Skins is a British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, through there two years of sixth form (same age as their target audience). We see what they get up to both inside and outside of the classroom.
It is shown weekly on E4, and so far there have been 4 full series, with the 1st series eppisode being aired on the 25th January 2007.
Skins tackle many different plot lines and problems a person of this age can and may encounter, some of which are; family problems, eating disorders, mental health issues, drug use, sex and sexuality, mental illness and even death.
Although this may seem full on, it is a fairly accurate image portraid by the media of teenagers in toaday's society (although it is inaccurate).
Skins use this content as a way to define themselves as 'ideal' for E4.
Tuesday 27 April 2010
Monday 26 April 2010
Shameless - Audience reaction/perception
The pilot show of Shameless had a mixed bag of reviews. Some thought it was interesting, funny and different (in a good way), where as others felt the way in which White, Northern, working class families were portrayed was inacurate and insulting.
Some viewers also complained about the number of sex scenes within the shows. Paul Abbott dosen;t hold back on these scences, to some dismay. Parents feel that if their teenage children watch this they may get ideas about, for example sex or drugs; which would understandably wory a parent. Because of some themes (sex, drugs and violence) the show is aired on Channel 4 at 10.00pm - 11.00pm, which is the time where shows containing these themes are allowed ot be aired.
To this day, even in its seventh, people views are still mixed. Although the show is sill recieving a large audience every week.
Some viewers also complained about the number of sex scenes within the shows. Paul Abbott dosen;t hold back on these scences, to some dismay. Parents feel that if their teenage children watch this they may get ideas about, for example sex or drugs; which would understandably wory a parent. Because of some themes (sex, drugs and violence) the show is aired on Channel 4 at 10.00pm - 11.00pm, which is the time where shows containing these themes are allowed ot be aired.
To this day, even in its seventh, people views are still mixed. Although the show is sill recieving a large audience every week.
Shameless - Style
Shameless is known for having a very different and unique style compared to other British Comdey/Drama series.
A "moving camera" shooting technique (employing few masks or filters) is used. Each episode beigns and ends with a voice over (same voice over for begining and end) which higlight the main situations and concepts of that episode, and are usually done by the character most involved in the storyline during that episode.
With a lot of characters comes a lot of storylines, unlike many shows, these plots are not entirely separate and the plots always support each other to the episodes' conclusions
Originally the show was filmed on location on a council estate in West Gorton and in the Pie Factory Studios in Salford. From series 5 onwards the show has been filmed from a purpose built set on the Roundthorn Industrial Estate in South Manchester on the site of an old Kodak warehouse, and around Wythenshawe and Sale, Cheshire. For the fifth series a 66,000 square feet exterior and interior set was built on an industrial estate in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
Shameless - Plot
The series follows the lives of the dysfunctional Gallagher family, consisting Frank and his six children, other characters from around the estate are introuduced first as people in the background to the Gallaghers, but soon become well known characters of their own. Central characters in the Gallagher family include eldest daughter Fiona, eldest son Lip (Phillip), plus younger children Ian, Carl, Debbie and Liam who grow up as the series continues.
Other characters featured in earlier series include Fiona's boyfriend Steve, a middle class car thief ; Kev and Veronica, the Gallaghers' neighbours; gay Kash, the owner of the local shop, and his wife Yvonne; agoraphobic Sheila and her daughter Karen; Lip's girlfriend Mandy Maguire; the policemen Tony and Stan, along with various regular background characters. The cast was expanded for the series 2, with Carol and Marty, Veronica's mother and brother, becoming regular characters after guest roles in the first series.
The sereies follow the characters during, what they would call, a normal day. It shows te good, the bad and the ugly of families, friends and neighbourhoods, but there is always something to entertain.
Other characters featured in earlier series include Fiona's boyfriend Steve, a middle class car thief ; Kev and Veronica, the Gallaghers' neighbours; gay Kash, the owner of the local shop, and his wife Yvonne; agoraphobic Sheila and her daughter Karen; Lip's girlfriend Mandy Maguire; the policemen Tony and Stan, along with various regular background characters. The cast was expanded for the series 2, with Carol and Marty, Veronica's mother and brother, becoming regular characters after guest roles in the first series.
The sereies follow the characters during, what they would call, a normal day. It shows te good, the bad and the ugly of families, friends and neighbourhoods, but there is always something to entertain.
