A parent’s guide to MTV’s ‘Skins:’ How bad is it?
I have been hearing and reading a lot about the controversial new MTV show “Skins” and I finally watched it for myself – late last night after the kids went to bed. (They can’t hear any of that!)
I’ll give you a plot summary and my thoughts on it but first a primer on the show and the furor that surrounds it. (Skip the bottom for plot summary if you want that first.)
What’s the gist of the show:
“Skins” is a completely scripted drama. (I say completely scripted because there was a lot of debate about how scripted “The Hills” and similar shows on the network are.) It is supposed to depict what is really going on with teens – drugs, sex, rock n roll, oh yeah and lesbianism. Unlike many shows about teens, teens actually play the roles, which has caused MTV some problems. (More on that below.) The show currently airs Mondays at 10 p.m.
So what’s the big deal?
MTV says the content “addresses real-world issues confronting teens in a frank way.” The Parents Television Council, a TV watchdog group, says “Skins” may well be the most dangerous television show for children that we have ever seen.” And then last week came the notion that “Skins” may be trafficking in child pornography since many of the actors are 17 or younger.
With that news many advertisers pulled out.
“MTV’s Skins has already endured an advertiser exodus that has seen Taco Bell, Subway, Wrigley, General Motors, Schick Hydro and H&R Block come out against the show. And that defection was evident during the commercial breaks for the second episode of the show on Monday night, which featured heavy rotation of promos for MTV reality series including Teen Mom 2, the upcoming second season of My Life as Liz and I Used to Be Fat.”
“The episode, which centered on the lesbian identity of Tea (played by Sofia Black D’Elia), also featured MTV’s public service campaign against digital bullying. But the most prevalent advertisers by a wide margin were movie studios. There were multiple spots for Columbia Pictures’ Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston comedy Just Go With It, the Leighton Meester thriller The Roommate, DreamWorks SKG’s I Am Number Four, Anthony Hopkins’ horror film The Rite, the Liam Neeson thriller Unknown, Millennium Films’ The Mechanic and James Cameron’s 3D pic Sanctum.”
“The second episode also featured multiple spots for hyper-caffeinated beverage Red Bull and acne treatment Zeno. Gaming companies, known for following young audiences in spite of controversial programming, were represented by a single spot for PlayStation’s Dead Space 2. But there was a telltale sign of the well-documented advertiser defection from Skins: multiple direct-response ads for Celtrixia, a topical cream that purports to banish stretch marks.”
As of week 2, According to The Hollywood Reporter:
“The show attracted only about half the total viewers it did from its premiere last week.”
“Skins‘ second episode Monday scored 1.6 million viewers, compared to 3.3 million the previous week, one of MTV’s biggest series debuts ever.”
“Among viewers in MTV’s key 12 to 34 demo, it drew a 1.6 rating. For its premiere last week, Skins had a 3.4.”
So did parents intercept their teens and not let them watch or did the teens simply not think it was that good?
The Chicago Sun-Times reports:
“MTV usually loves controversy to swirl around its programming, but with the new show “Skins,” some network honchos are worried they may have gone too far….”
“Officially, the network is sticking to a statement that it has ‘confidence [‘Skins’] will continue to connect with the audience it was created for and that advertisers will take advantage of the opportunity to reach them.’ ”
“However, a source inside MTV said Wednesday, ‘It would have been far simpler if we had found older actors who look like young teens, just to avoid some of the legal problems we may face.’ ”
“Already, upcoming ‘Skins’ episodes have been somewhat toned down, with hopes of both keeping its target audience of 12- to 34-year-olds while luring back those lost advertisers.”
So what actually happens in an episode of “Skins?” Well I watched it last night so you wouldn’t have to and here’s what I saw that might concern a parent (I’m leaving out less important parts of the storyline.):
First, I would like to point out that although the show airs on TV at 10p.m., I had to fill in my birth year to watch it on the computer. (Because kids would never make up a fake year, and how old do you have to be to access the show? And why do you have to be a certain age on the computer if anybody who’s awake at 10 can watch it on TV?)
3 mins 36 sec in: We see girl strip down, girl take mysterious blue pill, girl leave house in very large winter coat, girl go to bar with fake ID, girl brings home girl and seemingly have sex in her bed. (Where is the parental supervision? They showed the parents yelling at her coming in and saying good-by to her when she left. Hey parents here’s a tip, always ask to see the outfit under the big winter coat.)
