Skins: Complete Series 1 [2007] (Region 2)

Skins is set in and around the lives of a group of friends who live in Bristol. In their late teen One of the more impressive television hits of recent times, Skins burst onto TV screens at the beginning of 2007, and in short space built itself an impressive, dedicated following.

Skins is set in and around the lives of a group of friends who live in Bristol. In their late teens, and each at sixth form college, this compelling drama then follows the various problems and challenges that its characters face.

What stands Skins apart from many other shows that have tackled similar ground is the sheer down-to-earth of it. The first series dedicates its individual episodes mainly to a certain character each, although that doesn't stop the assorted story arcs of the others from building too. And amidst them all is some terrific acting, quality writing, and gritty, grounded drama, albeit not without humour.

Given the age of the characters within Skins, it's clearly a show skewed towards a reasonably young late-teen demographic, and that's going to leave some who sample the programme a little cold. But there's still little getting away from the fact that this first series is some achievement, and the many who do embrace the show aren't going to be disappointment by this terrific DVD collection. --Jon Foster (Review copyright Amazon.co.uk)