Skin‘s Lesbian Plotline Will Get Parents Television Council Off Glee‘s Back For A Minute
And how is MTV celebrating Taco Bell, H&R Block, G.M., Wrigley, and now Subway pulling ads from its hit show Skins? By releasing a new trailer (complete with age verification) for an upcoming episode that’s sure to have the Parents Television Council pleased: there are lady-loving ladies in it ZOMG!! And as we all know, the PTC just loves gay storylines, which is why I sent them a free EW subscription.
Yep, MTV took the show’s one gay male character and replaced him with a lesbian. A lesbian cheerleader who wears an impossibly skimpy uniform and will probably be hooking up with at least one of the male characters before the end of the first season. It’s complete rubbish, the appeal to straight guys hormones couldn’t be more blatant if they tried.
But honestly as much as that pisses me off, it’s not even one of the show’s top 10 biggest problems. I tried watching the premiere and it was so bad it simply defies description.
· Flag
Actually, in the British version the gay guy was only in the first two seasons. In that version, they recycle the entire cast every two seasons, they start a new plot with new faces. I don’t think seasons 3 and 4 had a gay character in them, but I could be wrong. I couldn’t get past the first couple episodes of season 3, they were bad.
I haven’t watched the first episode of the American version yet, but it isn’t just a remake of one of their seasons, is it? I just assumed it would be another group of kids in another story.
· Flag
I just finished watching the first season of the British Skins and while there was a gay teen in it – the impossibly cute Maxxie – he was a relatively minor character. I watched the first episode of the second season last night and he was featured much more prominently, including some incredible dance scenes (his character is a dancer) and a somewhat strange hook-up scene with another guy. Anyways, can’t say I’m surprised they got rid of the gay character in the MTV remake and replaced him with some hot lesbian cheerleader….
· Flag
I can’t see this being a result of homophobia. They have never shied away from portraying gay men (despite the fact it’s usually the same recycled stereotype) and the shows key demographic isn’t guys, it’s teenage girls. Wouldn’t adding a lesbian alienate their target audience more than a gay man?
· Flag
MTV took the gay guy out of Skins because there are known homophobes at MTV who can’t stand the idea of two guys kissing. MTV is basically known to censor or ignore male-male sexuality for this reason. It’s not a gay-friendly organization.
MTV fundamentally did the same when it had that bisexual dating show on. No gay guys or bi guys were permitted on the show.
Don’t watch MTV. It’s not helpful to the gay community.
· Flag
So I just saw all the brouhaha about ‘Skins’ being ‘the most dangerous television show ever!’ according to some pro-fam-damn-ily group. So I watched it, keeping in mind what their concerns were (mainly the fact that most characters were really 15-19, vs. BH 90210 where most actors were a good 8-15 years older than realm high school kids).
Teens are a lot more sophisticated and informed (and not just in the progressive metro areas that have always been like that). The show is sort of a reflection of that. I kind of liked it…I came out in 9th grade and it brought me back to a lot of this feelings. Young actors who are good can handle a variety of situations…they have for years…remember ‘Little Darlings’ (1980)? The summer camp/coming of age movie with a group of 12-16 year old girls betting on whose going to lose her virginity first? Sex and abortion on The Last Teenage American Virgin? Or to a lesser extent, in fall of 1978 or ’79 the Facts of Life aired and they had so many YOUNG girls – like 11-12 year olds – dealing with some pretty grown up stuff. Parents need to stop freaking out and if they really feel the content is inappropriate, then have the talk with your kids and discuss why you feel that way. But don’t just ‘stuff it’ because that’s how this closeted stuff stays alive. I just hope today’s parents are a little more open-minded. We’ll see.
· Flag
I havent’ seen the British version of “Skins” in a long time, but isn’t it a gay male instead of lesbian female in the original version? Not that it matters much, I suppose. But I wonder if MTV felt they could get better ratings without the male-on-male action.