Next morning, girls make lots of jokes about “eating.”
9 mins in: Guy asks girl to tell classmates she’s having sex with his friend because he’s embarrassed he’s a virgin.
(I gave up on noting the time.) Then pressuring the lesbian girl to show her boobs at the football game.
School counselor/teacher made out to be a loser.
Drinking airline bottles of booze at school in the hallway.
Parents not listening. Girl talks to senile grandmother. Girl masturbating. (Grandma watches her.)
Creepy other Dad checking out the girl.
Smoking and drinking (looks like vodka! not beer or wine coolers!) on a merry go round in a playground.
Girl tries out what appears to be painful, and quick sex with a guy.
Grandma tells her about her lesbian love.
Best I can tell a scary drug dealer looking for his drugs that were stolen approaches girl at her house.
At end of show girl hangs up on both boy and girl she had sex with that week and dances to some music.
The best thing I can say about the show is they have some great music and what I think is shag dancing – but I can’t imagine kids across America are doing the shag. The acting is great but I wouldn’t want my kids watching it, and I wouldn’t watch it because it would only depress me about what my kids may face in the future.
It was definitely explicit about what was going on even if you didn’t see boobs or genitals per se. You knew what they were doing.
So that’s the skinny on “Skins.” Have your teens watched it? Have you watched it? What did you think? Should they have used actors over 18? Should they tone it down? Does it promote those types of behaviors? Will it influence teens to do these things or is just reflecting what they are already doing?
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140 comments Add your comment
Sue from Lima, you'e ignorant.
January 27th, 2011
12:05 pm
Are you going to say anything, or are you just going to continue to re-post things that I’ve already said??? And yes, other people saw your comments obviously, taking into account that this is a public forum…..
Sue from Lima
January 27th, 2011
12:05 pm
Do any of you ever watch “Glee” ??? :)
Sue from Lima
January 27th, 2011
12:06 pm
Are you going to say anything, or are you just going to continue to re-post things that I’ve already said???
Contractor
January 27th, 2011
12:07 pm
lovelyliz,
The reason for this is that parents want to be the cool parents of all their friends, and that they also don’t want to be bothered by their kids. So many instances out there where kids get everything they want, just so the parents don’t have to deal with them being upset or mad at them. Parents now a days just let their kids slide through life with no accountability whatsoever. Of course, everyone wants happy kids, but buying them the new iPhone, Playstation 3, or a LED LCD TV isn’t the only way to make them happy. It all starts from the beginning.
Parent of a 15 year old
January 27th, 2011
12:11 pm
This thread is truly disturbing. Our kids don’t need another buddy, they need a mature adult who loves them to guide them away from junk like “skins.” Yes, I understand that saying “no” is not always cool, and I know that it can cause an attraction to a show or whatever we are saying no to. That’s the time to have a frank discussion with them as to why we don’t want them watching shows like Skins. Or we can let them go in their room and see multiple sex acts, drugs, alcohol, etc… in a 40 minute show and let them believe that that is what it takes to be normal. That may be “teen life today” for your kids, but not for mine. I choose to PARENT! It’s not easy, but it can be done. Make the hard, right choice for the sake of your teenagers!
D
January 27th, 2011
12:17 pm
I watched the first episode mainly to see what they hype was about. My child is only 10 and is not the proper programing for her to watch. However, I did feel the show was eye opening. In terms of what teens are experincing in schools and in their lives. I have been a mentor in my college years to girls betweent the ages of 13 and 18. What I took away from the program and what I will do and have done is create the dialog between my child and myself. One of my mentee’s had lost her mother that summer that I mentored her. She had an older sister who had dropped out of high school had 2 kids and was living on welfare. She needed a role model (prior to her mothers death, she had asked me to guide her child), which I did. I told her the truth about what she was facing as she grew up. I did not lie, cover or sugar coat my experiences, and she respected that. I was proud the day she graduated high school and went on to attend my alma mater as did my other mentee. They both waited until after they we’re 18 to engage in sexual activity. They both told me it was because I told them the truth. All of us are college graduates- one mentee went on to obtain her Masters. The point of this and even this show called Skins, is to create awareness and discussion. I am not shocked by the things they we’re doing on this show, this is stuff many of us have exposed to. The difference to me is that parents and children are more willing to talk about it. Even if your child does or doesn’t, talk with them about what they are exposed to. How many stories do we hear about teens getting caught drinking and driving- sometimes resulting in death. What about using nyquil or some other medicines to get high…how many of our children do we have to lose before we talk about the issues they are facing. You can rip the show apart but I hope that at the end of the day you are talking to your child!
