January 28th, 2011
03:18 PM ET
What's up with 'Skins'?Despite losing more than half its viewers, not to mention a handful of advertisers, MTV’s “Skins” is staying put. After its debut episode reeled in about 3.3 million viewers, the controversial series plummeted - only 1.6 million viewers tuned in the following week. EW even conceived a list of possible reasons for the drop in ratings, citing the fact that its “premiere had a 7-million-plus lead-in from an original episode of 'Jersey Shore.'” But it wasn’t just audiences who jumped ship. At least five of the series’ advertisers - including Subway, H&R Block, GM, Wrigley and Taco Bell - have taken steps to ensure their ads don’t run during the program. “We’ve decided that the show is not a fit for our brand and have moved our advertising to other MTV programming,” a spokesperson from Taco Bell told CNN. MTV’s Nathaniel Brown recently put rumors of cancellation to rest, saying, “ ‘Skins’ has earned the loyalty of fans across the globe for its thoughtful and honest portrayal of teen life today. An internationally acclaimed scripted drama, the show has been honored with a long list of prestigious awards. MTV stands by the US adaptation of ‘Skins’ and the vision of its creator Bryan Elsley.” What do you think about the series? Were you one of the 1.6 million viewers who stuck around? Or did you ditch the drama after week one?
« Previous entryBreak-up to make-up on the 'Jersey Shore'
 |
  About this blog
Our daily cheat-sheet for breaking celebrity news, Hollywood buzz and your pop-culture obsessions.  |
As Raunchy as it may be – it closely resembled my high school years. And I don't know about everyone else, but our school partied together as a unit. There were a couple different cliques but for the most part you'd run into the same people. I'd almost say High school was better than college.
While the acting is not ... great... the concept of the show is refreshing. Well written scripted teenage drama that strays from the "Saved by the Bell" approach every other teen series follows. Teenagers do make mistakes, often successfully covering them up from their uninvolved parents, and there are sometimes minimal immediate consequences. That's life, whether to the extreme the show takes it or just a kid staying out 15 minutes past curfew and sneaking quietly into bed. I'm glad the much watered-down version of the UK series is still controversial enough to keep things interesting and cause so much uproar here in the US. Good job MTV! Keep at it! Only please find better actors. 🙂
It may not be the life of all teenagers but it does show how some are. I mean look I'm a senior in highschool with a 4.1 GPA and I've never done any of this but I do enjoy this show very much.
COMPLETE JUNK!
MTV has clearly lost its way.
great show! haters are lame as are moralists. great show
Ditch this trash. It is unworthly to be broadcast.
Let's party down. Lines, nugs, booze...I love it all. It is so hot! This show is hot! I am so hot!! Booze it up! -Paris
Trash trash trash.. these kids are trash.. And I'm just as old as they are.. but I'll be running a company one day while they're shooting up in some bathroom stall.. talk about pure and utter trash
it shows the life of a group of teens it doesnt represent the entire youth of america, some people live like they do on this show if not worse and still have successful fufilling lives i can't believe the ignorence in some of these posts. if you dont like it dont watch it, and all you parents who are worried about their kids watching it shouldnt because if you've raised them well they should be able to choose between right and wrong by themselves and shouldnt be making life decisions based on what they see on tv.
I watched the first episode & I loved it, but a whole lot of shows I watch come on on mondays. So now I record skins, I'm still loyal to the show, but I might not tune in on some Monday's.
You's one kooky broad
What was up with the space shutal taking off
O realy try bread in a high school caf before they take me some where eals to hill me due to lack of air that everyone knew everything wawawawawawa
That's realy sick all because I don't have a GED or High school deploma
Skins is no worse then DeGrassi High. Give me a break. Same story lines, same type of kitch actors. Skins is hot. that is the difference. My only complaint about Skins is that in two weeks they covered more topics than should have been covered in 6 episodes.
lets stop eating taco bell!!! i would be chain to a chair to watch skins any day then eat taco bell now thats garabage!!!
Honestly kids are doing this in America, but we should not focus our "morals" on the show smh smh lets stop terrorism , racism even big brother lol but all honesty this show is awesome if they were to cancel a scripted show key word scripted then they should cancel jersey show which is "reality" if you want to save our youth!! i think thats only right!! by the way both shows are good!
Other than its obvious failed attempt at pushing the envelope, its just a really bad show. The acting is embarrassing to watch and the script is unnatural. This wasn't calculated accurately. I'm glad its flopping. It's morally questionable what producers are doing here.
I love to see people pop off on these blog articles. It is so hot!! It makes me want to toot some lines and get craaaazy! Let's party down with more rude back-n-forth entries. C'mon. Keep it real. Booze it up. -Paris
Hey HAD ENOUGH. Take the caps lock off and stop spewing nonsense. Your ramblings are annoying and gay! You are a fruit. Wanna do some blow? Booze it up!! -Paris
Dumb show. Saw it in a bar with the volume off...every time I looked at the screen, someone was on a cell phone. How profound. If I wanted to see that, all I have to do is find my kid.
This is the same premise as "Kids". So what's new here?
I remember when MTV used to be a cool place to go: the contests couldn't be beat and neither could the music videos.
Still waiting for MTV to start showing "Ren N Stimpy" again....:(
I love you just for your references alone. Ren and Stimpy... ha!
I love uk skins because as an adult I see myslef in charracters in every season. I saw myself in the ackward syd who had parents with parents issues. As a person who with extreme learning disabilities which has resulted in social ackwardness and over protective parents I saw myself in JJ with Aspergers syndrom. The problem with the US skins i dont see myself in any of these schmucks.
I think it is an accurate portrayal of today's American teen. I don't like that fact but it's the truth. It's sad. We live in a free country so there is nothing we can do about it. There are v chips and many other resources to use if you don't want your kids watching. It's called the power button. Be a parent and make sure your kids don't watch if you font like it.
Can I score some white from one of you clowns? Meet me on the corner of Wishire and Brea and we can make things happen. Let's party down and booze it up!! -Paris
The omly thing it has going for it is its controversey. It is a sophmoric and unrealistic adaptation of teens trying to act like 20 somethings. YAWN!
