10 out of 10
Skins was a British teen drama that followed the lives of a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of sixth form. The show's name comes from the rolling papers known as "skins" and explores controversial issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness (like eating disorders and bipolar disorder), adolescent sexuality, substance abuse, death and bullying. The show was created by father-and-son television writers Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain for Company Pictures, and premiered in January 2007 and went on to be a critical success as well as a ratings winner within its target demographic. Over its initial six-year run, Skins proved to be atypical of ongoing drama series in that it replaced its primary cast every two years. Other ventures to expand the brand have included a short-lived North American remake, which aired on MTV in 2011 but was cancelled after one season after advertisers abandoned the series in response to low ratings and the significant controversy which arose over its depiction of teen sexuality.
