I have been cautiously anticipating the US version of Skins since it was announced last year and finally, MTV aired the premiere episode.
First a little back story: Skins follows the lives of a group of teenagers during the last two years of high school. Each episode centers around a single character with the first and last episode dealing with the group. These teens face everything from drug addiction, to anorexia, to gay issues, to teacher/student relationships, to mental illness, to rape and so on. You name it, these kids go through it.
The main list of characters is:
- Tony: Narcissistic "player" who manipulates all those around him and acts as the pack leader
- Stanley: Virgin who acts as Tony's bitch - I mean best friend. Chronic masturbator who wants Michelle but is pushed towards Cadie.
- Michelle: "Nips" or Tony's girlfriend who sticks by him even though he tries to make her have sex with others and makes rude comments about her uneven nipples
- Chris: Only wants to party, and never in a sober way. Also in love with a teacher.
- Cadie: Recently released from the mental asylum and possible love interest of Stanley
- Tea: Lesbian high school cheerleader
- Daisy: Classical Trumpet player. Overachiever but only one who stands up to Tony.
- Abbud: Devout Muslim at home. Devout partier everywhere else
- Eura: Tony's troubled little sister
I remember the first time I saw the original Skins and all that went through my head during the whole first show was, "WTF is going on?" It was frenetic and full of awkward energy with that certain hint of humorous sarcasm that the British are masters at. Unfortunately, I got none of this in the first episode. Instead, it was more like watching caricatures of the British version - a sort of slightly saucier version of Degrassi than its gritty UK counterpart.
The biggest let down for me was that the first episode was a word-for-word copy of the original. However, the characters did not live up to their predecessors. Two of the most obvious departures from the original lineup were Cadie and Tea. Previously, Cassie (now Cadie) was an endearing blonde airhead who lived in the clouds with the fluffy bunnies and had a penchant for saying, "Wow." while popping pills and being anorexic. The new Cadie wants to stew rabbits and eat cheese puffs. Tea, has replaced Maxxie. Tea is a lesbian cheerleader whereas Maxxie was a gay dancer. Could this be alluding to the notion that American audiences are more uncomfortable watching a gay boy than a gay girl? Hmm... It makes you wonder.
What I do respect from the casting is that unknown actors were again picked to play the roles. It makes it fresh but having said that, these teens just don't make you feel anything for them. It feels like a complete farce. The British version made you cringe one second but laugh uncomfortably the next, each character, you felt for. Whether it was empathy, apathy or joy, there was always a feeling for the characters. I felt myself thinking, "Wow, you look stupid," throughout this first episode.
I would honestly say, do yourselves a favor and rent the original series. It's available on Netflix instant watch.
I've read that the episodes will not follow the UK except for this first one but it may already be too late for me. What a colossal disappointment.
Below is an episode recap. Major spoilers within:
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This episode circles around a basic introduction to the characters and their need to have the ultimate party. Tony watches his neighbor get dressed in her window as his little sister tries to get his attention from outside. He blasts his stereo causing his father to come in screaming and tear apart his room to pull the plug. His sister then sneaks inside and gets ready for school. After locking himself in the only bathroom, Tony listens to his father scream at him to get out. He opens a back window an slides down a pipe. He goes back into the house and enjoys some breakfast. His dad comes barging down screaming then sees him sitting there and yells more about wanting to take a dump in his own house.
Stanley meets Cadie and she claims that she only ever eats cheese puffs but she is making stew. After pulling off a blanket from a cage containing a rabbit and picking up a large kitchen knife, she tells Stanley she's kind of busy and she'll see him later. Tony forces Stanley to go buy weed telling him that the dealer will give it to him and allow him to pay later. They figure they will make the money back by selling off the excess to the rich girls whose party they will be going to later. Tony then sings at the local upscale girls school and is confronted by a teacher who calls security to escort him off campus but instead two burly women emerge and tackle the teacher to the ground. Stanley soon learns that his balls will be collateral for the transaction. Chris then comes in trying to get it on with his hot health teacher and seems to move closer to his goal with his antics.
The rich girl's party is a joke. "Drum and Bass" is obviously viewed differently amongst the various social classes. While Stanley is Cadie's date, he obsesses over Michelle. Tea, Abbud and Chris show up to the party late. Chris steals the available keys on the table. Stanley and Cadie end up on a trampoline where she appears to be having an orgasm. She then admits that she's taken too many pills and passes out. Stanley rushes back into the party where a fight has broken out due to Chris having muddy shoes and taking off his clothes. The group leaves the house and wonder how to get Cadie to the hospital. Chris pulls out one of the keys he stole and clicks the alarm. How convenient, an Escalade is the winner.
Cadie wakes up and feels the need to pee so the rest of the gang lets her off to go behind a tree. While waiting, the rest of them decide to have one more joint and in an attempt to get them out of Tony's back pocket, Stanley leans into the gear shift and the car rolls into a nearby waterway, kids and all. All of them eventually pop up and start laughing except for Stanley who has lost the huge bag of the dealer's weed. Cadie looks on saying that it's good they're still alive, she guesses.
The episode ends with Tony again watching his neighbor undress. A man in her room tells her not to do it. The man turns out to be the teacher from the girls' school. Oh, the wicked webs they weave.
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