Brit version was much better, highbrow art and not about shock value.
Did I mention that I need to be the center of attention. This show should feature my antics. These punks on SKINS got nothing on me. I am so hot! I love to do stupid things that get me in trouble. -Paris
Not so sure such a strict adaptation works. Do most US Teens really listen to drum 'n' bass? The UK version is much more sincere to the culture there. I think if this first episode was more commonplace (I mean, how many all-girls schools are in the US, really?) more viewers would stick around. Hopefully they can redeem this before the end of the season.
I really think this show is hot! It makes me want to toot massive amounts of lines and party down. Did I mention this show is hot! Totally my style!! -Paris
I think the public has voted by no longer watching....and the sponsors are no dummies....they are not running there ads because they know this is a bomb. Mtv already invested too much money to pull the plug but will need to cut its losses soon enough. The only idiots still watching are the poor suckers who believe all the pr hype and anyone who works for mtv or this show. Would be surprised they are the few defending this show on this blog.....lame.
I am happy to report that ALL of my students (I teach middle school), thought this show was not only boring and dumb, but completely inaccurate. Whether Gossip Girl or Skins, MTV continuely fails to capture the reality of teen lives in America (Sorry, Teem Mom don;t cut it either). This is not real. It might be real in the United Kingdom, which is why I thank the almighty stars every day that I am not living in that culture. By and large, our kids may have problems, but this show does not say anything truthful about the problems they face. Our kids are not interested in emulating the phony faux-adult make believe lives of a world that exists only in the minds of programming executives in New York or Taylor Momsen who also does not speak or reflect the zeitgeist of our children's lives. Let the British enjoy their filth as they always do.
they are all just trailer trash kids with rich parents. its like a real housewives of LA for spoiled teens.
i agree with you 100 percent joy. we dont act that way in mexico. my mom would bash my head in if i acted like that. plus they all look like rich kids. who eveen dresses like that? it is a fake show for paris hilton wannabees
This show is trash. All teens dont live like this.
for those of t
for those of you new to the planet there is a button on the remote that says "power" and if you press it ypur tv turns off. i suggest you try it and open a book or nook or whatever, as i did, rather than let raw sewage trickle inro your grey matter.
Why watch jersey shores,but not skins. People need to be open and realistic towards teen lives. Other countries are
I hope they show boobies.
This version sucked!the England version is way better.
2 things (3 if grammer nazis are lurking) 1. Yes this show is what the years of 15-25 consist of, if you disagree then you were not invited to the party. 2. if you think the british version of anything is superior eat it
I watched the British version found it to be fairly accurate of my teen years! For the record that was in Lexington, KY late 80's. Shows based on realities of actual life experiences freak out those that can't remember what it was like to be young. They are afraid it may give their children ideals...like they can control or protect the young mind...Goodluck with that!
I like Skins and I am glad to see it stay on the air.
I missed the second episode, but watched it on the mtv website later. I think its a really great show. Although its not entirely realistic, most teens do something just a crazy at least once in their lives. those who don't believe it happens either aren't "living" or are parents of teens just like the ones on the show!
YOU GO ARIZONA !!! IF SOMEONE IN THIS COUNTRY DOESNT TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE "ILLEGAL" IMMIGRANT SITUATION WE ARE GOING TO BE "OVER RUN" OUR PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS ARENT GOING TO DO "ANYTHING" ALL THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT IS THE "VOTE" NEVERMIND THE CONDITION OF OUR COUNTRY AS LONG AS THEY GET THIER "PRESHIOUS VOTE" YOU DO IT ""ARIZONA"" !!!!
Give me a show where the actors dont know they're being filmed. That's reality! When one knows he's on camera, he's gonna act a certain way.
The premiere episode that aired in January was the first episode that I had ever watched. I was quite intrigued. However, it's hard to believe that Skins is a portrayal of the life of today's teens. If it is... Skins should not serve as just entertainment but a very serious wake-up call! As of right now the show is good entertainment. But I can easily see myself not watching. Who is the intended audience, teens or adults? I certainly wouldn't want any teen I know to watch the show. They certainly would get too many ideas!
I miss when mtv played all music
This may be just like high school..maybe 2% of students. Another word for these kids would be losers. Portraying it on MTV will just create a bigger percentage of losers. What a wonderful world this is becoming. It really portrays those trashy kids that get pregnant or do drugs or drop out of high school. If these kids are our future, thank goodness the world is ending in 2012.
I just find it amusing that there is such a firestorm over the 'tawdry' and shocking aspects of this show (which happens to air on a cable station) while the #1 show in the country is the lowest common denominator crass nonsense of 2 1/2 Men ( which airs in prime time on regular tv). Charlie Sheen, rolemodel for our kids?
MTV lost me about 1991, thats when I hit 21, had a job, and matured. MTV has regressed in many ways.
As a teenager, I can pretty comfortably say that not one of us lives like that. I just want MTV to move back to music.
UK Skins is a really great show! The cast of the first generation could sing and even dance. And all the actors in both casts could ACT. As an American I found this shocking. Talented actors! Creative writers who create complex, interesting characters! I enjoyed this show despite my lack of understanding of British slang. US Skins in contrast just left me flat.
I love this show!!!!
The Taco Bell Spokesperson “We’ve decided that the show is not a fit for our brand and have moved our advertising to other MTV programming.” LOL!
Taco Bell sells nothing but disgusting garbage. Who cares what is fit for their brand. I knew some shady people who worked for Taco Bell. Just knowing what disgusting things those employees did makes me want to barf. What ever fast food place those people worked at, I never ate at.
If Taco Bell allows filthy people like that to work at their chain, I am not going to be too concerned what they have to say about a television show.
Who watches MTV anyway?
Skins is a little exaggerated, but teenagers today are absolutely engaging in those types of activities. UK version is exponentially better though.
The American version of skins is terrible, if you want to see the true version you need to watch the original British version. Now that is a great show!
I have not seen Skins yet. But it sounds pretty realistic to me. People who think kids are not partying like this are in denial.
