Skins – Volume Two (2008/BBC TV DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C Episodes: C+
So now
that the BBC’s hit Skins continues
into a second season, what is a hit show with some edge to do? Well, it becomes a soap opera, which is the
total opposite of Larry Clark films like Kids
or Bully, but the actors to their
credit (along with the writers assisting them) see their character expand and
where the show become more melodramatic than it might have first been, the new
developments with the characters and (only to some extent) storyline keep the
show going.
Of
course, co-star Dev Patel is now highly recognizable as the lead in Danny
Boyle’s huge critical and commercial hit Slumdog
Millionaire (reviewed elsewhere on this site) giving the first two DVD sets
a while new curiosity interest and the series overall. It is always fun to see unknowns in an
all-unknown cast go on to bigger things, so the show has that to its
advantage. Those of you who saw About A Boy will even recognize
Nicholas Hoult, but the actors were always believable enough in how they were
cast to begin with, which is part of its commercial success. We recommend you start with the first season
set just the same.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image once again is good, but a little softer
throughout than a new production should be and not the best-looking of the
recent BBC productions we’ve been covering.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is once again also not bad, but has no
surrounds and is nothing more than a modern-style TV recording. Extras include five bonus Skins stories, the Christmas Special
from the previous season and auditions of interest.
- Nicholas Sheffo
