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'Skins' USA preview: EP Bryan Elsley on combining the best of both worlds
There's always a lot of doubt that Americans can replicate what made UK shows great.
We saw it with NBC's "The Office" and now we're seeing it with Starz new "Torchwood" reboot. So, obviously, MTV has invited criticism with its adaptation of the British teen hit, "Skins."
Bryan Elsley, the co-creator of the UK version, who jumped across the pond to executive produce MTV's version wants to make both the similarities and the differences between the two shows clear.
"The American version will have some similarities," Elsley tells Zap2it. "And there will be some common character names and some characteristics that people will recognize. But, I have a very young all-American writing team back in New York and they are hard at work busily changing stuff around. So, I guess the first couple of episodes will be recognizable to people and then you will see some very new stuff."
In fact, what will create this "new stuff" is part of what made the UK version so real for its fans in the first place. The producing team regularly consults with panels of actual teenagers.
"There are many teenagers who come and talk to us about what they think," he says. "They read our material, process it, and tell us how we can improve it. And our writers room is just full of teenagers all the time."
So as the season progresses, Elsley explains to us, the American teenagers will add their spin to the series, molding it and giving the new series its unique American voice.
Watch MTV's latest teasers and a preview for "Skins" below:
Are you looking forward to seeing the Yankee take on "Skins"?
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Photo / Video credit: MTV
Photo / Video credit: MTV
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To be honest, I love the UK version of Skins, but this looks like garbage.
Torchwood isn't a reboot.. it's a continuation of what's already been done. It just has a new financial partner in Starz.
I love the original Skins, this looks like a poor imitation.
UK drama is brilliant. With the notable exception of Queer as Folk, I can't think of any US remake that's been better than the original. Torchwood still has Barrowman and Davies, so no worries about series four, but Skins? There is simply no way to capture the grittiness of the UK version on comparatively puritanical American screens...not even on trashy MTV.
Liked the first "series" of the BBC version, but this looks grim. Really grim. Tony and Michelle seem like especially bad choices. Plus, is it just me, or are none of the actors as attractive as the BBC originals?
Hmmm. Looks like my comments disappeared. Anyway, I quite liked the first "series" of the BBC show but this looks grim. Really grim. Tony and Michelle look especially badly cast. Also, is it just me or are all of the actors less attractive than the BBC cast? I agree that there is no way US TV can pull this off (unless it were on a pay cable station). Oh well. Apparently they are doing a movie with the UK actors.
Hmmm. Looks like my comments disappeared. Anyway, I quite liked the first "series" of the BBC show but this looks grim. Really grim. Tony and Michelle look especially badly cast. Also, is it just me or are all of the actors less attractive than the BBC cast? I agree that there is no way US TV can pull this off (unless it were on a pay cable station). Oh well. Apparently they are doing a movie with the UK actors.
Eek. I guess it took a while to load the new comments. Sorry about that.
My cents on the likely fail of this adaptation is: 1, why wouldn't MTV choose to create original characters within the brand of Skins and create respectable, curious publicity and interest/appeal for the show that way; and 2, the censorship and down-toning that is sure to happen is going to make viewers feel detached. It's an element of the UK version that validated the "observation" aspect of what could really be teenage lives. It's the rawness that was relatable to it's target audience. No appeasing overbearing parents for multiple episodes, and then stunt scenes and cliffhangers for sweeps and whatnot, the UK version was always thoroughly relevant and organic with its psychologies and progression.
I don't get the impression this MTV acquisition has as pure an impetus and reach as the original. They have a lot to prove, and I feel its development is already all wrong. And the fact the Elsley is involved, but I'm still this apprehensive, scares me.
I LOVE the original Skins. LOVE it. And that is saying something, because I am in no way a fan of UK television. But this??? This looks terrible.