I haven't seen it either, I don't watch any of that crap on tv. Sounds good though. If moms hate it, its a classic. What the F ntMc? Seems like you got some wacky treats
Omgoodness! Pathetic !
I never watched after about fifteen min. The portrayal of teens in this show disgusted me ! I feel it represents a very small percentage of teens ! What does their activities on this show say about the parenting they have ? I am very involve in my teens life and do not allow opportunity for him to be influenced by kids like the ones on this show. I feel that shows like this do nothing but promote these negative behaviors and MTV is wrong for encouraging it instead of doing something to help change things. Especially with the amount influence they have in todays world. The greed of their CEO's is sickening !
This is how kids are these days? I never saw the show but from what I hear its not what I would want my children to watch. You think its ok to do drugs and behave like these kids in this show? I am horrified. I have 2 babies and I think I would rather home school than to expose them to this behavior
Drugs are cool. What's the problem?
I love this show!!! Never saw the UK version of it but I heard people say its better.
"Skins" defiantly does not portray real teen age life. Skins is boring and makes Americans look even more stupid.
Young girls that watch this show are the same kind that think anal doesn't count against their virginity. God bless 'em.
MTV should be off the AIR. THEY ARE RUINING CHILDREN. Why pander to the most basic of instincts? The MTV executives are the morons who probably smoked weed and went to NYU and Columbia business schools and think they are so smart because they have figured out how to get teenagers to watch TV? What a brilliant idea...
Why dont they show intelligent teens who are studying, volunteering, researching, helping their parents raise families..
Anyway, its no my kids that will watch this crap. The only country you are ruining is your own while China and India will RULE the WORLD in 50yrs while these morons sit in front of the TV watching SKINS!!!
UK version is much better
I love the UK skins, not so much the MTV version. Bad acting, poor portrayal of characters, was seriously disappointed. I think that is why people are not viewing it.
This world is just a little sick of it
Hey first off ntMc learn how to spell. Reading your comments gave me a headache. Are you sure that you weren't one of those children because school obviously had no impact on you.
Thouse where good kids you played with for you're army an still R . A wo wo wo. A wo wo wo. A wo wo wo gues what a wo wo wo
So how many of you govermint workers set that up as children you know exzactly what I'm talking about no I turned my legs away then they made me move how many of you kids adults practice it so I would just fall deaad then had you're go
there is a difference in teens. We're not all the same. some do drink & smoke and others decide not too. so obviously this is the portrayl of teens that do. Its a decent show.
How did you're records get the aprovial y does the fcc also get paid for doing nothing at all. One big cover up. That's why. Tomarrow if you keep incurageng it will be worse an the next an the next an you get off pointing the finger at the victumes an as long as you got the public brodcasting you get away with it
Y is it getting by the at least the IRS
An what about the publics system how much money do you think they have been making off of this an the ratings so there collecting money by exploting a dieng child an family while selling air time so they can control a human to do what ever they want an then off to another who is the main supliers. Murder a form of intertanment that has the public paying money an so inthused. How much money have they collected
I like to see the price on this. Did you know at a time they got paid for dooing nothing at all. I don't know I amagen some of that money could have helped out now. How much money do you thing is involved in them doing nothing at all. Now that's something I like to read about. An how it got there
They have been saxuly abusing my family an me publicy they have been controling me an my family while there intertaning the public the goverment has done nothing to make it stop. So what do you do give out ss numbers an see what all u can come up withon some pretind way of life there dooing pretind an making it real for the victumes but go back to them an pick up on pretind
:*: yea boy there playing gold an hitting platum
Get it away from my family. Or what is it you can b the only one like like the nucler missals in the 80
MTV is so unoriginal they had to go and steal a show from the UK.
I don't know maybe 400 instead sevral thousand you can get away with it
All the govermint workers that have bn reading these messages an they still do nothing its still the same an there letting it go on you know what you're no diffrent than irac you had the white house order you did nothing you put a gun in there hand an have them hill someone look at the responce. You know that saying. Def here
They r damaging my brain. I'm not you're little hospital pation due to you're local govermints crimes
A hear prizen can b hell for what you do to children try a babby
The reason I saw in the first place is because you wher hilling my family then me an plained to use dogs as a babby that was you're actions there making me look like one as there covering up me as a babbyamigen that adults with a babby
Make the suffering stop all my life iv been you're little tourching babby
Hey !wake up people skins is an awesome show its better than jersey shore .the show is just showing the a true reality so stop being blind and watch the show .
Yeah, bro. I don't agree with that.
It's hard enough raising a teenager to make good decisions without having the bad ones glamorized. Even if this is reality based from the kids' perspective, it fails to show the true consequences to their actions. To balance it out, how about the writers include what the parents would do to punish their kids.
That won't happen though. Why? My opinion: Because at the end of the day this isn't MTV trying to be real or have a voice, it's Viacom trying to affect the bottom line. MTV is just another brand aimed at teenagers trying to make its parent company as much money as possible. The social discussion is just rhetoric while the earnings per share goes up.
Parents educating their kids about big business in America should be up there with the birds and the bees and balancing a check book.
This is what teenagers are doing. I know this because as a social worker interviewing kids from 3yo to 18yo, promiscuity is starting at a young age, as well as drug use, alcohol use! Sooo... Wake up people.
I don't understand the point of the show and I work with teens regularly and their personal lives are never like this. Sure there is some partying but nothing to the extent of this "honest portrayal of teen life today" Never have seen the show and never will...
Wow. I was really bored at work until I read three days of posts about skins. Have to say I wasn't that interested in the show but after reading all of this I m dying to tune in.
After the first show I put it to sleep. That is trash and we have enough trash coming out of Washington to watch stuff like that on TV. It is R rated lies.
CNN should disable the ability to leave comments.
The show is crap. And to call it a portrayal of kids today is rediculous. Kids masturbating in front of grandma, friends setting up friends to sleep with other friends? Rampant drug/alcohol use/dealing? Really people?? The show is crap.
