"SKINS: VOLUME 2"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: **** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) STARRING Nicholas Hoult as TONY STONEM Mike Bailey as SID JENKINS April Pearson as MICHELLE RICHARDSON Larissa Wilson as JAL FAZER Dev Patel as ANWAR KHARRAL Hannah Murray as CASSIE AINSWORTH Joseph Dempsie as CHRIS MILES Mitch Hewer as MAXXIE OLIVER Kaya Scodelario as EFFY STONEM Aimee-Ffion Edwards as SKETCH Not Rated Available on DVD April 14 Official BBC America Shop site Studio: Warner Bros. Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The groundbreaking and edgy series “Skins” returns for a second season, telling the angst-filled and tawdry stories of a group of Bristol teenager as they become adults. Season two picks up with Tony (Nicholas Hoult) recovering from being hit by a bus. His best friend Sid (Mike Bailey) has forsaken him, as has his girlfriend Michelle (April Pearson). Each character has his or her own issues – from resolving sexual crises to dealing with stalkers – and some issues get resolved while others continue to fester.
WHAT I LIKED
Initially I wasn’t a fan of the series “Skins.” The initial episode of season one tried a bit too hard to be hip and cool, and the copious amount of sex, drugs and rock-and-roll was a bit much to seem wholly realistic. Additionally, I was not a big fan of the anchor male leads of Tony and Sid, for opposite reasons (Tony was borderline sociopath while Sid was an utter tool).
The second season is far superior. With the characters established from the previous year, the show could focus on the character development, offering believable struggles for each person. Some characters – like Anwar (Dev Patel) – took a back seat this season. however, it did offer a chance to develop other characters, like Maxxie (Mitch Hewer) and Chris (Joseph Dempsie). And with Tony still reeling from his accident, it took him off his pedestal, making him far more interesting this season.
The characters in “Skins” don’t just grow on you. They dig their roots deep in your heart. Even my less favorite characters, like Sid, got under my skin. And some, like Cassie (Hannah Murray), start off slow but end up developing well.
In its second season, “Skins” moved out of the box of a teen drama and into a larger world. Like the kids in the show, it has matured. And while things get ugly – very ugly – at times for those in the show, it’s hard to not get sucked in.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
With as large of a cast as the show has, and as short as British television season are, I would have liked to have seen more of these mates. I thought that Anwar got the short end of the stick, story-wise (which is ironic considering he’s the biggest name on the cover box now, after the success of “Slumdog Millionaire”).
Still, I was very intrigued with this season and very pleased to see how deep the stories went.
However, do keep in mind that while unrated, this show contains plenty of R-rated material. It might be a show about teens, but it’s a show for adults... unless you want your kids running around, trying to score a spliff while cursing profusely in a British accent.
DVD FEATURES
The three-disc DVD set comes with five deleted stories from the “Skins” shows. There’s also a Christmas special that sees how these Bristol teenagers make their friends their own family. There’s also a bonus segment about the auditions for the college’s musical “Osama!” (easily one of the funniest storylines in the season).
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of the series and anyone who adores quality teen angst and drama.
"Sid and Michelle Worried about Tony's Condition"
"Maxxie's Stalker Goes Too Far"
