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?
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
140 comments Add your comment
Sandra
January 27th, 2011
8:18 pm
Reality,
No it’s not good enough for me. Visiting a few places on vacation does not make you an expert on these cultures. My husband is a quarter Spanish and a quarter from Gibraltar but it does not make him an expert on either of these places as he has only visited. It does make his Grandfather an expert on living on The Rock of Gibraltar and his Grandmother an expert on living in her part of Spain but not him. He does speak Spanish. He would be more of an expert on Germany since he has lived, went to school, worked there. He also writes and speaks fluent German. He would even be a slight expert on living in the States since one of his Master Degrees is from a Uni in California.
As for my son, he and his friends use the x-box not only for games but for chatting to each other. They use it as they would their phones. It is just more comfortable and there are very few parents who would let 6 – 11 teenage boys into their house. He would also be way too smart to tell any adult that they had no clue how to raise children. He may think it but he would never say it.
The vast majority of parents have figured out that kids can lie, fib, steal and etc. We have been there and either have done it or seen it. Do I think that my children will never get drunk …. of course not. Do I think that my kids will never have sex ….. nope. I do hope that they will never take drugs but if they do my husband and I will always be there to pick up the pieces when they are ready for us to help. Do I need Skins to talk to my children about sex, drugs, alcohol or anything else …… not in this lifetime.
Daddy Mojo
January 27th, 2011
8:28 pm
This is an excellent opportunity to bring up “a la carte television stations”. Yes, I have cable, but I only watch a dozen channels at most. “Turn the channel off” is a common sense argument but I don’t want any of my money going toward a network or cable outlet that programs this tripe. It’s the ultimate power, yes, for now, but if a la carte television stations were an option I’d bet that MTV wouldn’t pull this garbage.
Jim Jones
January 27th, 2011
8:30 pm
This show gets the Pedobear Seal of Approval.
Sandra
January 27th, 2011
8:47 pm
Jarvis,
I do get confused on my spelling. :-)) I have taught my kids on occasion the US way of spelling a word only for them to get it wrong on their test.
When I first came here my husband convinced me that lemon curd was made out of bee’s wax with lemon flavouring. Do we have lemon curd in the States? I never heard of it til I came here. He thought it was funny. In fact, he still does. It wasn’t as funny to me.
As far as the entertainment, There have been sometime that I haven’t found some jokes or shows funny because of the slant but there also have been times that my husband wasn’t overly chuffed about some of the shows or jokes that have come out of the US. I think it swings both ways.
jarvis
January 27th, 2011
8:49 pm
Daddy Mojo, I couldn’t agree more on ala carte TV.
I don’t speak Spanish. I don’t know what the hell they are saying on Univision. I’m sure it’s quality TV, but I don’t think I should have to pay for something I can’t follow.
HB
January 27th, 2011
8:53 pm
Daddy Mojo, look into a good outdoor antennae and a fast Internet connection. With the new digital subchannels, I get 30 channels using just indoor rabbit ears and the few cable shows I care to watch are usually available online after a few days. If ESPN is a big part of your cable viewing, ESPN3 online is a good sub for it. If your Internet provider isn’t partnered with them so that you get it free as part of your account, you can pay an annual fee for site access that is cheaper than a full cable package.
jarvis
January 27th, 2011
8:59 pm
I hear ya Sandra. It definitely works both ways.
That one episode of Top Gear was especially disappointing for me though (it was 4 years ago, and I’m still going on about it).
It’s one of my favorite shows, and I thought it was generally more mean-spirited than funny on that particular night. The fat American Stig was hilarious, but I felt like they treated a redneck woman in Alabama horribly, and portrayed Americans as not giving a sh*t that Katrina had leveled New Orleans.
Calling us fat, gun-loving, and ignorant to the ways of the world are pretty humorous generaliZations. Saying that we are too self-absorbed to care about each other, and intentioally demeaning a person on TV are not funny to me.
It still makes me wonder if Brits really think we are generally mean and stupid.
HB
January 27th, 2011
9:02 pm
You don’t have to pay for Univision anyway. It’s a broadcast network and Atlanta has a station.
jarvis
January 27th, 2011
9:03 pm
What about Galavision?
JATL
January 27th, 2011
9:05 pm
@Jan Brennan -don’t you know that atheist homosexuals need love too? And if MTV isn’t on, then your kids are going to have to masturbate to some of the racier parts of the Bible (just imagining what all was going down in Sodom and Gomorrah could last for several sessions). How do you feel about that? Sorry, but people who still think masturbation is a sin really crack me up! Ask yourself some of the tough questions: Had you rather your kids watch “Skins” or masturbate? HAHA -trick question! Skins may edge the ol’ dilly dally on that one (although after they watch it -they’re gonna go masturbate). Had you rather your kids masturbate or fornicate? Well, probably masturbate. OK -so chalk one up for the magic fingers. What about masturbate or fornicate homosexually? Now I’m SURE your liking masturbation as a choice much more! Hmmm, how about masturbate or get knee-walking drunk or high as a kite? Wow -I’m thinking masturbation wins again…Please tell me where, oh where, you find anything in the Bible that makes you think masturbation makes God or Jesus angry. Dear woman, methinks you need a LARGE vibrator.