Loving Mom
January 27th, 2011
12:20 pm
I am deeply bothered by this type of programming! I just heard about this program and watched about five minutes of it on the computer. This is disgusting and MORALLY WRONG. We wonder why our kids are turning out the way they are. I am sorry, but this type of ‘entertainment’ is what is happening to our society. We glamourize this type of behavior! We are not shown the consequences of this type of behaviour. I am a mother of four children. My oldest daughter just graduated from college, and believe this or not, she NEVER drank or had sex before she married a few months ago! My second is a junior in college and never drank as well. I also have a junior in HS and an 8th grader. I am teaching my children values and consequences. I would never do a disservice to my children and allow them to think this is ‘normal’ behavior!
Sue from Lima
January 27th, 2011
12:32 pm
A bigger problem arises when good kids (that have educated parents with open communication) come in contact with children with parents like ASHLEY.
lovelyliz
January 27th, 2011
12:38 pm
The problem isn’t the programming, it the parents who let their children watch whatever. We can’t have sanitize everything nor should we try. Just keep your kids away from it.
BTW, MTV is one of those channels my 14 year old niece is never allowed to watch on the one and only television in the house.
DB
January 27th, 2011
12:42 pm
This show is as based in reality as the one-half of a show I watched of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” — sure, I’m a real housewife. Somewhere along the way, I forget to arrange for my hairdresser and hairdresser to come do my hair in my private salon? (turn sarcasm off).
I do not doubt that there are kids who are experimenting left and right. However, what worked for us was being regular and active members of a church community that embraced young people, investing in a faith-based private school that reinforced our views on life and keeping an on-going dialogue going with our children about EVERYTHING — sex, drugs, alcohol, pregnancy, etc. Our private school did not lose any girls in high school to pregnancy (I’m not prepared to swear that no one got pregnant, but let’s just say that no one had a baby), and over 4 years, 5 kids were tossed out of school for drug or alcohol issues. The school was extremely strict: Alcohol or drugs got you expelled. Period. However, at graduation, there’s always one or two parties out of the dozen or so that are thrown where some idiot parents think it’s ok to serve alcohol “safely” now that the kids are going to college. I was rather proud of my son when he told me that he wasn’t really interested in what seemed to be a popular party, and he ended up doing something fairly low-key at our house. Turns out that the “popular” party ended up with a lot of kids sick as dogs the next day. The parents thoughtfully collected car keys as people came to the party — WTH? I asked him if he knew that before hand and he shrugged and said, “Everyone knew — sounded pretty lame though, everyone sitting around going, “Man, I’m soooo drrruuuunnkk.” Same with my daughter — she dropped in on one party, and was home 45 minutes later, rolling her eyes and telling me, “It was too loud and everyone was trying to sneak beer out by the pool.” So yes, I know they were exposed to it. But I also know that they didn’t feel a compulsion to experiment.
They are both in college now. One is 22, and yes, he enjoys alcohol. One is almost 20, and yes, she has had drinks at parties, etc. But she said, casually, that “I usually only have one drink at a party, because I’m usually the designated driver. And if you drink gingerale, people think you’re drinking beer and leave you alone.” Neither one of them can stand smoking, and one dumped a roommate in two weeks when they discovered that the roommate was basically smoking their way through the semester and complaining about the quality of pot that they could get.
….but one thing I do no, is that he is a teenager, and we will do almost anything to get what we want.
And that’s the point: My kids didn’t WANT to. They weren’t the “cool” kids, they probably weren’t the “popular” kids — but one is trying to decide which law school he wants to go to, now, after graduating from a U.S. top 15 university (within 4 years!) on a full scholarship this May. The other is on-track at college, too, works part-time, volunteers with disabled kids once a week, and just joined a service sorority.