Kids get high then go to HIGH school where they all learn about new cool hip drugs to take and can get the drugs at school from students who deal drugs and these are upper middle class kids. This "gutter behavior" has spread rampted and is now everywhere and parents/teachers and society are to blame for not watching the kids.
MTV does damage to young people. I've been there, I've seen first hand their disregard for young people. The children who run things over there have only one thing on their minds , money, partying and power plays. Skins holds nothing remarkable or intriguing. Skins creator isn't trying to shine a light on any condition but I'm most certain he is making money. Young people need some role models , glamourizing screw ups does nothing for this generation of viewers except set the bar even lower for them shoot for.
MTV needs new, different folks at the top. They are really wallowing big time in the gutter of society. Maybe because they're own parents did such a poor job of showing them how to be reasonable adults. All of them need a time out!
If you people don't think young adults act this way your compeletly wrong, this show skins is the closest to 'reality' that MTV has been too in a long time. MTV is letting the ignornant public and blind parents aware of there kids behaviors. My high school was just like this show but worse. I don't enjoy the show and I feel it's childish so I try my best not to watch but these shows are shoved down your throat. Props to MTV for finally getting it right and shame on the parents/schools/ and society for letting young adults behave in this manner.
I like totally ran out of teething tablets when I was watching my niece. The crying just went on and on and on and on. It was like, so annoying. I figured, hey maybe my blow will help numb the baby’s gums. Wow I am smart! So I applied a small dab of powder and in a few minutes the baby stopped crying. I am like, so smart….until a few minutes later the baby started flopping around and “bouncing of the walls”. That was so hot!! Paris
ke totally ran out of teething tablets when I was watching my niece. The crying just went on and on and on and on. It was like, so annoying. I figured, hey maybe my blow will help numb the baby’s gums. Wow I am smart! So I applied a small dab of powder and in a few minutes the baby stopped crying. I am like, so smart….until a few minutes later the baby started flopping around and “bouncing of the walls”. That was so hot!! Paris
My husband left the tv on after jersey shore and we both walked away came back at the last fifteen min to turn it off but as we watched out of horror it's pretty disgusting and we regret our house accidentally were part of the rating out of trickery by MTV putting jshore on first it was nice to watch it on mon but skins is crap!
My thoughts? This is how you show the life of teenagers nowadays? By making it okay? This show should be bannned. These teenagers are already drawn to what they view on tv, and this is what you provide? My son is 10yrs old. What is the message for him on this show? What is he suppose to learn from this show that will help benefit his life? Not a damn thing because this show paints filthy behaviors as "cool". This is far from sad.
I agree!
Why are u letting ur 10 year old watch it is my question!!
I didn't stick around with Skins SIMPLY because I am such a fan of the original British series that it is based off of.
I gave the first episode a chance, and it was incredibly disappointing after knowing how good the BBC version was.
The show is so dumb. Watched the first episode and won't watch another. These kids look like 5 years old and the plot is horrible. I won't watch another one.
Say, Eddie King really likes "What's Up With Skins?"
coming from a teenager herself i think its more true to what happens in our lives than most of these other shows that try to sugar coat it. yes its dramatic but thats cause weve been submitted to cooki cutter tv. i give 'skins' two thumbs up and five stars for its shocking nature. its as close to real life as were gunna get without putting cameras in every teenagers home
Watched most of first MTV broadcast, but not as good as British original. Not wasting time on lesser MTV version.
Other comments: get a grip – you don't know what's going on, only the kids do and it varies region to region; what's happening in NYC is not the same in Goodland Kansas.
Military does not teach discipline (I'm a vet) otherwise explain Abu Ghraib – civilian draft does mitigate military excesses and better represents the nation. Professional military hates the idea of draft and military more representative of the population.
David, Abu Ghraib is proof of military discipline and group think. Those soldiers acted under orders, and took the fall for their higher ups.
Oh god. Another UK inspired TV show. Now it makes more sense why this show blows. I watched it the first week after my DVR decided to record it.
I think it's a great show. It's like the movie KIDS put into a series. People need to see what the youth of america is doing now adays. It is written well, and in only 2 episodes you can already understand the trouble these youngsters are going through. The truth hurts and these kids are kicking your ass. If its in my recording box thing that gives me cable then it's a good show. Peace.
This show is awful and has absolutely NO connection to American teens. There's so much teen angst and it makes me want to vomit. I never saw the original UK version, but the US version needs to cease.
I have yet to catch it!! I'm really excited because I've heard great things about Dev Patel's "Skins" in Britain. I Have to find a day when no one is home and discover it online(-: haha.
put some of these teens in jail for a while and they wont be thinking they are all cool and stuff. or bring back the draft. let the military teach them some discipline.
You do realize this is a teen drama, and not a reality show, right? This show is scripted, these kids are actors. My God, if you take this show as reality, what the hell do you take as fiction?
I think the show is a spin off of Degrassi but, more out of control. People complain about our teens today but look what's on t.v.
The first day it aired, I was curious, to see what it was about, and when i did , I longed for the days of the FACTS OF LIFE and BRADY BUNCH , tv days. SKINS, they say shows the real teen now, well I can't wait to see after they watch this show , Teen Spirit on Clockwork Orange.
If this-or any other MTV show depicts "real" teenage life then our future is bleak. American social and moral compasses are gone and we'll be in serious trouble over the next 30 years.
You know when this country took a wrong turn? When mtv (and tv in general) became the parent. For you parents out there complaining, SPEND TIME WITH YOUR KID instead of watching some stupid show or posting on cnn.
For those complaining that skins is not realistic, of course this is not what all teens are like. MTV has other shows (teenage mother, I used to be fat, etc) that show how real teens live. This is a scripted show. Also, one friend from high school stole a porsche and crashed it into a billboard after a high speed chase. He's no son of hollywood and he now has a job as a consultant after graduating from college.
if these kids are doing illegal things and are filmed doing them they should be put in jail. where is the law enforcement when this is going on. if they are showing it on tv why dont they go to these kids homes and arrest them. underage drinking and drugs are illegal. if it is on video why arent they being prosecuted.
