"Skins" (British TV series) causes mass outrage in USA

Cult British teen drama shocks the Americans - News - TV & Radio - The Independent

Racy, hip and professionally parent-baiting: after four solid years of success in the UK, the grungey teen drama Skins crossed the Atlantic this week, as MTV premiered what it hopes will be the latest British TV concept to flourish in the United States.

Funnily enough, it hasn't all been plain sailing. Not entirely unpredictably, the country's notoriously prudish viewing public aren't universally taken with the alcohol-fuelled, sex-suffused series. In fact, a furore has broken out.

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Really guys? does it shock you? honestly, your TV over there must be pretty tame for this to be offensive.

robduckyworth said:

Cult British teen drama shocks the Americans - News - TV & Radio - The Independent



Really guys? does it shock you? honestly, your TV over there must be pretty tame for this to be offensive.

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It's not about being "tame". It's about hypocritical religious groups, soccer moms and full of "it" parents whom cry outrage because they have little else to do but be uncreative with their boring lives. It's their way of trying to gain what little control over anything they can in place of the lack of control they've got in their own pathetic lives.

Americans like this are just crying out for attention and getting it, because of how easy it is to manipulate the media as well as the judicial system. Lawyers love chasing these easy to create law suits. It's what this country seems to thrive on, which is again... pathetic. I love British television. it's got so much more bite to it, a healthy dose of, well, realism if you will. One of my favorite shows that didn't last too long was Luther.

If anything, that saucy show Skins is just outright silly. Nothing like over the top teen sex... boring.

Doug

Doug b said:

I love British television. it's got so much more bite to it, a healthy dose of, well, realism if you will.


Doug

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Case in point:

The British version of "Top Gear" vs. the American version of "Top Gear".

Watch one episode of both, and it makes the quoted statement pretty clear.

Not surprised by this at all. >_>" If parents get upset over "Glee" with that episode with just implied acts of sexuality...I can only imagine their response to this.

robduckyworth said:

Really guys? does it shock you? honestly, your TV over there must be pretty tame for this to be offensive.

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Nah, we get far more violence and less sex in our TV fare. Which is worse? Meh. Personally mate, I'd rather have the boobs. ;D

Doug b said:

I love British television. it's got so much more bite to it, a healthy dose of, well, realism if you will. One of my favorite shows that didn't last too long was Luther.

If anything, that saucy show Skins is just outright silly. Nothing like over the top teen sex... boring.

Doug

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I love British television too! And Luther is excellent! I thought I had read BBC commissioned a third season of Luther, any one there in the UK know for sure? I watched Skins once on BBCA and also thought it was silly and far less offensive of than a lot of things on TV these days.

Watch them fiddle as Rome burns... We need more spectacle; circuses and peanuts. I was promised beer, and gas money!

I think judging American TV view points from a Brit's point of view is a little hypocritical. We have completely different tv guide-lines, as apposed to times when I've been in europe where a local kid/teen's channel had porn on it. Why are you at all surprised that your show is not universally taken in? Why does it have to be? Don't you think you're sending kids the wrong message by introducing a show that has heavy content of sexual acts and alcohol use? I don't know if you know this, but North American media has been turning away from this kind of media aimed directly at teens.

Also, if this is the most popular show in the UK, what does that say for your teen population, or the quality of shows available?

I think a more interesting question is:

Which is worse.. the vast amount of violence on American TV, or sex?

Perhaps it has to do with World War II. Actually, I believe it has much to do with a massive war played out locally (as opposed to remotely in the US).

Doug b said:

It's not about being "tame". It's about hypocritical religious groups, soccer moms and full of "it" parents whom cry outrage because they have little else to do but be uncreative with their boring lives. It's their way of trying to gain what little control over anything they can in place of the lack of control they've got in their own pathetic lives.

Americans like this are just crying out for attention and getting it, because of how easy it is to manipulate the media as well as the judicial system. Lawyers love chasing these easy to create law suits. It's what this country seems to thrive on, which is again... pathetic. I love British television. it's got so much more bite to it, a healthy dose of, well, realism if you will. One of my favorite shows that didn't last too long was Luther.

If anything, that saucy show Skins is just outright silly. Nothing like over the top teen sex... boring.

Doug

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i love this whole statement.

Case in point:

The British version of "Top Gear" vs. the American version of "Top Gear".

Watch one episode of both, and it makes the quoted statement pretty clear.

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too true, too true. not a Top Gear kinda guy but noone can do it like Clarkson can.

I think judging American TV view points from a Brit's point of view is a little hypocritical.

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Lets set this straight. It's not "my" TV show, in fact Im not actually a fan. Last time i saw it was three years ago, and while it was good, I didnt get into it. I was merely surprised that something like that could cause such mass outrage. I honestly just dont see it, and I wanted your thoughts.

We have completely different tv guide-lines, as apposed to times when I've been in europe where a local kid/teen's channel had porn on it.

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That would be Holland mostly. Most of Europe is pretty strict. good luck trying to find porn on Sky/Freeview in the UK

and to be fair, most of our kids TV is American.... (Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network)

robduckyworth said:

That would be Holland mostly. Most of Europe is pretty strict. good luck trying to find porn on Sky/Freeview in the UK

and to be fair, most of our kids TV is American.... (Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network)

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It's in a lot more places than Holland, (as you've alluded to) but for iggibar to state that pornographic programming exists on a kid's channel is factually exaggerated. First off, most of the rest of the world (Asia excluded) is not as ashamed of human sexuality and does not try to cover up the fact that sex sells, unlike here in the States where sex is used either for or against certain political agendas.

Secondly, any free pornography channels in Europe, exist well after the time that children should be asleep. If your kids are watching porn, guess who's fault that is? No, not the program director, and no, not the cable company. It's your fault, the parent. You decide what your KIDS do and don't do in the household. And if you try and tell me that Debbie does Detroit is on after the Care Bears, then I'm calling you out.....

And please, if you're going to sit there and deny how ridiculous American teen show programming has been over the years, with its subtle sexual overtures towards both sexes, alcohol and drug abuse etc.. then you're living in a different United States than I am.

At least that silly Brit show doesn't attempt to hide its intentions, as provocative as they are. And let's be honest here.. if your teens think that what they see on television is a true reflection of what happens in real life, then they've got bigger problems than what the prime time lineup is! I think my point is: Be a good parent, and the rest of it falls into place. You had the kids, now you take the responsibility.

Thinking about it, it's shameful that such programming exists. Because what it says to me is that the television has taken the place of parent, mentor and teacher. Otherwise, how would the execs know what it is that keeps these dulled minds glued to their fannies watching this dreck?

But hey, I guess if it's easier to blame someone or something else......

Doug

I don't need a lesson on what is available on European channels, especially since that's where I moved from, and go back just about every other year. I'm not arguing what the child should be watching, and what the parent should be denying, just stated that for a FACT, that movies/shows contain nudity in fact get aired on kid channels. It IS the channel's station that is airing those movies/shows! I never stated that shows are better in the US, just noted in this specific example of high sexual and alcoholic content. Thanks for taking everything out of context!

american tv sucks. if you can manage to get past the commercials that come on every 3 minutes of television. i dont even bother watching tv anymore. I used to keep it on just as noise in the background, but i dont even do that anymore. Its just soo bad. I spend my "Tv" time in front of the computer now. The internet i can research whatever i want. hardware, programming, robotics, electronics.. anything at all. its just better then tv and more entertaining,