That insidious “everyone is doing it” is part of the problem. NOT everyone is doing it, and the ones that don’t tend to fly under the radar. You don’t hear about them, because they AREN’T getting pregnant, drunk or high. I never drank or smoked in high school or college, either — beer smelled awful, why would I want to drink it? And I certainly wasn’t trying out a new sexual position with a new partner every other night!
Boring? Probably. But who said a constant state of excitement was a good thing?
SaveOurRepublic
January 27th, 2011
12:49 pm
My children are not yet in their teens (nor do we have cable TV), but I most certainly would NEVER allow them to inudate themselves with such filth. The majority of “Hellivision” programming is garbage &/or propaganda. I’d venture to estimate that 85%+ of what “Hollyweird” churns out is mindless fluff mind to distract the populace from the destruction of our Republic (via the Globalist Elite’s agenda).
Kate
January 27th, 2011
12:51 pm
I haven’t actually watched a full episode of Skins, but if the clip above is any indication, this show is so bad it makes The Hills look like Masterpiece Theatre! I especially love the part where that girl goes to the gay bar. Kind of reminded me of lesbian version of Soul Train.
Obviously, MTV has a long standing, and profitable, history of providing low-brow programming. The only thing unique, and kind of creepy, about Skins is that the teen characters are being portrayed by actual teenagers. As an adult I realize that all TV programming exists for one reason alone: to generate revenue for television networks through advertising. Regardless of its origins, Skins was written by a group of adults who are most likely well beyond their teen years, and are very much aware that creating a show which included all the mundane details of the average teen’s life (going to school, working, studying, playing sports, etc.) would be BORING. Not even the Parent’s Television Council would want to watch it. Therefore, they created a show that may outwardly appear to be geared towards teens, but is actually intended to be watched by sexually frustrated adults who enjoy entertaining fantasies of over-sexed, drug addled wild teens. The whole point of this, and any other TV show, is to entice adults with disposable income to go out and buy whatever products are advertised during the commercials. Any similarities between any television program and real life are purely coincidental. Instead of forbidding your kids from watching this show (not that that’s an entirely bad idea), sit down and discuss how patently absurd most television programming is and, most importantly, set a good example by not sitting around and watching tripe like this yourself.
lovelyliz
January 27th, 2011
12:59 pm
There is something to be said for families watching television together and discussing issues when they come up, but more often than not, it’s parent watching their programs on their TV while their children watch on their own.
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
January 27th, 2011
12:59 pm
“The Parents Television Council, a TV watchdog group, says “Skins” may well be the most dangerous television show for children that we have ever seen”
did this group happen to mention that if watching a TV show influences your child so much that they turn into moral degenerates destined to lead worthless lives, maybe the real failure was the parenting they received more than the media they watched?
Tiger Ochocinco Mellencamp
January 27th, 2011
1:08 pm
DB’s comments made me think…….How can anyone who keeps up with Real Housewives, Kate +8, or the slew of other shows like this criticize MTV for offering the same type of programming to their market?
Isn’t there something just a little ridiculous about saying no one should be watching trash like “Skins”…..when they’re really teaching their kids to watch a whole different type of trash when they tune into Kate +8?
Or is it just that once you hit adulthood, you believe that trash is ok…as long as it’s your trash.
Personally, I’m not opposed to trash in media to an extent. I watched the “Dukes of Hazzard” as a kid while my parents watched “Dallas”, “The Love Boat”, and “Fantasy Island”….I defy you to try to find any redeeming value in any of those shows. I always had a safeguard though, my parents watched with me and talked about any reservations they had with any of the stuff I was watching. My dad used to tell me TV was like a candy bar….pretty much devoid of any redeeming value, but as a guilty pleasure and in moderation, wouldn’t kill you.
JATL
January 27th, 2011
1:16 pm
@Loving Mom -if watching a television show makes your child go out and act in some morally reprehensible manner, then you’re a sorry parent. You don’t have to allow your kids to watch it. OR you could watch it with them and discuss everything wrong with it, but don’t blame a tv show for societies ills. As for your sober, virginal children -don’t be so sure. I’m all for teaching values and consequences -especially in the context of reality. You sound just like an aunt of mine whose girls all screwed around and drank and smoked -they were just SUPER sneaky and hypocritical, kept going to church all the time and “praising Jesus,” and lied to her. Given the ages of your kids, I wouldn’t be so smug just yet.