It's a scripted TV show, not a reality show. They're not actually doing these things.
MTV should have just shown the orginal UK series! A great orginal is hard to remake.
Even though, in opinion, it may portray todays teen life, it takes situations way too far. It can make the teens watching dillusional that this behavior is ok.
Teen life my ass .. Black people don't do this .. But then again Blacks aren't even on the show -__-
No, the only show you see black kids on is First 48.
I like totally ran out of teething tablets when I was watching my niece. The crying just went on and on and on and on. It was like, so annoying. I figured, hey maybe my blow will help numb the baby's gums. Wow I am smart! So I applied a small dab of powder and in a few minutes the baby stopped crying. I am like, so smart....until a few minutes later the baby started flopping around and "bouncing of the walls". That was so hot!! Paris
That is so hot! I love babies. I love to hold them. I love to play with them. I love to toss them around like barbie dolls. I will never have my own baby cause I am sterile. That is hot. Booze it up!
Garbage in, garbage out
Exactly.
Dude.... I'm pretty sure you are gay.
Anyone letting there teenager watch this is stupid. No ones teens are acting like this but the stars. This is horrible tv and it should be turned off. Any adult with a child watching this should be ashamed of them self
The half of you people who say the show is morally disgusting probably haven't even watched it, and the people in here who regularly watch it have nothing of substance to say. Are you that obsessed with your own silly teenage existence to have to engage in it on tv in addition to your real life? Read a book, dammit.
The show is sad because its basically a moral thermometer of how far down our country has fallen on what is and is not acceptable in this country my heart bleeds for this nation and I'm saddened that this country has become this way I love you america but you need rehab baby! And btw skins wasn't stolen from england its the same producers they just used an american cast so people wouldn't be driven off by annoying Brit-ish accents just like the show office came from the same production staff in england.
***excuse my grammer/spelling errors. I wrote this with my two thumbs on my touch screen iPhone. (can't sleep)***
Personally I like the creativity of skins.
I am also happy that MTV is standing strong and keeping a libral approach to this sudden tension.
The truth of it is folks, it's a show designed to strike the deep feelings in your psyche when it comes to these tabboo situations.
This is currently a reality amongst schools all across America. That is not to say that everyday teens are driving an SUV into the lake. Of course not, but that happens. And SKINS is a show that captures these drastic events and wraps it into a script.
personally I think parents need to confront the idea that maybe they are a factor that comes into play with these type of actions. (can not blame them, but you can't give them an excuse either)
In this day in age parents seem to still carry this notion that they are great parents because they work hard to put food on the table, a roof over there head. And a bed for there children to sleep on. I'm here to say that I commend you for that, but if you think that's it then you lost. You get a C –
Our government needs to create a comprehensive plan and a class syllabus/learning tools that will enforce current and future parents to learn how to become better parents (ex. Self/social responsibility, money management, ettiquete, discipline, encouragement in the childs ability to grow into a vocation etc)
If parents choose to deny/fail, their should be consequenes.
In conclusion, embrace the libral change that is coming upon us, and learn how to engage your kids creativly and with all the love you possess <3
We all know what happens when you're a teenager, you go to parties, hang out with friends and some might even get into a fight or two.. But I think this is a little too much for any high school or middle school students. Not all kids are the same and I feel like this show could be giving some good kids some really bad really ideas! It honestly reminds me of the movie "Kids".
I would rather fist a dog than watch this garbage show.
The show is bad but I watch it to see what supposedly great writing the writer's "think" they did. The only good part of it was the song that was played when that girl TEA i think her name is started dancing & was with that other kid. Anyone know the name or Artist of that song???? I liked it
The show gives off the wrong idea about teens
As a mother of 3 boys I think this show is disgusting! Why glorify this behavior? So your kid can get aids or hep C? We need to protect our youth through education, not glorification of sick (ick), (nasty) behavior. Would'nt the world like a few decent ones left, please!
America just needs to take the Puritan stick out it's ass.
What are you, a damn statistician? I'm almost 19 and have been through the highs and lows of high school and all this moronic, unoriginal television show is doing is making dramatizations of the negative choices that teenagers make. "Yeah let's show a kid spend a bunch of money on blow and watch him tweak for the next 45 minutes, I mean kids can relate to that, right?" You've got some growing up to do, man.
Sins = Skins – k
MTV needs to change its name to Empty V. No more music videos, just CRAP, 24-7. yeah, some kids act like that, they are the ones who grow up to be bad examples.
MTV needs to change its name to Empty V. No more music videos, just CRAP, 24-7. yeah, some kids act like that, they are the ones who gow up to be bad examples.
@ Mad Hater: Stop the name calling and learn how to spell before trying to correct someone. It's DEFINITELY. And there's definitely NOT an "A" in it.
I watched the pilot of this show and I thought it was horrible. I'm 15 (yeah, yeah, get over it) and I don't act anything at all like the people on the show. I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs. I have a 4.0 GPA. However, I am one of the very few girls in my school who doesn't smoke, drink, do drugs, or be in cliques. And I don't have any friends at school because of that. So the truth is: This is EXACTLY what teenagers are like. Of course where I live, it's not just pot, it's mainly meth. When teens watch this, chances are that they'll have already been doing those same things. There are a rare few like me who have great parents and have the strength to say no to peer pressure, even if it means getting bullied and having no friends. All that pain is worth it in the end.
Skins rocks! Relax people..... its a show!!!
I love this show!!!!
I love some of the comments about how 'all' high schoolers act like this. Sure, I liked having a good time in hs, but not to the point of contracting herpes and driving my car off a bridge. Most kids, believe it or not, don't act like this at all, and the ones that did (when I went to hs) ended up being total burnouts. just sayin.
my daughter isnt old enough to watch this show thank god but this is y she does not and will never have a tv in her bedroom u never know what kind or crap they turn on at night after u go to bed. i know this cause i was one of those teens that would watch crap at night after my parents went to bed that they would shot me for watching. i learned from what i did. but i do agree if u dont like it dont watch it the rating will drop and then mtv will cancel it
mtv sux regardless of any tv shows that might possibaly be good!