Saturday 24 April 2010
Shameless - Characters (the Gallaghers)
The Gallager family (during series 1) consist of:
Frank Gallagher (series 1 - Present) - Father of 8 children from 3 different women. He is an unemployed alcoholic, who at first seems like a bully towards his children; even headbutting his son in the first episode. But we soon learn he is not as bad, as we first thought.
Fiona Gallagher - The eldest of Frank's children. She was the acting mother to her five siblings after her mother left due to Frank's lack of responsibility. After her boyfriend Steve McBride got caught up in a botched drug-bust, he had to leave the Chatsworth Estate. Fiona was reluctant to leave with him, as she did not want to abandon her siblings and friends. But With the support of her family and friends, Fiona left with Steve at the end of series 2 and now resides in Amsterdam.
Philip 'Lip' Gallagher - The oldest son og Frank Gallagher. According to his father he was given the nickname 'lip' as he is a "bit of a gobshite". Lip was in a long-term, open relationship with Mandy Maguire and they have a baby daughter, Katie, conceived while they were both still in school. He is highly intelligent, has completed his A-Levels and was accepted into Nottingham University (in the last episode of series 4)
Carl Gallagher - The fourth oldest. Carl discovers he is gay and finds it hard to tell anybody, untill his brother 'lip' finds out. As the brothers are so close 'lip' agrees to keep the truth a sercet from everyone else.
Liam Gallagher - The second youngest of the Gallagher children. He is a minor character until series 5, when he takes a more central role in the main storylines
Ian Gallagher - is the third oldest Gallagher sibling and is aged 15 at the beginning of the first series in 2004. He is the son of Monica and Gary Bennett, revealed when his blood group was found to be incompatible with the rest of his siblings'In the early series, Ian is depicted as closest to his brother Phillip, with whom he shares a room, and is initially the only member of his family to know that he was gay. The brothers often have to look out for each other more than any of the other characters, due to being party to each others' secrets. In later series, all the family, except Frank, are aware of his sexuality
Frank Gallagher (series 1 - Present) - Father of 8 children from 3 different women. He is an unemployed alcoholic, who at first seems like a bully towards his children; even headbutting his son in the first episode. But we soon learn he is not as bad, as we first thought.
Fiona Gallagher - The eldest of Frank's children. She was the acting mother to her five siblings after her mother left due to Frank's lack of responsibility. After her boyfriend Steve McBride got caught up in a botched drug-bust, he had to leave the Chatsworth Estate. Fiona was reluctant to leave with him, as she did not want to abandon her siblings and friends. But With the support of her family and friends, Fiona left with Steve at the end of series 2 and now resides in Amsterdam.
Philip 'Lip' Gallagher - The oldest son og Frank Gallagher. According to his father he was given the nickname 'lip' as he is a "bit of a gobshite". Lip was in a long-term, open relationship with Mandy Maguire and they have a baby daughter, Katie, conceived while they were both still in school. He is highly intelligent, has completed his A-Levels and was accepted into Nottingham University (in the last episode of series 4)
Carl Gallagher - The fourth oldest. Carl discovers he is gay and finds it hard to tell anybody, untill his brother 'lip' finds out. As the brothers are so close 'lip' agrees to keep the truth a sercet from everyone else.
Liam Gallagher - The second youngest of the Gallagher children. He is a minor character until series 5, when he takes a more central role in the main storylines
Ian Gallagher - is the third oldest Gallagher sibling and is aged 15 at the beginning of the first series in 2004. He is the son of Monica and Gary Bennett, revealed when his blood group was found to be incompatible with the rest of his siblings'In the early series, Ian is depicted as closest to his brother Phillip, with whom he shares a room, and is initially the only member of his family to know that he was gay. The brothers often have to look out for each other more than any of the other characters, due to being party to each others' secrets. In later series, all the family, except Frank, are aware of his sexuality
Shamelss - Introduction
Shameless is a BAFTA award winning British drama seried. It is set in the ficitonal Chatsworth counicl estate, Mancheseter, England. Shameless is writen and created by Paul Abbott It is mainly centered around one family, the Gallaghers, but also all the goings on around the estate.
Paul Abbott is also the programmes executive producer. He got his inspiration for the programme from his own experiences growing up in Burnley, to a simialr situation as the Gallagher children.
It is a comedy drama and is centered on British underclass and working class culture. So far there have been 6 full series and the 7th is currently running on air, and the 8th has been confirmed to be aired in 2011.
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