The superficial

When used as the soundtrack to an early-morning perv session — involving, perhaps, a teenage boy spying on a buck-naked Mrs. Robinson type in the next building — the unexotic stanzas of Chingy’s Right Thurr seem to take on a whole new level of rap radness. At least that’s how Skins, the hit British dramedy about 16- and 17-year-olds being themselves, begins.

Tackling lighthearted stuff like drugs, religion, sex, sexuality and anorexia, the series — set in Bristol — has rightfully singled itself out from similarly themed programs. It’s not easy to survive, much less make a dent, in an industry where well-written coming-of-age shows are gone too soon (see: Life As We Know It) while craptastic ones overstay their welcome (see: One Tree Hill).

This ain’t The O.C.

But somehow Skins has been straight killing it since its debut early this year, inspiring devotion among addicted fans. It’s safe to say that a bajillion pairs of teen (and post-teen) eyes are set to go berserker once the second season of Skins starts shortly in the UK (and worldwide, of course, via e4.com/skins). It really sounds ambitious, but hear me out.

On-cam boobage, tons of ass shots, and generous highballs of delinquency aside, Skins redefines the art of teen-friendly TV by presenting adolescence in the realest, grittiest and most-non-High School Musical way possible. (This is Brit TV after all and Brits are not puritanical like Americans.) It has a charming breakout cast, witty character-driven episodes, and controversy going for it. For serious.    

Skinny jean-clad boys and nü-rave girls

The show’s alpha lad is clearly Tony Stonem, fetchingly lanky in drainpipe trousers and a striped cardigan. Like Cruel Intentions’ Sebastian Valmont (only middle class and obviously more Euro), Tony is a manipulative, hedonistic choirboy who’s out to break some hearts. Nicholas Hoult (About A Boy) effectively essays the role of a golden boy who’s probably going to hell on a scholarship.

Each Skins episode in the maiden season is named after the show’s central characters — a tangy mix of guys and girls trying to find themselves through ravenous make-out sessions, adult-free parties, or stints at rehab: Tony, Cassie, Jal, Chris, Sid, Michelle, Maxxie, Anwar, and Effy. With the exception of the last two installments, each one-hour chapter acts like a focused demo reel, exposing individual origins while building up a consistent story arc. When viewed in one sitting, it becomes apparent that Skins is a coherent comedy born from dark and refreshingly bawdy material.

The standout cast members, at least to me, are Cassie (Hannah Murray), a sensitive, anorexic girl with Luna Lovegood overtones; Chris (Joe Dempsie), a lovable schmo with a hard-on for teacher; and Anwar (Dev Patel), a Muslim boy who’s trying to broaden his mind the non-Muslim way. Without handing out any spoilers, I’d like to add that this series has tons of hilarious, oh-no-they-didn’t highlights, specifically when the entire class goes on a field trip to the armpit of Russia. Holy merciful Lord.

MySpace is TheirSpace, too

This show has been one of the few homegrown high spots for the UK’s Channel 4. In a previous newspaper interview, Francis Hopkinson, senior commissioning editor for drama, even said, “Skins has shown there is an appreciative audience for smart, young drama. It has become an important launch pad for new talent, both on and off the screen and the next series will continue this.”

To high-five with the program’s between-the-sheets action, Skins has also been marketed virally. Viewers can bone up on unseen Skins webisodes, score invites to Skins shindigs, or download exclusive tunes from under-the-radar bands featured in the soundtrack. Their MySpace (www.myspace.com/e4skins2) already has 67,373 friends and counting; among those are make-believe accounts of the core Skins crew.

‘Let’s Trash the Average Family-sized House’ party

The smudging of reality and fiction has proven to be so freakin’ bomb successful that Skins has already been tangled up in a bit of controversy. In April 2007, up to 200 teens from across England trashed a family house in Durham after a girl threw a small-ish party while her parents were away. The fact that the rager was advertised on MySpace made the aforementioned trashing a touch easier.

Police said that revelers caused £20,000 of damage to the £230,000 property during the Easter Monday get-together. “Partygoers allegedly urinated on the mother’s wedding dress and children’s clothes; stole cash and jewelry; ripped light fittings from the ceiling by swinging on them; stubbed out cigarettes on the carpet; vomited throughout the house and barricaded the back door to prevent neighbors from intervening,” the Guardian reported. Oh Em Gee.

Getting down, dirty, and discofied

The anarchy was an uncanny reenactment of a party in the pilot episode, where the Skins kids hit a posh mansion party so that Tony could pass some dope off as “Mongolian hallucinogenic stuff.” The show’s promotional spots show the same crazy, rock star-esque attitude: teen tearaways getting down, dirty, and discofied to Standing In The Way Of Control by The Gossip.

Despite the presence of critics who pan the show for its portrayal of the excesses of youth, one thing is certain: Skins has slowly but surely captured the imagination and devotion of the people it was meant to attract. The teens of Skins may lead exaggerated lives, but at least they balance humor with heartbreak, grab life by the balls, and give it a totally playful spin.