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?