---
title: "Skins"
year: 2007
kind: "series"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/skins"
fi1m_id: "skins"
imdb_id: "tt0840196"
tmdb_id: 900
wikidata_id: "Q326180"
fi1m_score: 72
critics_score: 71
critics_reviews: 11
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-20T21:33:05.696426+00:00"
region: "HU"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Skins (2007)

Created by Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain · 44m · NMHH 16 · Drama, Comedy

## Identity

Skins

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/skins
- **Type:** Series
- **Fi1m ID:** skins
- **IMDb ID:** tt0840196
- **TMDB ID:** 900
- **Wikidata ID:** Q326180
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0840196/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/900, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q326180

**Fi1m score: 72** · Critics 71 from 11 reviews

*In a sentence:* The teenagers are exhausting, but we would still answer the phone if one of them rang

> *Skins* is funny, abrasive and more sympathetic to its teenagers than its appetite for shock suggests. The plotting is often predictable, but the dialogue and performances make the company worth keeping.

## Synopsis

*Skins* follows a group of Bristol A-level students as college, parties, sex and drugs compete for their attention. Tony Stonem (Nicholas Hoult), Sid Jenkins (Mike Bailey), Michelle Richardson (April Pearson), Chris Miles (Joe Dempsie) and Jal Fazer (Larissa Wilson) are among the teenagers at its centre. Their conversations move between their own concerns and the uncertainties of growing up, while their social lives provide occasions for comedy and drama. Created by Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain, the series centres on adolescent self-absorption, uncertainty and the gap between how these teenagers speak and how they feel.

## Review

*Skins* is good company if a noisy, aggravating teenage comedy-drama is what the evening calls for. Its dialogue and cast justify the time, even when its plots are doing something we have seen coming. Creators Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain follow Bristol A-level students through college, parties, sex and drugs, refusing to make good behaviour a condition of our interest. The question is how much we can care about them once the initial amusement at their misbehaviour wears off.

The dialogue is the main reason to stay. Jack Thorne and Lucy Kirkwood are among the writers, and the scripts understand how adolescent self-importance can share a sentence with doubt. We felt unexpectedly protective of these irritating people. Their speech keeps exposing how unsure they are, even when they sound pleased with themselves, and the jokes leave enough room for that discomfort.

Nicholas Hoult’s Tony Stonem is an arresting presence, though Mike Bailey’s Sid Jenkins makes the warmer impression. Neither performance needs us to find the character agreeable all the time. April Pearson as Michelle Richardson, Joe Dempsie as Chris Miles and Larissa Wilson as Jal Fazer give the ensemble enough variety to keep its abrasiveness from becoming monotonous. The casting is less persuasive as a broad picture of teenage life: there is a social narrowness here that the amount of bad behaviour cannot disguise.

Sam Care’s cinematography and Matthew Robert Cooper’s music serve the programme’s considerable energy. The partying has the necessary appeal: it is easy to understand why these people want to be there. That matters in a drama which could otherwise spend all its time condemning its characters for enjoying themselves. The presentation is most useful when it draws us into their company rather than simply insisting that we notice how badly they are behaving.

This is where Elsley and Brittain’s approach becomes wearing. The sex and drug use would be less tiring if the programme did not keep treating them as sufficient reason to pay attention. There are stretches when the teenagers seem selected from a stock list, then sent towards equally familiar difficulties. By then we depend on the cast to make us care about what is coming, because the writing has made it too easy to guess.

Against the standards of teenage drama, its sympathy is worth something. A programme about adolescence should be allowed to find young people funny, selfish and difficult without deciding that they deserve whatever happens to them. *Skins* generally manages that, and its comedy is better for it. It is also more involving when it lets embarrassment or uncertainty matter than when it seems anxious to prove how far it can go.

Give it an evening for the cast, with some patience for the plotting. The teenagers can be exhausting, and the programme does not always know when to leave them alone. Being glad not to be that age is a perfectly reasonable response.