A parent’s view on Skins and a la carte television stations | Daddy Mojo
January 27th, 2011
9:18 pm
[...] “Just block the channel from your television” is another genius argument from these cutting edge apologists. The point here Sherlock is that I don’t want any of my money going to that companies’ bottom line. [...]
HB
January 27th, 2011
11:02 pm
I think Galavision is cable only, jarvis, but I’m not sure.
really?
January 28th, 2011
7:09 am
Interesting comments from MTV reality star, Rachel Campos-Duffy
“I can tell you that the dirty little secret at MTV is that their demo is not 22 year old college students. Their demo is 12, 13-year-old kids, 14-year-old boys and girls who are often home alone, and unsupervised…These shows have real consequences for these children, and for the society at large. What kind of support system to we want to have for our children?”
concerned
January 28th, 2011
7:15 am
I’ve heard some comment here that they, as a “typical teenager” lived like these teens and turned out fine. Unfortunately this won’t be the case for many young and not so young kids who will seek to imitate this behavior and consider it the “norm.” This behavior for many will result in tragedy one way or the other. Bad move MTV.
WTH!
January 28th, 2011
7:18 am
whether it’s art imitating life or life imitating art, glorifying this risky behavior is STUPID and IRRESPONSIBLE!!!!
CM
January 28th, 2011
7:20 am
“a repugnant, irredeemably nihilistic viewing experience [which] discovers a new frontier in phoniness and filth.” The Washington Post
CM
January 28th, 2011
7:22 am
“stoned and vacant-eyed sexually crazed waifs [who] exhibit staunch amorality and a sexual hunger unknown to any human not addled by male-enhancement products.” The Boston Herald
StatesTheObvious
January 28th, 2011
8:41 am
Watch it or not, teens (yes, even your saintly youngster) are facing the issues depicted in this show. Parents can bury their heads in the sand all they want but every day teens face decisions about sex, drugs, alcohol, and lots of other things that all adults faced at some point in their lives. So, the best way to go about it is to have an honest discussion with your teen about what is happening in his or her life and about how to handle the tough choices. Otherwise, you can bet that they will talk to someone else about it or will take their cues from a show like this and you probably won’t like the outcome.
c'mon
January 28th, 2011
8:51 am
Do we really need to see masturbation on TV? Sure most of us do (and enjoy) it, but does this reality really NEED to be shown?? Why can’t some private things remain private. Wanna see me take a crap? Wanna see me use a tampon?
emmysmom
January 28th, 2011
9:35 am
Who cares what tv shows play in the U.K.? My children and grandchildren do not live in the U.K., and their morality or lack thereof is of no concern to me. What is of concern to me is this trash on American television and American parents’ apparent inability to control what their children watch and/or their justification for letting them watch it. When did we lower the bar to this level?
JATL
January 28th, 2011
10:07 am
@c’mon -given the feminine products commercials and the Charmin bears, I’m expecting an actual real demonstration of those products any day now! I don’t know if you were referring to my tongue-in-cheek post to Jan Brennan, but I’m not advocating for masturbation on tv, I’m just saying that it’s a healthy and normal thing that people do -not an “mortal sin” as she stated. The Parent’s Television Council also starts complaining any time it’s a story line on a show with teens. They had a fit about “That 70s Show” when they aired an episode about Eric being caught masturbating. It was hilarious, no masturbation was shown and it was actually quite realistic about the humiliation suffered between parents and kids when someone is caught in the act. So no, we don’t need to “see” it, but to have a fit that it’s even mentioned or to think it’s a mortal sin is ridiculous.
