MTV will Americanize 'Skins'
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MTV wants to bring the provocative and critically loved British series "Skins" to American shores.
The cable channel has won the rights to develop an American version of "Skins," which follows a group of teenagers through all the awkward, exhilarating and humiliating moments on the way to growing up. Bryan Elsley, who co-created the British series with his son Jamie Brittain, will executive produce the U.S. show.
MTV's version will be set in Baltimore, and like the original series will employ unknown teenage actors to star in and write the show.
"'Skins' is one of those rare shows that cuts through to its core audience with unusually authentic stories due to the unique writing and casting process that Bryan pioneered," says Liz Gateley, who heads series development at MTV. "I am beyond thrilled to bring it to MTV in the U.S. We intend to preserve the authenticity of the British version, and are excited to collaborate with the original team to develop stories that will speak to American youth."
The British version of "Skins" airs on BBC America.
Does a remake sound like a good idea to you? Vote in the poll below.
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The BBC version is amazing, I'm currently enjoying the 3rd series on BBC America. I can't imagine that it will ever be produced in the US with the same boundary pushing elements. To many conservative groups will be waiting in the wings because they are unwilling to accept that the things that show covers is actually what their perfect little angels are up to. They will water it down and make it more "acceptable" like the do all the remakes which is why most of them bomb over here. We are a country unwilling to face the truth or embrace the fact that not everyone follows a white picket fence version of life.
sounds like another degr***i
Terrible, terrible idea. The first two series had some of the most honest portrayals of teens I've ever seen -- I felt like I was back in high school again doing all that thrilling, dangerous, emotionally exhilirating and damaging stuff I did with my friends. Admittedly, the third series went a little too over-the-top, and the authenticity was no longer as present, but I can't even imagine how horrible an American version will be. As a whole, our country is much too conservative and the television industry too much of a business to ever allow "Skins" the creative leeway it got in the U.K. As I said, terrible, terrible idea.
HELL NO. **** NO. MTV. DEFINITELY NOT. MTV IS WILD, BUT IT JUICES, AND DUMBS DOWN THE **** OUT OF EVERYTHING. I'VE ONLY SEEN 2 EPISODES OF SKINS SO FAR, AND I'M MORE THAN IMPRESSED. NO WAY MTV WILL GET P***ED STANDARDS AND PRACTICES TO MAKE SKINS LIKE THE ORIGINAL. MTV JUST NEEDS SOMETHING TO SAVE THEIR ***ES. THEIR ****IN' DESPARATE. MTV'S SISTER NETWORK, VH1, JUST GOT ITS' FACE BASHED IN WITH THE MEGAN WANTS A MILLIONAIRE DRAMA. SHOWTIME, MTV'S SISTER NETWORK, ALSO OWNED BY VIACOM WILL BE MORE THAN A PERFECT FIT FOR THE AMERICAN VERSION OF SKINS. IT'S NOT TOO LATE. CONTRACTS CAN BE RENEGOTIATED. OTHERWISE, IS THIS WHAT MTV WANTS TO DO WITH THE MONEY IT SAVES FROM SELLING TIMES SQUARE STUDIO? IT WON'T WORK. GIVE UP, MTV. SKINS IS NOT DEGR***I. SKINS IS NOT THE HILLS, OR LAGUNA BEACH. IF NOT SHOWTIME, HBO'S ANOTHER OPTION. OR EVEN BBC AMERICA, WHERE ORIGINAL SKINS AIRS NOW.
utter fail. series 3 is bad enough already, what with it being "americanized" - an american version itself would be worse. and this won't bring anything new to the table. case in point: it'll become another 90210 or gossip girl or some **** like that.
they should have just brought back the grit of the first generation and stuck with it.
**** THAT. it will be nothing like the British version. America is too censored. no nudity, drugs, or sex. That's Skins. watch the British show. don't watch this bull**** that's being planned.
I will NOT have another one of my favorite shows ruined by mainstream producers who are only in it for the money instead of the story telling.
this is THE worst idea i've heard in a long time!
Skins is a sacred show for kids who are a little ****ed up and need something to relate to. i'm very saddened and angry with this decision and i will boycott MTV if they continue to go through with the production of this show.
I can't imagine that they will be able to pull it off as well as the Brits. Skins is a beautiful show, gritty and dark. I hope that "Americanize" doesn't equate to "bastardize" as it so usually does.
That said, I wouldn't mind seeing a truer to life portrait of American teens than i see in the dreck currently on TV. I give MTV credit, as I usually do, for tackling racier but not necessarily tawdry viewing material. Let's just hope this is more "unzipped" than "the hills".
Given the writing abilities of the majority of people working for MTV these days, I imagine an Americanized version of Skins will be like a raunchier version of SLAT on ABC Family. And, no, that wasn't a compliment.
Libby hit it on the nail. It's funny, because I knew someone out there would want to Americanize "Skins" before long. I disagree with whoever said Series 3 is bad. It's great so far and Cook and Effy are two of the most interesting characters and I can't wait to see where their storylines go.
"Skins" is also innovative in doing two seasons with one cast and moving on to another new cast to keep the show fresh. I heavily doubt America would ever do that with one of our shows.
Will said what I was thinking. The BBC America run of Skins is censored and "Americanized" (what's with the subtitles, BBCA?) that the British version is almost unwatchable on American television. The dvds are the only true way for an American to watch Skins.
I loved my Michelle, Sid, C***ie, Jal, Tony, Maxxie, Chris, and Effy from series one and two. Series three is ridiculous. The drama in the first episode was minimal compared to the slapstick comedy. Skins was always over-the-top, but the first generation of characters were surprisingly realistic when dealing with emotions. The second generation writing has so little pure emotion that I'm finding it hard to call myself a fan of the show.
I'm sure that even with Elsley on board, the American conservative culture and Elsley's seemingly losing touch with emotional value, an American version of Skins would be dreadful.