*Fi1m score 72, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Skins, and the praise clusters on the writing. Reviewers agree the dialogue sounds the way teenagers actually talk, mixing self-absorption with vulnerability, and several credit the show’s young writers for that. The decision to replace the cast every two series draws admiration for keeping the programme fresh, as does the habit of building each episode around a different character. Reviews written years after broadcast are warmer still, treating the series as the standard against which later teen dramas are measured.

The reservations gather around plot. The Guardian finds the characters as irritating as real teenagers and the storylines predictable, and also questions the largely middle-class casting. Collider calls it addictive but poorly plotted and implausible. The one outright negative notice, from Variety, sees shock value with no point of view underneath it. The spread is wide, from the low thirties to the nineties, and the American reviews are the coolest.

## Straight answers

**Is Skins worth watching?**

*Skins* is worth watching for anyone who wants a noisy, abrasive teenage comedy-drama and can put up with predictable plotting, and we scored it 72. The dialogue and the cast, Nicholas Hoult and Mike Bailey in particular, are the reasons to stay. The teenagers are exhausting, but we found ourselves oddly protective of them.

**How long is Skins, and what is it rated?**

*Skins* has episodes of about 44m and is rated 16 by the NMHH in Hungary. It is a drama and comedy series.

**Where can I watch Skins in Hungary?**

*Skins* is not on any streaming or rental service in Hungary at the moment. It is available in 9 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Skins, and is it suitable for children?**

*Skins* is certified 18 in the UK and TV-MA in the US, and it is not for children. It is built around sex and drug use among Bristol A-level students, and it treats both as reasons to pay attention rather than things to be tutted at. It is not frightening; it is frank, and older teenagers are the youngest audience we would suggest.

**How does Skins compare to Dazed and Confused?**

*Skins* is harsher and more concerned with shock than [*Dazed and Confused*](https://film.one/film/dazed-and-confused), which is the warmer and more relaxed of the two. Richard Linklater's film watches its teenagers over one day and lets friendships matter more than the evening's plans; the series follows its cast across episodes, with sex and drugs closer to the surface. We think the film the better piece of work; the series is for viewers who want the same bravado with rougher edges.

**What should I watch after Skins?**

After *Skins*, try [*Dazed and Confused*](https://film.one/film/dazed-and-confused) (1993, Fi1m 86): For adolescent bravado and friendships that matter more than the evening’s supposed plans. Then [*My Mad Fat Diary*](https://film.one/tv/my-mad-fat-diary) (2013, Fi1m 88): For another frank, funny account of adolescence with sympathy beneath the noise.