Sandra
January 28th, 2011
12:27 pm
Emmysmom,
Well, You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to including care about the morality in the UK but shows have been crossing back and forth across the pond for a long time now. Some US shows get remade in the UK and some UK shows get remade in the US. “Skins” is just the latest from the UK. Other have been …… “Three’s Company” was a remake of the UK show called “Man About The House” ……… “Sanford and Son” was a remake of the UK show called “Steptoe and Son” ………. “All In The Family” was a remake of the UK show called “Til Death Us Do Part” ……… “Too Close For Comfort” was a remake of the UK show called “Keep It In The Family” and etc ……. For some going the other way …….. “Family Feud” was remade for the UK as “Family Fortunes” ……… “Good Times” was remade for the UK as “The Fosters” ……… “Who’s the Boss” was remade for the UK as “The Upper Hand” and etc ……… I knew some of these already ……. for the others thanks “Wikipedia”
Carmen McQueen
January 28th, 2011
12:47 pm
I am a 16 year-old girl and i enjoy skin. I think it gives parents a chance to see what their kids are doing even if they think they aren’t. Even the sweetest kids in their parents eyes have a darkside! Skins tell things how they are, the show doesnt sugar coat any thing how the sex ed. teachers may do in school! parents ahve to face the fact that everyday their kids are exposed to sex, drugs, and alcohol and most likely they ave probably already done those things with out them noticing. My mom allows me to watch the show because everything they are doin ive already done. I am bisexual so the lesbianism is no problem to me. I truly believe the PTC is just a group of parents who dnt want their kids to look at the show because they think they wil try those things. If your child watches music videos or BET, MTV, or VH1 probably have already did all of those things too. I think everybody is blowing this out of proportion. I am going to continue to watch the show and i have many teenagers do to so they can see what happens when you chose to do certain things.
Sandra
January 28th, 2011
1:22 pm
Jarvis,
I think there are a lot of people around the world that think Americans are “fat, gun-loving, and ignorant to the ways of the world”. In my opinion, I don’t think that the mass shootings or gun crimes that are beamed around the world in seconds help to negate the idea that a lot of Americans are “gun-loving”. In my opinion, Some of the comments from contributors on several different newspaper sites that claim to be from Americans do nothing to vanish the impression that a lot of Americans are “ignorant to the ways of the world”. As far as the fat goes, It would help if we would stop trying to stay in the top ten of the world’s fattest countries. I know that everyone likes to win but goodness people I think this is one goal that we don’t want to achieve.
There are always going to be shows/comics that are going to push the button on generaliZations and stereotyping but like I said earlier that happens the other way also. After all, there seems to be nothing funner than to make fun of another country or person …. Well, It’s less funny for the country or person being made fun of.
That said, I have been demanded an explanation of/blamed by some people here for things like ….. friendly fire incidences, the US movie industry, US foreign policy, some statements a couple of Presidents have made and many other things. One of my sister-in-laws once demanded to know why Hollywood didn’t make more movies about UK military achievements and conflicts. I told her that I personally wasn’t responsible for the US film industry but would guess that it was because Hollywood is located in the US and that any problems she personally had with the lack or supposed lack of UK military films would be best taken up with the UK film industry. What I should have said was, “I don’t know but I will give the heads of all the studios a call and demand an explanation by the end of the day”.
Wayne
January 28th, 2011
1:38 pm
Off-topic but wanted to point out that even though you might not see a charge on your cable bill for a TV channel, doesn’t mean it’s free. The cable operator may have to pay rebroadcast rights, even if it is ‘off-air’ as it’s called.
Cable Commissioner for the Town I Live In
shaggy
January 28th, 2011
1:46 pm
Wow! Sex, masturbation, booze, remembering what it was like to be a teen and masterfully dodging the parents in their attempts to shut me down. I really missed out on a good one…so much to say, but I am not going to do it.
Except, I just have to say how I LOLed at JATL’s reply to jan something or other. That was priceless…”magic fingers”…too funny.
Dad Says
January 28th, 2011
2:32 pm
Y’all are getting caught up in a phony controversy. Why phony? The UK version of Skins aired on BBC America in 2008. Where was the outrage back then? My guess is MTV tried to pull a public relations stunt that backfired.
Also, Skins is a drama, so, yes, it exaggerates. So do Law & Order, Lost and even Desperate Housewives and Big Bang Theory.
The genealogy of Skins is: The original UK E4 series showed a wide range of situations played for maximum emotional impact, but always in the context of teens trying to find their adult selves. Then BBC America aired a bleeped, pixelated version with some skin edited out, a bit like showing The Sopranos on basic cable. Now MTV has come out with an American remake, where the production too tentative and tepid to capture the flavor of the original. This last bit is the real problem with the show.
HB
January 28th, 2011
3:49 pm
Thanks for clarifying, Wayne — I was unclear. What I meant was, if channels were a la carte, there would be no need to pay for Univision anyway because in Atlanta, you should be able to pick it up with an antenna.
A parent's guide to MTV's 'Skins:' How bad is it? | Momania: A … | Parent
January 29th, 2011
1:24 am
[...] here: A parent's guide to MTV's 'Skins:' How bad is it? | Momania: A … This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged mtv. Bookmark the permalink. ← Parent [...]
