MTV Teen Show "Skins" Catching Heat

[Clyde]

http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/236538.asp

[CatsCatsCats]

What is this show about? I know it's suppose to be child porn but what is the story?

[Clyde]

What is this show about? I know it's suppose to be child porn but what is the story?

 

Teens having sex and doing drugs.

[hrcarrier]

Kind of figured it would have happened sooner; but with the time we are in, not surprised either.

[HammerTime]

I didn't watch it but from what I heard it was awful and they went way to far with it.

[Habib]

I haven't seen this version or the British original but from what I've read critics have filleted MTV for ruining the show. Apparently one of the hallmarks of the original is that is was co-written by the age group it focused on, making it more realistic and authentic.

[PurplePride92]

I thought it would be better than what it was but it seemed more lame and overacted IMO. I'll probably still watch to see if it gets better but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be.

[Blue Magic]

I watched 10 minutes of this show and it looks sort of stupid. Bad acting and weird scenes. Not for me.

[Xgrad-JAGdad]

Sponsors are pulling the plug on the show. I guess there is a limit to how much garbage is tolerated.

[True blue (and gold)]

Ok...I watched the first episode of this last night (very slow night and I couldn't sleep). Observations:

 

1) There is teen sex.

2) There is drug use (mainly pot).

 

We know that both of those things happen in the real world, so if MTV wants to claim that it represents real life, I suppose they can. However, the scenarios that the show presents are very far fetched. How many teens have driven their car into a body of water (six or seven kids in the car), had the vehicle totally submerged in minutes and all made it out alive? How many males get to be part of a girls' school's choir? There's more...but, I was too bored and too disconnected to the script to care.

[stickymitts]

From the network that glorifies teen pregnancy, I'm not surprised.

[Clyde]

I guess the bigger question for me revolves around the "child pornography" angle. Can juvenile actors engage in sexual acts on camera legally?

[stickymitts]

I guess the bigger question for me revolves around the "child pornography" angle. Can juvenile actors engage in sexual acts on camera legally?

 

How are "child pornography" laws different than "consensual sex" laws? Isn't 16 the age in KY? I'm assuming all the kids are at least 16? Good question.

[True blue (and gold)]

From the network that glorifies teen pregnancy, I'm not surprised.

 

Have you watched many of the "16 and Pregnant" or "Teen Mom" shows? At first, I was just like you. As a high school teacher, I was concerned as to the message that was being sent to teen viewers. I pretty much had determined before even watching that the show did glorify teen pregnancy.

 

Then I started watching it and completely changed my mind. In general, in the beginning, most "couples" are excited and live in a fantasy world. "We'll graduate and he'll keep his college scholarship and the baby will be healthy and wonderful and I'll be able to study and we'll get married and everything will be just wonderful because we are soooooo in love!!!!"

 

THEN reality sets in. Pregnancy is hard. Many suffer complications. Many cannot keep up with their studies. There go proms and homecomings. The relationships suffer. (Of the first season, the only couple that stayed together were the pair that put their daughter up for adoption.) Many relationships even get abusive. Labor and delivery are tough. It becomes difficult just to find time to sleep, much less any time to study. College scholarships (for both academics and athletics) are lost. Babies are born unhealthy and must undergo surgeries. Some parents won't support you (financially or emotionally) if you decide to keep the baby. Some have their children taken away. Essentially, all of your plans for your life undergo MAJOR adjustments and sometimes get thrown out altogether. You love your child and that in and of itself is the one gift that you can count on. Everything else is a crap shoot (sometimes literally ).

 

What I came away with was a belief that rather than glorifying teen pregnancy, a fairly realistic representation (apart from the mom getting some money for being part of the show) of teen pregnancy is given.

[Clyde]

How are "child pornography" laws different than "consensual sex" laws? Isn't 16 the age in KY? I'm assuming all the kids are at least 16? Good question.

 

My guess (key) is that the fact that it's put on film might be the difference.