JATL
January 27th, 2011
1:18 pm
“society’s ills” -must get more sleep!
kps
January 27th, 2011
1:19 pm
I would hate to think this is how teens behave, thank god im not raising one. The show seems to glorify bad behavior for the sake of TV. another MTV trash show that actually is so bad its funny
mom2alex&max
January 27th, 2011
1:27 pm
I just watched the clip posted and all I can say is “meh..” Obviously MTV is going for the shock value. This show is more explicit than out 90210, but that show back then also had sex, drugs, alcohol,what have you.
My kids at 7 and 10 are not old enough to watch it, but I can see letting a 15 to 17 year old watch it. To me, it has the same impact as watching the Jerry Springer show. It dramatizes aspects of teen life for shock and entertainment value. Build a good relationship with your kids, teach them good morals and values and a show like Skin is no more than a soap opera to them. It won’t “make”them go out and sleep around or drink or what ever.
mom2alex&max
January 27th, 2011
2:02 pm
@LovingMom: my mom thought the same thing about me. She will swear on a stack of Bibles that I never drank as a teen and that I never had sex before becoming engaged to my now husband. Trust me, she’s wrong.
But she also taught me (as we she could) right from wrong and kept me busy enough in high school that I had little time for “extras”. But I did find some time to unwind, to put it mildly.
Sandra
January 27th, 2011
2:13 pm
Reality,
You really need to travel more. The vast majority of houses here in the UK do not have basements. We personally don’t have a shed. My son does not have a car and neither do the vast majority of teens because you can’t even get a provisional (learner’s) license until your (apply two months before) 17th birthday. Unless you want to drive a moped then you can get one at 16 and I don’t think they have boots (trunks). My son and his friends seem to be allergic to going outside and unless it is connected to a controller don’t seem to be interested. My son and his friends also connect through their x-boxes and usually don’t bother going to each other houses. He doesn’t get an allowance and we get him the things that he wants/needs. So unless my son is drinking, doing drugs, and etc during his 30 minutes bike ride (6 miles roundtrip every school day) to and from school, he’s clean. He is also two years ahead on taking his maths, science and english GCSE’s and next year is doing an engineering diploma. You also seem to think that you are the only one that has ever been a teen. Believe it or not I was one also. Parents did not pop out of the ground as fully formed adults.
1911A1
January 27th, 2011
2:24 pm
Kate @ 12:51…you nailed it.
Sandra
January 27th, 2011
2:25 pm
The teens that get drunk/do drugs here tend to go to parks, play grounds and town/city centres late at night.
Sue from Lima
January 27th, 2011
2:32 pm
After school open dialog with the kiddies: While eating their milk & cookies, ask your kids which of their friends were allowed to watch “Skins”. I promise this would have been a the #1 topic of schoolyard conversation with some of their more colorful classmates!
Use those kids and their parents as examples. There will be no surprises, just lightbulbs moments. Talk to your kids about what kind of kids are allowed to watch such garbage and the type of household which allows them to as well.
Seriously, don’t any of you watch “Glee” ???
Wayne
January 27th, 2011
2:43 pm
[harrumph] I watch ‘Glee’ occasionally. Just for the music.
Sandra
January 27th, 2011
2:45 pm
Jarvis,
That is a generalisation. I use to think that all of England was like Poirot, Ms Marple or Dr Who until I moved here. Just like there are people here that think all Americans are like the TV shows. When I moved here my mom called after a few weeks and asked me if I had indoor plumbing and if there were grocery stores. I once had someone here ask me if everyone in the US were like the characters on Dallas. The only problem my eldest has run into is that he still has a little bit of an American accent since he was born in the US and there were a few that didn’t like it and picked on him because of it. BUT they were a small minority. His siblings all sound English since they were born here and I’m sure that if they went to school in the US there would be some kids that would pick on them because of it.
Sandra
January 27th, 2011
2:49 pm
Becky,
Reality said it :-)
penguinmom
January 27th, 2011
3:05 pm
For those who were asking about Bev Hills 90210 and the age of the actors. From what I can tell on IMDB, all of the actors were 17 or older when it started. Most were over 20, only 3 that I saw were 17 at the time the show started. So, within the first season, everyone was 18 or above.