TBM
January 29th, 2011
10:13 am
Let’s just say I have banned MTV from my home as a result of this show. It’s blocked…as are other shows and stations that consistently confuse people’s minds (especially kid’s minds) with this “accepted norm” rather than with what “ought to be.” My perspective is that these behaviors, this type entertainment, etc., is not what makes for happy souls and sound minds in the long-term. But don’t take my word for it. Challenge yourselves to objectively research the impact of these influences on people at all ages…again, on children and young adults especially. Compare today’s generation to other generations. Compare today those who watch this type entertainment and with those who do not. Then decide for yourselves that which ought to be and how you do and can best influence that. I double dare you!
Terri
January 29th, 2011
10:17 am
If it’s meant to be “educational,” then let’s find a way to make it that way. The majority don’t seem to make the distinction in my opinion.
Barker
January 29th, 2011
10:56 am
I prejudged this show without watching it, and I’m sad that I did that, because after watching the embedded video, it looks pretty good. I don’t understand how you think it’s a problem that the girl hears her grandmother talk about what happened to her and a woman who she feel in love with. That scene was very powerful, and gave the show a lot of depth. How could you have a problem with that, but no problem with the father setting her up on a date with a boy, so that he could advance his career.
The show is obviously not for pre-teens, and they shouldn’t make it seem like everything in these kids’ lives revolves around sex, but it looks like a show that has a lot of potential.
Cole
January 29th, 2011
11:25 am
IF YOU HAVE SKINS IN YOUR HOUSE AND DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO:
1) Pick-up Remote Control: Look for button with UP arrow and Down arrow. It will say CH (Channel). Push button up or down. This will change the channel you are watching. It’s called the “Change Channel Button”.
2) Alternate Choice: All of America now receives their television broadcasts through cable boxes. On the remote control you will find a Settings/Menu button. Go to Parental Control. You can now set and BLOCK any TITLE, CHANNEL, CONTENT, RATING. Once you block a Channel/Show etc it remains blocked until YOU unset it. You choose and enter a pin number of YOUR choosing so NO ONE else can change YOUR settings.
Patrick
January 30th, 2011
2:25 am
This show was on in Holland the same time as it was in the UK and it had the same reaction: nothing!
The kids that watched it didn’t go apeshit on drugs and alcohol or participated in casual sex more than they already did. It’s so weird that a show like this is an issue in America. I know the common feeling about Europeans in your country is that we are too liberal and open but Oh My God, don’t you ever think you might be a bit too uptight? Are you really all so naive? your kids will have sex, will drink alcohol and maybe they will even use drugs!!! And if they are the age of the kids in Skins they probably already do all these things!!!! Maybe lowering legal age to have sex and alcohol at 16, like in some European countries is an idea. My point is, stop the drama and trust your kids! Trust them to make right choices about sex, alcohol and drugs. Trust them, even if they choose differently than you would.
Keep the media to a minimum | Parenting help in South Carolina
January 30th, 2011
1:05 pm
[...] A parent's guide to MTV's 'Skins:' How bad is it? | Momania: A … [...]
A parent’s superintend to MTV’s ‘Skins:’ How polluted is it? | Acne Spot Gel - Health and Beauty Products
January 31st, 2011
6:22 am
[...] all due respect to site: click here Tags: alcohol, america, binge, drinking, skins, [...]
Hey Patrick!!
January 31st, 2011
1:19 pm
Amen! Everything you said is spot on. I live in the U.S. and we are horribly conservative which creates nothing but problems for our country in terms of social policy. Perhaps some European countries are slightly too liberal, but that is better than our situation in the U.S. where we are so uptight about everything.
Like people never partied before?
January 31st, 2011
6:16 pm
Kids are way over protected and still they continue to get intoxicated and have premarital sex. This has been true of each and every U.S. generation of kids.
The saddest thing isn’t the show, but that every generation of parents never learns the lesson that the more hysterical you become about something, the more into kids will become.
The next saddest thing is that there are things far worse than sex and drugs and wee still have parents ho not only don’t get that, but believe that there little tike is exceptional. Smart kids have always learned how to leverage this naivete, yes, even the ones that don’t drink or do drugs.
Talk to your kids when they are very young and keep talking to them. Keep the lines of communication open even if it makes you uncomfortable.
Lastly, if your kids watch pro wrestling, then your kid probably has bigger issues than anything shown on the U.S. version of Skins.
Tuckergirl
February 1st, 2011
10:35 am
Thank you, really?, for that comment from Rachel Campos-Duffy. That hits the nail on the head. It’s not the teens I’m worried about. It’s that exact age group (let’s go even further to 10-13) that is so vulnerable to this kind of trash.
On another topic, sex in the school bathroom? Good Lord! We barely had enough time to get to our next class, much less squeeze in a trip to the bathroom to pee when I was a teen. And the teachers monitored the bathrooms. If there are kids having sex in the school bathroom, something is very WRONG about that school.
rachat de credit
February 2nd, 2011
8:28 am
I seldom leave comments on blog, but I have been to this post which was recommend by my friend, lots of valuable details, thanks again.