With the imminent series 6 DVD release of multi BAFTA award-winning E4 drama Skins – we decided to take a look at what the DVD extra’s have to offer before its release on 23rd of April 2012.
DVD Summary
The Skins gang returns in style, burning their way through a holiday in Morocco before their final year at college. But what begins as a hedonistic fortnight before their return to college turns into a living hell. By the time they return everything has changed. Friendships fall apart whilst complicated and toxic relationships begin.
Franky (Dakota Blue Richards) goes through a sexual awakening. In her wake, Matty (Sebastian De Souza), deeply in love, is about to get himself deeply in trouble; meanwhile, Nick (Sean Teale) slowly begins to realise what his brother sees in Franky. Grace (Jessica Sula) and Rich (Alexander Arnold) are closer than ever. Alo (Will Merrick) finds the world is his oyster, but his refusal to grow up causes problems. Liv (Laya Lewis) and Mini’s (Freya Mavor) friendship is tested as they struggle to deal with life-changing events. Mini carries a secret and finds what it’s like to grow up too quickly, while Liv gravitates towards new boy Alex (Joe Cole) who crash lands into our gang’s world at just the right time
Starring
Alexander Arnold, Joe Cole, Sebastian De Souza, Sam Jackson, Laya Lewis, Freya Mavor, Will Merrick, Dakota Blue Richards, Jessica Sula, and Sean Teale, the extra’s include….
Behind the scenes including interviews with cast and crew
If your particular favourite characters include Alo and Mini, its fair to say you will love the behind the scenes extra’s as there is quite a bias to their characters and relationship. However on the opposite end of the scale Matty fans will be sorely disappointed at his lack on screen time or mention, he appears only twice in the entire extra’s. The videos include a behind the scenes look at filming of episode 1 in Morocco, episode eight with the focus on Liv; the last Skins pool party; and a look at how the Frankie/Nick/Luke fight was filmed.
Skins shorts
The short or webisodes give extra scenes with our characters as we see, Alo’s urgency to lose his virginity, and the start of the Mini relationship. Nick and Ryder in their quest to buy a stash of drugs, while Grace and Rich face their very own The Walking Dead style apocalypse.
The shorts pretty much represent our group with sex, drugs, and a heavy dose of low-budget style movie making.
Trailer
The trailer is an impressive visual piece that is edited well and complemented by Florence and the Machine’s vocals as we see the parties, fun, drama and despair our group faces in a short clip that would pique your interest from the start.
Audio commentaries
Were unavailable at the time of preview.
Overall
I was disappointed the majority of the content available as an “extra” is also available for free from the E4 website (at the time of publication), so unless you’re buying the DVD for the enjoyment of the episodes and less for the extra’s this may not seem a waste of your hard-earned cash. However the extra’s are fun interludes that bring you in to the all party teenage lifestyle.
Without having seen the audio commentaries, I am unaware if we are given much insight into the technical side or how certain characters story arcs came about, but the extra’s don’t serve this purpose. There’s a too much focus on the character of Alo/Mini and Liv and no insight into the new characters.
Overall I think the demographic of Skins would probably buy the DVD anyway regardless… but as a review I would say, a fun ride can be had with the extra’s – but could certainly do a lot better.