The article I read suggested that a good number of teens thought the show’s first episode was kind of stupid and poorly acted. It was going up against reruns and now its going up against new episodes of other shows.
We actually block MTV on our home TV because I don’t really even like seeing some of the names they give their programs as I scroll through the program guide. My kids don’t (and won’t ever) have a TV in their room until college because I don’t want them going into their room and watching something I don’t approve of.
mom2alex&max
January 27th, 2011
3:39 pm
penguinmom: yeah, from what I read that’s the biggest issue with this show, that the actors are actually the age they portray. The legal issue is whether it is child pornography. I knew that in 90210 the actors were much older than the characters they played.
I still don’t see the huge deal. It’s for shock and entertainment. Just like the Jerry Springer show, talk shows, soap operas, etc. Sure some kids act like that. I know for sure they don’t act like that just because they see it one TV.
frugal chef
January 27th, 2011
4:16 pm
http://www.thefrugalchef.blogspot.com for great recipe ideas
I ♥ Cereal
January 27th, 2011
4:28 pm
“The legal issue is whether it is child pornography.”
No it is not the issue.
Please, people, enough with the drama!
Oh, gasp, a TV show! Controversy and hype, oh my! ☺
I ♥ Cereal
January 27th, 2011
4:29 pm
☺☻<—? :)
Sid Vicious
January 27th, 2011
4:32 pm
Whatever happened to MTV playing music videos?
sorry sandra
January 27th, 2011
4:33 pm
I’m sorry that I’m only 18 and have not had the experience of traveling to the u.k. extensively. I’ve only made it to france spain jamaica and the cayman islands, not good enough for you. And it sounds to me like you’re son has some social issues, and now I can understand why he doesn’t drink, its because he doesn’t even socialize with his friends other than over the internet!
not a parent
January 27th, 2011
4:40 pm
if I had children, I would not make an issue out of, but the channel would quickly become unavailable. I believe if you make an issue about things, the object/subject of attention becomes more intriguing, and you defeat your purpose of protecting the issue.
deidre_NC
January 27th, 2011
4:41 pm
my kids never had a tv in their rooms….until my daughter went to college.i got an extra box and gave her a tv for christmas (this year) i got a kick butt deal on the tv is the only reason. we have never until now had more than 1 tv…and half of the year we have dish turned off because no one watches it except in the winter.
when mtv stopped having the show ‘boiling point’ we stopped watching it. i used to watch it all the time for the music….that doesnt happen…whered the music go? isnt it supposed to be MusicTeleVision???MTV…none of the kids here watch it either. i watched the clip posted here…and i dont think i would want my kids watching it if they were younger…i know they watched shows and listened to music i didnt allow when they were not at home…but all i could do is teach them right from wrong…morals….and hope it stuck.
MikeR
January 27th, 2011
4:46 pm
Wow. Reading what some parents are saying it is no wonder our society is in such sorry shape. The only way to stop this downward spiral is for us to return to Jesus Christ. A personal relationship with Jesus must be our top priority for us and our children. Do not allow such smut into our homes. Our 15 year old son has no TV in his room. When we watch TV, it is as a family. No show with cursing or sex is allowed in our home. We don’t go to movies that have cursing or sex. We watch sports, news, and old TV shows (gunsmoke is our favorite). I sure you will roll your eyes and call us names and that is fine. Our son is very happy and is active in our Church youth group. I urge you to come to Christ and leave this trash behind. Your family and our world will be much better for it.
jarvis
January 27th, 2011
4:53 pm
It’s just a TV show folks. If you don’t want your kids watching it, do like Mike, and don’t let them watch it.
I don’t believe in censorship. It’s wrong…to the core wrong.
If you feel it’s offensive TV, don’t watch it. Trust me, the sponsors are listening. If viewership drops another 50% next week, this will all be a moot discussion.
Speak with your remote controls not your Congressman. Government censorship is WRONG.
jarvis
January 27th, 2011
4:58 pm
Sandra, I’m full of generalizations. I’m pretty damn opinionated. It’s a character flaw that I’m working on.
