Skins, a new MTV show adapted from the British teen drama by the same name, garnered a lot of media attention when it first aired. It was touted as salacious, irresponsible and dangerous to today's teens. From all of the negative press it received from watchful parents' associations, I thought I was in for a tawdry treat. Instead, I was left extremely disappointed. For all of its attempts to shock viewers, the American remake bores because of a lack of emotional complexity and bland storytelling.
The first episode focuses on Tony (James Newman), the show's amoral protagonist. The entire hour revolves around his attempts to help his best friend Stanley - who embodies the stereotypical teen loser - lose his virginity. The whole cast is introduced in the first few minutes through a series of phone calls Tony makes inviting them to a party, a scene which makes it difficult to remember most of the characters.
Complications within the group are evident during the opening minutes. First, Stanley is in love with Tony's girlfriend, and it is apparent to everyone, including Tony. Second, Stanley has been goaded into purchasing drugs to sell at the party, but no one is buying. The party is a classic mansion affair, and Tony, who embodies the overlooked suburban teen, manages to snag an invite while auditioning for a male part in an all girls' choir - an unrealistic occurrence in a show that boasts realism.
The party, which brings together the haves and have-nots, escalates into a contrived melee, and our group leaves in a car they have stolen from one of the other guests. After the parking brake is mysteriously released, the stolen SUV rolls into a river, taking with it the $900 worth of marijuana inside. At the end of the episode, Stanley is still a virgin, but now owes a terrifying drug dealer $900. I was left wondering why I'm supposed to care.
The plot lines are outrageous but could be believable if played with sincerity. Unfortunately, they are not. While the lead actors seem to have the basics of acting down, the supporting cast appears incapable of doing anything other than smirking or looking bored for the entire episode. Newman, as the show's main character, is certainly pretty, but ultimately cannot single-handedly carry the show.
There is too much riding on untrained actors, and as a result, the show lacks depth, emotion, and is, quite frankly, boring. I was not invested in any of the characters, and I don't think the actors were either. Skins is just another show lost in translation; if you are looking for a controversial teen soap fix, save yourself some time and check out the British version instead.
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