First of all, this show is ridiculous. Secondly, this show is scripted. Thirdly, if you or your child act like this then you are a complete failure.
SuCk mY bAlLs everyone of u haters. One!!
Alright the promotion of the show was pretty good but hey I'm from new york. We live in a diverse area so why don't they just bring in a mixture of diverse crowd & make a good series out of it!. Honestly I didn't even bother watching it becoz from the advertisement I predicted this was goin to happen & I'm glad I read this blog that this show ain't goin no where. Better luck next time & take my idea to double the viewership!
Parents stop blaming TV and start taking your own responsibility media is not to blame, its your own censorship. Stop acting like communist!
I think this show will touch on the reality of what childeren are actually doing. No matter how hard a parent monitors their child, parents are competing with other outside influences. This show should be treated as an open door to a much needed realistic conversation.
You spell definately wrong punk
@ Hater, spell should have been spelled. You should have a comma after wrong, and you didn't even end your sentence with period. If you want to be a smart a$$, don't be such a dumb a$$. lol
Hahaha
It's funny, because you spelled it wrong too.
Geo @ you need a life!
I'm a teen,and for a show like this to be aired and to depict our lives is kind of insulting. Not every teen acts this way. I can say my life is deffinately not like this. I don't know anyone my age that acts like this. I do not like the series.
Right on tm
I need a time machine to go back to HIGH school
Why isn't CNN covering the difference between the overheated news coverage of US Skins remake now and the mild, approving coverage of the original UK Skins in 2008, when it aired on BBC America? MTV has toned down its version even farther than the bleeped, pixelated version shown on BBCA. So why the ruckus? Might it have something to do with what's happening OFF the screen?
I would pay MTV to cancel this show because it's sooooooooo bad. Please make it go away!!!!
This show blows. It's like reliving my high school days which was like 10 yrs old....get some new material mtv we are all sick of the teenage junkie schtick!
Not even close to a real world portrayal. Only watched a little of the first episode and I don't remember plummeting a stolen car into a river because I was too stoned to notice it was moving. Any actual child with those experiences would be dead or in jail by 18. Worst show everrr. The acting sucks and it isn't even entertaining. MTV needs to stick to reality shows
I'm from middle class, good schools and now working for a huge company. I did all these things. Not dead or in jail.
Yeah, that's right MTV! Why not show ALL teens that's what teens are suppose to do! Yeah, make a grand impression of teens doing what most parents try to prevent and teach them from doing. I wonder, MTV. Would YOU let YOUR teen do what they are doing, and on NATIONAL TV? OMG! And we wonder what's wrong in our world! YOU are exploiting teens, and teaching them "this is the life you should be living"! Shame on MTV!
Reality bites!
I want fantasy..
I love this show because of its shock value. You know what this conflict is gonna do (the same thing its done for jersey shore, real world, that tila tequila show, and ten mom) Boost the ratings. mtv has a formula edgy show+ conflict =$$$$$. Gotta love it.
So I had no idea what this "Skins" show was but then I saw the scarcely unimaginative marketing splashed throughout the subway stations. Unless things have seriously changed in the past 10 years, my high school days consisted primarily of studying, homework, orchestra practice, track & field practice, and piano. Not sure why kids aren't motivated to participate in extracurricular activities these days or at the very least doing something a little more constructive than getting wasted and messing around!
Because Sarah, the world has changed and most schools now have to charge people to participate in said activities. With the economy the way it is I just heard on my local station that the schools here in MN will HAVE to charge for these activities. They mentioned the price of participating in Speech, would cost almost a $1000 dollars to be in it.
I know from experience, that in my HS days in the 90's on average to be in the bands there cost on average $200.
well its has ( assuming nyc means where u r from) i'm from there and trust me its worse. their are no after school activities and you need to realize this has been going on for decades (u just obviously was not invited) chill out its tv!!
Sarah did you ever get detention?!!! WOw. YOu were pretty boring hug?!
Things haven't changed. Sarah your opinion is based on your experience as a prissy HS student from a well to do family
I liked it better the first time when it was the movie named "Kids"
Haha. I have no legs *shake shake*
They should just cancel the Americian verision of SKINS and bring back the British version on BBC America. It was so much better.
I love the mix of comments here.
I have gone with no tv for two year now it great, no ads every ten minutes, no promos for crap shows, less wasted time. If you still want to see your favorite shows just go online and watch them there, save yourself some money in bills.
hope jersey shore* damn smart phones!
Skins is the most gut wrenching, irresponsible television I've ever.....oh yeah, nm, palin is eating a bear, hire jersey site is on soon!! OH Yeah, t shirt time!!!
This is a definite portrayal of suburban life in America. I did drugs in HS, I smoked pot and drank alcohol and the reason being is because its so sensored – the more its hidden, the more of a rush it is to wan to try it. It happened in the 60s.. it happened in 90s it happens now. It is definitely Hollywood a bit..but for the most part its fairly accurate.
I normally don't comment on things but I watched Skins and found it absolutely awful and tasteless. I would never watch another episode!
Worst show ever. Period.
I enjoy getting hammered and watching this show with my kids.When its over I turn my kids loose on the neighborhood... .
U r a moron even if that statement is bs!
Even though I think the British version is better, the American version still holds up. I thought the second episode was great and really enjoyed where they are going with the plot. Keep it up. I still don't understand why all these companies are refusing to have their Ads play during commercials. Have they even seen the British skins??? It is way more "controversial" than the US version. Also, as a resident of Toronto it is pretty cool seeing some familiar sights on the show!
yeah i watched it....its a lil extreme....but good....its the real kind of crap that happens to u in high school that most shows dont show....bc most of the show the person always gets what they want in real life that just dont happen....glad there keeping it....show the real america...
Why does this stuff have to be aired? If it's happening then folks don't need a tv show; and if it's not then why sensationalize it? MTV just keeps pumpin' out worthless tv; go back to music videos!
I think skins is too surreal for people and they don't want to accept that that is really what teenagers are doing!