As for the feeling of superiority…watch the Top Gear (a show that I love incidentally) “American Holiday” episode. While amusing, the jokes wouldn’t have been set up the way they were, if the audience wasn’t calling for it.
jarvis
January 27th, 2011
5:02 pm
And Sandra…you’re an American girl. Don’t give up your “z’s”. It’s generaliZations here. ;-)
MDS
January 27th, 2011
5:04 pm
I loved the British version in large part because that was written and acted by teenagers. This bears the hands of writers and producers trying to be provocative and misses the honest feeling of the original.
http://www.mattunedited.com
Tia
January 27th, 2011
5:12 pm
My 13 year old daughter had no desire to watch the show so there was no show down there. My 16 year old son and I watched the first show together (I was boiling inside). His comment: this is stupid. I should say we watched about half. Halfway in he asked if he could be excused to play his PS3 or is this another one of my “emotional Mom moments that he has to endure because the thought of college just flashed in my mind”. Smart aleck. Neither had any interest to watch the second show. When I asked my 16 year old about what he thought of what he did see, he said there are instances of that in high school but it is the fringe. That is what I thought. When I was in high school we had some of the very same things going on but it was also the fringe. MTV just didn’t have the desire at that time to make it look cool.
MomsRule
January 27th, 2011
5:33 pm
@lovelyliz, my kids have TVs in their rooms (with cable, GASP!), laptops and Iphones. They both make straight As in all advanced classes and are very active in sports. They wake well rested by themselves every morning to their own alarm clocks. They shower, eat the hot breakfast I’ve prepared, brush their teeth and get their things ready for school. And, they are first to the bus stop every morning (without me telling them it is time to go.)
My point is only that TVs and games in bedrooms do not necessarily equate to staying up all night or ignoring responsibility.
Brit Dad
January 27th, 2011
5:40 pm
Do you really believe that “censoring” what your teenage children view on television is going to make the slightest bit of difference? There is far more explicit viewing available at the click of a mouse button. Your children will grow up in spite of you: trust in the fact that you’ve raised them to have the right values. I’ve watched Skins: I’ve seen far worse imagery on HBO, in the cinema, on You Tube, and just about anywhere else your teenage children care to go…
Paul
January 27th, 2011
5:52 pm
I am repulsed by MTV. I think it is the demise of the future. MTV glorifies everything that is unsettling in the media. MTV cares about ratings/money not your child. That is your job. Kids today are totally off the reservation.
That being said it comes down to parenting. You don’t want to raise your kids right? Well guess what? This crap on TV is what their lives will come to.
I am 29, if anyone is wondering
Ann
January 27th, 2011
6:25 pm
There is so little of quality on television these days, that we have found it is no longer worth the monthly expense. A few months ago, we canceled our cable to save $58 a month. We then got a $20 antenna and can pick up 11 local channels. With fewer channels to scroll, we stumbled across a great show on public television that the adults enjoyed. Before, it would have been lost in the mix of the dozens and dozens of channels. With all those channels, it was amazing how you could scroll through 60 channels and find nothing worth watching. I am not opposed to mindless entertainment occasionally for adults, but has become increasingly difficult to find something truly entertaining.
Our tv stays off while my five year old is awake and up and about. He does not watch any tv. Other parents sometimes ask me, what do you do all day at home? How do you keep him entertained without the tv? It is easy. He entertains himself through his play, since he is not used to being “entertained” by the tv. He doesn’t ask for it to be turned on. The lack of television has fostered his creativity and keeps him from being bored. It has made parenting much easier actually. I am amazed at how many families automatically turn the tv on when at home, even when noone is watching. It is as if they can’t bear to be alone with their own thoughts. That is also the goal of tv and marketing – don’t think, just buy what we advertise.
