Skins on E4
So Skins has drawn to a close. That is at least, as far as the original run is concerned. You may not have freeview, or Sky, or any other medium through which you may be supplied with the largely entertaining E4 but never fear, as far as the likes of the late, ubiquitous, Skins is concerned, it seems sure there will be many a triumphant repeat run on terrestrial sister channel C4. Most likely of course on the C4 hosted offshoot of rebranding and yoof broadcasting, T4. All very appropriate of course and all in the cause of the inevitable second series…
Now if you please, let me tell you why it’ll be worth the wait!
For the first few episodes of Skins, this reviewer for one purposefully avoided it, being blusteringly offended and heartily aggrevied at the unrelenting multimedia marketing, furious that these bright and beautiful young things were clearly going to be having a better and more hedenous on-screen teenagehood than I, or anyone else for that matter, could have ever possibly had. The outrage! From the ‘makers of Shameless‘ or not, I wasn’t sure I could stomach a show that was clearly going to be so stridently hip. The name even! It’ll clearly be awful! But, halfway through the season, I buckled. I watched. And I have to admit, I am rather pleased that I did.
Sex! Drugs! Eating Disorders! The hip packaging! London yoof! Cast aside the misgivings and you should, by rights, find yourself thoroughly entertained. The show is an enjoyable romp of shamelessly (forgive the gag) aspirational partying and contemporary narrative, propelled on a catchily indignant script. You get the picture now. Forgive the producers their conceptual sins and you are probably going to enjoy it.
In the lead is Nicholas Hoult, who you wont fail to recognise from 2002’s About A Boy. So that gives him five years. It looks like he’s made the most of it, I don’t need to tell you the role of Tony Stonem is far removed from sweet innocent, Marcus Brewster. Now he’s most assuredly all grown up. The boy is a man. And the man is a total shit. And that is Skins’ primary narrative hook, once removed from its style, its zeitgeist appropriating panache. And i don’t mind admitting, it worked for me.
The plot over the course of the season has proved itself just the right side of outrageous: our sad little lives may seem very drab in comparison, but never fear, Skins assures us, the life of the achingly trendy is within our grasp, just take a tip! Tony is the seductive anti-hero amongst a cast of the shy, the messed up and the naive, and they are pulled along amply in narrative development by his rather dark star. The able characterisation throughout manages to carry and assuage the show’s clear pretense, leaving an emminently watchable and even relatable viewing experience in its wake.
So give it a go if you haven’t already. Look forward to its televisual return, or fire up www.tv-links.co.uk and hop on board with those wily emo teens that were hooked from the first trailer, sit back, and enjoy. You’ll thank me later down the line, when you’re enjoying a bisexual orgy at a Skins-themed acid party. At that, remember it is only a matter of time before season two sexes its salacious way onto our willing screens. I can’t quite believe that I’m looking forward to it.
by Gavin Prior
June 1st, 2007 at 11:32 am
You can go to http://e4-skins.co.uk for more info on Skins