First off, just to be clear, this is being written by an American who found Skins about a year and half ago on BBC America and has loved the series since that moment.
That being said, it is hard to come to this version without making comparisons to the UK original. Virtually impossible because having watched the UK show many times, I know the series practically by heart.
I honestly tried to watch this with an open mind. I swear I did. But my mind kept drifting off to playing the UK version in my head while watching the show. Fact is, the UK version had more depth in the first 10minutes of the pilot than this show did in the entire hour.
The acting in this show is completely mind numbing.
All of the actors were very flat in their performances and you could just tell that they were saying what was written in the script instead of making it seem real. Granted, it is the first acting job all of these kids have had, but sadly, it is obvious that they haven't really acted before, which just makes it harder to watch.
Appearance-wise of these actors has been drastically lowered as well. Whether people wish to admit it or not, we are humans and we make first judgments on appearance, it is impossible not to. And these kids have nothing against their UK counterparts.
Tony was the biggest miss. He is supposed to be absolutely drop dead gorgeous, that no matter how much you may hate him for the conniving sh!t he does, you still love him. I doubt this kid could handle himself in a fight, though they made it seem like he could in the party scene. But really, what is he, 5'3, 5'4 max?
Chris was another let down. I really doubt that, in the real world, this kid would be able to lay anyone other than his blow up doll at night. And we are to believe that the teacher is going to hook up with him? PLEASE! Because, once again, we are humans who do judge on appearance first.
Cadie was just bizarre. The whole knife obsession? And the first scene with Stanley. Yeah, she is crazy, but not the out of it crazy that Cassie was. Cassie was lovable crazy, Cadie... I really don't want to walk ahead of her down a dark alley for fear that she would slit my throat and cook me in some stew.
Stanley seemed the most believable character. The virgin nerd who does Tony's bidding. Though he was believable, still didn't make it easier to watch.
Tea was interesting. Of course the character most different from her counterpart (closeted lesbian vs openly gay), something caught me with her. If anything, I will watch her episode to see what they do with that character. And to be honest, I was ready to hate that character the most because Maxxie was my favorite in the UK version. But surprisingly, I will watch her episode to see what happens with her.
Abbud, Michelle and Daisy... Don't have anything to say about them because they were just too irrelevant to focus on.
This is was a missed opportunity to take an amazing UK show and make it for the US audience.
If they just took the main concept of the show (group of friends getting through high school while smoking weed, popping pills and hooking up), it could've been really great. Instead, they took an amazing UK show and just tailored it for the simple-minded American youth.
I wanted to have a lot of faith in Brian Esley since he also created the original and he was the top guy for the US version. But he really missed something in the translation. Everyone involved with this did.
Aside from Tea's episode next week, I may watch it again... If there aren't any good infomercials on...
That being said, it is hard to come to this version without making comparisons to the UK original. Virtually impossible because having watched the UK show many times, I know the series practically by heart.
I honestly tried to watch this with an open mind. I swear I did. But my mind kept drifting off to playing the UK version in my head while watching the show. Fact is, the UK version had more depth in the first 10minutes of the pilot than this show did in the entire hour.
The acting in this show is completely mind numbing.
All of the actors were very flat in their performances and you could just tell that they were saying what was written in the script instead of making it seem real. Granted, it is the first acting job all of these kids have had, but sadly, it is obvious that they haven't really acted before, which just makes it harder to watch.
Appearance-wise of these actors has been drastically lowered as well. Whether people wish to admit it or not, we are humans and we make first judgments on appearance, it is impossible not to. And these kids have nothing against their UK counterparts.
Tony was the biggest miss. He is supposed to be absolutely drop dead gorgeous, that no matter how much you may hate him for the conniving sh!t he does, you still love him. I doubt this kid could handle himself in a fight, though they made it seem like he could in the party scene. But really, what is he, 5'3, 5'4 max?
Chris was another let down. I really doubt that, in the real world, this kid would be able to lay anyone other than his blow up doll at night. And we are to believe that the teacher is going to hook up with him? PLEASE! Because, once again, we are humans who do judge on appearance first.
Cadie was just bizarre. The whole knife obsession? And the first scene with Stanley. Yeah, she is crazy, but not the out of it crazy that Cassie was. Cassie was lovable crazy, Cadie... I really don't want to walk ahead of her down a dark alley for fear that she would slit my throat and cook me in some stew.
Stanley seemed the most believable character. The virgin nerd who does Tony's bidding. Though he was believable, still didn't make it easier to watch.
Tea was interesting. Of course the character most different from her counterpart (closeted lesbian vs openly gay), something caught me with her. If anything, I will watch her episode to see what they do with that character. And to be honest, I was ready to hate that character the most because Maxxie was my favorite in the UK version. But surprisingly, I will watch her episode to see what happens with her.
Abbud, Michelle and Daisy... Don't have anything to say about them because they were just too irrelevant to focus on.
This is was a missed opportunity to take an amazing UK show and make it for the US audience.
If they just took the main concept of the show (group of friends getting through high school while smoking weed, popping pills and hooking up), it could've been really great. Instead, they took an amazing UK show and just tailored it for the simple-minded American youth.
I wanted to have a lot of faith in Brian Esley since he also created the original and he was the top guy for the US version. But he really missed something in the translation. Everyone involved with this did.
Aside from Tea's episode next week, I may watch it again... If there aren't any good infomercials on...