I've been watching the UK Series, Skins for quite a while now. It's a great show. It can be a bit racy, but it's about teenagers, what do you expect? Last week, a US version premiered on MTV, much to the chagrin of the political Right, apparently. I think it's ridiculous. Now, I haven't seen the 2nd episode yet, but the pilot was very good. It reminds me a lot of my time in high school...which is what I think the problem is. People act they were complete angels in high school. They don't like to be reminded that acted a fool, made some bad choices, partied too much. And, even worse, they don't want to think of their own children doing the same thing.
A co-worker of mine, who typically falls on the left side of the aisle, Is appalled by the show...though I seriously doubt he's ever seen an episode. He had a similar reaction when Katy Perry was to appear on Sesame Street. I'm sorry, but when's the last time a toddler saw some cleavage and thought about sex? But I'm getting off track.
The biggest problem people espouse to have is that they're using real teenagers to play the characters, as opposed to the 20-somethings that normally fill those roles. I like it. I think there's something raw about it. And real. These kids aren't remembering what high school was like: they're living it.
This isn't the 1950's. Even then, people were having sex in high school and smoking pot. But the show isn't "condoning it" as I've been told it is. It's simply stating a fact. I think my boss and co-worker were a bit surprised when I told them that t reminded me so much of my time in high school. People having sex, popping pills, smoking pot, partying, sneaking home the next morning, suicide, overdoses; those were just facts of life. I didn't go to some white-bread suburban school. I experienced the real world at a young age. Were mistakes made? Of course. But you live and you learn.
Now, apparently, the producers are being charged with child porn? Other than a few kisses and some oh-so-scandalous shoulders, there was nothing remotely porn like about the first episode. The 2nd episode might prove a bit different, but I'm just not sure.
Another reason I think people are having so many problems is our cultural climate. I mean, come on, our country was founded by a bunch of prudes who thought Europe was having too much fun to make God happy. But things change. I'm hesitant to call anything on MTV art anymore, but this show has potential if it lives up to its UK counterpart. Hell, I've seen British TV movies that showed rape and what would be considered softcore porn in this country.
This whole thing has gotten way out of control, as far as I'm concerned. I'll watch the seond episode once it's online and may have more to say, but so far, my thoughts are that if you don't like it, change the damn channel.