Does your child do this?
Anyone not a responsible parent will say they like the show!!! End of story!!!!
REsponsible parents teach their kids what is right and wrong. I have two kids and I let them watch what they want to watch. BOth great kids. NEVer in trouble. Don't blame tv for your kids down falls....its called bad parenting! Skins is good entertainment!
JK– #1) How old are your kids? (I ask , because you seem rather immature from some over your other comments.) and #2) That is usually what the parents tell me right after their child has asked me to come over to their house with them and tell them that they are currently pregnant, trying to get off drugs, cutting, etc.
Ive never seen the show, what is it about?
Love this show! It's a bit crude but SO real. More real than any other show I've seen on tv!
I totally agree with Mike. If u dont like it, then dont watch it! Stop your whinning and change the channel.
Gay chicks? High school girls doing drugs and having s3x? Sign me up.
I'm not in love with the show (though I am IN LOVE with the UK version) but it has every right to be on TV. Censorship laws are absolutely ridiculous in this country. Its not TV's job to shelter people from certain subject matter. The kids do drugs! And that one chick is gay! That's real life. Get a grip, America.
really...???? I mean really??? if u don't like it, don't watch it.... why ur kids up at ten on a school night any way??
Skins is a remake of a show aired in the Uk and later on showtime, when it was aired on showtime it was on after 11pm! This show in a terrible and non-realistic version of being a teen, and the only reason they had so many viewers the first week was because all the fans of the orginal skins show tried to give it a chance, and it sucked!!! and they used the exact same story line! I really hope mtv takes a hint and takes it off the air asap
i started watching it sole because fox is trying to get it pulled
ROTFL
at first i wasn't really liking the show... but now i actually like it!
Just straight up trash!!!!
Good tv for child molesters though!!! Keep up the great work MTV.... good job at picking an influential show for our children! Oh wait.. ..hmmmm could it be the producers of your show are pervs too? Hmmmm
Well when your kids are in hs it'll be 10 times worse. Cause this is true life stuff...
Its not true life I have a 21 year old 12 year old and nieces and nephews in their teens and I have to say based on my experience that if your involved parent.......
no matter how involved you are as a parent there comes a point where a teen will be confronted with a choice and it will be up to them to decide , after all that's part of becoming an adult.... the only things you can hope for 1. they didnt take your advice for granted, 2. they listened to begin with, 3. they have their head on straight..... seeing as teenagers rarely listen and most dont have their heads on straight you can safely say your niece,nephew or child might have done something you are unaware of......cant see what happens behind closed doors
I love this show. It's designed for a higher caliber of audience. If you don't like it, don't watch it. But some people actually enjoy watching it.
A higher caliber of audience? Are you kidding? Like this show is some sort of intellectual or social new frontier that us blue collar gun-toting hicks don't understand? This show isn't about portrayal of problems facing today's youth, it is about shock value. The sooner they stop pushing this show as a mirror of the average teen life, the sooner the average teen or "higher caliber of audience" will stop thinking they need to act like these reckless, stupid idiots. Get real.
Higher caliber audience!?!? Haha cj you are a complete idiot. Honestly anyone who defends this show is definitely of a lower intelligence I see no entertainment in this show just horrible unrealistic situations and a terrible depiction of a false perception of American teens
I'm not a gay so I don't know what this show is.
The original Skins(UK version) is much better. This US version has stolen many of the ideas, lines, and characters... People should just watch the UK one.
No one stole anything, it's based on the UK version so it's going to be similar you tard.
"Is it too much to ask... for someone to be INTERESTING?"
LOL @ Horrible writing. Skins, is it too much to ask for your show to be canceled?
Awesome.
bottom line skins is a wanna be of degrassi, and in general skins is a horrible retarded shows mtv should get rid of it its making their ratings go down
The show is a disgrace, it should be cancelled. It's designed to appeal only to pedophiles.
YOUr an idiot!
Actually, YOU'RE the idiot.
IF you agree with Robert, well let's just say you guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed!
If u want to see music videos on mtv u can do so between the convenient hrs of 3-4 am.
i miss the days when MTV was actually that....Music Television! Whatever happened to the music and videos?
This show is so annoying. It's all about a bunch of glib and clever teens and the moron adults around them. Seriously, I will pretty much watch ANYTHING on MTV, but I had to change the channel because I was so annoyed with it.
I was really ticked that MTV tried to play this off as an original American show and American teenagers. This is actually a European show that aired a couple of years ago . Same plots same everything just different actors & worse acting.
Um...they never did.
Did you actually read the article above?
Lets join hands and sing Kumbaya.
What happened to MTV? They used to actually promote new music. Now it's a bunch of BS shows like Skins. I already saw the movie Kids back in the early '90s. This is merely a knockoff of that. MTV should be renamed BSTV.
A poor shame!! If this is how we are living, we need together. We r the reasons that the world is the way it is...and strange and unexplainable events are taken place. We ALL need to get together.
MTV=Moron Tele Vision
A honest portrayl of everyday teen life?? I wonder if they say that with a straight face. This is a more R rated version of 90210. Teens do not act that way....this simply Hollywoods glamarization of it. Its trash and no way is anyone in our house watching it.
unfortunately some teens do act like that. i just dont feel they need to sensationalize it on tv. parents have enough problems keeping thier kids out of trouble as it is. this coming from the mom of two that was one of the lucky ones to have pretty decent kids.
Its a pretty decent portrayal of what my teen & high school days were like. We were all crazy and drove our parents nuts but we weren't so badly scripted! People need to wake up and realize that their kids aren't going to be angels forever. Maybe this show will encourage some parents to sit down and talk about important issues with their kids before they get really out of hand.
You are not very bright TMC. Teens were doing this in my day, which was the 90's and before all these alleged evil shows were introduced to young viewers.
This is the first show that accurately shows my high school experience. Sorry if people are blind to real life.
Messer no way u did what these kids do. You would have been arrested pregnant or have a serious drug problem. You drove a 70k vehicle into a river and the cops or owners of the car didnt press charges? Terrible terrible show if kids in America actually acted like this then we would have serious problems.
