Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. Its controversial storylines have explored issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness (eating disorders for example), adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death. The show was created by father and son television writers Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain for Company Pictures, and premiered on E4 on 25 January 2007. The show went on to be a ratings winner in its target demographic and to be a success with critics.
The show is famous for its unique and clever way casting of amateur actors and young writers. The cast are entirely replaced every two series, when the characters leave sixth form and begin their adult lives. There are usually about eight main cast members, although the second generation had nine. Most of the central actors are relatively inexperienced, but better-known actors, such as Nicholas Hoult, Jack O'Connell and Dakota Blue Richards have taken leading roles. Additionally, the show has traditionally cast well-known British comic actors as the parents of the central cast, who appear sporadically.
The show's writing team has an average age of 21, and includes several "teenage consultants". The series co-producer Bryan Elsley said, "It's all about the writing. We're about letting our audience feel they are not alone. We're always having people miss [writing] meetings because they've got A-levels or even GCSEs".
The first series received positive reviews, although some critics complained that the series depicts teenagers unrealistically and stereotypically. But how wrong can it be if a large proportion of the Skins writing team are teenagers? Others criticised the excessive promotion of the show (specifically in the UK) and having relatively mediocre writing in comparison to other similarly themed shows. Actor Nicholas Hoult defended the extreme storylines, saying they would not reflect "everyone's teenage life", adding "it is maybe heightened for entertainment but all of it is believable."
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