skins wasn’t just being controversial for the sake of it, and really tried to address issues that affect a larger number of teens than people realize. I almost wish an American channel would try to adapt Skins again or create a similar show without pushing the controversy angle so much. I feel like a lot more people would connect with it than the networks realize.