I've never seen this show but from everything I've been reading on it, it does in fact mimic some teenagers lives. Back when I was a teenager, growing up where I did, kids did infact take $70k cars out for joyrides (maybe not into a river). Drugs are rampant now as well as when I was a teen. So it may be scripted and not a true reality show, but where I grew up, it was some teen's reality.
I miss Survivor.
What ever happened to good tv? Now days its all about reality tv. I think it sucks. Tv was made so people could come home after work and get there mind of reality and be entertained by good ol american scripted tv sitcoms. Not some cameras following people around watching what they do.
HEy lee..... its not reality tv! IT'S a script
Because reality TV is cheap. It is very inexpensive for these production companies and people thrive off of it. Winning situation for everyone, huh?
Art mirrors life. If you don't like what you see then don't blame the mirror. But why hold a mirror up to trash? Is that what we want our kids to mirror in life? Blame the person holding the mirror.
Worst and most confusing post yet
S/he is just saying it portrays someone's reality but that doesn't mean it needs to be shown to kids because we don't want them thinking it's okay to mimic. In a really confusing metaphor no doubt.
Not that confusing if you're intelligent enough to follow. Jesus people. Get educated, than comment.
At least learn to spell and comprehend the differences between then and than before correcting someone else's ignorance...
I am sorry that these quality commenters are unaware that this is an incredibly common metaphor, especially for media.
Skins is a pretty good show. It is so much better than the Jersey Shore given the fact that it is a scripted show and not actually about a bunch of people being promiscuous and stupid
Ugh no its just a group of teens acting like the adults on jersey shore but to include drugs! Get real puuuuleeeese!
You consider those people on jersey shore adults? Wow...
Jcal grow up!
i love the show
mormon you are a mormon. you wouldnt know the good herb from grass clippings.
Possibly, but I know you are a d0uche rocket.
Just out of curiosity. Don't Mormons wear "magic undergarments "???
yes, they're call "Jesus Jammies"
@Danger, Yes Mormons wear "magic" underwear that purportedly keeps them safe. They also believe that Indians (the bow and arrow type) emigrated from Israel and that the "garden of Eden" was located in the USA's midwest. Mormon thinking makes Scientologists seem rational.
You people should really show some respect and do your homework before opening your fat mouth! Mormons make a promise to god and by doing so they keep there promise by wearing there garments. Everyone has there own belief system. THey don't where them tell they go threw the tempal and make those promises. If you believe it or not if you made a real promise to god you wouldn't go back on your word
Ni**a pleeeease!
yeah
they should be smoking some of me. i am wholesome and natural.
I would!! lol
Rae, you just told some dude named herb that you wanted to smoke him. In my line of work that means head.
Well my question for you Mormon is what exactly is your line of work if it has anything to do with head?
Is that kid sitting on the swing drinking vodka?
That's fap-tastic!
Yes that's Tea getting loaded at the playground. Wholesome stuff LOL.
We used to call it the merry-go-round, but yes.
That's called a "Merry go round".
And yes it is.
Not an ounce of cellulite on that gorgeous babe. What a country!!
Yep, and i can remember me and my best friend doing exactly the same thing after school while my single mom was working second shift. Only difference – we got caught by my landlord after we got home. LOL
skins is an awesome show that is pure entertainment people may or may not agree that it truly represents teen life, but who cares! not everything is reality. just sit back and enjoy the teenage drama that isn't sugarcoated like the secret life of the american teenager .... watch the UK version.
Hahahahah!!! LOVE IT!!
Graaaa! Now i'm super wanting to make my feeler tingle real good like! Super real good like.
Yea! That's real life. Give me a break. For those of you who don't get the sarcasm... No! That is not real life.
Yea! That's real life. Give me a break. For those who don't get sarcasm, that is not real life.
Uk skins was amaziiing....viewers are dropping because the mtv version is not as good.
I agree this show is awesome. I watched the UK version of the show previously and fell in love with it. There are those who say that the show is promoting a negative lifestyle but if you really watch the show and see how the characters progress it shows how they have to come to deal with the negative consequences of their actions. What I like about it is that it is real without being preachy like "the secret life of the american teenager". Ok then there are those people who say that they dont like it because its not good for their young kids to be watching. My thing is if your your middle school kids are up at 10 on a school night watching skins the problem is not with the show the problem is with your parenting. I think people should stop expecting television to be the role model for their kids and start taking the responsibility of being parents. In all honesty I personally think the show can open up a very good conversation between parents and kids about the issues going on in the kids lives.
This show is terrible if u honestly think it represents American kinds then you are really out of touch with the world. I mean they crash a party then steal an escalade and drivenit into a river? That charge is like ten years. It's a terrible show another job well done for MTV. MTV is officially the worst television station in American history.
I still like skins even though it will never be as good as the UK version which the second generation cast is the best but I do believe this Is an awesome show so don't judge!
I agree, the UK version is much better. It is also not nearly as tame, with actual nudity and f bombs. The U.S. version isn't as good, but it isn't as controversial either. The UK version has been around for a long time, been airing on BBC American, and now I can watch it on my NetFlix Xbox. Noone seems to care about that though. Now if all the advertisors pulled their adds based on the fact that MTV isn't showing Music, that I would support. Atleast it makes more sense.
I love love love the UK version. Wasn't so sure about the US version till I saw 2nd episode. Now I love it too. I can remember the drama of mine and my sons teenage years and man it sure does hit home. I will continue to watch it. For me it rocks!!!!
This is NOT a show teenagers should be watching!! Let's not glamorize bad behavior!!
I agree the show was awesome I was one of the viewers that watched it the first week and not the second because I have school and unfortunately a bedtime
Ditch this trash
Hardly awesome. Welcome to Rome. Morons who are poorly read and shallow appreciate this show.
I love skins so much and I wouldnt be able to live without it... its my new addiction 🙂 <3 Stanley is my favorite and I would be more than happy help him pop his cherry... My parents think that it is a terrible show and wont allow me to watch it but i dont care they dont have to know I watch it