For the next month(ish), I’m going to be counting down my Top 25 Favorite TV Shows. These are my personal favorites and are, by no means, what I consider “best” or “most culturally important”.
24. Skins 2007-present. E4. Created by Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain.
What Is It? UK teen drama. The show has had three different generations (to date) with two seasons for each generation following the two years of sixth-form college which keeps the show young and fresh. On the surface one could see a show that revels in the excess of youth culture, but Skins goes much deeper, delving into the issues that are truly at hand in this turbulent time.
Why I Love It I wasn’t expecting much when I started watching Skins. I expected it to be the proto-typical teen whine-fest, but Skins blew me away. I think that the show portrays adolescence so well: how life’s struggles (mental illness, understanding one’s sexuality, dysfunctional friends and family, death, substance abuse) and being young, living in a fast-moving age can compound these issues violently. Skins has this strange comforting and cathartic effect on me that I’m not sure I can describe. I feel the need to mention that I have liked each new cast less than I liked the previous one, but I still absolutely adore the show and always will.
Favorite Character Sid
Favorite Season 1
Favorite Episode Cassie (1x02)