Jan Brennan
January 27th, 2011
7:03 pm
I’m going to pull the “God” card here because that is how I was brought up and that is how I brought my children up. If you have any decency about you at all and have raised your children in the eyes of God how we should all be doing to be worthy of Heaven, you have to realize that God sees all, He sees everything, He is not blind to this grave, grave evil of fornication, alcohol, drugs, sex, masterbation, lesbians, gays, etc. If you can watch this evil, remember God is right there with you and knows what you are doing. How can you be worthy of Heaven watching the devil’s playground? Chastity is not a bad word, virginity is not a bad word, it is what God expects of us to stay chaste until we are married. Pray for the grace to be chaste. THIS is what we should be teaching our children from toddlers to teens is what we learn in the Bible, it ALL revolves around Jesus. We cannot acquire Heaven with all this sin on our soul, it is not a free ticket, I have no regrets when I teach my children the laws of God, I raise them with prayer, in the church, with the Bible, the Ten Commandments, and my kids are as sweet, gentle and kind with soooooo much love in their hearts. My son is 15, very handssome and knows that God is in charge, not what MTV says is “everyone is doing it”, he knows it is a mortal sin to have sex before marriage, and a mortal sin to masterbate, have gay relationsships and is waiting for his bride, on their wedding night, as that is the order in which God intended. satan is in control of drugs, sex with anything that moves, masterbation, pornography, gay relationships, and he tells you, you don’t have to go to church, you don’t have to read the bible, that’s for weirdos!!! Yes, that is satan’s plan and MTV you are ruled by the evil one, I pray your audience turns away from the hell you are delivering them on a silver plater. Mother’s and Father’s who really love and care for the salvation of your children’s souls, please visit the website to help them back into reality: http://www.chastity.com You will be judged by God how you taught your children about Him and His Word, how you kept them safe and taught them about God’s truth. It is never too late to turn away from the sins of the world and pray for God’s mercy on us. God accepts U-turns and wants you to turn away from all sin, and you will find “all sin” on MTV. This is not the normal way of teens, these are teens unloved, given the wrong direction, shown a grave, grave evil, ask Jesus into your heart and pray on your knees to Him daily to take away the sins of pornography, sex before marriage, gay relationships, and the evil of drugs. Ask Him to purify your heart. Lord create in me a clean heart, and Blessed Mother Mary, please, please pray for me. Jesus I trust in you. God be with you, God have mercy on this world. Amen.
Shocked and Saddened
January 27th, 2011
7:15 pm
Skins is nothing but soft teen porn and has zero educational value. It is there only to reinforce the lie that sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll is the expected life of a teen. Absolute nonsense. Our kids are not animals unless we allow them to be, or make them to be. This show is destructive to youth who view it. This is a judgment upon parenting in modern times.
It reveals the utter failure of parents being parents, and I can’t for the life of me (a parent of two girls and trust me they have no association with such lifestyles depicted in this despicable show) understand how any parent can sit through the cesspool with their kids trying to claim a teachable moment! Please, parents be parents and quit abdicating your role of guidance of your offspring to a slimy standard of MTV’s view of morality or life. It is your duty as ones who brought kids into this world to parent them to be contributions to society, not social cancers.
I, too, refuse the lie of Hollywood and MTV that “every teen is doing it.” This is the most heart wrenching phooey concocted by immoral perverts that produce this media filth. Get out of the immature state of mind that if you ban your teens from watching this garbage that they will really feel embarrassed in front of their friends at school, feel like outsiders and losers. Common on, give me a break! Teach our kids to be classy, intelligent leaders and not moral misfits that can’t stand on their own two feet, and inculcate, with every fiber of your being, in them the will power of taking the high ground of dignity and personal self-control. Don’t be a copout parent allowing or condoning their participation in societal decay.
The show is pathetic, perverted drivel, designed to mock and mangle good parenting, and plunge our young people into the basement of entertainment excrement. God help us parents who are content to lead their children along into watching this show as somehow being a good adult role model.
Re: Jan Brennan
January 27th, 2011
7:34 pm
Haha. You really think that your hormonal 15 year old doesn’t masturbate? Who cares what he tells you? 95% of males masturbate and the other 5% are lying. I guess you’ve just been ignoring the rapid disappearance of all his tissues, toilet paper, and socks.
Lol...
January 27th, 2011
7:41 pm
Sue, what you’re doing is hateful and ignorant, and I agree with the other reader who has already called you out. I just graduated from Med school and had open communication with my mother and father. However you tend to think that watching a TV show makes people like me who had open communication with parents regardless of the TV shows I was allowed watch makes one like me a hell raiser, I reject your reasoning. While this isn’t the best show to open up discussion with one’s parents, this does not damn your child to hell and an unsuccessful career after watching the show. Oh, and keep it a little more classy?