Aside from the fact that Skins is one of the best shows ever put on TV from the U.K., it is even safer to say it’s one of the most impactful and influential series put on TV anywhere, ever, period. Skins ran from 2007 to 2013 spanning sixty-one episodes, and changing characters every two seasons in order to keep things fresh and keep with the basic concept of the show. Each two seasons covers a specific generation of teenagers in their last two years of school before adulthood, and/or potentially attending University. Praised, and criticized, for its raw and gritty take on teen life, Skins is still a show that newer audiences can discover.
Skins takes place in Bristol, England. Think Degrassi, but without the barriers of regular TV. Degrassi is a similar show, with similar concepts, but Skins is a rawer version of teen life that strips everything bare and holds nothing back in telling the stories of the issues teens face daily that are often overlooked or even ignored by the adults in their life. Anything from drugs, sex, depression, mental health, and family issues are covered in this show that fans have come to love and miss since the shows end. The most popular seasons are one through four, which cover two different teenage generations. The first two seasons really set the tone for the show, but seasons three and four take things much darker, with the last two seasons taking things a tad bit lighter than the two former generations.
Skins is fantastically written in every aspect from plot, dialogue, and the character development.
Skins:Redux, which is essentially a seventh season, returns things to an early tone of the show’s first two generations, with wrapping up storylines of some of the more popular characters from those seasons. Redux shows three of the characters at young adult periods of their lives, showing just how problems evolve as everyone gets older. From the first episode to the last, Skins is fantastically written in every aspect from plot, dialogue, and the character development. The show was also a great starting place for up and coming stars that are starting to make waves in the industry such as Nicholas Hoult, Jack O’Connell, Kayla Scodelario, and Dev Patel. The show is for anyone who is a teenager, was one, or who is on their way to being one. It’s a realistic telling of what many have or will potentially someday experience in their youth, and how it shapes people into future adults.
Unfortunately, Skins just left Netflix. The good news is, it is available for online purchase on Amazon Prime or available for free viewing on ‘All 4’. As popular as the show was, take it from those that have seen it, it’s worth the buy. As teen culture is continuously thrust into the spotlight, visit a show that set the standard of truth that Skins told to its audience. If watered down versions of teen life is of higher preference, don’t watch this show. For those that want the edge, Skins is just right.
