Skins: Teenage Kicks of the Brits

For years us British viewers have been bombarded with US shows that supposedly depict the lives of teenagers and British telly had never been able to compete…until now.

Skins exploded onto British television and into the consciousness of young viewers in late 2006 and early 2007. The raw energy, humour, wit, and intelligence of the show was unbelievable and never seen before. Skins deals with issues such as drugs, sexuality, race and the difficulties of growing up. It’s British youth culture to the max.

The fast-paced energy of Skins mimics the flow of hormones that surge in the blood of real teenagers. The issues and storylines are entertaining yet easy to relate to or emphasize with. The characters are far from the typical one-dimensional entity, with the writers really getting into the minds of the individual they have created, rather than simply having them ‘exist’. The episodes focus on one character, specifically on the issues they are battling with along with how they manage themselves in the real world. Read more