Commentary

[kruelsummer]

I've read a lot of reviews and comments that accuse Generation 3 of being Americanized and no longer a true representation of teens in Bristol.

What are your thoughts?  Has Skins become Americanized? Could the lack of relatable characters be the reason for the ratings decline?

Comments

[knopflergroupie]

On the one hand, I'm thinking "haha, what does that even mean?" but at the same time...I am American and I do find them more relatable. Both of the previous gens were amusing to watch, but these guys are actually living my high school experience. Like, Gen 1 opened with them driving a car into the harbor and losing the drugs and incurring the wrath of a dealer who was a complete caricature with a giant mustache and really bizarre whores, and Gen 2 had Cook whipping out his tattooed penis in an assembly and there were really loud farts and sex in the nurse's office. Gen 3 opened with the girls doing some leftover drugs and storming a shopping center, and sitting at a pool with bottles of champagne. That was just way more real for me, but is it less British?

[utterblissikins]

That was just way more real for me, but is it less British?

I don't think so. Gen 3 has been far more relatable to me, and I'm Australian. I think it's just a more realistic portrayal of teenagers in general.

Actually, I think a common criticism of the first ep of gen 1 was that it was too Americanized - with Tony focused on Sid having to lose his virginity. Plus the car. But it's funny that Americans don't even find that realistic. I think it was just unrealistic in general.

[leatron]

I think it's just a more realistic portrayal of teenagers in general.

That's what I think too.

[wondering]

This. I'm Australian too and nothing that happened in Gen 1 or 2 would ever happen where I live. I think that Gen 3 i more relatable for me and my friends.

[peachgrl10]

Well if you want a true "Americanized" Skins... look no further than to US Skins.

Like someone else said on this, if you were going by episode one on it's own, I would of said that yes, it did quite remind of something Mean Girls-esque, but that would be the only sole reason (ep. 1). I get the whole aspect of weird kid gets bullied by popular girl (Franky-Mini) and that part where Alo/Rich give Franky the lowdown on Mini in the cafeteria was pretty much as "Americanized" as this generation was going to get. All of that drama seemed to happen only inside of college.

But you don't really see the gang in college and when you do, you tend to forget they're even at school, considering they always have these crazy events they need to participate in (ex, runway show, or play). I dunno, I just...I don't see gen 3 skins as Americanized whatsoever.

Still the same awesome, drug-riddled, sex-infested, angsty show I've been watching since gen 1.

[theartistprince]

I think that's very easy to say and not really relevant.

Teens are pretty much the same everywhere. People are. Mini being the Mean Girl doesn't make her Americanized because it relies on the basic characterization of American teen movies. There are Mean Girls everywhere. There are jocks everywhere and stoners and metalheads.

To me it feels like people are grasping for reasons to knock down this generation and build the other generations up.

Effy doesn't seem like a true representation of teens or Cook or Freddie or Tony.

As a Canadian, I still related to certain characters or recognised them, despite the differences between our countries. It's a weak argument.

[theartistprince]

I think we relate it to America because the vast majority of the famous teen movies come from America. Mean Girls, Clueless, Heathers, John Hughes...

[kruelsummer]

And yours is perfect. I don't know what the American High School experience is, but it seemed to me they were basing their arguments on what they may have seen in a movie or television, which is never a good idea.

To me it feels like people are grasping for reasons to knock down this generation and build the other generations up.

This.

[funkenpflug]

> Could the lack of relatable characters be the reason for the ratings decline?

Honestly, this confuses me. The way this question implies that this generation lacks relatable characters, when-- that isn't really universal at all?

Like, except for maybe Alo, I think I can relate to every single gen3 character in some way, and Frankie is the character I relate to the most out of all Skins series. I get that this is just my personal experience, but... I don't see how this generation lacks relatable characters? (And what does that have to do with the series supposedly being Americanized?)

[kruelsummer]

Honestly, this confuses me. The way this question implies that this generation lacks relatable characters, when-- that isn't really universal at all?

That was poor phrasing on my part. Didn't realize until after the fact and I'm too afraid to edit.

Some of the comments that I've read have stated that they found the characters unrelatable. I wondered if that could be one (of many, I'm sure)reasons why the ratings were so low in the UK.

I personally find the cast very relatable.

[leatron]

I don't see how this generation lacks relatable characters
exactly, if anything it's way more relatable now than ever

[lucillebluth]

eh I'm from the UK and we definitely do have the popular and unpopular kids even if the cliques aren't as defined as they are in your usual american teen movie. As for the rugby teams well they aren't adored by the rest of the school but they certainly think they are hot shit. So yeah I thought Nick especially was a really accurate portrayal.

[theartistprince]

And we didn't even see if the rest of the school thought that they were cool for being rugby players.

[lucillebluth]

Well from the reactions of the rest of the gang in Nick's episode it looked like a lot of people saw them for what they were i.e massive douchecanoes (I say this with love about King Levan ofc). Tbh Nick really remind me of a friend of mine, he went to private school and was in the popular crowd, he played football rather than rugby but he also tried hard to be how a 'popular kid' should act but was really a bit of an awkward turtle underneath. To me Nick and Mini were so accurate in the way kids try to act just to fit in with what they're supposed to be.