### Reviews we read (11)

- **Evening Standard**, Ben Travis (85/100, inferred): Skins was the perfect teen show because it was ambitious, messy and inventive, much like real teenagers. It captured the era with daring storytelling, music, and constant reinvention across generations while staying entertaining. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/skins-was-ambitious-messy-erratic-and-inventive-and-that-s-why-it-was-the-perfect-teen-show-a3449721.html)
- **Radio Times**, Huw Fullerton (80/100, inferred): The first episode of Skins still holds up well a decade later, remaining fresh, funny and insightful about teenage life. It introduced characters and world convincingly with strong performances and writing that largely avoids dated pitfalls. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/skins-at-10-how-well-does-e4s-teen-drama-hold-up-after-a-decade/)
- **The Telegraph**, Iona McLaren (80/100, inferred): Skins raised the bar for teen TV by being better written and more daring than previous youth programming. It succeeded through its authentic dialogue, young writers, and clever regeneration of cast every two seasons. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/10226015/Skins-the-show-that-raised-teen-TVs-game.html)
- **Empire**, Kat Brown (70/100, inferred): The series is an enjoyably bitchy take on British teen life that stands out from lesser shows like Hollyoaks. It follows Bristol A-level students through parties, drugs and college, with strong cast and writing talent that should return for a second series. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/skins-season-1-review/)
- **The Times**, Ian Johns (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the script for capturing the mix of self-absorption and vulnerability in teenagers, along with its heart and entertainment value over issue-raising. He notes strong performances and a sense that the series shows promise beyond its initial shock tactics. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/spaced-out-with-the-skins-generation-hzx0qf2cwgv)
- **The Guardian**, Lucy Mangan (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the teenage characters as irritating as real ones but grants that the dialogue captures authentic adolescent speech and vulnerability. She notes the show's energy and naughtiness while critiquing the middle-class casting and predictable plotting. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jan/26/broadcasting.tvandradio)
- **Variety**, Brian Lowry (30/100, inferred): The show offers edgy high-school archetypes and shock value around British teens' sex and drug use but lacks a compelling point of view or depth beneath the surface. It feels rudderless despite fine elements and some strong sequences. [Read](https://variety.com/2008/scene/markets-festivals/skins-2-1200507796/)
- **Den of Geek**, Caroline Preece (90/100, inferred): The critic hails Skins as one of the greatest teen dramas ever made and a trailblazer for its raw, honest take on adolescence and its platform for young British talent. She singles out its bold, quirky storytelling and ability to capture the intense, confusing feelings of being a teenager for particular praise. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/culture/skins-revisiting-the-british-teen-drama-10-years-later/)
- **Paste**, Lacy Baugher Milas (90/100, inferred): The retrospective hails Skins as a gold standard for teen drama that gets adolescence right through emotional honesty and respect for its young characters. It singles out the show's willingness to tackle real issues like mental health and sexuality without condescension or soap-opera excess. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/skins-uk-streaming)
- **Digital Spy**, Catriona Wightman (80/100, inferred): The critic celebrates Skins as a groundbreaking and risk-taking series that has aged into a beloved cult favorite. They single out its willingness to push boundaries in storytelling and its authentic capture of the teenage experience. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a360795/skins-why-we-still-love-e4s-teen-drama/)
- **Collider**, Eli (65/100, inferred): The reviewer finds the UK teen series addictive brain candy despite calling it obnoxious, poorly plotted, and implausible. They single out the episode structure that focuses on a different character each week for keeping the show fresh and empathetic. [Read](https://collider.com/skins-season-one-dvd-review/)

## Details

- **Created by:** Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain
- **Creator:** Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain
- **Director:** Charles Martin, Simon Massey, Jack Clough, Paul Gay, Philippa Langdale, Adam Smith, Ian Barnes, Benjamin Caron, Samuel Donovan, Esther May Campbell, Harry Enfield, Daniel O'Hara, Aysha Rafaele, Neil Biswas, Dominic Leclerc, Amanda Boyle, Minkie Spiro, Chris Clough
- **Writer:** Bryan Elsley, Jamie Brittain, Jack Thorne, Ben Schiffer, Lucy Kirkwood, Daniel Kaluuya, Sean Buckley, Georgia Lester, Ed Hime, Jess Brittain, Daniel Lovett, Geoff Bussetil, Sean Buckley, Jack Lothian, Simon Amstell, Sally Tatchell, Laura Hunter
- **Cinematography:** Sam Care
- **Music:** Matthew Robert Cooper
- **Producer:** Chris Clough, Toby Welch, Neil Duncan
- **Cast:** Nicholas Hoult as Tony Stonem; Dakota Blue Richards as Franky Fitzgerald; Alexander Arnold as Rich Hardbeck; Mike Bailey as Sid Jenkins; Freya Mavor as Mini McGuinness; Ollie Barbieri  as JJ Jones; April Pearson as Michelle Richardson; Sam Jackson as Alex Henley
- **Runtime:** 44m
- **Certificate (NMHH):** 16
- **Release (Hungary):** 25 January 2007
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy

## Where to watch in Hungary

Not streaming, renting or buying in Hungary at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, CA, DE, GB, IE, IT, NZ, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Dazed and Confused* (1993), Fi1m 86: For adolescent bravado and friendships that matter more than the evening’s supposed plans. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/dazed-and-confused.md)
- *Show Me Love* (1998): For teenage loneliness and desire treated seriously without making everyone solemn.
- *Water Lilies* (2007): For adolescent attraction, social cruelty and feelings nobody can quite explain.
- *My Mad Fat Diary* (2013), Fi1m 88: For another frank, funny account of adolescence with sympathy beneath the noise. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/my-mad-fat-diary.md)
- *Linda Linda Linda* (2005): For teenage friendships given room to develop without another compulsory disaster.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/skins