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MTV 'Skins' secret weapon? Meet its American 'Teen Advisory Group'
MTV's American version of the British hit, "Skins," is definitely under the microscope. And fans of the original series seem pretty sure that the network will fail to reproduce its magic.
The new show has a few things going for it. Co-creator Bryan Elsley has jumped the pond to work on the American version. He brings along with him some of the insight and methods that made the first one a success.
When we spoke to Elsley, he told Zap2it that the first few episodes will resemble the original series in storyline and characters, but then it will start to diverge. Why?
Just like the original series, the production works with real teens they call the "Teen Advisory Group." They, along with Elsley's group of American writers, will then weave an uniquely American version of the show.
Granted, the U.S. isn't exactly heralded for its liberal view on sex and drugs and that may create the "watered down" effect everyone is fearing from the American series.
But, this is the American "Skins," so shouldn't it reflect the experiences and thoughts of this country's teens? If a "watered down" version does emerge from this experiment, then isn't that valid, as well?
Will you be able to wipe the slate clean and judge the American series for what it is rather than for what it isn't?
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Video credit: MTV
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I'm a huge fan of the UK version of Skins. If anyone was going to do a Americanized version it should be a network that could really do the show some justice not MTV, which will definitely water it down and cut out the majority of the profanity, drugs and sex that made the original so jarring and incredible to watch.
Oh big failure..Bryan Elsley don't go there man..i know Hollywood came to you but please what made Skins was the English teenagers way of life..the accent, the european mentality..big failure and please MTV seriously ?! What now Skins will look like to Laguna Beach/the Hills shallow totally fake trash way of life..just puke..like i said Big Failure..
I must confess, I love Skins. Within a three day time-span, I was able to watch both complete seasons of skins. Once I started to watch the first episode of the first generation, I just couldn’t stop. I am looking forward to watching the third generation; a generation that is sure to follow the precedents set by the first and second generation. The third generation would not be complete without drugs, sex, and alcohol!
With this said, I would like to point out that I am not at all thrilled by the American version of skins that is premiering on MTV. Although, I am not one of those crazed fans of the original series that believe that the American version of skins is going to be a complete and utter failure as the article above states.
I respect the fact that America is “watering down” the British version of skins; that’s America for you! To many Americans, well, to the majority of my peers that is, the UK Skins resembles porn. That’s just how America is. America censors the television for American viewers; removing the improper use of nudity, alcohol, and drugs. By doing this, the American version is already going to be different from the British version for the British version was gold for their use of profanity, nudity, drugs, and alcohol. Hence why I fell in love with the show in the first place!