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Axed: Skins (US)

MTV axes ts adaptation of Skins after disappointing ratings in the face of a media controversy about its depiction of underage sex and drinking.

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Last week MTV axed its adaptation of UK teen drama Skins after the show suffered disappointing ratings in the face of a media controversy about its depiction of underage sex and drinking.

With a group of teens dabbling in drink, drugs and sex it caused a media uproar in America, where some of the actors were as young as 15.

Watchdog group Parents Television Council called it kiddie porn, and at least eight companies pulled their advertising after the series debuted in January, or placed the show on a “do not buy” list.

But sources at the Viacom Inc-controlled network said the decision not to order a second season was due mostly to a steep drop in viewershop.

“Skins is a global television phenomenon that, unfortunately, didn’t connect with a U.S. audience as much as we had hoped,” MTV said in a statement on Thursday. “We admire the work that the series’ creator Bryan Elsley did in adapting the show for MTV, and appreciate the core audience that embraced it.”

The show airs in Australia on FOX8.

Source: Reuters

8 Responses

  1. Normally I find remakes to be cheap and to miss the point of what the originals have to say and what they want to get across to the audience, but I really enjoyed Skins US. I think they captured the teenage spirit very well. This is exactly what teenagers are like today. I know this because I was one. I don’t think it took anything away from Skins UK, it was just slightly modified to fit in better with American teenagers rather than British teenagers.

  2. Didn’t connect because the US can’t do a teen show without censoring it to a laughably tame level. This was no more offensive/controversial then The OC was… then again MTV should have known better

  4. I’ve really tried to give the US skins a go, but its just the same storylines from different seasons of the UK show and the UK series was done much, much better. I’m honestly not surprised its been axed.

  5. They should never have touched the original Skins. Series 1 and 2 were absolutely brilliant and 3,4, and 5 were entertaining as well. Skins US I never even bothered with, how dare they touch the brilliant characters and stories of Tony, Sid, Cassie, Michelle, Chris, and the gang. How about they try coming up with original concepts instead of Americanising the hell out of perfectly good shows.

    Bloody MTV

  6. @deedee – I agree. It’s ok to drop bombs by remote control on civilians or invade another country and assassinate someone without due process, but heaven forbid if anyone depicts teenagers behaving like real teenagers.

    It’s a sad irony that the country with the most influential groups decrying a lack of decency in all things is also one of the most morally bankrupt.

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